AmaWaterways Reviews
The 13 AmaWaterways reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have travelled with AmaWaterways. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
The 13 AmaWaterways reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have travelled with AmaWaterways. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
The AmaSofia and the Melody of the Danube itinerary along the upper Danube is something special, and I especially appreciate how AmaWaterways offer a very inclusive product with their excursions and gratuities and also have a real focus on local food, wine and culture (including the freshly baked bread and desserts on board). It’s these kinds of details read more that stick with you. In addition to the incredible food and service and the warm and friendly crew, highlights for me off the ship were Melk Abbey, Durnstein, Wachau Valley and Cesky Krumlov. It was great how well AmaWaterways handled the low water levels, (Aug 2026) and I certainly came to realise how hard the operations team and the onboard crew work to offer a seamless amended itinerary at sometimes very short notice. I must also give high praise to our incredible cruise manager Tamas who went above and beyond!
AmaWaterways was truly a sensational experience, and despite the river being at an all-time low, it was incredible to see first-hand how seamlessly AmaWaterways adapted to the situation. I was impressed from the moment we arrived. As we couldn’t get on the ship in Budapest, we were instead put up in a hotel for the first night. When our Uber pulled read more up outside the Dorothea that morning, we were barely out of the car before a concierge approached, asked if we were part of the AMA group, and immediately offered to take care of our luggage. They were expecting us, the communication at every level was excellent.It really demonstrates the level of care and service that AMA delivers, even when circumstances are not quite as expected. The crew, the AmaSofia, and the dining were all exceptional. The Chef’s Table in particular was an outstanding experience - such a generous and salubrious inclusion, and that tomato amuse bouche! We didn’t know much about Ama before this trip, but we will be telling everyone about how good the trip was and how well you are treated when things don’t go according to plan.
Superior in all aspects to any other river cruise... 2
Melodies of the Danube
David, QLD, Australia, Aug 2026
Prior to leaving Australia, AmaWaterways contacted us to let us know due to low water levels on the Danube there would be schedule changes. They did a very professional job. Due to the low water levels, we spent our first cruise night in Budapest at the Dorothea Hotel with dinner, loads of drinks ad breakfast provided by AmaWaterways. The Dorothea hotel read more is a 2 minute walk to some of the main sites along the riverbank. The next day we drove to Bratislava for a walking tour with guides, along with free time. (They put E25 per person onto our ship account to make up for lunch not being included in Bratislava.) In the afternoon we took another coach to Melk where we joined AmaSophia. It’s a brand new ship with 156 passengers. We had one of the suites, which was large at 33 sq mtr with a bedroom, separate lounge, 2 TV’s, full marble bathroom with twin basins, separate bath tub and shower and separate toilet and 2 balconies. Beautiful room and fantastic room service. As we were in the suite, all laundry was also included! A bonus for us to leave the ship with a clean suitcase! his is one of the few ships on the rivers with a decent swimming pool and swim again swim jets!
Every night the App was updated with the next days program, so you had it well in advance. Champagne was available at breakfast and the wines were readily available with lunch and dinner with a great selection from the local areas. A daily Sip & Sail 1 hr cocktail party is provided every night with music and from what we experienced, there were no limitations at all!
The Daily Cruiser provided by the very professional Cruise Manager, Tamas, not only contains the daily program but also weather forecasts, ship phone numbers and cruise managers email & phone number so one was never not able to contact the ship and personnel if they were ever needed.
All meals were provided with incredible choices – buffet breakfast and lunches and A La Carte dinners. Service was always fast, polite and fun. The included Chefs Table (no surcharge) is a 8 course dinner with fine premium wines and excellent service bookable in advance whilst on board. There is also a gym on board, massage room and a wellness host offering a numerous array of activities on ship and land using the provided bicycles and walking sticks.
Complimentary recyclable water containers and water is provided as well as high quality WIFI. Gratuities are all included as well.
All tours are included and offered and run professionally with knowledgeable local guides. I did the Cesky Krumlov tour from Linz, which was certainly a highlight. As was the new tour of the Mauthausen nazi concentration camp. In conclusion, I can say without a doubt this AmaWaterways trip which was run so professionally was superior in all aspects to any other river cruise I have taken – we were kept fully informed of daily activities etc well in advance, provided with beautiful accommodations, great food and wines and service throughout.
Every night the App was updated with the next days program, so you had it well in advance. Champagne was available at breakfast and the wines were readily available with lunch and dinner with a great selection from the local areas. A daily Sip & Sail 1 hr cocktail party is provided every night with music and from what we experienced, there were no limitations at all!
The Daily Cruiser provided by the very professional Cruise Manager, Tamas, not only contains the daily program but also weather forecasts, ship phone numbers and cruise managers email & phone number so one was never not able to contact the ship and personnel if they were ever needed.
All meals were provided with incredible choices – buffet breakfast and lunches and A La Carte dinners. Service was always fast, polite and fun. The included Chefs Table (no surcharge) is a 8 course dinner with fine premium wines and excellent service bookable in advance whilst on board. There is also a gym on board, massage room and a wellness host offering a numerous array of activities on ship and land using the provided bicycles and walking sticks.
Complimentary recyclable water containers and water is provided as well as high quality WIFI. Gratuities are all included as well.
All tours are included and offered and run professionally with knowledgeable local guides. I did the Cesky Krumlov tour from Linz, which was certainly a highlight. As was the new tour of the Mauthausen nazi concentration camp. In conclusion, I can say without a doubt this AmaWaterways trip which was run so professionally was superior in all aspects to any other river cruise I have taken – we were kept fully informed of daily activities etc well in advance, provided with beautiful accommodations, great food and wines and service throughout.
We had an absolutely wonderful time on AmaWaterways, even with the unfortunate itinerary changes. The way in which this was handled was very professional and extremely well organised. We were never left wondering what was happening or what the plans would be for the next part of our journey. These things happen and I am a firm believer in the most important read more thing being how you handle it and AmaWaterways handled it very very well. Once on board, it didn’t matter that things had changed, as we were kept busy with walking tours, great guides around some beautiful towns and seeing first hand how low the water levels were in places, made us realise the company has done a great job to make sure we still had a great holiday. We look forward to starting to plan our next journey!
We had a great time and were very impressed with AmaWaterways. They were a wonderful company to travel with, but also to deal with in general. We had an itinerary change which was a little disappointing (missing the castles on the Rhine), however we were particularly impressed with how AmaWaterways handled the itinerary change and the problem with the read more low water levels. Especially with their communication and getting a future cruise credit on top of our trip. We were originally booked with another company, but as they cancelled completely due to the water levels, we had to find an alternative at the last minute. We’d never heard of AmaWaterways before this. The comparison between how the changes were handled is extraordinary. AmaWaterways handled it with professionalism, concern, even an apology on top of the future cruse credit. We will be using our Future cruise credit for another AmaWaterways trip for sure.
Mum and I loved our AmaWaterways trip. We enjoyed everything and we are now looking back on the photos and reliving our trip, it was very special. I was a bit nervous about our cabin being on the lowest level, with only fixed windows, but the only downside was being woken up by the crew going to work, this cabin was right by the crew access door. The read more cabin was beautifully decorated, bedding was lovely and the cabin was kept very clean. Interactive tv was great, bow cam and account information was great along with a whole range of movies if you wanted to relax in the cabin.
Fantastic, amazing food, helps to have an Indonesian head chef! The range and the presentation was excellent. The wine was great and it changed to the theme of the area we were in. We had wine tasting in Rüdesheim and then the wine that evening was from the winery we had to been to that day – fantastic idea. We had our night in the chefs table restaurant, amazing, fantastic , perfect menu. And they had made Mum a cake for her birthday which was so lovely.
The entertainment was varied and for the most part good but to be honest at the end of a day busy with Sightseeing and wine drinking, most people were early to bed. We had an issue one night when a Trio were playing for us, 2 Violins and a Guitar, seemed an odd combination but it worked really well and we enjoyed the performance, however it was slightly ruined by a group that were in the lounge, but didn’t want to listen to the performance and I think the fact that on this boat there was only one main sitting area, I suspect the ‘second’ sitting area is now the Chefs table. There was a library area but it was connected to the main lounge.
I loved the fact that the crew were multinational, Indonesians, Indian, Romanians, Bulgarians, Burmese, Cambodian, Serbians – it was fantastic, made it interesting to talk to the crew. Everyone was friendly and very efficient. The guests on board were a mix, but mostly US but there were also 31 Canadien, 2 New Zealand, 2 Australian and 2 South African, we did meet some US passengers who were a bit disappointed that there were so many US passengers and that they had booked AMA instead of Viking in the hope they there were more international passengers.
I loved the fact that AmaWaterways were promoting and supporting business’s and musicians along the rivers, the Violin/Guitar trio had been supported by AMA waterways to record their music and the Winery we stopped at in Rüdesheim were connected as well to AmaWaterways, very impressive. Mum and I had an amazing cruise and in part this was down to one crew member, the cruise director, probably the most impressive cruise director I have ever seen in action, I hope that Ama Waterways is paying him enough money to stay with the company, Namanja Varadjanin is his name, he was Mr everywhere, tours, at his desk, at the briefings, he was a very fine gentlemen to all the guests onboard and everything ran like clockwork.
Fantastic, amazing food, helps to have an Indonesian head chef! The range and the presentation was excellent. The wine was great and it changed to the theme of the area we were in. We had wine tasting in Rüdesheim and then the wine that evening was from the winery we had to been to that day – fantastic idea. We had our night in the chefs table restaurant, amazing, fantastic , perfect menu. And they had made Mum a cake for her birthday which was so lovely.
The entertainment was varied and for the most part good but to be honest at the end of a day busy with Sightseeing and wine drinking, most people were early to bed. We had an issue one night when a Trio were playing for us, 2 Violins and a Guitar, seemed an odd combination but it worked really well and we enjoyed the performance, however it was slightly ruined by a group that were in the lounge, but didn’t want to listen to the performance and I think the fact that on this boat there was only one main sitting area, I suspect the ‘second’ sitting area is now the Chefs table. There was a library area but it was connected to the main lounge.
I loved the fact that the crew were multinational, Indonesians, Indian, Romanians, Bulgarians, Burmese, Cambodian, Serbians – it was fantastic, made it interesting to talk to the crew. Everyone was friendly and very efficient. The guests on board were a mix, but mostly US but there were also 31 Canadien, 2 New Zealand, 2 Australian and 2 South African, we did meet some US passengers who were a bit disappointed that there were so many US passengers and that they had booked AMA instead of Viking in the hope they there were more international passengers.
I loved the fact that AmaWaterways were promoting and supporting business’s and musicians along the rivers, the Violin/Guitar trio had been supported by AMA waterways to record their music and the Winery we stopped at in Rüdesheim were connected as well to AmaWaterways, very impressive. Mum and I had an amazing cruise and in part this was down to one crew member, the cruise director, probably the most impressive cruise director I have ever seen in action, I hope that Ama Waterways is paying him enough money to stay with the company, Namanja Varadjanin is his name, he was Mr everywhere, tours, at his desk, at the briefings, he was a very fine gentlemen to all the guests onboard and everything ran like clockwork.
We absolutely loved every minute of our AmaWaterways cruise but I must admit we were absolutely exhausted by the end of it! We didn't even have time to sit on the sundeck! They had thought of absolutely everything. The service was amazing; cruise director Agnes was excellent. We had the most delightful restaurant waitress from Burma, she was so read more lovely - as were all the staff but she stood out in particular. We will definitely be back!
Just a note to say a big thank you! I am back from my holiday on AMAKristina on the Colours of Provence sailing. Wow - what an amazing experience. I can't speak highly enough of the crew and ship which was beautifully decorated for Christmas. One third of the passengers were repeat guests with AMA and all who we spoke to were coming back because read more of the crew and seamless travel experience they have had with AMA. That spoke volumes to us. We will be one of those couples too, as they were so fantastic. Getting to do the Christmas Markets, as well as the variety of shore excursions, without having to pay any extra was fabulous. My favourite was the Truffle Hunting – with tastings – after! Those dogs are so clever! Thanks for arranging such a great trip.
Gems of Southeast Europe River Cruise Review 0
Gems of Southeast Europe (Wine Cruise)
Beth and Anthony, MI, United States, Oct 2025
The cruise itself was nice, although I wouldn’t repeat that same itinerary. I much preferred my previous trip from Budapest to Germany. The excursion’s that Amawaterways offered in those ports were by far better. The excursions on the Bucharest to Budapest were for the most part unimpressive and required a lot of land travel getting to them. I believe read more that was pretty much the same impression I got from the other guest onboard. I appreciate the work of our advisor, Gesa, and Global Journeys' great communication throughout the whole process. I will utilize them again in the future for my travel plans.
Reflecting on my AmaWaterways river cruise, Wellness was an immersion on the AmaViola. Every detail filled my cup. The ease of movement on and off the ship through to the surprise gift on my bed, everything was a joy and relaxing. The variety in the off-ship excursions were diverse and suitable for all ages and flexibility. From biking and hiking to read more walking and shopping, I loved that it was all inclusive. There wasn't a time when I felt stressed or agitated which made me available to instantly soak up the culture, architecture, people, and experiences.
My Godmother, invited me onto an AmaWaterways River cruise from Amsterdam to Basel with her. As I’m currently living and working in France it was very easy to say yes to! She was concerned as I’m 23 that I might be a little bored. Nothing could be further from the truth. I loved it. Every day seemed to be better than the one before. There was so much read more to see and do. We did several of the free exercise classes on the ship, which was an unexpected part of the trip. And made us laugh at our bad coordination!
It was the first time we had spent so much time alone together, so it was a brilliant way to get to know each other more, without the rest of my family around. I loved getting to know my GodMama as a friend and not just my Mother’s friend. We did most of the shore excursions together, but there was one day where I decided to stay on the ship. It was a perfect way to have the pool to myself (we went in August 2025), whilst the ship sailed down the Rhine on the way to picking up everyone else after they finished their shore excursions. I play the piano, but since moving to France haven’t played at all, so I also spent an hour practicing whilst the staff were more than happy to listen to my rusty playing.
One thing that surprised me – the people on the ship know how to have a good time! The Music Trivia night was a highlight. We all laughed, danced and I surprised myself how much of the trivia I knew. The questions were from all decades, which made it very inclusive. I haven’t even mentioned the food! Delicious! And the service from the staff, was something this Au Pair won’t forget in a long time! I would highly recommend AmaWaterways to any age group. I have asked my GodMama to think of me next time she wants to cruise!
It was the first time we had spent so much time alone together, so it was a brilliant way to get to know each other more, without the rest of my family around. I loved getting to know my GodMama as a friend and not just my Mother’s friend. We did most of the shore excursions together, but there was one day where I decided to stay on the ship. It was a perfect way to have the pool to myself (we went in August 2025), whilst the ship sailed down the Rhine on the way to picking up everyone else after they finished their shore excursions. I play the piano, but since moving to France haven’t played at all, so I also spent an hour practicing whilst the staff were more than happy to listen to my rusty playing.
One thing that surprised me – the people on the ship know how to have a good time! The Music Trivia night was a highlight. We all laughed, danced and I surprised myself how much of the trivia I knew. The questions were from all decades, which made it very inclusive. I haven’t even mentioned the food! Delicious! And the service from the staff, was something this Au Pair won’t forget in a long time! I would highly recommend AmaWaterways to any age group. I have asked my GodMama to think of me next time she wants to cruise!
Gems of Southeast 1
Gems of Southeast Europe with Bucharest, Brasov and Vienna
Lee, WA, Australia, Jul 2025
We had a wonderful time on board AmaWaterways. The memory of getting engaged and having the staff surprise us with a gorgeous cake still makes us smile. Maybe we need to go back on board for our honeymoon? AmaWaterways were so inclusive but also allowed us to be ourselves. We are a couple who don’t necessarily like to do all the shore excursions, but read more they were there if we wanted to do them. We are the couple who just like to wander off on our own and explore. It won’t be our last AmaWaterways cruise.
As a couple in our 40’s, we wanted to get away for Christmas. We’d done a river cruise with another company previously, but this time decided to do Provence with AmaWaterways. What an awesome trip! We met such great people and had some really unique experiences; truffle hunting, a food tasting tour of Avignon and even a ghost tour after dinner one night. read more We did a couple of the biking tours as well, which I would recommend to people. There was honestly something for everyone.
The food on board was incredible – especially the soups, which hit the spot on those chilly French winter days. We did the 3 nights in Paris before the cruise, which AmaWaterways arranged too. This made everything super easy. The Cruise Manager stayed with us the whole time, even arranging for our bags to go straight to the ship, whilst our small group took the train to Lyon together. Once we arrived in Lyon, we even did a cooking class, which was such a fun way to kick things off. We loved AmaWaterways so much, we have now booked to go with them on The Nile in 2026!
The food on board was incredible – especially the soups, which hit the spot on those chilly French winter days. We did the 3 nights in Paris before the cruise, which AmaWaterways arranged too. This made everything super easy. The Cruise Manager stayed with us the whole time, even arranging for our bags to go straight to the ship, whilst our small group took the train to Lyon together. Once we arrived in Lyon, we even did a cooking class, which was such a fun way to kick things off. We loved AmaWaterways so much, we have now booked to go with them on The Nile in 2026!
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