Rhine River Cruise with AmaWaterways: Colors of Provence

Table Of Content

• French Wine and Food on a River Cruise in France on the Rhone River
• CRUISE FROM : Amsterdam to Basel
• About AmaKristina River cruise vessel
• Rhone River Cruise Review: AmaWaterways Colors of Provence
• Do you see lavender fields on this cruise?
• Overall Region Where You Sail During a Colors of Provence River Cruise
• Christmas Markets on the Rhine
• Chilling Out In The Pool

The sun deck offers loungers in both sun and shade, and a large seating area at the bow is equipped with comfortable couches, tables, and chairs perfect for taking in the panoramic scenic views. Toward the end of my trip, I sat on a stoop enjoying a mango gelato after a long walking tour of Riquewihr, a fairy-tale medieval French town. I had sweated my way down the Rhine for the past week, but it was exactly the kind of vacation I needed. For someone like me, whose mind is constantly racing with worries, staying active allowed me to be more present and connected—even when I was being shown up by people twice my age. Those moments in a new destination, when the responsibilities dissipate, make travel—and the sweat—so rewarding.

New Horizons in 2024: AmaWaterways Expands River Cruise Lineup - Luxury Travel Advisor

New Horizons in 2024: AmaWaterways Expands River Cruise Lineup.

Posted: Mon, 09 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

French Wine and Food on a River Cruise in France on the Rhone River

Savor the storybook atmosphere of some of Europe’s most charming towns and along the way, get swept up in the many treasures just waiting to be discovered along the Rhine and Main rivers. While operating sustainable, environmentally friendly ships is fundamental to AmaWaterways, both Zambezi Queen and AmaMagna go above and beyond with eco-friendly features. Zambezi Queen, which explores the Chobe River in Africa, uses a five-stage water purification plant, employing river water in the showers and tap aboard. The ship’s water jet propulsion system replaces a conventional system, ensuring there is no damage to the riverbed. Throughout the night, the ship operates on battery power and only the low-emission generators run throughout the day. If you want to be sure you’ll see lavender fields during a summer vacation in Provence, extend your cruise with a land trip before or after the journey to venture into the countryside.

CRUISE FROM : Amsterdam to Basel

The crew made the experience even more memorable by serving Rüdesheimer coffee (more on this adult beverage later) and an elaborate barbeque lunch on the sun deck. I enjoyed sampling local wines and viewing the terraced vineyards, but one of my favorite experiences was exploring Rüdesheim after dark. We strolled around the Old Town and down Drosselgasse, a narrow cobblestone street lined with restaurants, wine bars, taverns, and boutiques. Our group listened to live music and visited the Rüdesheimer Schloss for authentic Rüdesheimer coffee, a potent beverage made with local Asbach brandy and sugar and topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. I was impressed with the consistently high quality of our meals and the personalized, attentive service on the AmaLucia. AmaLucia’s dining areas include the Main Restaurant, the panoramic Al Fresco Terrace, and the elegant Chef’s Table complimentary dining venue.

About AmaKristina River cruise vessel

Another unexpected Rhone River challenge had nothing to do with water levels; it had to do with the locks being affected by a strike! During the cruise, the captain smartly adjusted our day's schedule in Tournon to avoid the lock workers' strike. Baguettes are less than €1 per piece at any market or supermarket you visit in France. Our favorite grocery shop in France is Carrefour; most any sizable French city has one. The next afternoon, we enjoyed a beautiful sail through the Rhone River valley after our morning in Vienne.

After touring the castle, we had plenty of time on our own to explore the Old City with its countless shops and boutiques, stroll along the waterfront, and relax at an outdoor café while sampling German beers. You can sign up for a cruise sailing from Lyon to Avignon, north to south, or select the opposite direction from Avignon to Lyon, south to north. The only difference between them is the river cruise ship's direction and the order of the towns you visit; the itinerary and towns you stop at are the same. When choosing your river cruise ship, consider the amenities that would make your vacation more pleasurable. Europe’s summers are often hot, so spending time in the pool is appealing. AmaLucia’s sun deck features a lovely outdoor pool, and I was thrilled to kick back and cool down there during our cruise in July.

Most AmaWaterways river cruise ships have a professionally trained Wellness Host on board who leads complimentary yoga, Zumba, and other fitness activities throughout the journey. Active shore excursions, including guided bike tours and hikes, are also offered in ports of call. Guests who prefer riding in their spare time rather than taking a biking excursion can use AmaLucia’s complimentary bicycles. AmaKristina was the first river cruise ship in the industry to receive the prestigious Green Award, which recognizes ships in Europe for their quality, safety and environmental performance.

During previous trips in recent years, we were affected by a Lufthansa airline strike before our barge cruise with European Waterways and again for our Bordeaux summer river cruise with Viking. But for a truly French experience in the culinary sense, we recommend booking some restaurant experiences on your own in addition to the excursions offered. You will not feel immersed in French cuisine when you sail on this cruise, like during a land trip to Provence.

From the meandering Main to the UNESCO-designated Upper Middle Rhine Valley with its multitude of castles dotting its shores to the vineyard-clad hills of the Moselle, enjoy Europe at its most picturesque. All along the way, gain an intimate understanding of the history and culture of the places you visit. Grand cities blend in perfect harmony with their historic past and their progressive future. Experience the deep-rooted holiday traditions of Europe at its most festive time of year and get caught up in the magic of the holidays with visits to some of the world’s most timeless Christmas Markets. Warm up with a mug of steamy glühwein while at the Cologne Christmas Market located in front of its UNESCO-designated Gothic cathedral.

Chilling Out In The Pool

The alternative is finding the herbs at specialty upscale spice towns in old town centers or in souvenir shops that sell a variety of keepsakes and trinkets. The highlight is the small towns and cities you visit in Provence, not far from the Rhone River, not necessarily the countryside. If you love science, you’ll be intrigued to know that the cruise passes three nuclear power plants.

The change included more logistics and coordination than most guests probably realized. As such, the guests boarded buses to reach the boat from Tournon after our morning tours; the ship was further along the Rhone River after our excursions than where we disembarked that morning. As soon as the guests disembarked AmaKristina in Tournon, the ship sailed away to make it to the next location. This smart move was the captain’s solution to deal with the strike and stay on course for our Colors of Provence itinerary.

That’s generally true of most cruises, whose cuisine needs to cater to a broad audience. The sun was shining, and the skies were blue as we pulled away from the port, turned away from the attractive Pont d’Universite bridge, and sailed south. The dining room on the ship is very nice, with booth seating and tables. The common spaces, including the lounge areas and a small library and bar, are great places to relax after a day in port or to enjoy entertainment like listening to the piano player. You'll sail to and visit lovely French cities and villages on this itinerary, including Lyon, Beaujolais, Vienne, Tournon and Hermitage, Avignon, and Arles. AmaLucia’s sun deck is another great place to watch the Rhine’s ever-changing landscapes.

Since then, another 19 river cruise ships in AmaWaterways’ European fleet have earned the Green Award certification. All ships are able to connect to shoreside electric power, which further reduces fuel consumption and noise levels while in port. AmaWaterways has lessened unnecessary food waste from large-scale buffets by serving a la carte lunches on board European ships. Our sailing offered a wealth of opportunities to be immersed in the history, culture, and landscapes of Europe. All 21 enriching excursions offered on our AmaLucia voyage were included in the cruise fare, and two to four tours were available in each port of call.

While AmaWaterways offers some cheese onboard, we found it wasn’t as authentic as the cheese you can get on land. Our Colors of Provence cruise with AmaWaterways was a vacation for the books! Many itineraries travel between Amsterdam and Basel in Switzerland, and some incorporate other rivers as well. Standing on AmaLucia’s sun deck, I was mesmerized by the awe-inspiring scenery complete with picturesque towns, hillside vineyards, and 30 stunning castles and fortresses lining the river. Our knowledgeable cruise manager provided expert commentary on the Upper Middle Rhine Valley’s castles, the area’s stories and legends, the massive Loreley Rock, and the iconic statue that bears the siren’s name.

Other times, the river’s water levels may be too low to sail because there is insufficient water beneath the boat and the riverbed. The best thing to do is extend your river cruise for time on land with a pre or post-cruise extension. Dan and I did this, and it’s when we really immersed ourselves in French cuisine. While 180M tourists in France are French people discovering their own culture (because the different areas of France vastly vary from one another), most of the fellow cruisers onboard AmaKristina were American and British.

The cities we visited during this tour and AmaWaterways's service — especially in guided tours and their ability to pivot during a strike — were standouts. In a year that happened to have taken us to the South of France multiple times, this was a phenomenal conclusion to our three cruise vacations in a charming country. That’s why we had to get this herb blend during our Colors of Provence river cruise! Finding Herbs de Provence blend in most of the towns we visited was easy.

One of the newest ships in the company’s fleet, it offers two dining options (a main restaurant and the dinner-only Chef’s Table, which seats 32 guests), a spa, a walking track, and complimentary beer and wine. This well-preserved city is set along the scenic Neckar River and is home to Germany’s oldest and most renowned university. We started by taking a guided visit through the ancient ruins of Heidelberg Castle, a royal Renaissance palace built with stunning red sandstone. The world-famous fortress towers above the Neckar Valley and its cellars contain the Heidelberg Tun, the world’s largest wine barrel.