Going On My First River Cruise

And I am so excited:)......after sailing on Ocean Cruises for the past

12 years I am taking my first River Cruise:D...going on AMA in the

spring......TULIP TIME out of Amsterdam:) it is on a brand new ship.....

AMAStella........and my first time to all the places on the itinerary....

Lots of FIRSTS!!!.....it will be FUN!!!!

Congratulations !!!! Now your research really begins :)

Congratulations !!!! Now your research really begins :)

Thanks:)....flights are $$$$:eek:......and I need to book a hotel pre-cruise too.

And I am so excited:)......after sailing on Ocean Cruises for the past

12 years I am taking my first River Cruise:D...going on AMA in the

spring......TULIP TIME out of Amsterdam:) it is on a brand new ship.....

AMAStella........and my first time to all the places on the itinerary....

Lots of FIRSTS!!!.....it will be FUN!!!!

Hi Lois.....this is a wonderful wonderful trip!! Go in mid-late April if you can. We went late April with Vantage and my eyes are still recovering from the colors and the flowers!!! I love tulips and Keukenhof was just mind-blowing. If you have an optional tour to Aalsmeer, take it....it's the flower auction and it's an early morning because the auction is over around 11 a.m., but it's amazing to see all the carts of flowers being wheeled in and auctioned off.

Congratulations! Hope you love it as much as I did my first river cruise. Ama is wonderful.

Great cruise, great cruise line, great timing (April). But as the song goes, "Spring [might] be a little late [or early] this year." So my recommendation is to fly in a couple of days early and also plan to stay a couple of days after the cruise -- Amsterdam has plenty to keep you busy -- and give yourself the opportunity to go to Keukenhof before, during and after your cruise to watch the flowers progress through three weeks of spring. That's why you're going at that time, so make the most of it!

Congratulations! Hope you love it as much as I did my first river cruise. Ama is wonderful.

Hi Wrona... haven't seen you at CC in a long time. Hope you are well. Are you still in that A state just south of me?

jc

Yay! I can't wait to hear all about it!

We embarked on April 5th last year for our AMA Tulip Time cruise and got lucky with the flowers. It had been a mild winter and the gardens were 85% in bloom. Fabulous! Weather was mild and we enjoyed all of the ports.

We like to add time in Europe but this was a quick trip and we arrived in Amsterdam on embarkation day and left right after the cruise. Amsterdam is easy to get to and for us it was perfect. We only had a week and we enjoyed every day.

Hi Lois.....this is a wonderful wonderful trip!! Go in mid-late April if you can. We went late April with Vantage and my eyes are still recovering from the colors and the flowers!!! I love tulips and Keukenhof was just mind-blowing. If you have an optional tour to Aalsmeer, take it....it's the flower auction and it's an early morning because the auction is over around 11 a.m., but it's amazing to see all the carts of flowers being wheeled in and auctioned off.

Hi,:) am flying out on April 5th...the cruise is April 7th. So one night

pre-cruise in Amsterdam. So not sure if you want to call the those

cruise dates mid April;)...but they are good dates for me.:D

We embarked on April 5th last year for our AMA Tulip Time cruise and got lucky with the flowers. It had been a mild winter and the gardens were 85% in bloom. Fabulous! Weather was mild and we enjoyed all of the ports.

 

We like to add time in Europe but this was a quick trip and we arrived in Amsterdam on embarkation day and left right after the cruise. Amsterdam is easy to get to and for us it was perfect. We only had a week and we enjoyed every day.

I plan on enjoying every day too:D.....the flights are just so much $$:eek:

Most folks say they won't ever go on a big ship again after River Cruise. Don't forget to book the Anne Frank tickets.

Most folks say they won't ever go on a big ship again after River Cruise. Don't forget to book the Anne Frank tickets.

Thanks for the information;):)....Not sure I will be in that "never go

back" category....but I am looking forward to this cruise. My sister

told to me to get my tickets early too.

I plan on enjoying every day too:D.....the flights are just so much $$:eek:

Not sure if London would be cheaper for you and it is an easy train ride to Amsterdam.

I plan on enjoying every day too:D.....the flights are just so much $$:eek:

Have you checked the price with AMA for what they can offer. I looked and it appears United is running $1100 - $1300 RT for your time frame. Research what flights you want then call AMA and see if they can do better. I'd also recommend flying one day earlier.

Have you checked the price with AMA for what they can offer. I looked and it appears United is running $1100 - $1300 RT for your time frame. Research what flights you want then call AMA and see if they can do better. I'd also recommend flying one day earlier.

Hi:) My TA did call AMA for me:)....and 1100.00 was in the range but

I was told they might not know what the flights are until maybe 90

days before sailing.........

I found UNITED for that too....nothing 1100.00.....more like 1277.......

I would rather book my own times...I don't know what the airline would

be doing.

Oh, thanks for the recommendation but I can't go another day earlier. I am leaving the

states 2 days early and arriving a day before the cruise. (I still work).......

Have you checked the price with AMA for what they can offer. I looked and it appears United is running $1100 - $1300 RT for your time frame. Research what flights you want then call AMA and see if they can do better. I'd also recommend flying one day earlier.

Good advice and check out Atlanta as well...you might get a cheaper fare from there and if you're in J'ville it could be worth the drive.

Not sure if London would be cheaper for you and it is an easy train ride to Amsterdam.

Never thought of that:)...how far is the train station from the airport?

And how far is the train station in AMS from the hotel?

I will check flights to London.:)

Good advice and check out Atlanta as well...you might get a cheaper fare from there and if you're in J'ville it could be worth the drive.

Hi:)....thanks for the reply.....but I am not driving to Atlanta........

It is a 5 hour drive and not something I want to do........I travel on

my own all the time:) but that is one drive that gives me the heebie

jeebies:eek:

Hi again.:)......I hope my previous post didn't sound rude....and just for

the he$$ of it.......I checked Atl to AMS AND Orlando to AMS......

maybe it is the timing but there is not enough savings (for me) to fly

out out of either place and Orlando is only a 2 hour drive from me.

So it looks like the prices are what they are......and unless it is like

500.00 (savings) I would much rather fly from home;)

Never thought of that:)...how far is the train station from the airport?

And how far is the train station in AMS from the hotel?

 

I will check flights to London.:)

In Amsterdam, Central Station is smack in the center of the city and a longish walk or short taxi ride from the dock.

The train in London would be about 3 hours from Amsterdam. There is a station at Gatwick (where we fly into) and I expect at Heathrow as well. Worth it if the savings were significant but possible a hassle on the return.

We use the trains a lot in Europe.

I guess because I just booked the cruise I felt like I had to book

the flights right now but after giving all this some thought I am going

to wait a bit......it is now August 1st.....lets see what happens as

the rest of the summer goes by and we get into fall. Who knows,

maybe I will be surprised and prices will drop a bit;)....it is still 8

months away from the cruise.

I guess because I just booked the cruise I felt like I had to book

the flights right now but after giving all this some thought I am going

to wait a bit......it is now August 1st.....lets see what happens as

the rest of the summer goes by and we get into fall. Who knows,

maybe I will be surprised and prices will drop a bit;)....it is still 8

months away from the cruise.

I think you have plenty of time. I'd watch the prices.

We've only cruised Uniworld, but I've read nothing but good things about AMA. If you get the Wealth of Entertainment Channel, they have had a couple of shows devoted to AMA cruises. They repeat these shows all the time. :)

Enjoy your cruise! River cruising is amazing...

Most folks say they won't ever go on a big ship again after River Cruise.

That's how we feel! All it took was one river cruise! We do want to cruise Alaska, but I spend my time looking at the river cruises. We're doing Paris to Paris next year on Uniworld. Passau to Budapest was our first cruise. We loved Prague!

That's how we feel! All it took was one river cruise! We do want to cruise Alaska, but I spend my time looking at the river cruises. We're doing Paris to Paris next year on Uniworld. Passau to Budapest was our first cruise. We loved Prague!

Since you're used to paying river cruise prices, you could consider a small-ship Alaska cruise out of Juneau or Sikta:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1449