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Rayleigh’s Blog My first river cruise aboard Amadeus Silver...

My first river cruise aboard Amadeus Silver...

Rayleigh Romero

In May of this year, I was offered the opportunity to

We met the ship half way through its itinerary after it

board the Amadeus Silver on a sailing of the ‘Classical

had visited Basel, Strasbourg, Speyer, Mannheim and

Rhine’ itinerary from the 21st to the 25th July 2017. This

Rudesheim on the first three days. Starting in Koblenz…

meant a full five-day trip exploring Koblenz, Cochem,

Day 1

and Cologne in Germany, alongside the wonders of

The morning of travel had arrived ever so quickly. My

Hoorn and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Of course,

manager, Brooke, and I set off to the airport for our early

I jumped at the chance and, before I knew it, I was

morning flight. We met one member of our group at the

purchasing travel sized items, rolling up my clothes and

airport and ventured onto Frankfurt Hahn. From there,

packing my bags.

we took a coach transfer to meet our remaining guests,

I write this blog as a first time river cruiser. As I have

followed by a train to Koblenz which got us to the ship

worked for Fred River Cruises for three months now, it

with lots of time. The weather was stunning and there

was the perfect time to get on board a river cruise ship

was not a cloud in sight. We were all so excited to see

for the very first time, explore the ship and put all of my

the Amadeus Silver sail into port at 3.30pm along the

ideas and thoughts into action. I went on board with an

glistening river.

open mind and a small idea of what to expect and, to

We boarded the ship and were assigned our room keys

my excitement, these five days would consist of one of

by the very helpful reception team, who also took our

the most amazing experiences of my life time.

cases to our cabins and greeted us with warm welcomes.

We arranged to meet the group in the Panorama Bar on

full advantage of the floor-to-ceiling drop down

the Mozart (top) deck after placing our bags in our rooms

panoramic window. We sat on the velvet grey seating

and settling in. The staff greeted us with a selection of

arranged at the window’s side and peered out. Our

sandwiches for us to enjoy whilst we winded down in the

cabin was flooded with sunlight, the sound of a light

lounge areas.

breeze piled in with the tweets of birds in hills and

We prepared ourselves for our first meal around 6pm

ducks paddling alongside us. Our views were utterly

to meet at the bar for an early drink at 6.30pm. Some

spectacular - quaint German villages full of character,

people enjoyed a cold beer, whilst others opted for

castles sitting on the edges of hills, just miles and

cocktails, spirits, sparkling waters or fizzy soft drinks.

miles of beauty unfolding with endless surprise.

Taking ourselves down to dinner in the restaurant on

We both skipped breakfast and opted for a

the Strauss (middle) deck at 7pm, we intermingled with

later brunch up on the Sun deck at 11am where a

the tables around us and got to know each other on

traditional German Cuisine was served to all guests:

a personal level. This is what is so exciting about river

sauerkraut (pickled cabbage), Bavarian weisswurst

cruising; it is such an intimate environment you are likely to meet lots of new people and make lots of new friends who you can share lots of fond memories with in times to come.

The dinner was presented beautifully in front of us, with drinks on tap until dinner was over. No one went hungry or thirsty. After our set of courses had concluded, the onboard hotel manager, Hoimara, came round with a glass of bubbly for us to ‘clink’ as she welcomed us on

(German delicacy sausage), pretzels, potato salad, breads and various mustards and dips. Whist we filled our bellies with delicious food, we sat back on sun loungers and deck chairs to experience a 360 degree view of the scenery around us. This was something you would expect to see in a film, being surrounded by miles of unspoilt scenery with the mountains around us hugging us in.

board the second half of the trip.

After dinner, an announcement came over the sound system from the cruise director who was letting us know that entertainment would soon be beginning in the Panorama Bar. We joined all of the remaining guests and got involved with the dance quiz of the evening which was such a good laugh. When our dancing feet deserved a sit down, our group went outside to the seating area and we were greeted by a fellow traveller who was guiding a group of river cruisers on the ship. He brought his guitar outside and started showing us the songs he enjoyed and telling us all about his passion. We all sat

As we sailed into Cochem, the views just got better

outside singing to the Beatles until the stars came out.

and better. The thing that caught my eye the most

Before bed time, we thought it would be perfect way

was Reichsburg. This is a large castle that nestles in

explore Koblenz before setting sail in the early hours by

between the hills and vineyards and towers above the

popping to a local bar. We put our dancing shoes back

city. It gives off a magical vibe and stands out, almost

on and when the yawns started kicking in, we made it

like a German Hogwarts. The remaining city blends

back to the ship and took to our comfortable beds for

in beneath it - the vintage buildings, quarries with

a good night’s rest.

children playing, the warm atmosphere given off by

Day 2

the locals, the flowers in bloom hanging down from

Awoken at 8am by our body clocks, we decided to

the brick work bridge and the breathtaking panoramas

enjoy some of the morning by taking in the views

beckon you to set off and explore the town further.

of the Rhine. So we opened the curtains and took

After a light lunch at 12.30pm aboard the ship,

those who had opted for the excursion took a walking tour of the city with a wine tasting before dinner.

Some of our group took the onboard bicycles and cycled around Cochem, stopping off at several places of interest. I and five others set off for the town by foot and explored the cobbled streets and local shops and bars, before returning to the ship for the afternoon tea at 4.30pm. We then decided to relax and enjoy the afternoon on the rattan furniture outside on the River Terrace, enjoying our group’s company and getting to know each other more.

The ship set sail from Cochem at 6pm. Ready for

dinner by 7pm, another amazing set of courses was awaiting us. With so much to choose from, we were spoilt for choice with a starter, soup, main, dessert and option of cheese, alongside free-flowing wine,

Setting sail that afternoon, four of us decided to

beer and soft drinks at the table. A fantastic crew on

explore the facilities and used the onboard gym to

board meant we were never sat with an empty glass.

burn off some of the food we’d been eating. After

We indulged in our delicious meals and watched the

our gym experience, we settled in the Panorama

scenery unfold yet again whilst at our dining table.

Bar and Lounge where the chef did an apple strudel

After dinner, we vacated upstairs to the Panorama Bar

making demonstration. Most guests attended the

on the Mozart deck. There was a raffle prior to the

proceedings and just the smell of the ingredients

evening entertainment of the wonderful singer Daniela

across the room made our mouths water. We were

alongside piano, where guests won various prizes such

sat on the edge of our seats waiting for a taste as

as jewellery and souvenirs. This was another wonderful

the chef brought up a fresh batch from the kitchen

night of socialising with the guests on board and the

alongside a pot and ladle with custard. I speak for

crew whilst enjoying the evening entertainment.

myself here, but it tasted absolutely incredible - the

Day 3

pastry was perfectly buttery and flaky, the apple

Waking up in a Cologne after a smooth night of

sweet, and the taste of infused rum essence gave it

sailing, we felt refreshed. Straight away, we noticed

that extra zing. You will never go hungry aboard an

the difference compared to Cochem, going from a

Amadeus river cruise ship.

medieval countryside environment to an industrial

gothic area. This is what makes river cruising stand out, getting to explore contrasting destinations and watch how each part has evolved over time.

After a breakfast display of fresh fruit, pastries, cereals, cheese, meats, or breakfast to order, we took to the city at 9.30am to explore. Taking in all of the gothic buildings and getting to see the world famous Cologne Cathedral was breath-taking. With it being such a big city, a few of us decided to go on board a sight-seeing train around the city which took us to

This evening was what we had all been waiting for, the

the Cologne Zoo and the Botanical Gardens. We were

Captain’s Cocktail and Gala Dinner. All guests on board

also able to squeeze in a cable car ride over the city

had the option of dressing up in some of their best

and enjoyed a creamy milkshake in RheinPark before

clothes for the evening. However, with Amadeus, the

returning to the ship for 2pm.

dress code is very casual and it is under the discretion

of each passenger as to how they wish to dress. As long

and full of joy all evening. We joined all members

as everyone is comfortable, Amadeus like to give guests

on the dance floor to the sound of the wonderful

the flexibility to pick how they dress for the event. No

entertainer, Daniela’s voice. After talking to the crew

black tie or ball gown is required.

and the passengers and singing a few more songs with guitar man, our voices became husky and off to bed we went.

Day 4 Feeling revitalised after a good night’s sleep, we woke up to the sun beaming through the crack left between the curtains and gazed out to the wide Rhine river as we sailed into Hoorn. We made an early start and dashed into the restaurant for a fruity breakfast. Brooke enjoying the plentiful croissants

To start the evening off we met in the Panorama Bar

and dishes of Nutella.

and Lounge for a cocktail with all of the guests. We

Before we knew it, it was 11.30am. So, we had an

were offered the most delicious prosecco I’ve ever had

early lunch to prepare ourselves for our excursion

when we walked in the room and then were served

of ‘North Holland and the Amsterdam canal cruise’.

appetisers incorporating olives and cheeses. The crew

We shovelled in lots of delicious foods, prepared our

were called up in departments so we could show our

bags, grabbed our top of the range head phones

appreciation for each member and see how many

and excursion equipment, and made our way to the

crew run such a tremendous operation.

port side where we met our lovely tour guide for the

After a lovely first start to the evening, celebrating

afternoon.

all of the crew’s achievements, we were escorted

Firstly, we took a short trip from Hoorn to

down to the restaurant and were served a seven-

Volendam, spotting lots of wildlife along the way,

course meal including appetisers. The menu featured

including a herd of baby Bambis. The first experience

delicious smoked salmon to a mushroom ‘cappuccino’

consisted of a trip into Volendam, a beautiful town in

soup, pasta cannelloni, sharp and fruity lemon

North Holland full of atmosphere and unbelievable

sorbet pallet cleanser, succulent chateaubriand and a

beauty. We walked through the town, pointing out

baked Alaska presented to us by all of the chefs. We

pretty streams, bikes with flowers around the basket,

ended the night on a high, everyone was laughing

houses with the most stunning frontal appearances,

about the history from our tour guide as we sailed.

We made our way back to the ship and dined for our final meal at 7pm, reminiscing about our truly spectacular experience over the past four days together.

After the meal, we were treated to a performance by a local choir who were brought onto the ship. It was a truly happy and exciting way to spend our evening together. When the performance was over, we all decided to celebrate our final night by walking into Amsterdam to get a taste of the night life. There was lots of evening entertainment within the area close to the river docking location. We explored the area, meeting many of the locals and experiencing Amsterdam as the wonderful city it is. By midnight, my sleep became most important to me and back to the ship I went. bridges that overlooked views for miles alongside the cobbled street and blue skies that met along the Holland coast - it was truly beautiful. After filling our boots with Volendam, we boarded the coach and went to a cheese farm just outside the town in Katwoude, where we met a wonderful cheese maker who explained to us what they do in order to make the cheese. After this wonderful talk, of course, all of us were dying to try the cheese. They took us through to an open plan room where on every corner there were tastings of cheese in all sorts of

Day 5 Home time!

We packed our bags and placed them outside our cabins, where the crew would take them port side for us. We dined one last time for breakfast and proceeded to the airport shortly after. Now, I sit here, writing and reminiscing about my river cruise and can honestly say it was one of the best holiday experiences I have had. If you have the opportunity to explore the world, this is a fantastic way of doing it and experiencing the culture of several places. I would do this trip 10 times over to experience the beautiful views, meet the wonderful

different flavours. One of my favourites was honey.

people, and be able to see many places that I would

But, of course, the room was filled with an array of

never have gotten to see without river cruising. I

peculiar flavoured cheeses too. There was coconut,

cannot recommend river cruising enough.

which left a warm oily taste in the mouth; green pesto, which was very flavourful and actually bright green; and their signature truffle cheese, which was truly delightful. Our group came out with bags of goodies to take home to families and friends - what better gift than cheese?

Now back on the coach, we travelled to Amsterdam. After a short coach trip, we pulled into the canal cruising port and boarded our canal cruiser. We explored the canals of Amsterdam, watching the world pass by and seeing how people live in Amsterdam – whether that be on land in a tall building with ravish windows and doors, or in a delightful floating home on the river. It was so interesting to see how people live, as well as to hear

Why don’t you give it a try?

FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 0800 035 6411 sales@fredrivercruises.co.uk www.amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk OR SEE YOUR ABTA TRAVEL AGENT