A wine-lovers dream cruise! AMAWATERWAYS will cruise along the Wine, er, make that Rhine and Mosel rivers on a wine cruise this coming November. In Bernkastel, pictured, visit the castle ruin overlooking the city center of half-timbered buildings and cobblestone streets.

AMAWATERWAYS will offer a “Vineyards of the Rhine and Mosel” cruise this fall, departing November 12, 2010, on the luxurious MS AMALEGRO.

The special 7-night itinerary includes visits to world-famous wineries, off-site dinners hosted by renowned winemakers, onboard lectures and more.  Hosted by AMAWATERWAYS President Rudi Schreiner, the 7-night cruise will travel from Amsterdam to Trier, Germany, followed by three nights in Paris.

Accompanying the cruise will be winemaker Jim Clendenen, owner of the internationally-acclaimed Au Bon Climat winery in Santa Maria, California and Archie McLaren, founder and chairman of the Central Coast Wine Classic.  A portion of the cruise proceeds will be donated to charities supported by the Central Coast Wine Classic, one of the country’s preeminent wine auctions.

Moselle River cruises offer wine tastings in such wine villages as Cochem, settled by the Celts and later by Romans before being granted a town charter in 1332.

Cruise Highlights Include Dinners & Wine Tastings

Highlights of the “Vineyards of the Rhine and Mosel” itinerary include a dinner and wine tasting with a representative from the renown Georg Breuer winery at the Ruedesheimer Schloss in Rudesheim, Germany.  The scenic Rhine Gorge town of Rudesheim is famous for its quaint wine taverns and surrounding vineyards, including the family-owned Breuer estate.

In Koblenz, guests will discover a 2,000-year old wine town at the confluence of the Mosel and Rhine Rivers.

Mosying Along The Mosel

Continuing through the Mosel river valley, the world’s steepest vineyards and certainly one of the world’s most beautiful rivers, picturesque villages and charming wine towns appear at every turn. During the cruise from Koblenz to the riverside wine town of Winnigen, guests will enjoy an exceptional luncheon, with menu items paired with wines from the Heymann-Lowenstein winery.

In Cochem, guests will discover perfectly preserved timber-framed homes, medieval squares and the spectacular Reichsburg Castle perched above the Mosel.  A welcoming wine fest awaits in the Mosel town of Zell, famous for its “Zeller Schwarze Katz” (Black Cat) wine.

An evening wine tasting in a local underground wine cellar showcases the area’s famous varietals.  In Bernkastel, guests will enjoy a walking tour followed by a wine tasting at the Wine Museum hosted by Michael Stahlmann from the famous Dr. Loosen winery.   Strategically located in the heart of the Mosel wine-producing region, Bernkastel boasts more than 500 years of documented wine history, and is known as “the international town of vine and wine.”

Situated on the Moselle River is the Romanesque city of Trier, Germany’s oldest city and also one that claims to be 1,300 years older than Rome itself. Trier's Porta Nigra (Black Gate) dates from the 2nd century, when Trier was a Roman city.

Of course, throughout the cruise, guests will enjoy gourmet dining accompanied by complimentary local wines (plus beer and soft drinks) at dinner.  Additional AMAWATERWAYS amenities include French Balconies, complimentary 3G high-speed Internet and Wi-Fi; complimentary first-run Hollywood films; complimentary specialty coffees and bottled water, a fleet of bicycles on board plus much more.

After the 7-night cruise, guests will head to Luxembourg for a city tour of the Grand Duchy, followed by a high-speed TGV transfer to Paris.  The three-night stay in the City of Lights includes a guided city tour, plus an exclusive excursion to the Champagne region.

AMAWATERWAYS wants you to enjoy one of Europe’s most celebrated traditions this fall — Oktoberfest in Munich — FOR FREE. The “Be Our Guest at Oktoberfest” promotion includes a complimentary two-night stay in Munich on bookings made from February 2 to February 9, 2010 of the line’s new “Oktoberfest Escape” program.

The new itinerary takes place from September 21, 2010 to October 1, 2010, and begins with the complimentary two-night stay in Munich at the Le Meridien Hotel or another luxury hotel.

AMAWATERWAYS guests will enjoy a complimentary city tour, daily breakfast, plus the chance to enjoy Oktoberfest with the locals as they mark the 200th anniversary of this famous, fun-filled tradition.

After the stay in Munich, guests will enjoy a luxurious seven-night cruise on the Danube, Main and Rhine rivers from Nuremberg to Amsterdam aboard the ms Amalegro. The “Be Our Guest at Oktoberfest” promotional price starts at $2,699 per person.

Whether you’re a seasoned river cruiser or a novice here’s what you should know about the new ships on offer.

AMAWATERWAYS’ Two New Ships
AMAWATERWAYS’ two newest river cruise ships, the Amalyra and Amadolce, set sail in April and May, respectively. Aside from being brand new (think fresh carpets, fluffy bedding and untouched, well, everything), the Amalyra and Amadolce don’t differ much from the four AMA river vessels before them. And that’s exactly how AMA planned it — the company has built a fleet of almost identical river cruise ships to create a uniform experience.

The Amalyra and Amadolce both have 71 staterooms at 170 square feet each and four junior suites at 255 square feet each, just like their sister ships — the Amadagio, Amalegro, Amacello and Amadante.

AMA bills itself as a deluxe river cruise operator and it’s safe to say the company’s ships and service would appeal to the discerning traveler.

Of the cabins and suites, 82 percent feature French balconies. The ship has complimentary WiFi in the cabins and in the lounge areas (the WiFi actually works for the most part, which should not be taken for granted on river cruise ships — occasionally a river cruise company will tout WiFi, but service and connectivity kinks still need to be ironed out).

The ships’ restaurants, where all three daily meals are served either buffet style or table service for dinners, feature tables that accommodate as few as two and as many as 10 people. Complimentary wine is poured with the three-course dinners.

The lounges are open and airy with a bar and piano. The sun decks feature a track (a good reason to perhaps reconsider whether to book the top deck) and whirlpool, and the fitness center includes a sauna. There are also a hairdresser and masseuse on each ship.

Two amenities AMA ships have that some of its competitors don’t are an aft lounge dining option, essentially a light dinner alternative to the more formal restaurant setting, and bicycles that can be used for shore excursions.

The bikes create an altogether different, more active and more engaging river cruising experience. AMA carries between 25 and 30 bikes on board, with helmets and locks, for passengers who wish to ride at any of the destinations, or between destinations.

Uniworld Introduces One Of The Largest Vessels On Europe’s Rivers

This spring, Uniworld launched its 10th ship in Europe, the 410-foot River Beatrice, the river cruise operator’s longest ship to date.

The River Beatrice can accommodate a greater number of passengers than any other Uniworld ship — 160 compared with between 130 and 134 on older Uniworld ships. With 15 suites and 65 staterooms, the River Beatrice also features far more suites than any other Uniworld ship. The most suites on any Uniworld ship until now had been four.

Fully 80 percent of the staterooms feature French balconies. The only ones that don’t are the 13 staterooms on the lower Moselle deck.

Staterooms are outfitted with hotel-style beds with Egyptian cotton sheets, European comforters, terry robes, bottled water, individual air conditioning and flat-screen televisions.

The River Beatrice also features a lounge, restaurant, library, sundeck, massage services, fitness center, sauna, Jacuzzi, gift shop and elevator. Wireless Internet access is available on board the ship. Complimentary use of bicycles is a new feature being offered by Uniworld.

The River Beatrice is scheduled for 33 departures this year along the Enchanting Danube itinerary, a nine-day cruise along the Danube River through Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Germany from Budapest to Passau.

The cruise alternates with a Passau-to-Budapest itinerary. The ship is also scheduled to sail four departures of the nine-day Danube Holiday Markets cruise along the same route, between November 29 and December 20, 2009.

Tauck Unveils Another ‘Jewel’

Tauck World Discovery christened its third Tauck-branded European river cruise ship, the Swiss Jewel, in April.

The Rhode Island-based tour operator now has three vessels that sail under the Tauck name — the Swiss Jewel, Swiss Sapphire (launched in April 2008) and Swiss Emerald (launched in 2006).

The elegant 361-foot Swiss Jewel, like its sister ships, has 59 staterooms, including 14 suites at 300 square feet each, and seven junior suites. The staterooms and junior suites range from 150 to 183 square feet.

Fully 85 percent of all cabins feature floor-to-ceiling windows and French balconies. The cabins also have plasma TVs, mini-bars, individual air conditioning and L’Occitane toiletries.

In addition to the main restaurant dining area, the Swiss Jewel has a more casual alternative, the Lido Bar, at the aft of the ship. The ship also features a 24-hour Jacuzzi, lounge and wellness center.

The ship has a crew of 29 as well as three Tauck directors and one Tauck cruise director.

The Swiss Jewel will sail five itineraries this year: Blue Danube, Budapest to Amsterdam, Budapest to the Black Sea, Black Sea to Prague and the 24-day Grand European Cruise.

Globus’ Avalon Waterways Has An ‘Affinity’ For River Cruising
Avalon Waterways christened its seventh river cruise ship, the Avalon Affinity, this spring.

Avalon’s clean and contemporary design ethos is again echoed in the the 361-foot-long Affinity, which includes 65 staterooms at 172 square feet each, and four junior suites at 258 square feet.

Each stateroom has a flat-screen television, flexible bed design (beds may be configured as two twins or one queen), mini-bar and safe. Laundry and ironing services are available.

The ship features a restaurant, fitness room, library, hair salon and gift shop as well as a club lounge and Jacuzzi on the sky deck.

In 2009, the 138-passenger Affinity will sail eight itineraries throughout Europe.

Junior suites are spacious on AMAWATERWAYS, which boasts Europe’s youngest fleet of river cruise vessels.

I’m currently cruising the Danube River on Amalegro in Junior Suite 303, which measures a generous 255 square feet. The queen-sized bed is oh-so-cozy, and the bathroom has a deep tub and separate shower, with lots of storage space.

Among my other favorite features: French balconies (featured in nearly all staterooms) that span the entire exterior wall. I’ve opened the sliding glass door several times, even in the November chill on the Danube, to catch a breath of fresh air or photograph the beautiful villages along the river.

I also appreciate complimentary wireless internet, which is how I was able to upload this post while cruising; the flat-panel televisions with movies that are relevant to the region where we’re cruising (“The Sound of Music” aired last night, for example); and complimentary “free-flowing” wines from local vintners served during dinner, such as the Gruner Veltliner, the popular white wine from Austria’s Wachau Valley – and also difficult to find back in the States. Cappuccino is also served free of charge during lunch and dinner. You certainly don’t feel nickeled-and-dimed on AMAWATERWAYS. Even laundry service is reasonably priced.

Cuisine on board is familiar to the American palate, although regional specialties are also offered for those who appreciate Germanic foods. The staff is exceptionally friendly, the cruise director helpful, knowledgeable and affable, and free city tours are offered in each destination.

Amalegro typically docks near the city center. I am writing this from Passau, Germany, where the city center is only a gangplank away.

Am I crazy to cruise in Europe in November? I’d be crazy not to. The Christmas markets are charming; the Gluhwein warm and delicious; and the temperatures, chilly without being bone-chilling. The snow on the hills on a sunny day; the charming villages on the river banks; the festive spirit of the holiday season – it all comes together to make me feel like I am cruising in a winter wonderland.