Magnificent Europe Reviews

Internet very bad on ship. That was the only real complaint. The tour director Colin was excellent and the local tour guides were all really good and well informed. Could be better to have a few more mini buses for some of the outings for oldies.

Cheaper cruises ships are available but the added extra exclusive shore excursions with APT are well worth the additional cost. Loved every day of the tour. Some of the last minute deals were better value but one cannot plan trip times with this type of deal. Global Journeys loved your check list! Cheers as we both had the best time.

I could not fault APT or Global Journeys. The cruise was excellent and the staff on the ship were very helpful.

If we could rate this trip higher than the Excellent we have given it we certainly would! What can we say about this trip other than to say superb; fantastic; unbelievable; magnificent and many more descriptive terms such as these? This was the trip of a lifetime and rates as probably the best and most luxurious trip we have ever taken in our more ...read more than 30 years of travelling the world. From the moment we arrived at the pre tour accommodation at the Marriott Amsterdam we were treated like treasured guests and made feel totally welcome and comfortable. However, once we had been collected from this accommodation and taken aboard the AMAVENITA this 5 star treatment stepped up to a level that exceeded all expectations beyond any star rating!

For the entire trip we felt that the staff had a special intimate connection with each and every one of the guests, they certainly did not make anyone feel as if they were simply doing a job! Everything from the comfort and cleanliness of the cabins, the fine dining for every meal, the comfortable and luxurious public areas and the included excursions was beyond belief and catered for all tastes. There was never any pressure applied in making a choice of one of the included excursions provided every day, for if you simply felt like staying on board and travelling the rivers you were also most welcome to do so. The pace was relaxed and welcoming, the staff (including the Captain) totally friendly and always available for a chat if you wanted to ask anything about the boat or the trip or just chat about anything at all. The menus changed every day depending upon the part of the river we were travelling and the kitchen staff did a superb job of catering for 150+ people at every meal from a very small galley. The ambience on this ship is one of casual relaxation with a touch of class, with no one treated as superior or inferior to any other guest, no matter what level of accommodation they have purchased.

The on board laundry prices are surprising and far less than any charged by an onshore hotel of any standard, so most guests avail themselves of this service at some time while on the ship. Three very special outings included in the tour were; a sumptuous dinner with piano recital at Namedy Castle; a trip on the beautifully restored train the Majestic Imperator with a mini opera concert held on board and the most magnificent Viennese Concert held at the newly renovated and superbly decorated Palais Liechtenstein in Vienna. These three occasions alone make this tour one of the most special and unforgettable trips we have ever taken and we feel very privileged to have been able to participate. The Tour Guide, Roland and the Hotel Manager Gemma are just two of the staff we single out for special mention as they were always most accommodating. We would love to travel with APT again in the future as we are sure that this gold standard of travel would extend to any trip they offer.

Thank you Emily of Global Journeys for all your excellent work in organising this trip, we will certainly recommend and use Global Journeys for our future travel.

My husband and I are in our early to mid fifties and although we enjoyed the company of the late 60s to late 70s age group we found a little difficulty in making friends as there were only a few passengers below 60. Also there was no activity geared for the active except a three hour bike ride in Melk. Overall very relaxing and a lot of free time. Not ...read more for the active and adventurous.

The cruise down the European rivers with APT was sheer luxury. The visit to towns and cities each day added to the grandeur of the tour. It is definitely a relaxing way to enjoy a holiday, having everything prepared and planned, with the added bonus of only having to unpack/pack once in the 2 weeks. The dining especially at night far exceeded expectations ...read more when compared to previous cruises in the Pacific. Tasting the wines of each different region at dinner almost converted me from being a confirmed beer only drinker. Thanks to Hannah at Global Journeys for organising a worryless vacation.

Could not fault the ship or the crew but Wi-Fi very slow, even when available. Staff at Global Journeys very helpful.

One of our best holidays ever and would highly recommend this venture to others. We thoroughly enjoyed each day to the fullest. Only setback was me catching Bronchitis on the last day which has had me bed ridden for the last week. Until next time!

This was an absolutely 'never to be forgotten' experience. On the M S Amabella, the Captain, the Cruise Director, Roland Noordermeer and all the crew were really helpful. I can't speak highly enough of Roland's efficiency, hard work and thoughtfulness towards us. He certainly went more than the extra mile on a number of occasions, and warrants the ...read more highest praise. I have only one suggestion. There were a number of people in wheel chairs (4), on wheelie walkers and walking sticks, and although there was a 'Gentle Walker's Group', for those on sticks, it would have been good to have some sitting down places, maybe while the guide talked about the next thing to see. That is my only adverse comment. Well done APT!

Late October is a fantastic time to do Magnificent Europe. The Autumn foliage was breathtaking throughout the entire cruise. Also we didn't have to contend with the peak season crush on our freedom of choice excursions. We are hooked on APT Small Ship Cruising & are already planning our next adventure. Yvonne at Global Journeys took all the anxiety ...read more out of planning our trip & nothing was too much trouble for her.

We had a wonderful time. Everything about our cruise was fabulous, food, wine. people, everything. APT. were great, could not have been more helpful. Nothing was left to chance. Global Journeys, were great, thanks Georgie, for your help, you kept us informed along the way. We will book again with Global Journeys.

River cruise was enjoyable, food delicious and service excellent. Bar staff did a great job as did the room attendant. On board cruise director Marion was fun and informative and organized tours ran smoothly. Booking experience with Global Journeys was faultless.

Fabulous trip. Would recommend the experience to anyone, and have already praised APT and Global Journeys to friends, family and acquaintances for providing such a great product in the competitive travel market. Our thanks especially to Hannah for her prompt, courteous and professional manner interspersed with some welcoming humour. A breath of fresh ...read more air.

This river cruise holiday was the best I have ever done and I have been overseas many times in the last 30 years. Every aspect of the cruise was first class, service, staff, tours, all were excellent. I would certainly recommend Global Journeys & this APT cruise to all my friends and family.

We had a great time especially our older siblings, the pace is moderate. Would recommend for people over 50. I would prefer more full day trips offered (only one is offered in the 15 day cruise).

This was our trip of a lifetime. I cannot say enough of the attention to detail that was given to making our experience so enjoyable, thank you Georgie.To the people that picked us up at airports and hotels for transfers, to the knowledgeable Guides we had on the winery and town tours. The crew of the AmaReina were so accommodating and professional. ...read more Captain Tom, his son the other co-captain, Dietmar, Nico, all the stewards and our hardworking room cleaners, Aneta and Nicoleta. We were so looked after,we had nothing else to do but relax and enjoy the magical sights we would see travelling down the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. I have started telling my friends it is a must for them to experience this trip. My wife and I will have great memories of this time, especially the great friends we made on board. If the opportunity presents itself again, we will be checking out some of the other trips on offer.

What a fantastic holiday. Yvonne, we must have driven you crazy with all our questions, but you helped us through it all. You're a marvel! Everything, everyone was brilliant. The scenery is magnificent. The tour director made the whole experience feel as though we were the most important people in the world. If not for our bank manager, we would have ...read more signed up to do the return journey, Budapest to Amsterdam, right there and then. Even the lock strikes didn't put us off. The hardest thing about the holiday...where do we go next? Thanks everyone.

Our river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest booked with Global Journeys and travelled with APT with a stopover on return to Australia in Singapore. Everything was organised to perfection.

A wonderful cruise, made some great new friends, could not keep up with the wonderful food and wine. Highly recommended.