AmaWaterways availability

[tomculb]

Unless I'm missing something (it happens), with AMAWaterways the only way to get information about availability on certain cruises (in our case, Douro River this fall), you have to send them a message from the web site in which you consent to they're sending your contact info to certain travel agents, or call them and be told you must endure a wait time of 30 minutes or more.  Doesn't seem like a productive way to treat prospective guests who are at the window shopping stage.  Can someone tell me I'm missing something?  

[Daisi]

What are you trying to find out?  You can view available dates & prices, itinerary, the ships you would be sailing on (select your date, and the ship will be listed below, as well as the cabins).  If you want anything specific, yes, you would have to e-mail them or contact your own TA.

 

If you let us know what you are looking for, there are several here who have sailed with AMA (I'm not one) who can probably help you out to what occurred pre-covid.  I say it that way, as some things could have changed.

[tomculb]

If I go to the cruise I'm interested in on the website, I get a long list of what appears to be every instance of that cruise from now to the end of the year.  Once I have a date in mind, the only choices are "staterooms", which shows the additional charge for each class of stateroom, or "get a quote", which is the way of messaging AMA with my contact information described above.  If that reflects what is available, then no cruise this year is sold out and no stateroom category on any cruise is sold out.  That seems pretty unlikely.  That's the information I'm looking for.

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, tomculb said:

If I go to the cruise I'm interested in on the website, I get a long list of what appears to be every instance of that cruise from now to the end of the year.  Once I have a date in mind, the only choices are "staterooms", which shows the additional charge for each class of stateroom, or "get a quote", which is the way of messaging AMA with my contact information described above.  If that reflects what is available, then no cruise this year is sold out and no stateroom category on any cruise is sold out.  That seems pretty unlikely.  That's the information I'm looking for.

I don't recall ever being able to see which cabins are available on the AMA website, only the categories as you describe.  Don't even recall seeing any categories showing as 'sold out.'

[Wings55]

9 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I don't recall ever being able to see which cabins are available on the AMA website, only the categories as you describe.  Don't even recall seeing any categories showing as 'sold out.'

That's the way I remember it too. I couldn't look up available/open cabins on my own.

Paul

[Pompein]

Try going to any of the online booking sites. You can see which cabins are available.

[sharkster77]

On Viking you can see what TYPES of cabins are available (basic, french balcony, etc) but not the actual cabin numbers available.

[Jack1]

Pompein is correct.  There are a couple online sites that do have real time cabin availability for Amawaterways.  Cruise critic rules don't allow us to identify them I believe.

[PamKB]

I was able to go online to a major booking site and see cabin availability and pricing.

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

No you can't share the initials of a TA – or hint in any other way.  

[Iamthesea]

Are you posting a review for your AmaWaterways Tulip Time 4-2022 cruise?  I am not sure if you are currently onboard the ship, but I cannot find anything.

[Canal archive]

Our host is currently cruising the Seine on board Scenic Gem so I doubt there will be any review at the moment. 

[Iamthesea]

Thank you. I was hoping for a live review while on the ship.  Currently looking for an AMA Rhine river cruise leaving from Amsterdam in 2023.  Hard to find AMA reviews about the Rhine cruises, or any AMA cruise leaving from Amsterdam.  Curious to know how Host Jazzbeau felt about the cruise.

Edited May 3, 2022 by Iamthesea

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

Thank you. I was hoping for a live review while on the ship.  Currently looking for an AMA Rhine river cruise leaving from Amsterdam in 2023.  Hard to find AMA reviews about the Rhine cruises, or any AMA cruise leaving from Amsterdam.  Curious to know how Host Jazzbeau felt about the cruise.

It wasn't up to our prior AMA experiences.  Hard to know if this was due to:  (a) one of the first cruises after the Covid pause, so crew hadn't jelled yet; (b) large group onboard who don't drink alcohol, which might explain why you needed to ask for wine (vs. prior experience where glasses were constantly refilled like magic); or (c) cutbacks.  Bottom line:  current Scenic Gem cruise on the Seine is much better than this recent AMA cruise, and better than our best AMA memory.

[Canal archive]

Oops it must have been a bit of a challenge for the crew to remember that one.

[Iamthesea]

Thank you so much!   I hope that it was not (C).    (A) and (B) make more sense.  Our one experience was great on AMA, but we have never tried any other river cruise.  I will look into Scenic. 

 

Our relatives, who are Disney fanatics, have been wanting to take an AMA Rhine cruise sponsored by Disney.  They have never been on a river cruise, or been to Europe.  The price through Disney is almost twice as much through.  I keep trying to convince them to try the cruise without the Disney sponsorship because I don't see how it could be any different than a standard AMA cruise.  They keep telling me that Disney will fly their own people in to conduct the touring.  May be true, but I find that hard to believe.  Having said that, if I convince them to try the cruise without the Disney influence, and the cruise is a dud, they will blame me.  Your experience is not very comforting.  🤨

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

Thank you so much!   I hope that it was not (C).    (A) and (B) make more sense.  Our one experience was great on AMA, but we have never tried any other river cruise.  I will look into Scenic. 

 

Our relatives, who are Disney fanatics, have been wanting to take an AMA Rhine cruise sponsored by Disney.  They have never been on a river cruise, or been to Europe.  The price through Disney is almost twice as much through.  I keep trying to convince them to try the cruise without the Disney sponsorship because I don't see how it could be any different than a standard AMA cruise.  They keep telling me that Disney will fly their own people in to conduct the touring.  May be true, but I find that hard to believe.  Having said that, if I convince them to try the cruise without the Disney influence, and the cruise is a dud, they will blame me.  Your experience is not very comforting.  🤨

I don't think you can use my perception to gauge your relatives' likely reaction:  the presence of Disney personnel, or any Disney influence, would ruin a cruise for me...  

[Daisi]

23 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

 

 

Our relatives, who are Disney fanatics, have been wanting to take an AMA Rhine cruise sponsored by Disney.  They have never been on a river cruise, or been to Europe.  The price through Disney is almost twice as much through.  I keep trying to convince them to try the cruise without the Disney sponsorship because I don't see how it could be any different than a standard AMA cruise.  They keep telling me that Disney will fly their own people in to conduct the touring.  May be true, but I find that hard to believe.  Having said that, if I convince them to try the cruise without the Disney influence, and the cruise is a dud, they will blame me.  Your experience is not very comforting.  🤨

 

 

I thought the "Adventures by Disney" were just cruises that accepted young children on them and were geared towards a more family sailing rather than the typical adult (or teenaged) sailings.  Learn something new everyday!  

 

Sorry, but just the thought of having a group of 4+ running up and down the hallways turns me off. 

[notamermaid]

4 minutes ago, Daisi said:

 

 

I thought the "Adventures by Disney" were just cruises that accepted young children on them and were geared towards a more family sailing rather than the typical adult (or teenaged) sailings.  Learn something new everyday!  

 

Sorry, but just the thought of having a group of 4+ running up and down the hallways turns me off. 

It has always been my understanding as well that this is just a bit more for the family, etc. with a few touches of Disney on the ship. Why would they bring their own personnel? I mean, Neuschwanstein is not on a river cruise (the "Cinderella" castle) and what would relate on the Rhine to the world of Disney? I like Mickey Mouse but the thought of a figure coming to the table to wave is eerie, I have never liked that. What would a cruise director on such a cruise do differently? I would like to find that out. Is it just about film locations and inspirations or something more? It could be nice for a fan if they go to different, important ports and perhaps the regional leisure/adventure parks and fun food stuff created with a Disney touch.

 

All in all, it sounds like overpricing to me. I do not see why I need a person to tell me where the Pocahontas statue is (not on the Rhine but in Gravesend, Kent, England). But then, I am not a great fan of the Disney enterprise, I quite like the old stuff up to about 1990.

 

How often and where are such river cruises available with Amawaterways?

 

notamermaid

 

[Iamthesea]

I hope I am allowed to post this!  😏😏

https://www.adventuresbydisney.com/europe/rhine-river-cruise-food-wine/

 

The Amawaterways Disney river cruises that we have been looking at are adult ONLY Wine and Food cruises.  No kids, no characters (although they do have European, Alaskan, etc. cruises on their large ships that have children and character interactions.)  I cannot imagine a river cruise with children onboard.  However, I would like to take a Disney cruise ship with my grandchildren when they are old enough.

 

My husband and I have cruised 44 times.  Our first two cruises were on a Disney ship with our teenagers back in 2000.  We were hooked on cruising after that and have taken trips with several cruiselines, with and without our children...many of them with friends and family. My parents and grandparents were avid HAL cruisers. DH and I were lucky enough to be able to cruise several times with my parents until their deaths.  My first trip to Europe was on a ship with my parents.  DH and I have continued to travel overseas by way of cruising. What a great way to see the world!  We will be taking our adult daughters on our first land based trip to the UK and  Europe this summer.  Not quite ready to cruise again.