LUXURY & ADVENTURE TRAVEL
The Top 3 AmaWaterways River Cruises for Your Next Luxury Escape
From Europe to Asia to Africa to South America, AmaWaterways carefully curates their river cruise itineraries, ensuring a variety of unforgettable and enriching experiences that connect you to the history, culture, gastronomy and people in every destination you visit.
Hello, fellow adventurers! I’m Robin Lopez, the owner of Charlie Brown’s Goodtime Travel, one of Colorado’s pioneering agencies since 1985. Nestled in the heart of the Rockies, we’ve long championed stress-free, high-end journeys that blend luxury with the thrill of discovery. If you’re like our typical clients—river cruises are your ticket to effortless elegance. No jet lag from multiple flights, just gentle gliding through breathtaking landscapes, waking to new horizons each morning.
At Charlie Brown’s, we specialize in curating these floating havens, and AmaWaterways stands out as our top recommendation. Voted the Best River Cruise Line in 2024, AmaWaterways elevates the experience with twin-balcony staterooms (offering both French and full balconies for panoramic views), farm-to-table cuisine featuring regional specialties, and complimentary unlimited wine and beer at lunch and dinner. Their ships, like the AmaMagna (the widest in Europe at 35 meters, with expansive lounges and a splash pool), feel like boutique hotels on water—intimate, with under 200 passengers for that personal touch we adore.
Why river cruises? They’re the ultimate in active luxury: mornings for guided hikes or bike rides, afternoons for wine tastings or cultural immersions, evenings for sunset cocktails. And with AmaWaterways, every itinerary includes a choice of excursions—standard walking tours, active hikes, or gentle bike rides—to suit your energy level. Today, I’ll dive into our top three AmaWaterways offerings: the enchanting Danube, the storied Rhine, and the romantic Seine. These 7-night jewels showcase Europe’s heart, from fairy-tale castles to Impressionist gardens. Whether you’re plotting a milestone anniversary or a solo recharge, these cruises deliver joy without the hassle. Let’s set sail!
1. Best of the Danube: A Symphony of Central Europe’s Gems (7 Nights, Budapest to Vilshofen)
If I had to pick one cruise to convert a river novice, it’s AmaWaterways’ Best of the Danube. This 7-night odyssey from Budapest to Vilshofen (or reverse) is a perennial favorite, weaving through four countries and the UNESCO-listed Wachau Valley—a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000. Priced from around $3,999 per person (double occupancy, including flights from select U.S. cities), it departs weekly from April to October 2025, with peak summer sailings filling fast. What makes it top-tier? It’s a masterclass in cultural depth, blending Habsburg grandeur with vine-clad hills, all while cruising one of Europe’s most scenic waterways.
Your journey kicks off in Budapest, Hungary’s vibrant capital, where you’ll embark amid the city’s neo-Gothic Parliament and Buda Castle’s hilltop glow. Day 1 is pure unwind: a welcome dinner of goulash and Tokaji wine sets the tone. By Day 2, you’re in Bratislava, Slovakia’s compact gem. Here, the active set loves the gentle hike up to Bratislava Castle for panoramic views of the river snaking through pastel rooftops. For a leisurely alternative, join a walking tour through the old town’s cobblestone streets, popping into cafes for chimney cake (trdelník) and stories of the city’s role as a coronation site for Hungarian kings.
The cruise’s crown jewel unfolds on Day 3: a scenic glide through the Wachau Valley, Austria’s wine wonderland. As the ship threads emerald vineyards and apricot orchards, keep an eye out for Dürnstein’s ruined Kuenburg Castle—where Richard the Lionheart was once imprisoned. Disembark in Krems for a choice of excursions: the active wine hike along terraced slopes (about 3 miles, moderate with rewarding Riesling tastings), or a gentle village stroll to Artstetten Castle, the summer home of Austria’s last empress. Lunch aboard features Wachau specialties like apricot dumplings, paired with local Grüner Veltliner.
Days 4 and 5 ramp up the Alpine charm in Linz and Passau. In Linz, the “UNESCO City of Media Arts,” opt for a bike tour along the Danube Cycle Path—flat, scenic, and perfect for our fitness-focused clients—ending at Pöstlingberg Hill’s fairy-tale church. Passau, the “City of Three Rivers,” dazzles with its Baroque St. Stephen’s Cathedral, home to Europe’s largest pipe organ. A guided tour reveals its 17,000 pipes in a mini-concert, while hikers can tackle the Veste Oberhaus fortress trail for river confluence vistas.
The itinerary crescendos in Germany’s Regensburg and Nuremberg. Regensburg’s medieval stone bridge (built 1135) inspires a walking tour to the world’s oldest functioning sausage kitchen—don’t miss the Weisswurst lunch. Nuremberg, shadowed by its Imperial Castle, offers poignant history: explore the Nazi Party Rally Grounds or the city’s gingerbread heritage on a gentle tour. Active adventurers might choose a 5-mile hike to the castle ramparts at sunset.
Throughout, AmaWaterways shines with onboard perks: evening classical music recitals (nodding to Vienna’s heritage), a wellness program with yoga on the Sun Deck, and the Chef’s Table for intimate multi-course dinners. Popular activities like optional spa treatments (massages from $100) or painting classes inspired by valley views keep things social and restorative. For golf enthusiasts among our Colorado crowd, we pair this with pre-cruise tee times at Budapest’s upscale courses. Travelers rave about the Danube’s “effortless magic”—one client called it “Europe’s greatest hits album.”
Hi! I’m Gabby.
I’m a Travel Advisor at Charlie Brown’s Goodtime Travel, where we help busy folks plan unforgettable vacations. Whether it’s a weekend getaway or 30 days touring Europe, we handle the nitty-gritty so you can sit-back, relax and have an amazing time on your trip.
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2. Captivating Rhine: Castles, Vines, and Medieval Marvels (7 Nights, Amsterdam to Basel)
For those craving a fairy-tale vibe with a dash of urban edge, the Captivating Rhine is AmaWaterways’ Rhine masterpiece—a 7-night voyage from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, from $3,699 per person. Sailing March to November 2025, it traces the Rhine’s Romantic stretch, dotted with 40+ castles and terraced vineyards that produce Germany’s famed Rieslings. This itinerary’s allure? It’s a seamless blend of Dutch canals, German lore, and French flair, ideal for couples seeking romance laced with adventure.
Embark in Amsterdam on Day 1, where the ship’s modern lines contrast the city’s gabled houses. Day 2’s highlight: a private canal cruise through UNESCO-listed waterways, gliding past Anne Frank’s house and tulip-lined bridges. Active explorers can swap for a 4-mile bike tour of Vondelpark, weaving through windmills and cheese markets—perfect for sampling Gouda while chatting travel dreams.
By Day 3, you’re in Cologne, Germany’s cathedral city. The Gothic Kölner Dom soars like a stone spaceship; join a walking tour to its twin spires (climb 533 steps for Rhine views if you’re game). For a lighter touch, the chocolate museum offers tastings and a gentle riverside stroll. The real thrill hits on Day 4: the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO site of sheer cliffs and legends. Scenic cruising reveals the Lorelei Rock, where sirens lured sailors—narrated onboard with Rhine wine in hand. Disembark in Rüdesheim for the “Romantic Road”: a mini-train ride through vineyards to Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet museum, or an active hike up to Brömserburg Castle for panoramic toasts.
Day 5 brings Speyer and Heidelberg. Speyer’s Romanesque cathedral (Germany’s largest) houses imperial tombs; a standard tour pairs with a visit to the Technik Museum’s U-boat submarine. But Heidelberg steals hearts: its ruined castle perches above the Neckar River, inspiring a cable car ascent followed by a philosopher’s walk along terraced gardens. Hikers love the 3-mile Philosophenweg trail, blooming with lupines in spring.
The cruise pivots to Alsace on Days 6-7: Strasbourg’s half-timbered Petite France canals evoke a storybook, with a walking tour to the EU Parliament or a bike ride through the Black Forest fringes. End in Breisach, gateway to the Swiss Alps—choose a gentle tour of Freiburg’s medieval minster or an active excursion to Mount Pilatus for cable car thrills and wildflower meadows.
AmaWaterways amps the Rhine’s romance with onboard wine tastings (complimentary Riesling flights), evening folklore lectures, and the Zen Wellness program offering guided hikes and falafel-making classes. Our clients—especially wine-loving Coloradans—adore pairing this with post-cruise golf at Basel’s courses. One repeat guest said, “It’s like stepping into a Grimm brothers’ novel, but with five-star spa access.” With its castle-counting excitement, this cruise clocks in as a must for history buffs.
3. Impressions of the Seine & Paris: Normandy’s Artistic Soul (7 Nights, Paris Roundtrip)
Rounding out our trio is the Impressions of the Seine & Paris, a 7-night romance from Paris to Normandy and back, starting at $4,199 per person—our pick for art lovers and foodies. Departing April to October 2025, it marries the City of Light with WWII history and Impressionist haunts, cruising the Seine’s willow-lined bends.
Day 1: Embark in Paris, with time for a Bateaux Parisiens dinner cruise past the Eiffel Tower’s sparkle. Day 2 deepens the romance: a guided Seine sail under Pont Neuf bridges, or an active jog along the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe.
Day 3 heads to Mantes-la-Jolie for a Calvados apple brandy and cheese tasting in Normandy’s orchards—think creamy Camembert with crisp cider, followed by a gentle farm walk. Day 4’s Vernon stop is Monet heaven: tour his Giverny gardens, where water lilies inspired masterpieces. Painters in our group join sketching sessions; hikers opt for a 2-mile riverside path to Château Gaillard’s ruins.
Rouen on Day 5 pulses with Joan of Arc lore—visit her trial site and the Gros Horloge astronomical clock on a walking tour, or hike to the cathedral that enchanted Monet. Day 6 in Honfleur’s harbor (painted by Impressionists) offers a seafood lunch and boat ride to nearby beaches, while active souls tackle coastal cliffs.
The emotional peak: Day 7’s Caudebec-en-Caux excursion to Omaha Beach. A D-Day tour at the Normandy American Cemetery— poignant with 9,000+ white crosses overlooking the sea—includes ranger-led stories and a gentle beach walk. Alternatives: a cider route bike tour or Les Andelys’ castle hike.
Back in Paris, extend with our bespoke add-ons: private Louvre tours or Versailles bike rides. AmaWaterways enhances with French-focused menus (escargot nights), perfume-making workshops, and yoga amid chateaus. For our adventure seekers, we layer in horseback riding in Normandy’s countryside.
In wrapping up, these AmaWaterways cruises embody what we at Charlie Brown’s chase: transformative travel that’s luxurious yet approachable. From Danube symphonies to Rhine castles and Seine artistry, they’re gateways to Europe’s soul, with activities suiting every pace. As your advisor, I’ll handle the details for a seamless adventure. Ready to book? Contact me at Charlie Brown’s Goodtime Travel today at 719-635-8992.
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