Dreaming Of A Dream Cruise
After a decade of hosting French canal trips on 22-passenger barges, my idea was to host an extended trip on Europe’s most desirable rivers at what I considered to be the best time of year and with one of the best river cruise companies.
I reached out to an old friend, AmaWaterways’ co-founder Kristin Karst, to discuss my aspiration. She was enthused about the idea and helpful in working out the details. We agreed that the Main (pronounced ‘mine’) and/or the Moselle should be included. These lesser-known rivers are among Europe’s most beautiful, with fairy-tale-like towns along the river banks and stunning scenery along the way.
October would be the best time of year in my experience, and Kristin agreed. The water levels should prove favorable (and fortunately they did). I assumed the changing foliage would highlight the river banks, and it did. Plus, on the Moselle, we would see the harvest of grapes destined to be Rieslings – and get a taste of those delicious wines.
I settled on the Rhine and Moselle and put out a feeler to our subscribers. In the end, 36 of us boarded AmaPrima for my Dream Cruise. I finally put faces with the names of those I had been corresponding with for such a long time.
Our group was comprised of a diverse mix of people from the United States and Canada. Ages ranged from the late 20s (my daughter and her childhood friend) to the late 80s. We were a good mix. The number of people allowed for groups within the group. We were a community of like-minded travelers exploring together.
Bound For Amsterdam, But …
Before the cruise, a couple dozen of us were to spend two nights in Amsterdam. Tamera and I, along with our friend Bonnie, were delayed by a day because of the massive devastation caused by tropical storm Helene in our hometown, Asheville, North Carolina.
In all of my years of international travel, I’ve never had anyone ask where I was from when all I needed to do was point to a television screen. Footage of the devastation from Western North Carolina was on screens in the baggage claim area of Amsterdam’s Schipol airport. Nearly two months after the storm, our region is still suffering the aftermath.
Tamera, Bonnie and I took the train from the airport to central station, and wheeled our luggage to the centrally located Hotel Barbizon. The train was easy, and less than $20 for all three of us. Wheeling our luggage from Centraal to the hotel took about 10 minutes.
The pre-cruise extension in Amsterdam included tours and two nights in Hotel Barbizon with breakfast, a lavish morning affair. We had only one night as we were late getting out of Asheville. Tamera had compiled a list of all that she wanted to do in Amsterdam, but as we lost a day, our list was shortened. Still, we enjoyed walking around to explore the city, and arriving early allowed us to shake off some of the jetlag. Fortunately, we had all flown business class, so we managed to get some rest on the way over. Our tickets fell below the threshold of what I am willing to pay for roundtrip business class, which was under $3,000.
On the day of embarkation, the group transferred to AmaPrima by way of Kinderdijk, with its magnificent windmills. The group arrived at the ship in time for lunch. Staterooms were ready shortly after our arrival.
Bikes On Board
We spent an additional night in Amsterdam on board AmaPrima before setting sail shortly after noon the next day. We were disappointed that the ship would not allow us to use bicycles in Amsterdam because of “liability,” telling us that Amsterdam was too risky for guests. But what about the waiver we had signed? We had looked forward to doing what I had done on every river cruise from Amsterdam, pedaling through Waterland, across the water from Amsterdam’s central station. It’s a pity that we had to miss what would have been a wonderful start to our cruise.
That said, we had many wonderful bike rides once we were away from Amsterdam. My daughter and her friend Emma enjoyed an enjoyable guided bike tour in Cologne. In Lahnstein, four of us pedaled nearly 13 miles to Koblenz and back. Our guide, who’s on Instagram at @normalfrugal, gave us a great tour and ride, which you can see outlined below.
In Koblenz, which derives its name from confluence, we turned around at the the Deutsches Eck, the German Corner, where the Moselle spills into the Rhine. On the return ride to the ship, we stopped at Maximilian’s Brewery for a delicious round of well-deserved draft beers.
As we were sipping the heady brews, our guide explained that he and his wife were frugal – not overly frugal, he explained, just normal frugal, hence the Instagram handle. A few days later, his wife guided us on a bike tour from Cochem. Others chose to hike to Reichsburg Castle, for a tour of a fairytale fortress that has stood since the 11th century.
All of our guides were outstanding. One of the bike guides told me he felt guilty for getting paid to do the job because he enjoyed it so much. That was in Piesport, where AmaPrima had docked for tours to Trier, about 45 minutes away by motorcoach. A dozen or so of us stayed on the boat and opted for the Moselle bike tour. Check out the photo gallery below for a sense of what our day was like on that tour.
Lucky With Water Levels
We’d spend 11 nights on board AmaPrima before reaching Basel. We were fortunate with weather for the most part. Though skies were overcast, we avoided rain that would have made the bike rides and tours less enjoyable. We had a few sunny days.
We were lucky too on the Moselle. AmaPrima’s Dutch captain, Peter Slagter, told us that of the three attempts that he made to cruise the Moselle this season, ours was the only successful one. Even so, ours was not without a hiccup. Because of rising water levels, we docked in Treis-Karden instead of beautiful Bernkastel. The captain said we needed to be closer to the Rhine because of low bridges. He wanted to make sure that we could make a quick exit from the Moselle.
Those who did the tours to Bernkastel, an hour away by motorcoach, said they wished they had more time there. Many of us stayed in Treis-Karden. Some hiked, some strolled the town, one couple played mini-golf. A few of us, including me, biked along the Moselle. That’s the thing about the Moselle. No matter where your ship docks, there are pleasant experiences to be had.
Had we been on a seven-night itinerary, our trip would have been nearing its end. But we still had more ahead of us, including a morning cruising through Rhine Gorge. Our cruise was the optimal duration, the captain said during his welcome on the first day. Seven days is too short. You barely get comfortable before it’s time to think about leaving. On our extended cruise, we were able to settle into the rhythm of life on the river and enjoy its many highlights.
After the Rhine Gorge, we stopped in Rudesheim, where guests enjoyed several excursions, a gondola ride with panoramic views of the vineyards; a guided bike tour; a visit to Siegfried’s Mechanical Museum, which showcases a vast collection of self-playing musical instruments; and last but not least, a Rüdesheimer coffee – a special drink made with brandy, coffee and whipped cream.
Ludwigshafen was next. It sits across the Rhine from Mannheim. Guests could choose from a tour titled Romantic Heidelberg or visit the Mannheim Baroque Palace. Active guests could choose to do a hike on the so-called Philosopher’s Path, a scenic trail, winding above the Neckar River, with views of Heidelberg and its surroundings. Also on tap was a guided bike tour to Ladenburg, a town steeped in history, with roots dating back to Roman times.
Strasbourg, our next part of call, never fails to impress. If I could choose one European city to live in, it would be Strasbourg. Part of the reason is that it is bike-friendly. I also like the location, central to nearly all of Europe. Of course, I opted once again for the guided bike tour. Our guide, Adrien, was excellent. The cathedral is the highlight of the tour, but I also enjoyed the city’s lovely and quirky architecture.
The variety of tours was impressive. There was something for everyone, and should none of the tours appeal to you, you could always hop on a bike and explore on your own. On past trips, I had done all of the tours in our next port of all, Breisach, so I decided to grab a bike and head out on my own. But it just so happened that our bike guide showed up with no guests. They had canceled their bike tours for that day. The guide asked if I wanted to join him for a wine country tour. I had done the tour in May, but why not do it again? Interesting that it was on the same route, but I got a totally new perspective.
From Breisach, Tamera did the Black Forest Hike, which she enjoyed. Others visited Riquewihr, an Alsatian village that has managed to keep its 16th-century charm intact, with its cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses. The town inspired the setting for Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.”
Endings & Beginnings
Our cruise ended in Basel, but that was just the beginning for 20 of us. We continued on for a five-day tour of Switzerland, beginning in Basel, then Lucerne for two nights, then Zurich for two nights. I found AmaWaterways’ Swiss extension to be a good value.
Our hotel rooms alone would have cost us somewhere in the neighborhood of $4,000, double-occupancy. We paid around $3,360 per couple. Our package included tours, transport, rooms, breakfast, boat tour across Lake Lucerne, and our ever attentive and delightful cruise manager, Jasmina.
Some told me they would prefer three nights in Lucerne and one in Zurich. I agree. Not only was Lucerne’s Hotel Schweizerhof nicer that Zurich”s hotel by the same name but the city of Lucerne, with its gorgeous lake and views of the Alps, was something that none of us were eager to put behind us.
In no hurry to return home because of the storm damage, Tamera and I headed to somewhere cheaper than Zurich, the Alsatian town of Colmar. Much to our surprise, Colmar ranked as a highlight of our trip. We stayed in an AirBnB in the center of town, three nights for $300 for an apartment with bedroom, living room, kitchen, bath and washer/dryer. On one day, we hiked eight miles with friends in the Vosges mountains, a truly spectacular experience.
In some ways, the Dream Cruise seemed as though it had saved us from a nightmare back home. You can’t imagine the devastation. We were lucky, suffering no losses. Others lost their homes, their livelihoods and their lives.
For those of you who joined me on this Dream Cruise, thank you. For those of you who weren’t there, considering joining Britton and me on the Rhone next year. Here’s a link to learn more.
“One my genuine real pleasures was meeting Britton for the first time; she’s outgoing and a pleasure to be with,” wrote one of the guests on our Dream Cruise. Of course, any parent would be proud, and I was doubly proud that several people commented on meeting Britton.
We enjoyed the Dream Cruise very much. It was stressless and easy. We hope to do another one if life permits us with you next year. We like the idea you were traveling on your own Dream Cruise. That gave us confidence to trust you as you believed in your own cruise. And you definitely made sure we all enjoyed it too. – Poh and Ebrahim Andideh
It probably was the trip of a lifetime for us! And we liked the fact that you can be as active or relaxed as you want to be with no pressure. – Bill and Becky Sander
Let’s Get Physical
AmaWaterways bills itself as an active river cruise company. I was surprised by the number of people who attended early morning exercise sessions. These were mostly stretch and core building sessions. One of our guests, Bill Graves, was awarded for his perfect attendance. I think I also saw Bill on the dance floor on a few late nights, so I applaud him. I pedaled almost everyday. I also used the gym every other day and was hardly ever alone in the gym.
