Paul’s Blog…
Melodies of the Danube… Last month I was lucky enough to sample the AmaPrima on its Melodies of the Danube cruise. This sails from Budapest to Vilshofen but I hopped on in Vienna for a short, sweet and extremely memorable three days…
Day 1 | Vienna “Being an AmaWaterways virgin you never know what to expect when you step onboard. Having dined once on-board the AmaDante at the CLIA River Cruise Convention in 2010 and now being newly appointed to the role of Business Development Manager for AmaWaterways four years later, it was with a certain level of anticipation, trepidation and excitement I boarded the award winning and number 1 European River Cruise Vessel according to the Berlitz River Cruise Guide, AmaPrima, on an autumn afternoon in Vienna for a short cruise down the Danube. First impressions always last they say, but the one element that really stood out for me was the attentiveness of the welcome that I received when I stepped on-board. Admittedly the plush, vibrant surroundings, amazing decor and stylish design of the ship helped - especially enviable to those on other vessels moored further down the river who were attempting to get the best photograph of the interior of the jaw dropping AmaPrima. Nonetheless, the feeling of being enveloped by the crew and her ship was arguably the most notable element for me.
me.
AmaPrima’s jaw-dropping interior
After being shown to my cabin which was a French balcony design, I quickly unpacked using the more than ample cupboard space, connected my I-phone to the free Wi-Fi on board to contact home using the excuse of letting loved ones know that I had arrived safe and sound. However my true intentions were to show them my amazing, spacious cabin and underline to them that the product that I am proud to represent really does surpass what I have shown them in the brochure. Time to get my bearings and have a look around. I have always advised people to start from the top of a ship and do a deck at a time. Obviously with a river cruise vessel this does not take as long as some of the vast new ocean cruise ships where you often need to leave a trail of breadcrumbs to find the restaurant or utilise satnav to find your cabin again! Surprisingly the AmaPrima has an amazing sense of space utilising generous levels of innovation, design concepts and the phenomenal use of space, and colour pallets. During my own self-guided tour every crew member took the time to say hello and welcome me on-board. Maybe it was the gasps of wonder I made when I saw the swim up pool bar or the wonder on my face when stuck my head around the corner of a twin balcony cabin which was being made up by a more than approachable steward that gave the game away that I was an AmaWaterways virgin.
AmaPrima’s swim-up pool bar
A quick change for dinner into smart casual wear before descending into a restaurant that excelled in cocooning you in a myriad of booths and tables where the single traveller is never left out and you are included by crew and passengers alike. The art of conversation is very much alive on-board AmaPrima and the sound levels and the animation of those conducting these chats with myself slowly escalated as
the meal went on. Maybe this was something to do with the fine wines which washed down exquisite food coupled with the fact that we never seemed to make it the bottom of the glass as the wine steward refused to let us do so! Dinner was an absolute assault on the senses and knowing where to begin with the menu is always a difficult one but to let you in on one secret - always go for the chef’s recommendations as they really do reflect the port of call you are in. For me it was total destination emersion so schnitzel was fitted as standard, as was the chocolate cake at the end of it all - well it would be rude not to! In the evening we set off on one of the included excursions which was the Mozart and Strauss Evening. Rain had moved in but this did not dampen anyone's spirits least of all Lisi's - our Tours Manager who ensured we all knew where we needed to be, what we had to do and reminded us of what excitement was to come in her consistently infectious passionate manner. The coaches pulled up at the bottom of gangways and all of us armed with our AmaWaterways umbrellas made for the coaches to enjoy the scenic heights, sights and delights of Vienna at night. A truly wonderful city to start with but as always at night, takes on a different personality which is portrayed majestically as we enjoyed a short scenic city tour before we arrived for our private concert at Im Kinsky. A breath-taking venue which really does encapsulate the essence of the "Blue Danube". We all took our seats in a private chamber and applauded as the artists arrived, tuned their instruments and began. What happened next can only be described as one of the most elative evenings I have encountered. The performance of Strauss's and Mozart's music was amazing and was interjected by ballet dancers and operatic singers which moved a lot of my fellow passengers to tears. I was torn between enjoying the performance and watching our passengers reaction which one lady surmised by saying she was "blessed and honoured" to have enjoyed. Returning to the ship the coach was filled with chatter about the evening’s performance, what the highlight of the day had been and what people had planned for tomorrow of which was cut short by us all thinking we were seeing double as we arrived on the quayside as AmaSonata was alongside us. Cameras were quickly reached for and the quayside exploded into a flash photography frenzy that would make any paparazzi jealous. Such is the sight of these two majestic sisters being alongside one another. Back on-board a Bavarian party awaited us. The complimentary hot drinks station was amply stocked and a proud chef waited to tempt us all with Goulash, German hot dogs and freshly baked pastries. The lounge was filled with live music and people where showing photographs of their adventures ashore to one another, updating their social media pages in between getting up to dance - all of which distracted from the slow and gentle rumble of AmaPrima’s engines coming to life as
they fired up to take us to our next port of call, Durnstein. I retired to my cabin, pulled back the French balcony door and I kid you not, I saw two swans elegantly pass by my balcony at that moment! A truly magnificent end to a wonderful day as I climbed into bed, said goodbye to Vienna and listened to the water ripple as we gently pushed off from the quayside. Not a bad start for my first time!
Day 2 |Durstein - Melk The feeling of waking up after a sound and deep night’s sleep cannot be beaten in my mind. After my first day of being on-board and being the new boy on-board AmaPrima, her crew and passengers where rapidly becoming close friends of mine. As I sunk into what must be one of the most comfortable beds I have slept in a long time and feel the breeze pass through the open French balcony window, I take stock of my first 24 hours of being in the AmaWaterways bubble whilst flicking through the back catalogue of movies available via the in cabin infotainment system. I eventually prise myself out of bed and pull back the curtains to be surprised by the fact that we are already alongside the incredibly pretty port of Durnstein. There were no engine surges, loud noises, or movement of the ship; AmaPrima had gracefully taken up residence in this incredibly picturesque town that is dominated by the ruins of the castle where Richard the Lionheart was once imprisoned. Jumping in the shower, any remnant of sleep was blasted away by the multi-jet shower heads. I dressed quickly, not forgetting my comfortable walking shoes - a must for these ports of call as cobblestones are in abundance. I had signed up for the tour which had a lot of activity involved and headed for the restaurant for breakfast. After experiencing an amazing dinner the night before - breakfast on-board did not disappoint either. Pastries, fresh bread, eggs to order, cold meat platters, cheese board, full English, continental, cereals, fresh fruits, the list went on and the choice was mind blowing. In situations like this, I recommend trying a little bit of everything (it would be rude not too!) but I have to confess it was initially a little early in the day for me for champagne which some of my fellow passengers were enjoying as they said "cheers" to some other river cruise passengers who walked on the quayside alongside us and who seemed to been awake super early to go on their tour. Such a shame that they did not have the late risers AmaWaterways tour programme that I was booked on - on second thoughts I will have that glass of champagne!!! Not a tricked was missed thanks to the Quiet Vox systems or the “whispering guides” which live in our cabins in charging cradles. These fantastic pieces of technology
allow you to wonder around freely, take pictures and not have a sense of that feeling of being herded as you tend to get from the larger ocean cruise ships. I met our guide on the quayside, I plugged in my head set and tuned into her frequency. What happened next was pure enjoyment as the one woman powerhouse performance of Trinka began. This guide (who can only be described as a force of nature) used her humour, unique and local knowledge, passion and conviction to bring to life the history and heritage of Durnstein. As Trinka led the charge into the city some of my fellow less able bodied passengers waved to us on the mini train that had been organised for them to get them into the heart of Durnstein. Nobody on-board was left out and the feeling of inclusion was in abundance with AmaWaterways passengers irrespective of your level of mobility. The walking tour was no more than 2 ½ hours in total and encapsulated the very best of the "Pearl of the Wachau”. The finale of the tour was emersion in one of the very best exports of the region’s tiered vineyards that hug the Danube produced by the Bomer family. We were all educated in the local monastic hall on the growing of the various grapes, introduced to the apricot based brandy's, jams and liqueurs but more to the point enjoyed a tasting session of the afore mentioned. With a spring in my step and a slight "sailors swagger" I made my way back to AmaPrima where my boarding pass was duly collected from me at the bottom of the gangway so the ever attentive crew knew who was on-board and who was ashore. I made my way to the restaurant for a light lunch - after all it had been over three hours since I had eaten something last! The Wachau Valley is one of the most beautiful and famous regions of Austria. Visitors from all over the world come here to enjoy the picturesque landscape, and culture and truly the best way to see it all is to step back and admire the scenery.
Durnstein Baroque Church, Wachau Valley
This is not always possible from coach tours, by car or even by train, but from the top deck of AmaPrima you could enjoy the 360 degree panoramic views of this wonderful part of the world. Some of my fellow passengers were even doing this from the comfort of the heated swim up pool bar – a bit too fresh in the year for me but nonetheless the more hard-core on board were making the most of this onboard design innovation. For me, I grabbed a speciality coffee from the perpetually stocked drinks station in the lounge, took root to a lounger on the sun deck, enjoyed watching the world go by, and truly switched off from the demands of the working world – something I struggle as an individual to do but on-board AmaPrima the pin truly did drop out. Next stop was Melk and the ‘must do’ in this port is the Abbey which sits majestically over the Danube. Coaches where dutifully lined at the bottom of the gangway for us along with our guides and to my delight Trinka was back and was looking after the coach I was on – let Act II commence of the Trinka Show!
Melk Abbey above the Danube
As always, AmaWaterways had split the passengers who were going ashore into groups in accordance with their levels of mobility and ability so there was no pressure or stress for those who needed a little more time and an easier route to get to where they needed to be, or for those who wanted to power on and make as much of the time in port. Again the tour only lasted three hours from start to finish but that was just enough time to get back to capture the essence of the port of call and allow us the opportunity to get back to the ship and freshen up for the delights of dinner after the Captain’s Party. This is held mid cruise so people can really relax and soak up the river cruise experience. Walking into any restaurant in the world on your own can always be daunting, even for one such as I who has travelled extensively but still I get the feeling of “everyone is looking at me” creeping back every time I do it. The option was given for me to join some fellow passengers but on this occasion I chose to take a table in a quiet booth on my own in order to really enjoy my favourite pastimes – people watching and eaves-dropping. The main topic of the conversation I overheard from the surrounding tables centred on the realisation of how much more enjoyable AmaWaterways was in comparison to other river cruises operators that they had sailed with and how the whole ambience of the ship was more welcoming. People where dressed smart, relaxed and casual and conversations where conducted with different accents with passengers from the USA, Australia, Main Land Europe and of course the UK, all of which underlined how much we need to get to the front of the queue in the UK to avoid missing out on getting on-board – 80 couples from around the world is all it takes to fill AmaPrima.
A quick night cap was required to let dinner go down and brisk walk around the sun deck at night was called for to assist, which ended up being longer than anticipated as I pulled up a seat on the sun deck to enjoy watching AmaPrima pass through a set of locks. AmaPrima just about fitted in as AmaWaterways builds ships to the maximum amount length wise to make the most of the available space, but don’t put as many passengers on-board as other river cruise operators. The transit thought the locks is always great to see and the sun deck had quite a few passengers up top to watch. The locks were as tight a fit as my trousers were becoming due to the amount of food I was consuming or was it the air-conditioning that was shrinking my clothes?
Day 3 |Linz - Passau All good things must come to an end and this was my last day on my flying visit to the AmaPrima. Needless to say I was certainly going to make the most of it. We woke up in Linz, and here was my opportunity to enjoy one of the innovations that AmaWaterways was the first to bring to the world of river cruising – a complimentary bicycles tour. AmaPrima carries a fleet of complimentary bicycles on board to be used for tours or for those independent passengers who wish to go ashore and explore on their own.
Bicycles on board AmaPrima
For me I was off on the organised bike tour around Linz with six of my fellow passengers plus the bike tour guide – seven of us in total plus the guide (oh if Maria Von Trapp could see us all now on bicycles in Austria singing as we went along)!
After last minute safety checks were completed, we set off to explore Linz and get into all of the nooks and crannies coach tours cannot get to. Plenty of stops were made along the way as the guide pointed out places of interest and significance. We even had time to get off and do a little spot of shopping and a rare visit to the local cathedral where Sunday Mass was being delivered. This was a short tour that lasted only 1 ½ hours but we got to see so much as we did not run the gauntlet of traffic and congestion and the bicycle routes on the continent really do put the UK’s to shame. This was an experience that I would seriously recommend if you are lucky enough to sail with AmaWaterways. AmaPrima was going nowhere today, the crew where all busy taking on fresh supplies in preparation for this evening’s Chaine de Rotisseurs dining experience. The passengers on the other hand had other intentions as lunch was digested and we prepared for the choice of inclusive excursions for this afternoon. For me it had to be the Český Krumlov tour. Český Krumlov is a small city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic where Český Krumlov Castle is located. Old Český Krumlov is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was given this status along with the historic Prague castle district. The guide gently explained the history and heritage of the area and shared some moving stories about the days of The Iron Curtain and the difference that she and her fellow inhabitants had seen over the decades. On arrival at Český Krumlov we all tuned into her frequency using the Quiet Vox system and took a leisurely stroll to the highest point of the castle where she then gave us some wonderful recommendations for what to do during our free time. Pit stops where made along the way and the small group of tourists that we were, drank in all that we could before returning to AmaPrima to swap stories. We all realised how lucky and privileged we were after hearing about the struggles that this nation had encountered and in some respects still wrestles with today. On returning to my cabin I was greeted with in an invitation to the Chef’s Table – something I had personally looked forward to and was delighted to attend. Tucked away at the aft end of AmaPrima is the most beautiful dining venue which costs passengers nothing to attend. The venue only held 30 people and when you think about it gave even more room in the main restaurant for us all on board. The service was exemplary and the food to die for. The challenge is to pull yourself back from the conversation every now and then to take a look at the chef and his team who is furiously preparing your next course. The passion and culinary flair you can watch from the comfort of your chair is more than commendable.
Desert to die for at the Chef’s Table
My last meal on AmaPrima comes to an end and whilst those who are staying onboard have several more days to enjoy all that AmaWaterways offers and some. For me the cruise came to a close while enjoying some classical music in the lounge with a local group called La Strada who had been invited on-board to entertain us all. Never have I heard the lounge so silent and still as this stringed quartet immersed us into the music of the region with the backdrop of Linz illuminated by night – a serene and delicate end to my time on board. Passau called the following morning as did the UK and never have I felt so sad to leave a ship before. Yes it is great to get back home but on this occasion I was perplexed to find myself so attached to the passengers, the crew and all that AmaPrima had to offer in such a short space of time. This feeling of saying goodbye normally only happens over a 7 – 14 night cruise, not on a three night taster cruise. Maybe it was the attentiveness of the crew, the first class service and the feeling of being included in everything. It could have possibly been the destinations, the excursions and the experience of trying something new. Maybe it was the food, drink and entertainment that I enjoyed. Or was it the fact that the “pin dropped out” for the first time in a long time for me. I really am not too sure but one thing is sure, I look forward to going back and finding out.”
Paul