Okay – I realize this is a bold claim. Do I think AmaWaterways really has the best soup? No, but it’s pretty damn good. So why as I was talking to one of my girlfriends about the excitement of my upcoming trip aboard AmaSiena, did I claim that “AmaWaterways has the best soup”?
Maybe I am reading too much into this but, for me, soup is exactly what I crave when I need comfort. After over a year of hardship with the COVID-19 Pandemic and everything related to it, I am craving that comfort. I long for a sense of normalcy and familiarity, as I think most of us do. Though it seems strange to find solace on a river cruise ship in a foreign country, I think that is exactly where I will do it.
Though the headline of this article may state differently, it’s not just AmaWaterways soup that I am hungry for (though I will never say no to a bowl of broccoli cream soup at lunch time), but also the entire river cruise experience. It’s the joy of exploration, the ease of being taken care of, and the delight of meeting new people and seeing new things. On this same cruise, I will also visit with old friends and visit favorite stops along the Rhine. It’s the mix of the new and the old, a river cruise. Stepping on board a sleek, modern, technologically advanced river vessel all to step off the boat to take tours in some of the most historically rich regions in the world.
As a cruise enthusiast, which I know so many of you are as well, there is nothing that delights me more than the idea of stepping back on a ship. Over the past few weeks I have been researching for my river cruise, choosing my shore excursions, and planning what to pack. I’ll share those tips with you next week in a series of articles, and also in a webinar with Avalon Waterways’ Pam Hoffee, which you can sign up for here.
For now, I just wanted to share my excitement with you all. I want you to share your upcoming travel plans and tips with me in the comments. As for my upcoming trip: Am I really just missing soup, or am I missing the river cruise experience as a whole? I’ll let you know in two weeks from the dining room of AmaSiena with a warm bowl in front of me – and a tasty return to the rivers.
Barbara says
I had several cruises canceled including our 30 th anniversary cruise to see the northern lights. Right after that noticed my beloved mom in law passed at 95 years she loved to travel also. I was the one to do the holidays for the family and was sad not being with the woman who was my mom for the last 30 years. my daughter suggested we do something different so my husband and I decided to do a family Christmas Cruise with the funds from our anniversary northern lights cruise . We are praying it is not canceled will be celebrating my birthday my daughters birthday and my husbands and my anniversary as they are all within the holiday season.
Eric says
Totally agreed except I am a big fan of Viking and the soup on Viking river cruises, which I already joined 3 of their cruises, was always so tasty and I enjoyed that every night during my cruises. Fingers crossed my next trip with Viking next May will work out seamlessly.
Arthur J Glaude says
Do you have “fam” cruises whereby I as a group leader can get familiar with the cruise before suggesting it to my group? We are ten couples taking cruise trips together annually.
GW says
We were to sail Nov 2020 on Crystal Raval, Danube. It was rescheduled to 11/21. All was looking great. Now with “Delta” it doesn’t look promising. My excitement is diminishing day by day. This was to be our first River Cruise, to be spoiled, to relax and see beautiful sights we’ve not seen. At 74 yrs old every year we don’t get to go could mean we never will. ?