Recommend August 2012 - (Page 16)

the danube with AMAWATERWAYS continued from page 14 ers who cover more ground; and a “late starters” tour for those who prefer to sleep in. Additionally, today’s increasingly active passengers have use of the more than 24 bikes on board, brought into service for escorted bike tours. On the longest (3-hour) ride—Durnstein to Melk—passengers (ages 30 to 70) headed out on a rigorous 19-mile run along the Danube, with bike-tour guides front and back, linked together by love of the rightchilly great outdoors, a cafe stop or two, and those state-of-the-art headsets that let you hear the guide’s lively commentary en-route. All passengers have these headsets for all tours, and they are worth turning on: the local guides on every tour were nonstop interesting. Making its debut on the cruise was the new touring category: Bites & Sights, a delightful culinary feature designed for foodies who want a new experience in a place already visited. In Budapest, we had a hands-on go at the basics of Hungarian goulash, held in the stylish premises of the local Soﬁtel; and in Vienna the city’s signature dessert, sachertorte—served up in a traditional coffee cafe—was ﬁrst up on the tasting menu, followed by a guided tour of the vast cellars and tasting at the Schlumberger winery, one of dozens surprisingly located within city perimeters. Among the optional tours offered was an iconic and delightful Mozart & Strauss concert at the historic Hofburg Palace, which left no doubt that waltz is alive and well in Vienna. “Often what happens off ship,” says Karst, “is what passengers remember most, despite all our new upgraded details on board.” balconies”—a full step-out balcony adjacent to a glass-walled French balcony (49 cabins have this feature); combined they provide a nonstop Danube panorama. Well, not quite nonstop. With the increase in river cruisers there is a decrease in parking spaces, resulting in vessels tying up side-by-side, two or three deep. Yes, from time-to-time dockside, clients will want to keep their drapes closed. Other spiffy ship specials include a heated pool with swim-up bar on the broad sun deck, a library, a ﬁtness center, massage and beauty salon. Pride of place goes to choices of venues in which to wine and dine deliciously: the main dining room (with smart and excellent service), a Wine Bar, a casual al fresco bistro, and the Erlebrin, an intimate chef’s table restaurant (requiring reservations) with a tasting menu. We’ll long remember the Baltic salmon tartare with lime creme-fraiche and avocado, paired with a crisp, not-too-fruity Selbach Riesling. One of the pleasures of this particular Danube River experience was the classy and friendly crew, with a special salute to the cruise manager, Debbie Asayag de Albrecht, a Renaissance woman in the art of hospitality. We’d follow her anywhere. And with AmaWaterways, that could be anywhere along the great rivers in Europe, Russia, Africa, Vietnam and Cambodia. getting to the port of embarkation AmaWaterways’ air department offers customized air service, and has contracts with major carriers, including Air France, British Airways, Cathay Paciﬁc, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Lufthansa and United Airlines. n Archived related articles (available on recommend.com): Viking Longships Invade European Waters (May 2012) life on board The new-build AmaCerto indeed puts on the ritz with a bevy of cruise ship enhancements—amazing for a vessel that, unlike ocean-going vessels, is limited in size and shape because of the bridges to sail under and locks to sail through. Our handsomely appointed stateroom (235 sq. ft.) came with a big comfy bed, marble bathroom, complimentary Internet and WiFi, infotainment system and ﬂat-panel TV. The signature amenity was “twin contact information AmaWaterways: (800) 626-0126; amawaterways.com or amawaterways.com/agent/Login.aspx aboard amawaterways, ‘tis the season n Post-wine harvesting and Christmas celebrations are two good reasons to zero in on selling river cruising in the “slow” season. November is the month for clients to be on board one of four different In Celebration of Wine cruises, whose wine-themed programs showcase the acclaimed wine regions along the Rhone, Rhine, and Danube rivers, learning about and tasting regional wines during visits to local vineyards and wine cellars. Wine experts from top U.S. wineries are co-hosts on these cruises. For example, The Romantic Danube, a 7-night cruise plus three nights in Prague (or reverse) offers port departures on Nov. 4 and 14 for its In Celebration of Wine cruise, while The Legendary Danube combines three nights in Prague with a 7-night NurembergBudapest cruise, departing on Nov. 1. Both cruises are priced from $2,399 pp dbl cruise-only ($3,089 cruise and land). Note: for 2013, the company will offer eight different wine itineraries in Europe. n Sure your clients will bundle up a bit, but it’s worth it to spend quality time with family and friends aboard a Christmas on the Rhine cruise, seven nights from Basel to Amsterdam, with a preholiday bonus of visiting the magical Christmas markets in Basel, Strasbourg, Rudesheim and Cologne; departures aboard the AmaCello start on Nov. 25, and cruise-only costs start at $2,499 pp dbl. Clients booked for Dec. 20 and 23 departures will be on board for some special Christmas cheer; cruise-only on Dec. 23 sailings is priced from $2,399. p.s. Next year, AmaWaterways debuts two new river cruisers: the 164-passenger AmaPrima, making her debut April 3 on the Tulip Time cruise along the waterways of Holland and Belgium, before moving to cruising on the Rhine, Main and Danube; starting with The baroque town of Durnstein, with cobblestone a March 23 streets and 16th century townhouses and taverns. in sailing, the 108-passenger AmaVida will cruise Portugal’s Douro Valley. 16 august 2012 recommend.com http://www.recommend.com http://www.amawaterways.com http://www.amawaterways.com/agent/Login.aspx http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend August 2012

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: DogSpa Resort & Wellness Center
Tour Talk: MLT Vacations
The Danube With AmaWaterways
Striking Gold With Vegas' Golden Gate
Central & South America Guide
Wequassett Resort and Golf Club, Cape Cod
New Zealand's South Island is Sheer Eye Candy
Seven Stars Resort, Turks & Caicos
Iberostar Cancun
Three Days in Cape Town & the Winelands, South Africa

Recommend August 2012