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Isn’t she lovely? Newly reimagined in 2021, the graceful AmaBella is a stunning river ship, unique in her own right. The intimate lounge is an inviting place to grab a cocktail and the thoughtfully redesigned reception area, adorned with charming pieces of contemporary art, provides a warm welcome after a day exploring ashore. Most staterooms feature our signature twin balconies so you can enjoy the views however you wish, as well as Entertainment-On-Demand and marble bathrooms with multi-jet showerheads. Elegant suites feature added enhancements, including a large sitting area and an expansive bathroom complete with a bathtub and separate shower. You’ll also find a massage and hair salon on board, a fitness room, specialty coffee station and a gift shop. An expansive Sun Deck with a heated pool offers special moments of pure relaxation. Mealtimes are a feast for the senses in the Main Restaurant and at The Chef’s Table where you will witness our chefs in action through our glass-walled kitchen. Our new “Café Bistro” is the perfect al fresco setting to play cards, mingle or enjoy a light lunch. Throughout your journey on the Danube, you may catch sight of AmaVerde, AmaBella’s “secret lover.” The two ships cross paths as they sail opposite directions, catching brief moments together as they rendezvous in select ports along the Danube River.
We chose this cruise because these were countries that we had never visited. They are former Soviet Bloc countries, and their history, especially the Medieval Period, still features castles/fortresses/churches. It is incredible how much these countries are struggling to still recover from Communism. Some countries are doing better than others, but learning the history was invaluable. Oh, and the best was visiting Vlad the Impaler's birthplace and Dracula's Castle. Vlad (Dracula) only stayed at the castle for 4 days, but Stoker's book made it famous, so it's worth the visit. The castle is lovely and is more livable than some of the English/Scottish castles that we visited in the past. Beautiful part of the world to see. We visited just before Christmas and the Christmas markets can be both good or bad. Activities, services, cabin, dining, and disembarkation are good. Not sure if children would enjoy this, especially young ones.
Preceding the cruise, we opted for the three night offering in Istanbul. Our transfer from the airport was handled efficiently. The hotel offered deluxe accommodations with a sumptuous breakfast each morning. The hotel and restaurant staff were beyond gracious and helpful. Our city guide was excellent. I'm confident that feeling was shared by the rest of our pre-cruise group. On board, cruise director, Nema, was very friendly, informative and helpful. One of the best we've had in five cruises. Knowledgeable guides made our shore excursions interesting. Housekeeping and cabin amenities first rate. Daily food preparation, quality and variety OK, but Chef's Table dinner exceptional. Music host, Milos, delivered fun, engaging and inclusive entertainment every night. Alcoholic beverage service was poor. Carefully measured minimal alcoholic content on the daily specials. The drink makers had no idea of what widely-known bar and cocktail terms and phrases meant. Our post-cruise stay in Vienna was delightful. The hotel was "grand" in name and service. Our walking-tour guide was terrific. Transfer to the airport for the return flight went smoothly.
I had been on the Legendary Danube cruise w/ Ama back in June 2023, and my exceptional experience prompted me to book with Ama again in July 2025 for the Gems of Southeast Europe cruise. Quick Read: My experience on this latest cruise was consistent with the first - outstanding in all respects. Ama's customer service is top notch, food is excellent, and tours and entertainment are really well planned. Viking spends more on marketing, but Ama is the line that you'll see highly rated in the industry soon. Ama is cost competitive to the other cruiselines, but you get excursions included. I would highly recommend Ama to anyone considering a river cruise - you will have a memorable experience and talk about it for years afterward. Details: Customer Service: Ama hires really attentive, courteous, and thoughtful employees who do have a solid command of English despite coming from so many different countries. From the housekeepers to the dining room staff, everyone was pleasant and seemed to genuinely enjoy their job. The Cruise Manager on board the AmaBella on this cruise was especially exceptional. He went out of his way to help us ensure a private tour we'd booked would be safe (considering the student protests in Belgrade that week) and our private guide had considered alternate routes to our destination and back. The Cruise Manager even gave me his own personal WhatsApp number to reach him should an emergency arise or we had trouble returning to the ship on time. Given that he was from the general area, he also took an interest in the family history that we had come to research. One night on board, he also delivered a very moving and informative lecture on Yugoslav history that made a significant impact on my understanding of the country and people. I would even consider booking a future Ama cruise just based upon him being aboard. Food: The food was simply amazing. You will experience beautifully-presented, multi-course meals that are reasonably portioned and reflect the locality that you're sailing through (ex., goulash while in Hungary). You can substitute things, decline dishes you don't want, or even have two of something if you desire (ex., you can't decide between two desserts - no problem, you can have both!) They also cater to various food allergies and dietary restrictions if you tell them beforehand. You can indulge with caviar and wine one night, and get a taste of home with a good old cheeseburger and a beer another night. We had a top-deck BBQ (the entertainer and Captain even helped serve food to guests) and ice cream station one day for lunch - and the ship docked next to us looked really envious! Excursions: Our excursions were a good mix of historical and cultural sites/experiences. We visited fortresses and wineries, attended a short concert in a museum and even a cooking demonstration inside a local home. It was these latter two experiences that I enjoyed the most, as you don't get to experience that type of thing as a typical tourist abroad on your own. This particular cruise was especially eye-opening for me, as I'd never been to Eastern Europe and did not appreciate the scale or impact of war and oppression on these countries. The tour guides were also top notch - informative, humorous, attentive to their guests pace. Ama has different excursion options depending upon your mobility too. On this particular cruise, we did have to skip a few planned excursions due to low water levels on the Danube. This certainly wasn't the fault of the cruiseline, but it was disappointing to miss a stop that you were really looking forward to. Ama does plan for these contingencies, and had alternative stops and entertainment. Entertainment: On-board entertainment included local musicians and dancers, as well as the ship's own entertainer. We enjoyed a local piano/singer duo (No Boundaries, I think) and folk dancers, all of which were excellent. I will say, however, that once you've seen one folk dancing group, the rest kind of blend together. Other nights we had a piano player, DJ'd music, dancing, and karaoke. Our nightly entertainer, Milos, was a blast. Cabin: We booked the lowest-level stateroom (Piano Deck) because you don't spend much time in your room anyway. You could hear the rush of the river as we traveled, and it was really soothing to fall asleep to. Despite the small space, we had everything we needed and plenty of space for our stuff. The beds were comfortable too. My only minor gripe was not having outlets near the beds (like you do at home) vs. having them above the desk across the room. Disembarkation: Ama took great care of us when the sad time came to depart. They were well organized in terms of guest flight times and luggage. They allowed plenty of time to get to the airport and walked everyone to the ticket counters to ensure they got processed in. This is really helpful when you're in a foreign airport for the first time and not sure where things are or if they work the same as you're used to. There is a lot more I could rave about, but this is already a long read. I can't say enough positive things about Ama, the AmaBella, its crew, and this cruise itinerary. I would highly recommend it to others whom have cruised before and want to experience something different. For me, this cruise was really educational and in many respects, life-changing.
Great people, great time, great experience. This was our second river cruise and second time with AmaWaterways who were highly recommended by our travel agent. People and customer experience are what makes things memorable and enjoyable. The entire team at AMA worked hard to ensure a seamless journey and optimal experience. Any little issues that did come up were efficiently dealt with. Staff are all very welcoming and accommodating. Two of them recognized us from our pervious cruise a different ship and even remembered our preferences. These little touches make the difference. We did the post-land package which was very good. Top notch hotel and transition to ship (and off) was seamless. We used the AMA air option. Was very cost effective and things were well orchestrated. Being able to unpack once and yet see several different cities and sites is terrific and very relaxing. Really the only way to travel. Luggage is effectively and quietly moved for you. Cabins are very comfortable and roomy enough. Beds are comfortable and shower is of a usable size. Large windows let in a lot of light and allow for nice views. Had a full balcony first cruise went with Juliette this cruise. Was more than enough don't need full balcony. Cozy seating area but you need not spend a lot of time in the cabin. Large forward lounge and seating on open upper deck make for great places to hang out and get great views from both sides. Food onboard is amazing. Exceptional dining experience well prepared and served. Wide variety to meet varied tastes and palates. Great snacks and coffee/tea machines outside of meal hours. Copious amounts of wine (including sparkling) served with meals and they make sure to top up your glass before you leave so you can sip on it on the lounge. There is a happy hour with a free drink menu per dinner which coupled with wine at and from dinner means we had more than enough to drink. Communication is very good. the tours interesting and run by knowledgeable local guides. English is very good as are insight into local and North American culture. Makes for a very insightful and enjoyable tour. Varied levels of mobility for the tours makes finding one moving at your preferred pace easy. Definitely got a lot out of the tours. Far more than I would have on my own or other sources. There are bicycles onboard if you are are so inclined and organized bike tours. Onboard entertainment is exceptional. Ama has a good onboard entertainer and my wife enjoyed dancing to the wee hours. Ama also contracts with outstanding local entertainment as well as lecturers. Talking to others who have experience beyond AMA it is clear AMA is a preferred choice in terms of people and quality of service. Others were noted to be good, AMA just that little bit better. So very glad we have listened to our travel agent. The good - AMA provided a seamless, relaxing, enjoyable experience that is well managed end to end. Great people, service, food, ample libations, comfortable cabin and lounge. So good this is our second AMA cruise and we have already booked two more. The bad - KLM rebooked our flight to Europe the night before departure. Airlines are not really an issue in AMA's control. Had we booked ourselves vs using the AMA air option we could be rebooked by the airline anyway. The ugly - none Looking forward to our next AMA cruise.
Enjoy panoramic views and plenty of fresh air in our lavish twin-balcony staterooms that feature both a French balcony and an outside balcony.
Savour exquisite cuisine at a variety of dining venues, like the Main Restaurant and The Chef’s Table. You can also order delicious tapas between meals in the Main Lounge.
Sip and Savour with Our Compliments
You will enjoy complimentary, unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks during lunch and dinner, as well as sparkling wine and fresh-squeezed juices during breakfast. Our reds and whites are of the highest quality and come from European wineries and vineyards. There is also a daily complimentary Sip & Sail cocktail hour featuring a drink of the day and a larger menu of cocktails, wine, beer and spirits, with a curated collection of mocktails also available on select ships.
Thoughtful Consideration of Dietary Needs
Whether a special diet or allergies limits the ingredients in which you indulge, our attentive culinary team is ready and waiting to accommodate you. Enticing vegetarian and vegan dishes, gluten-free main courses and desserts, and even low-sodium and dairy-free meals are available. Simply inform your travel advisor or AmaWaterways before you embark and meet with our maître d’ once on board – then prepare to dine with peace of mind.
Every Excursion Included: Choose From Up to Eight Each Day
We appreciate that no two travelers are alike. To accommodate your unique needs and interests, we have curated a diverse menu of shore excursions. From historic city tours to guided hikes, exhilarating bike rides and tastings of local specialties, every tour is led by a knowledgeable local guide, is operated in a small group and is offered with our compliments.
Three Activity Levels
Some guests wish to journey further and move at a quicker pace during their excursions while others prefer more time to take photos or require frequent rests. To ensure every guest may explore at their own comfort level, we offer our tours at three distinct activity levels, ensuring even our most “gentle walkers” are not left behind – because why settle for anything less than perfect on your long-awaited vacation?
Inclusive and Accommodating
Our convenient Quietvox audio devices ensure you can hear your tour guide clearly amidst the hustle and bustle of cities and at the volume most comfortable for you. We also offer a limited number of Nordic walking sticks and sport seats for guests who need extra support or periodic breaks.
* Additional accommodations can be made for select groups – contact your travel advisor or call us to inquire.
With fewer guests on board, we have space for luxurious amenities. Relax with a soothing massage or visit the hair salon after a day of exploring, stay in shape with a small group wellness activity led by a professionally trained Wellness Host, work out in the fitness room or watch breathtaking castles glide by while enjoying a cocktail up on the Sun Deck. You can also take a dip in our sun-deck pool with a swim-up bar. On any of our ships, you can also recharge from the comfort of your stateroom by watching a Hollywood blockbuster or a variety of other English-language programming on your personal Entertainment-On-Demand system.
AmaWaterways strives to ensure every guest is able to enhance their best self on board. We are proud to offer a variety of guided hikes, biking excursions, engaging fitness classes led by professionally trained Wellness Hosts as well as heated sun-deck pools, whirlpools, fitness rooms and massage services. Overseen fleetwide by our Corporate Wellness Host and Ironman event participant, Selina Wery, our wellness activities are an enriching way to nourish your mind, body and spirit during your river cruise.
Please note: this ship does not feature any children's facilities.
