The MS AmaLyra - Our Home for a Week on the Danube

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We have one word to describe our first impressions of Ama Waterways staff and the ship: WOW!

As some of you know, I have logged 75+ sea cruise journeys so far and this is my very first river cruise. If the way we were treated upon arrival at the Ama pre-cruise hotel Sofitel is any indication this is going to be an amazing trip. Here's the scoop:

Three days before leaving for our trip we were contacted by a representative from Ama Waterways in California to advise us that our boarding procedures would be changed. The ship could not reach Budapest because of low water levels in the Danube. Not only did they write and call, they made sure that each contact contained the phrase "Please respond so we know you got this message". We were instructed to make contact with the Ama reps positioned in the Sofitel in Budapest and upon arrival we were instantly greeted by a very friendly Ama Cruise Manager who already knew who we were. They made reservations for us on one of the 4 buses they chartered to bring guests to the ship and when we walked in we were greeted like long lost friends, our luggage was immediately taken from us, and we were personally escorted into a private Welcome Lounge full of soft drinks, coffee, tea, trays of sandwiches and cakes and told to make ourselves at home. We were asked if we had any questions and if anyone could do anything for us, and then left to relax and wait on our bus transfer departure.

Never having been on a river cruise before, I was a little apprehensive beforehand. We expected the average age to be about 75, the ships to be kind of dowdy and boring, the tours to be cookie cutter, and the food to be a step up from cafeteria buffet. Nothing could have been further from the truth with Ama.

Granted, this was a Thanksgiving sailing and there were a decent number of travel agents on board for a familiarization seminar, but the first two people we met were two 20 something girls from Canada and we were relieved to not be the youngest on board. Later on during a seminar, we learned that the average age on Ama ships ranges between 55-62 depending on the itinerary. That was well represented on our sailing as well.

Another super aspect of river cruising is the friendly atmosphere - almost a familial feeling - that exists on board the ship. As opposed to sea cruises where you might see the same person twice if you are lucky, with only 74 cabins, 1 main restaurant, and 2 lounges you not only see the same people more often, but you are provided with multiple opportunities to make friends. Dining is open seating so you can sit where and with whomever you want, the lounges are set up like large, comfortable living rooms with several areas for having intimate conversations - a cup of coffee or a cocktail, and the tours are flexible and allow you to spend time with anyone and everyone you wish while in port. More on this later.

So after meeting several of our new shipmates and a couple cups of coffee, we were asked to come into the luggage room, re-verify our luggage to ensure that everything was gathered correctly (this consisted of simply pointing and saying, "Yes, that is mine" and we were whisked off to the bus. Our luggage was not to be seen again until we entered our staterooms a short time later. The bus ride was pleasant and it was already clear that friendships were forming and our sailing had a large contingent of Canadians on board. When we arrived at the ship snow flurries were gently falling and the ship's crew was standing outside to greet our bus. They assisted anyone and everyone with any hand luggage and walked us onto the ship and into the lounge. The entire check in procedure consisted of our names being checked off a list, being handed room keys, and asked to bring by our passports anytime in the next day when it was convenient for us. That was it: less than 2 minutes of check in, but full of smiles and friendliness. I kept waiting for the catch. There was none.

After being escorted into the lounge and being offered something hot to drink, more sandwiches and cookies, we were then escorted to our cabin. This was another nice surprise - very well laid out with plenty of drawers, closet space and an area under the bed to stow our suitcases, we were quickly unpacked and ready to explore the ship a little (not that it would take long, but we were excited to see it.)

Ama Waterways is a family run business, head by one of the premier leaders in the River Cruise business. Ama's ships are therefore, personally designed using decades of cruising experience and specifically laid out to provide the most amazing and up close to nature experiences available anywhere. Attention to comfort, ammenities, and anything that woud maximize your enjoyment has gone into these ships and it shows. The decor is soft and elegant, space is maximized everywhere - remember, this is a river boat that must fit under bridges and into locks so the length and width is very standard and strict. Ama has used every centimeter of space to the full advantage of the guests. The main lounge and bar are open, full of panoramic windows that give you the feeling of being outside even when you aren't, the open deck on top has a hot tub and areas for sitting in both shade and sun. It is possible to access the extreme front of the ship on both levels of the ship and the Aft Lounge is similarly designed to be open and offer great views. Even the small fitness center and sauna are incorporated in such a way as to allow you to enjoy the views of Europe's great rivers.

The difference at Ama isn't just the ships, however: it's the staff.

Our first positive impressions only intensified as the week went on. The staff was friendly, professional, and very good at what they did. As the week went on, they added notes of personality and personal touches that made you feel as if each staff member was your own personal vacation assistant, there to provide you with whatever might make your stay more enjoyable. This is what cruising is supposed to be about, this is what vacations are supposed to be about. Even now, weeks later, we still remember the names of a large number of the staff, in particular the Maitré D of the restaurant who knew exactly how to make each guest feel special. We looked forward to our meals every day, not only because the food was fantastic, but because the dining staff were so fun to be around, yet still maintained a professional atmosphere and a high level of service.

I think my next blog entry will have to be about the food! It was awesome!

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Comments

[Tom]

Outstanding!!
Dave - I knew you are a great tour guide but had no idea what a great writer you are. You should consider writing a tour book or two in your spare time. Tom W.

[RiverCruiseKing]

You make me smile!
Thank you for the kind words... I have been thinking about it!