Just Back From Our Absolutely AMAzing Romantic Danube Cruise on the AmaWaterways AmaVerde 9/26-10/3/21

[cynbar]

Sleep7, If you are still checking back here, hopefully you can clarify a discussion on another thread. Re: dining, are you only allowed to dine with your own party, even if you are a solo cruiser? Or are you offered a chance to share a table or not, but you have to stick with that same table all cruise, rather than having the option to switch around during the cruise? Is that your table for breakfast and lunch also? The threads we've seen aren't too clear on this question.

[Sleep7]

Hi Cynbar!

Yes.. I get an email when there is a new post so I saw your question right away.😊

My experience RE the dining situation is that when you come to the dining room for your first meal (which would be the welcome dinner on embarkation day) you are asked to choose a table; which could be a table for one, two, three, four or it looked like there were groups of up to six people.  Then you must keep that table with those table mates for every meal on the cruise.  Since there were no buffets we ate all of our onboard meals in the dining room.  There is a very abbreviated menu at lunch time that is served in the lounge as an alternate for lunch is you choose though.  Just a choice of a few sandwiches and one main course.  The food in the dining room was much better for lunch so we only ate in the lounge one day.

Hope that helps.. always happy to answer questions.🙋‍♀️

[Wings55]

5 hours ago, Sleep7 said:

.....There is a very abbreviated menu at lunch time that is served in the lounge as an alternate for lunch is you choose though.  Just a choice of a few sandwiches and one main course.  The food in the dining room was much better for lunch so we only ate in the lounge one day.

Hope that helps.. always happy to answer questions.🙋‍♀️

I have to add for a simple lunch meal the hamburgers and fries in the lounge were very good on both the AmaLyra and the AmaKristina in August when we sailed. 

Paul

[cynbar]

Thank you! I know some people were hoping they would be able to join a shared table, not just done with their own party. Of course, you'll have to hope it works out because you'll be dining with them ALL WEEK! It also looks like dinner is sort of rigid about everyone coming in at the appointed time, but during breakfast and lunch, you can arrive anytime during posted hours but you still sit at your assigned table. Have I got that right? Thank you again for being so open to our questions, things have changed so much with COVID that old reviews aren't as helpful.

[Sleep7]

Yes! I agree Wings55.  The fries were fresh and delicious!

 

Hi again Cynbar!

I think you can arrive anytime between the posted hours for the meals. Certainly for breakfast there are late risers and early risers.

Lunch too seemed a more casual affair as there were passengers going and coming back from tours.

Dinner was more uniform as it seemed that pretty much everyone headed downstairs to the dining room after the sip and sail and cruise managers talk about the next day.

I agree with you 100% that COVID has changed so much and it's nice to know what to expect before you board the ship.  Ask away any questions you have.. truly happy to answer anything you might want to know.😊

 

[happy taveler]

I really enjoyed your review and the  pictures and descriptions were just great.  It brought back so many memories having traveled this route two time by ship and a couple of times by car.  I loved the photos of the food as they made me hungry just looking at them and remembering the tastes from them.  A very professional job.

Dan

[Sleep7]

🙋‍♀️Thank you so much happy traveler Dan!

I really appreciate your compliments about my review.

It was a pleasure to write and still a pleasure for me to read as it does bring back a wonderful memories just as you said.😃

[KLRDUKS]

Thanks again Sleep7 for your helpful info and great reviews. We have been on 3 AMA cruises and are going back with some friends on back-to-back Christmas cruises. I know they are no longer doing buffets for breakfast and lunch but PLEASE tell me they still have the bread table for breakfast!! It was one of my favorites!!

[Sleep7]

Thanks KLRDUKS! Glad my review was helpful and fun to read.

That's awesome that you have 14 days of AMA delight coming your way at Christmas time.

Lucky  you!

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad bread table news.. the bread came in a small basket on each table.

Maybe by Xmas time things will have changed.. think positively.😃

Bread is my favorite part of the meal too!

[Dorotea]

Thanks for the wonderful detailed synopsis of your Ama cruise. We are going for the Christmas market cruise on the Anabella in December. We did the Danube with another cruise line 6 years ago and can't wait to see the difference with Ama. I've heard that it's the best. 

[Sleep7]

🙋‍♀️Hello Dorotea!

My pleasure to write the review and thanks for the compliments.

Lucky you to have a Christmas Market cruise to look forward to so soon!

Enjoy every moment.🤩

[Sleep7]

Good news! VAT refund was received and showed up on my credit card statement.  It took just about 3 weeks.. guess I chose the right mailbox.👍

Chalking it up to another successful adventure in overseas shopping!😃

[sunpsyche]

Thank you for your fantastic review and lovely photos! We’re doing the reverse route on the AmaMagna in May and really appreciate all the detailed information you gave in such a delightful manner. This will be our first river cruise and our anticipation and excitement are high. We will be on the lookout for that strudel! 😁

[Sleep7]

Oh thanks so much for the wonderful complients sunpsyche!

I'm so glad you enjoyed my blog about the cruise.

You are going to have the best time ever in May on the Magna.

And do have the strudel.. it was awesome!

Easy to find.. right off the square behind the Fisherman's Bastion.

[goinsoon]

Thank you seems not enough.  My wife and great friends will be traveling this route in December and then on to a second AMA cruise from Basel to Amsterdam.  As if I wasn't excited enough I came upon your post.  We have actually done this route before and loved it so much we chose it again.  You captured the beauty and wonderment of the Danube.  Thank you so much for your time and effort.  

[Sleep7]

Oh thanks so much goinsoon!  Your post was so sweet and complimentary.  I'm truly touched.  It was a genuine pleasure to write my blog and I'm so very glad you enjoyed it.

That's awesome that you will be sailing the Danube again and then topping off that week with another on the Rhine.  Life is good!! I'm sure you will enjoy every moment.🤩

[KLRDUKS]

goinsoon, it looks like we are on the same cruises as you. B2B Christmas cruises, AMA Lea 12/13 with pre cruise Prague & AMA Lucia Basel to Amsterdam 12/21. We are traveling with a couple who we met on a Magnificent Europe cruise (Budapest to Amsterdam) in 2014. We are taking a train from Budapest to Basel (changing trains in Zurich) on 12/20. This will be our 4th & 5th AMA cruises so looking forward to it. 

[KLRDUKS]

Oh crap...that's you isn't Joe. 😆 Didn't know your handle.

[Sleep7]

👋Hello again!

Hope everyone is well and busy planning their next vacation!

If you are not tired of seeing silly furry sandals, minute details, negative COVID tests, food glamour pix, and our faces plastered all over the place we just came back from our first Viking Ocean cruise and I am almost done with my newest trip report about it.

Here is the link..

 

[AdventureAWaites]

Sleep7 - I can’t thank you enough for the wonderful thorough post of your Viking aromatic Danube cruise!  I loved seeing and hearing about every moment!  The photos, menus, extra details were terrific!  We are taking this same cruise with a post extension in Budapest in Oct!!!! I’m been thinking about what to do at each port, so

yoyr post were very much appreciated!  I just can’t wait!   I’m praying COVID calms down before we go. Thanks a million! 

[Sleep7]

9 hours ago, AdventureAWaites said:

Sleep7 - I can’t thank you enough for the wonderful thorough post of your Viking aromatic Danube cruise!  I loved seeing and hearing about every moment!  The photos, menus, extra details were terrific!  We are taking this same cruise with a post extension in Budapest in Oct!!!! I’m been thinking about what to do at each port, so

yoyr post were very much appreciated!  I just can’t wait!   I’m praying COVID calms down before we go. Thanks a million! 

👋Good morning AdventureAWaites!

Thank you so much for your sweet compliments about my AMA cruise review! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it and so glad that it makes you even more excited for your own cruise coming up in the fall.

You will love the itinerary.. so many exciting things to see and do.  Even better that you are spending some extra time in Budapest.  It's such an amazing city.. it's top on my list to visit again soon.  We have been there in the past and loved it.  Let's all keep our fingers crossed about keeping COVID at bay.. I'm so anxious to book another cruise soon too.

Enjoy every moment!  Thanks again.😊

[AF-1]

Sleep7,  I just read your entire trip report for your AMA cruise.  Loved the pictures;  boy you had a great trip; and it looks like it went smoothly.  I am scheduled to take a AMA cruise next year.  Quick question, is dinner served at certain hours;  and what is the earliest you can eat dinner?  Thank you very much

[Sleep7]

👋Hello AF-1!

Thanks for your sweet words about my cruise review.. glad you enjoyed the pix.

We did have such a wonderful time.. thinking about it still makes me smile.  How exciting that you have a cruise booked to look forward to!

As far as dinner each day was slightly different as far as time.. somewhere between 6:30 and 7:15.  We are early eaters too and I never felt like we were waiting around for dinner hoping that we could eat earlier.  Somehow the time chosen by AMA fit into the flow of the day.

Hope that helped.. Enjoy it all!!

[AF-1]

Sleep7,  thank you for your answer.  I appreciate it.  

[Sleep7]

My pleasure! Any other questions? Ask away!😊