The beauty of river cruises is that it hits that sweet spot between a pre-planned packaged vacation and one you plan yourself. Enjoy City Cruises on European Rivers. And after 18 months of COVID-19 lockdowns and uncertainty, an unplug-and-play itinerary such as such as AmaWaterways’ “Captivating Rhine” (Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland) is the stuff dreams are made of…and all the more so if you add extra days in Amsterdam on the front end or Lucerne and Zurich on the back. Better still, you can do it aboard the sparkling new AmaSiena ship, which has boutique hotel surroundings, amenities, and beautifully prepared meals that connect with the various cities along the route.

Between a first day perusing the trendy neighborhoods along Amsterdam’s canals and before you disembark in the majestic city of Basel, the old adage that the journey can be as memorable as the destination rings true. Along the Rhine–one of Europe’s most storied waterways–and its legendary castles, medieval architectural marvels fill in the chronological and physical space between notable German towns and small cities (including the imposing Cologne and Heidelberg, a university town surrounded by wineries). Only through the cities does the journey begin, cruises on European Rivers can be enjoyed with family, friends, or as a solitary excursion.

A little past the midway point, the ship docks near the center of sophisticated Strasbourg and, later, stops near the intentionally storybook-scaped Riquewihr, France (inspiration for the original animated Disney picture “Beauty and the Beast.”) Both border towns expose one to hearty-but-elegant Alsatian delicacies along with the visual fusion of French and German aesthetic sensibilities. Strasbourg’s streets are also lined with a bevy of artisanal chocolate shops interspersed with curated boutiques and charming outposts of Parisian retailers.

While COVID safety is now a part of the itinerary, kudos to the entire crew for working the precautions so seamlessly. Valachova and hotel manager Romeo Luchian use warmth and humor to set the tone in enforcing the necessary rules and providing information about sanitation practices in the public and private areas. Valachova’s delivery in her PA announcements positions the necessities of masking up, pre-meal temperature checks, and pre-departure COVID tests as extensions of the safety protocols that existed in the “before-times.”  The same for wellness host Teodor Leta, who has to limit the number of people per class, but makes sure everybody who wants some sort of coaching gets it. He deftly juggles the responsibilities of communicating the cruise line’s wellness emphasis equation and adhering to safety in his bouncy repartee. While his daily on-board fitness classes lean towards beginner-to-intermediate, he also participates on some of the more difficult hike and bike land excursions and provides fitness tips for the asking.  

Culinary Director Robert Kellerhals not only implemented Schreiner’s vision for the fleet (no buffets!), but makes sure everything made with vegetarian and vegan guests in mind will appeal to every guest while being in alignment with AmaWaterways’ new emphasis on health and wellness. The best things to come out of the kitchen include perfectly executed vegetable soups, fresh fish mains and eclectic appetizers that match up with the food culture of each port-of-call. A vegetarian falafel plate served at lunch sailing out of Amsterdam (vegan with the omission of a honey mustard drizzle) was one of the cruise’s culinary standouts. AmaWaterways’ signature “Chef’s Table” tasting dinners and “Chaîne des Rôtisseurs” night, meanwhile, are still in place.

The cruise line’s new “MyAmaCruise” app nicely ties the whole experience together as it simultaneously helps make cruising more sustainable and connects to younger guests in a tangible way. While saving paper and cutting down on stateroom clutter is a nice benefit, the app puts the whole itinerary and each day’s activities into a manageable format, while its GPS feature proves to be useful offshore. Although AmaWaterways’ complimentary postcards and postage for guests is still available, the app shifts that idea into an e-postcard/social media format. 

For more information, visit AmaWaterways.com.