Disney and AmaWaterways Add More Family River Cruises

I hope these are full ship charters, or there are going to be some VERY unhappy people.

The river ships being used are actually being designed for families (as opposed to more traditional designs) - that said, as far as I know, these sailings are Disney exclusive, more because of the events and excursions than anything else.

It's also important to note that these are NOT DCL cruises, these are trips organized by ABD (and thus, for example, do not count towards Castaway Club membership or get perks)

I hope these are full ship charters, or there are going to be some VERY unhappy people.

I think you really should read the article.

It does clearly state ships designed for families, and a partnership between AmaWaterways and ABD.

Not likely that anyone looking for an adults only cruise could book these cruises without realizing, unless they were truly dumb.

ex techie

I think you really should read the article.

It does clearly state ships designed for families, and a partnership between AmaWaterways and ABD.

Not likely that anyone looking for an adults only cruise could book these cruises without realizing, unless they were truly dumb.

 

ex techie

I read the article. I've also looked at the marketing material on the AMA web site about that ship. NO WHERE does it mention larger cabins, connecting cabins, or being family friendly. The cabin floor plans don't show anything different than any of the other AMA ships. Maybe YOU need to take a better look at things before criticizing.

It seems the experiment is working with bookings warranting more cruises!:D

I hope everyone has a great time. We only wish we could get the time off and ourselves!:(

AKK

AMAViola is still taking booking for an August 8th sailing with no mention of it being anything but a typical, child free, sailing.

I read the article. I've also looked at the marketing material on the AMA web site about that ship. NO WHERE does it mention larger cabins, connecting cabins, or being family friendly. The cabin floor plans don't show anything different than any of the other AMA ships. Maybe YOU need to take a better look at things before criticizing.

Let me Google that for you ;)

https://twitter.com/AmaWaterways/status/588422321725054976

http://www.adventuresbydisney.com/media/abd/river-cruising-with-disney/ABD_River_Cruise_PrintOut_8_041015.pdf

To be called AmaViola, the AmaWaterways ship will feature several family-friendly cabin configurations that are common on many ocean cruise ships but rare in river cruising.

 

The ship will have four suites with beds and pull-out sofas that can hold a family of four. An additional dozen cabins will be able to hold up to three family members, thanks to chairs that convert into an extra bed. There also will be six sets of adjoining cabins that can be connected via a three-foot-wide wall segment that slides open at the push of a button. The adjoining cabins will allow for four or five members of a family to share accommodations.

Potrock says he spent a lot of time talking with AmaWaterways founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst about the ship's design.

 

"We really wanted to build this from the ground up (for families)," he says. "The traditional river cruising vessel is staterooms for two, and families don't travel in that configuration. Sometimes they travel in three and four and five, and multigenerational, and families traveling with other families."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2015/04/13/disney-river-cruise-europe/25521577/

ex techie

Let me Google that for you ;)

 

https://twitter.com/AmaWaterways/status/588422321725054976

 

http://www.adventuresbydisney.com/media/abd/river-cruising-with-disney/ABD_River_Cruise_PrintOut_8_041015.pdf

 

 

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2015/04/13/disney-river-cruise-europe/25521577/

 

ex techie

How about we go right to the source: http://www.amawaterways.com/ships/amaviola

NOTHING there about any of this.

While you are looking at the SHIP'S OFFICIAL web site, look at the 2016 sailings...and the one for August 8th that mentions nothing about families or children being on board.

Right from the "source"

What is the minimum age to travel with AmaWaterways?

All guests under the age of 18 are to be in a cabin with an adult, and must remain supervised at all times, and their safety is the responsibility of the accompanying adult(s). Children between the ages of 4 – 10 at the time of embarkation may share a cabin with 2 adults provided the child is able to share the bed with the adults – no additional bed will be provided. Please be aware that balcony cabins of any kind may be unsafe for small children if left unsupervised. Children 4-7 years old are not recommended on any program and on our Africa program, due to safety precautions, there is a minimum age limit of 12 years old, unless otherwise agreed upon by AmaWaterways. AmaWaterways does not provide child-specific programs or child-minding facilities. Please let us know if you need anything else.

http://www.amawaterways.com/faq

ex techie

Straight from e-brochure:

AND SO DOES THE INNOVATION

All of us at AmaWaterways are delighted by the praise lavished on our ships. We’re happy with #1, but we’re also always working to make #1 even better. On AmaSerena, AmaStella and AmaViola, we’ve introduced staterooms with connecting doors, making it easier for group and family travel. AmaStella and AmaViola also feature third berths

See page 9 of the 2016 Europe, Asia and Africa brochure.

http://www.amawaterways.com/brochures/2016extensive/2016_Extension_LR_final.pdf

ex techie

Obviously they need to update their web site. People aren't going to be digging around before they book a river cruise to find out if Disney has a bunch of kidneys coming in board. My point is that if this is not a full ship charter,mAMA will have some extremely upset guests.

I think it's fair to say that most cruise lines are really bad about keeping information on their websites up to date, or even providing the right level of information.

I didn't have to dig at all to find the above information out. Google did all the work for me. Simple key words such as AmaWaterways connecting Staterooms.

AmaWaterways children, AmaWaterways Disney etc brought up the information.

And as always, when buying a high value product, buyer beware. Ignorance is NOT bliss when you do not do your research in to the product!

I actually like Carnivals approach with having John Heald blog about the line and upcoming changes, vessels, new itineraries. A different and refreshing way to do it IMO. Not to everyones taste of course.

ex techie

You seem to be missing the point. The average AMA cruiser is not going to Google anything related to Disney or connecting staterooms. They are couples, usually over 50 with no children expecting a cruise with no children. If AMA isn't telling people this is a cruise with a bunch of families and a Disney, they will have some very unhappy guests on their hands. It's no different than if a bunch of Satanists booked a bunch of cabins on DCL. It is not what people typically booking DCL would expect, nor would any reasonable person Google Disney Cruise Satanists.

You seem to be missing the point. The average AMA cruiser is not going to Google anything related to Disney or connecting staterooms. They are couples, usually over 50 with no children expecting a cruise with no children. If AMA isn't telling people this is a cruise with a bunch of families and a Disney, they will have some very unhappy guests on their hands. It's no different than if a bunch of Satanists booked a bunch of cabins on DCL. It is not what people typically booking DCL would expect, nor would any reasonable person Google Disney Cruise Satanists.

If the river cruise line permits children aboard their vessels then that is a given. It is clearly stated on the website.

And I very much doubt the cruise's will be overrun with rugrats.

With prices indicated at starting at

Fares for the new Disney cruises will start at $4,179 per person, based on double occupancy, and include all meals, gratuities, wine with dinner and transportation between the ship and airports.

I would think teens and maybe some tweens.

If others that do not read up about the line, if children are allowed, are not forewarned whilst booking, then thats their beef with AmaWaterways and themselves.

They do not state they are an Adults Only Line.

ex techie

Go peruse the River Cruise forums. You will quickly see that children are very rare on river cruises, and that fact is one of the reasons people cruise them.

Arriving at a cruise ship that typically has no children on board and finding couple dozen is not going over well.

As far as the prices, not everyone worries about what a vacations costs. Many are able to simply pull out their Centurion card and pay for it.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2196380

The backlash against this here was..... well..... None.

ex techie

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2196380

 

 

 

The backlash against this here was..... well..... None.

 

 

 

ex techie

You must not have read all the posts. Several people indicated that they would not want to be in a river cruise with children. Fortunately by reading to the end it appears that they are full ship ABD charters, so anyone booking would be booking through ABD and anyone booking through ABD and not expecting children is unrealistic.

You must not have read all the posts. Several people indicated that they would not want to be in a river cruise with children. Fortunately by reading to the end it appears that they are full ship ABD charters, so anyone booking would be booking through ABD and anyone booking through ABD and not expecting children is unrealistic.

I have read all two pages, and did so before posting.

Which posts indicate to you that other Guest would prefer no children?

Please link to them.

The least "kid friendly" post I found wasn't anti kids at all. Just a statement that they thought kids would be bored?

Based on that experience I can't picture children as part of the mix. There was a young girl probably 11 or 12, on our cruise. I never saw her or her family on any of the tours.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=46268634&postcount=11

And

I don't think young children would appreciate the ports visited

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=46258997&postcount=3

Neither have said they do not want kids onboard.

ex techie

I have read all two pages, and did so before posting.

 

Which posts indicate to you that other Guest would prefer no children?

 

Please link to them.

 

 

 

The least "kid friendly" post I found wasn't anti kids at all. Just a statement that they thought kids would be bored?

 

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=46268634&postcount=11

 

 

 

And

 

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=46258997&postcount=3

 

 

 

Neither have said they do not want kids onboard.

 

 

 

ex techie

Read 9.

Yes, OK, post 9 does say they cannot imagine post dinner drinks in the lounge. ONE post. Not several.

I missed that. Admitted, And I apologize.

But it also does say:

But it being only for month of July, and one sailing in Dec, I suppose others wanting the adult only theme will just not book during that time

Hardly a massive backlash by anyones standards.

I honestly think it's time for you to put your preconceived perceptions of cruising behind you, and realize that the times are a changing'.

There are 22 other posts at this point that do not say no kids, and some actually welcome the opportunity to river cruise with their children.

You, and others that wan't adult only cruises will have to check with the line in future. Not just assume that is the case.

Now that you know these cruises are chartered by ABD, this discussion is mute.

Your assumptions from the get go, ignoring the information from the CC report, the ABD site, the weblinks to travel news sites, even the official twitter feed from the river cruise line, surprise me.

It just shows that for some people, unless you stand up and wave it in their face, some people just won't listen, and prefer to rely on old information from websites that haven't been updated. And still insist they are in the right.

ex techie

We actually have reservations for the July 21 sailing. I called to confirm with ABD that any sailing listed with ABD is ABD exclusive, which is what I assumed all along. It will not be possible to mistakenly end up on a Disney based, child-filled river cruise ship without massive blinders on while booking thru ABD. :)

The ABD rep did say "now, what they do with that ship after our sailing dates, I have no idea." So the AMAviola could very well be listed with available cruises thru AMA on any of the other 46 weeks of the year.

We specifically jumped at the ABD river cruise because I like to travel with my 4 kids, ages 9-15, and have wanted to do this itinerary for a while now, but would never in a million years go on a standard river cruise with the kids. It would be too painful for all involved - them, dh and I, or the other passengers.

That's good to hear. I'm certainly not opposed to full ship charters. My concern was ABD booking about half the cabins and AMA selling the other half to unsuspecting cruisers. I think any time there is a larger group that will be aboard a ship, cruise lines should be required to disclose this to other guests, u less there is no way that group will impact others.

A friend of mine sails in one of the big RCCL ships every couple of years with a crafting group. They have a two hour class daily in a section of the MDR while it is not typically in use. Otherwise you would never know they are on board. That wouldn't impact others at all, and on a ship where the demographic is all over the place, they wouldn't stand out.

From what I've heard, the ships were 75% booked within two weeks of opening the dates, leading to the opening of additional dates. I'm fairly certain they wouldn't need to open up booking to AMA anyways.