Category: AmaWaterways

AmaWaterways and Backroads' New Lineup of Active River Cruises

3/4/2022

I have joined Backroads and AaWaterways for active river cruises on their Danube River Cruise itineraries. This is an amazing way to explore the historic cities away from the crowds.

By John Roberts
River cruise leader AmaWaterways and top adventure-travel company Backroads have unveiled a lineup of more than 150 active cruise outings for 2022 and 2023, with itineraries on the Bordeaux, Danube, Douro, Rhine and Seine rivers, including nine full-ship charters and select sailings on AmaMagna.
Backroads and AmaWaterways have been partners for more than seven years and have set the standard for active river cruises. The adventure tours also will extend to the Dutch and Belgian waterways with the Backroads River Cruise Bike Trip. Three departures are slated for April 2023, and adventurous travelers will enjoy the region's famed tulips, windmills and cuisine as they sail and cycle between Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Bruges, Belgium.
I have had the fortune of taking a couple of these Backroads/AmaWaterways voyages and had an amazing time spending the days cycling and hiking while including a lot of camaraderie with new friends over shared cultural experiences, as well as delicious food and drinks.

7 Tips and Tricks to Get Ready for Your Backroads Biking River Cruise

In 2015, AmaWaterways and Backroads developed the ultimate active travel river cruising experience. You get to see the best highlights (and away-from-the-crowd spots) at your destinations on highly curated biking and hiking tours. Alongside this, cruisers immerse themselves in the comfort and hospitality of an AmaWaterways river ship. Backroads' routes take you away from busy port and tourist destinations to find the gems of your destination, as well as the culture and history of these places.

2022-23 river cruise trips available through the AmaWaterways and Backroads partnership include:
Best for Couples, Friends and Solo Travelers
Bordeaux River Cruise Bike Tour
Dutch and Belgian Waterways River Cruise Bike Tour
Rhine River Cruise Easygoing E-Bike Tour (Dolce Tempo program)

Best for Families
Danube River Cruise Family Bike Tour: 20s and Beyond
Portugal's Douro River Cruise Family Bike Tour: 20s and Beyond | Older Teens and 20s
Rhine River Cruise Family Bike Tour: 20s and Beyond | Teens and Kids

Full-Ship Celebration Bike Tours
Danube River Cruise Full-Ship Celebration Bike Tour
Portugal's Douro River Cruise Full-Ship Celebration Bike Tour
Rhine River Cruise Full-Ship Celebration Bike Tour

"Our active river cruises have been a guest favorite ever since we launched our first departure with AmaWaterways in 2015," said Tom Hale, Backroads' founder and president. "The opportunity to only unpack once while relaxing in comfort aboard such a luxurious ship is the perfect way to explore multiple countries, get immersed in the beautiful back roads and trails of Europe and enjoy the truly impressive accommodations and hospitality of AmaWaterways."
Check out the website for the full slate of active river cruise itineraries with Backroads and AmaWaterways.
Backroads' new Dolce Tempo Easygoing E-Bike River Cruise on the Rhine River is for travelers new to active travel, or those who want to explore the world actively but at a more leisurely pace. Two departures are scheduled for September 2022 with another three planned for 2023.
"We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Backroads and introduce these exciting new itineraries for biking enthusiasts," said Gary Murphy, AmaWaterways co-owner and senior vice president of sales. "The unique aspect of bringing Backroads enhanced active biking experiences onboard our river cruise ships is that companions who may not wish to participate in the daily biking program with Backroads can still have a wonderful vacation experience by participating in AmaWaterways' many escorted cultural or culinary tours that are included each day.
"These new itineraries are the perfect opportunity for travelers to explore the beautiful landscapes of Europe on a bicycle."
Onboard, cruisers will enjoy the AmaWaterways' river ships that features twin-balconies in most staterooms, as well as connecting and triple occupancy staterooms that are ideal for families and friends who want to ride together on a vacation adventure.
Additional amenities include the daily "Sip & Sail" cocktail hour, heated sun deck pools with swim-up bar, hair and massage salons, fitness centers and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the ships.

Thanks for reading,
JR

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AmaWaterways Offers New Exotic River Cruises in Colombia

8/17/2021

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The Magdalena River in Colombia. AmaWaterways will offer eco-friendly voyages here on a new ship beginning in late 2023.

By John Roberts
In keeping with an incredible reputation of continuously delivering immersive and innovative river cruise experiences, AmaWaterways has added the colorful South American country of Colombia to its offerings.
AmaWaterways has forged a groundbreaking partnership with Metropolitan Touring, South America's leading tour operator, to introduce a new river cruise experience in the culturally rich and historically fascinating country.
Becoming the first luxury line to sail the Magdalena River, the partnership brings together the destination expertise of Metropolitan Touring and one of the river cruise industry's leading brands in AmaWaterways.
Starting in December 2023, adventurous travelers can dive right into new experiences on shore as well as onboard a new custom-built, all-suite, eco-friendly river cruise ship. The new ship and cruise program will incorporate years of design experience from Rudi Schreiner, AmaWaterways' president and co-founder. Metropolitan Touring owns a stellar reputation for decades of expertise in expedition cruising in the Galapagos Islands.
"Not since my early university days of exploring the Amazon River, have I felt the excitement of discovering a new destination that is so rich in biodiversity and culture, as I found on the Magdalena River in Colombia," Schreiner says, president. "I'm absolutely captivated by the rich history, wildlife and friendly welcome that awaits our guests when our intimate, all-suite ship sets sail in December 2023."
The Magdalena stretches 949 miles, traversing north in the western part of Colombia and touching a number of cities and towns along the way, many undergoing conservation and restoration efforts. It's a vibrant corridor full of animals and opportunities for active pursuits.
Passengers will be able to choose between two seven-night itineraries with pre- and post-cruise land programs exploring the magnificent Magdalena River and delving into Colombia's vibrant cultural and natural heritage. Accompanied by a skilled team, which will include a wellness manager onboard, river cruise travelers on the Magdalena River will enjoy in-depth connections with nature, wildlife, culture, flavors and people, as well as activities such as kayaking, hiking and birdwatching.
"Colombia has always been a country close to my heart, and every trip I've made to the Magdalena over many years has been full of amazing, life-affirming experiences that touched my soul," said Paulina Burbano de Lara, chief executive officer of Metropolitan Touring. "Finding the right partner to develop the first-ever eco-friendly river cruise experience for Colombia was therefore of utmost importance to me and our company.
"We know that Rudi, Kristin (Karst) and all the AmaWaterways team share our passion for the River Magdalena, and we're delighted that together we will create innovative and enriching experiences for guests."
The historic waterway is home to hundreds of fish species, as well as other biologically interesting creatures like river turtles, tortoises, manatees, caiman, iguanas, crocodiles and pelicans.
"It is incredibly exciting to be able to launch a new river cruise destination like Colombia, with such a colorful history and artistic background," said Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-founder of AmaWaterways. "We are celebrating 19 years of creating authentic river cruise experiences in Europe, Asia and Africa and now, with our world-recognized destination partner, Metropolitan Touring, we will be able to offer our guests an opportunity to explore a fourth continent while discovering the hidden gems of Colombia along the majestic Magdalena River."

We're excitedly waiting to book our spot on one of these new cruises!
How about you?

Thanks for reading,
JR

Video feature: Check out the new AmaMagna Danube River Ship

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European River Cruising: What Will It Look Like When It Resumes?

3/19/2021

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AmaWaterways offers memorable sailings on the Danube River on AmaMagna.

Rudi Schreiner

By John Roberts
European river cruising is one of the most rewarding ways to travel. It's perhaps what I've missed the most during the past year.
You can't beat embarking on a voyage with a small group of people who quickly become your new friends while experiencing the delightful sights, sounds and tastes of historic cities and villages along great waterways like the Danube or Rhine rivers.
Well, there is growing hope that we will be able to get back onboard the river ships. I spoke with a handful of cruise line executives and river cruise travel advisors to get a sense of where things stand with river cruising.
Rudi Schreiner, co-founder and president of AmaWaterways, says his line will be starting in May with German cruisers. But 95 percent of the line's passengers comes from North America, so getting those travelers back onboard is vital.
Questions remain, however, for these travelers: What travel restrictions will exist for North Americans? Will vaccines or quarantines we be required?
Since fall 2020, AmaWaterways has seen more and more spring 2021 bookings shifted to fall, winter and 2022 sailings, instead, Schreiner said. He says his gut tells him that August might be the starting point for AmaWaterways cruises in Europe once again for North Americans. However, he says the line remains fully flexible because it has seen how things can change so quickly, whether a new spike in cases prompts enhanced protocols or shutdowns and travel restrictions.
When considering whether to implement rules that crew members be vaccinated, he says he has questions about the availability of vaccines for crew within their home countries. So, there is no plan to require vaccines for crew or passengers at this time.
Everybody wants to get all crew members vaccinated, but Schreiner says the question will be: "Will the governments first vaccinate their elder people. Which side will be vaccinated first?"
He says AmaWaterways has not committed to any requirements for guests of crew to be vaccinated. There are too many questions to be answered still, he said.
Changes onboard are inevitable, though.
"Something we even thought about before this pandemic, was to really change the food service on AmaWaterways ships," Schreiner says. "We really want to go to a full-service standard in all of our restaurants."
This will eliminate the need to keep the full buffet open all the way until the end of the breakfast or lunch times. This will tremendously reduce the food waste and give AmaWaterways' cruisers more choices, he says.
The line also expects to offer more al fresco dining. This was something that was accelerated because of the pandemic.
"Handshakes, social distancing and other interactions among cruisers will probably not go back to the way it was, at least for a while," he says. "I think COVID will stick around for a long time. People will get used to it. We'll get a regular vaccine for it, like the flu. And we will live with it."
Schreiner says he sees "a huge, bright future for river cruising."
There will be a lot of demand for small-ship environments, he said.
"One thing about river cruising: You spend a lot of time off the ship. And you spend a lot of time outdoors in the fresh air and in smaller villages," Schreiner says. "There will be more emphasis on activities like walking, hiking and bicycling. For that, I think we have the right environment."

Scenic Gem // Les Andelys photo

I asked John Gawne, an independent vacation specialist with Cruises Inc. in Virginia Beach, Va., when he thinks river cruising is set to return.
He said that while cruise lines might be offering sailings by summer 2021, "I am currently not booking before October 2021.
"Vaccinations will be a key, if not a requirement, for future European river cruising," Gawne said.
He also said that there is a pent-up demand for European river cruising but the lines will be sailing at reduced occupancy capacity.

I also I put forth a Q&A to two executives that oversee some of the most popular European river cruise lines. Here is what Rob Voss, chief operating officer of Scenic Group Global, which operates Scenic River Cruises and Emerald Waterways and Pam Hoffee, managing director of Avalon Waterways, had to say about the future of river cruising in Europe.

In The Loop Travel: What hurdles remain to overcome before you can return to river cruising in Europe?
Voss (Scenic): The situation in Europe remains the biggest hurdle. The number of cases, the lockdowns, border crossing requirements, each country's specific needs/issues, etc. We must be able to supply the guest experience they are looking for and expect and with numerous venues closed and/or affected by the economic damage caused by COVID, we need to have some level of confidence that there is a consistent and similar process for each country we cruise through on the rivers and port in with the ocean. At this point, Europe is not yet ready for travelers -- whether international or domestic. The other hurdle has to do with the source markets -- Australia, for example, has strict travel restrictions for its citizens; while Canada has shut down its ports to cruises until 2022. So, the issue becomes one of both where we get our guests from and where we can take them.

ITLT: What should your guests expect or plan for before they take their next river cruise in Europe? New health measures and protocols, vaccine requirements, etc.?
Hoffee (Avalon Waterways): Our guests' safety, health and well-being leads every decision. To this end, when travel operations resume, Avalon Waterways will require proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 at least 14-days prior to travel or a negative COVID-19 test within 72-hours of travel. Alternatively, guests can provide documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the last three months.
Voss (Scenic): We continue to follow the protocols and suggestions made by the CDC, WHO and CLIA as well as working with multiple countries' health agencies to make sure we go above and beyond for our guests and crew. At this point, as we have seen for the past year, the environment is ever-changing and we will remain flexible in response. The basics are already in place -- PCR testing, new hygiene protocols, adding medical assistance onboard the ships, cabins set aside for quarantine needs, excursions are adjusted and organized to be the safest possible, dining and social events are done with proper protocols, etc.
But we know the COVID safety requirements are still a moving target so we need to see how the roles of each entity involved in the travel experience process plays out. As an example of the complexity of the situation -- even before a guest reaches our ship, they will most likely have to undergo a PCR test before leaving their country (and certainly before they return), possibly be required to have a vaccine passport, and myriad other requirements. All these barriers must be crossed before they arrive at our ship.

ITLT: How do you think cruising will be changed? For the near term, long term?
Voss (Scenic): I think the near term is self-explanatory: Lots of flexibility and patience will be required by both the cruise lines and their guests as new protocols are established and adjusted. I see that being something we will deal with for a couple of years. The more interesting changes may come in the two- to five-year time frame.
I believe we will go back to how it was before but with some clear caveats. Understanding that these health disruptions have been part of the landscape for the past 20 years, we cannot let our guard down and be complacent. Certain health and safety protocols need to remain and we will certainly keep them front and center on our ships. Hygiene, masks where needed, care with social distancing, etc. are part of the future landscape.
On the more positive side of changes, I see the trend from big ship cruising to small ship cruising accelerating. Guests are looking for safety with smaller numbers of people, and the opportunities that are more available with small ship cruising -- whether the ocean or rivers. We believe the luxury market will continue to expand and grow with ships offering more space per guest and more uniqueness of the guest experience.
Above all else is my absolute belief that cruising will not only survive this horrific global tragedy but will continue to grow as a key way to explore the world. We are already seeing strong bookings for 2022 and 2023 as the love of cruising and exploring for so many of our guests is something that becomes part of who they are and what they need in their lives.
Hoffee (Avalon Waterways): While the world has changed a lot in the last year, two very important things have not changed for Avalon Waterways: The importance we place on guest health and safety and our dedication to delivering travelers a wonderful vacation.
In the near term, life onboard our ships will mirror life at home including social distancing, masks when you can't be distanced, hand sanitizer and enhanced cleaning protocols.
Travelers will also enjoy the intimacy that small-ship cruising gives to travelers more than ever before. And, we think new dining options, including a shift from self-serve buffets to a la carte or crew-served meals, as well as more options for in-room dining, will be popular.
Off our ships, outdoor experiences will be big. As a result, we think our Active & Discovery vacations will draw even more travelers thanks to their off-the-beaten-path ports-of-call and wide range of included excursions.
Long-term, we believe that new ports-of-call, undiscovered destinations and immersive excursions -- featuring a wide-range of choice -- will grow in importance.

ITLT: When are you hoping/expecting to be able to offer voyages in Europe once again?
Voss (Scenic): Hoping is the right word. We will offer our voyages as soon as it is safe and makes sense -- and our guests are ready. It is so much more important to get global control of this pandemic.
We are viewing 2021 as a transition year with a slow reopening of the cruise itineraries and guests coming back on board. Our hope/expectation is that as vaccinations grow significantly and safety protocols are put in place, we will see the second half of 2021 be one of carefully getting back into the water. I have no doubt that there will be numerous adjustments to the processes by both cruise lines and governments but we are hopeful they will be tweaks and not major changes. 2022 and 2023 are where we are seeing the strongest growth -- and when we see the cruise industry begin to look more like it did in 2019.
Hoffee (Avalon Waterways): Avalon Waterways is ready to welcome travelers onboard as soon as the world is ready. When borders open in Europe, we will operate. We are encouraged that with vaccine rollout and coordinated testing, that can happen soon.

When do you think you'll be ready for a European river cruise? Let us know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading,
JR

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AmaWaterways and Backroads' New Lineup of Active River Cruises

AmaWaterways Offers New Exotic River Cruises in Colombia

Video feature: Check out the new AmaMagna Danube River Ship

European River Cruising: What Will It Look Like When It Resumes?

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