River Cruising With AmaWaterways Onboard The AmaKristina, Colors of Provence
This spring, I had the pleasure of cruising with AmaWaterways on their inaugural cruise of 2024 on the Rhone River featuring the Colors of Provence itinerary. Experiencing a river cruise has been high on my wish list for years now and I can honestly say this journey exceeded my expectations and I am already planning my next river cruise adventure. So much is included on your cruise with AmaWaterways including a variety of immersive excursions throughout the charming ports you will visit along your river adventure. AmaWaterways brings you right into the magic of each destination and makes your experience seamless. I’m so excited to share more about my time in the South of France and why I think this might be the most relaxing way to experience Europe.
Getting Onboard!
AmaWaterways offers a variety of incredible cruises throughout Europe on eight different rivers and other stunning destinations including Vietnam, Cambodia, Egypt and Africa. It’s so inspiring to scroll through all of the different itineraries highlighting the gems from each region including storied castles, ancient vineyards, Christmas markets and hilltop villages. You can do so yourself here!
I can help you determine which is the right cruise for you based on your preferences for excursions, sights and different regions. A passport is required for all AmaWaterways river cruises and it must be valid for at least six months after you return home. If you choose to book your airfare with AmaWaterways, round trip airport transfers are included in the price of your river cruise. AmaWaterways also offers pre and post-cruise stays as part of their packages and one of the main perks of this (besides more time in these amazing destinations) is they send their cruise manager along so you can start or end your journey with excellent service.
Once you are booked, you fill out all your pre-cruise information and you should expect to receive your cruise documents three to four weeks prior to your sailing date. These are sent via email and are also linked to your account on the AmaWaterways App. Speaking of which, you’ll want to download their app prior to your sailing.
myAmaCruise App
AmaWaterways App is very easy to navigate and full of useful information including your full itinerary and where you can view the offered excursions for each day and make your preferred selections. Each day you’ll have access to your daily cruiser that has the schedule for meals, excursions, wellness classes, onboard entertainment, local weather and important details like the “all aboard time”.
First Impressions
I cruised onboard the AmaKristina on the Colors of Provence itinerary from Lyon to Arles during March 14-21, 2024. When I arrived at the port in Lyon, I was pleasantly surprised to see the ship so centrally located within the city with easy access to some of Lyon’s most iconic landmarks and right on a bike/walking path. The ship was spotless with inviting pops of color and sparkling windows to view the river and surrounding area throughout the ship. Embarkation was seamless— I was greeted warmly by the crew, showed them my passport, had my photo taken, was given a key card and five minutes later I was in my cabin.
Cabin Categories and Features
On this specific ship there are four main cabin types (suite, twin balcony, French balcony and fixed window). I stayed in a French Balcony and the glass door fully opened so you could take in the beautiful scenery as you floated by. The cabin had a desk, TV/computer, safe, robe, slippers, hairdryer and luxury bath products. I found my cabin to be very cozy with some lovely modern touches. The rain shower was one of the best showers I’ve experienced. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I was in France, on a river cruise, but still! Every day, fresh Evian bottles of water were delivered and my cabin steward left little surprises throughout my stay. I loved having the option of a balcony and this ship does have the twin balconies where you combine a French balcony with an outside balcony for extra space to view and enjoy the river. I highly recommend booking a cabin with some sort of balcony-French or the twin balcony. Having the comfort and privacy of my cabin to enjoy the river during stretches of time was a very nice perk, even through I also loved being on the decks of the ship.
What to pack
River cruising is all about being immersed in the destination and I wanted to see as much as possible. I planned on being very active during my sailing and so athleisure wear worked well for me. Check out my packing list here, but you’ll want to pack layers and focus on being comfortable. Plan on wrinkle resistant fabrics, comfortable shoes, and the overall vibe I would describe as casual or casual elegant for meal times. Neutral colored options, scarfs and vests came in handy to mix and match throughout the trip. The storage space was a little small with four small bedside drawers, but there are several shelfs in the closet. Don’t forget to look under the bed for drawers that pull out. I discovered these late on my sailing and if I had had a cabin mate, this extra space would have been very handy. Pro tip: pack a converter so you can charge your electronics!
What worked best for me for keeping my clothes organized was having everything sorted within packing cubes and then arranging on the closet shelves. Some people like to pack outfits by day, but I prefer to pack all of my shirts together, pants together, workout gear, socks, underwear, etc. There is also a closet with plenty of hangers and Ama does offer laundry service and the prices per item of clothing are very reasonable, so packing light is a great option. Within your closet you’ll find a laundry bag with a sheet to fill out your requests. Simply leave this on your bed and you’ll have your items back within 24 hours.
Dining & Beverage Options
My experience with AmaWaterways felt very inclusive as all meals, snacks, beer and wine are included during your cruise. The AmaKristina has one main restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They also offer a bistro breakfast and lunch in the lounge, along with snacks throughout the day. In the aft of the ship is the Chef’s Table, with wrap around windows to enjoy the scenic views during dinner. This dinner is offered each evening and as described by the chef, it’s a seven course fairytale. This is complimentary for all guests for one night of their cruise and you can sign up at the reception desk. Take advantage of this! A full service tea and coffee service station is also available 24 hours a day and beer and wine is included with your sailing during lunch and dinner. The wine selections rotate daily to reflect regional wines which is just another detail that sets AmaWaterways apart. Also, every evening AmaWaterways offers a complimentary Sip and Sail hour where they offer a featured cocktail along with a selection of other drinks. During this time, your cruise manager will preview the next day’s highlights and it’s a great opportunity to meet other guests and relax prior to dinner.
AmaWaterways prides itself on sourcing local ingredients and both lunch and dinner feature a multi-course menu that included a nice assortment of salads, soups, meats and vegetarian options. The food was presented beautifully and I enjoyed the details included on the menu including a palate cleansing sorbet between your second course and the main entree.
Onboard Entertainment
Besides taking in the stunning scenery as you float by, there is so much to enjoy on board. The lounge was full of comfortable seating with wonderful views and a full service bar. I loved spending time on the sun deck and appreciated their walking path, loungers in both the sun and shade, heated pool with swim up bar and various deck games. On board you’ll also find a gift shop, fitness room, masseuse, hair salon and various entertainment including talented musicians and presentations showcasing regional treasures. During our cruise, a macaroon and crepe making class were offered along with a silk presentation by a local artist.
Wellness Programs
AmaWaterways wants you to feel your best on board and offer a variety of fitness and dining options. Their programs include yoga, Pilates, resistance band classes, circuit training, digestive walks and meditation all led by their wellness host. Their planned excursions also cater to active travelers with the guided hiking and biking options. AmaWaterways cruises with a fleet of bicycles and you are welcome to use these during your itinerary outside of the planned excursions. I checked one out during an afternoon in Lyon and enjoyed riding along the river. I also grabbed one of their yoga mats and did yoga and Pilates on the sun deck throughout my cruise. Sun salutations while floating by some gorgeous scenery was a highlight of my time onboard! I love to eat well while traveling and I found their food options to be healthy and fresh with lots of fruits and vegetables. Every morning at breakfast they offer a wellness bowl full of fruits, nuts, grains and herbs, fresh smoothies, and a fully stocked omelet and yogurt bar. They even had gemstone water onboard!
Excursions
There is so much to enjoy on the ship, but my favorite part of my cruise with AmaWaterways were the range of excursions offered at each port throughout our cruise. And the best part? Excursions are INCLUDED in the cost of your cruise. Sign up via the app and if you decide to make a change, its very easy and our cruise manager was so helpful with any questions I had about the different tours, destinations, etc. You’ll need to book any desired bike tours on board with the cruise manager as you’ll also be asked to sign a waiver. I’m a busy Mom and book people’s travel plans every day, so the fact that all I had to do was check a box, and show up each morning/afternoon ready to learn and enjoy was pure bliss.
AmaWaterways specializes in small groups and rely on the best local guides in each destination to lead their excursions. Comfortable listening devices are also provided and groups are divided into gentle, normal and active tours depending on your preference. Before departing the ship you’ll grab your color card for each designated group and they also offer umbrellas, hiking poles, and folding seats to accommodate anything you may need on your tour. You can read my full review of the excursions I experienced here, but spoiler alert–they were fantastic! It was so nice to arrive back to the ship and be greeted with a warm towel to clean your hands and a refreshing beverage. It’s the little things in life and AmaWaterways is all about the details that make your experience feel that much more personalized.
Tipping Guidelines
While not expected, my guess is the service you experience onboard and with local guides during your river cruise with AmaWaterways will inspire you to tip the staff and crew you interact with. Recommend guidelines are: $100 euro for crew; $25 euro for the cruise manager and $1-2 euro per tour guides. You can add your gratuities in the envelope they leave in your stateroom or via credit card at the reception desk. For guides, we tipped after excursions in person.
Overall Thoughts
My river cruise with AmaWaterways was one of the best travel experiences I’ve had. Being able to unpack once and see so much of a region just can’t be beat. The level of service, variety of excursions and comfort onboard the boat was exceptional. Overall, the two things that really stood out for me were: 1) how immersive the itineraries are in each destination you visit, and 2) how seamless it is to see and truly experience so much. From the ease of getting on and off the ship, to the centrally located docking locations and the local guides giving you front of the line access, it felt so personalized. I didn’t have to stress about transfers, driving to the next destination or schedule a thing. Everything was taken care of–I simply enjoyed wonderful service onboard, walked off the ship and thoroughly soaked up all there is to learn about the destination. After the tour, there was plenty of free time to explore on my own.
During my week with Ama I felt like a had a home away from home. It was such a pleasure to arrive back on the boat with a warm welcome, decompress in my room and then rejoin the other passengers in the lounge and sun deck and share details about our excursions, enjoy a meal together and looking forward to the day ahead. AmaWaterways has a motto: “oceans take you to countries and rivers take you through them”. I left each area we visited in the South of France in awe of the history, stories, and people and marveled that places like this exist in the world and it can be this easy to experience them.
Are you curious about river cruising? You can view all of the amazing itineraries here and I am an AmaWaterways Certified Advisor and would love to help you! Reach out to me at [email protected] or fill out a quote request here.
