Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps with AmaWaterways

Cultural immersion is a phrase I would use to describe AmaWaterway’s Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps cruise, which we took in July 2024. If you’re an active traveler whose ideal itinerary includes a mix of big cities and small off-the-beaten-path towns, this seven-night sailing is an ideal fit.

We cruised on the AmaSerena in a Category C French Balcony Cabin, which has tasteful decor and a well thought-out floor plan. What the room lacked in overall size at 170 square feet it more than made up for with amazing views from the floor-to-ceiling French balcony. Our cabin steward was so attentive, always making sure we had what we needed. It was nice to return to a spotless room after a day of exploring. The rest of the ship was incredible, from the pool on the top sun deck to the whimsical giant chess set and small putting green. While not the Broadway-style shows you see on larger ocean ships, the nightly entertainment of singers and musicians was good. When it came to food, the standout was the Chef’s Table where the chef prepares your meal right in front of you. We were served a multi-course menu where each course was better than the last. The restaurant’s location at the back of the ship made the dining experience wonderfully intimate.

One of the highlights with an AmaWaterway’s river cruise is the variety of included shore excursions, such as hiking or special interest tours. With complimentary bicycles on board, you can check one out for a guided bike tour or discover the area on your own. My advice is to sign up for the excursions; the tours are amazing and the guides are extremely knowledgeable. Another plus is the excursion flexibility. If you change your mind and want to do a different tour or don’t want to do one at all, that’s completely fine.

The Lake Lucerne Half-Day Tour was incredible. Between our wonderful guide and the sights, the city of Lucerne is now one of my favorites in Europe. The Chapel Bridge was a beautiful landmark, and the inside of the Baroque-style Jesuit Church took our breath away. While the half-day tour gave us more time to explore independently, I would recommend considering the full-day option.

In Rüdesheim, we took the gondola ride and wine-tasting tour. After we soared above the vineyards on a gondola ride to the Niederwalddenkmal monument at the top, our guide filled us in on the area’s history. His personal stories made the tour a lot of fun and we loved the amazing views.

Another piece of advice is to introduce yourself to your cruise director and get to know them. The cruise director is a wealth of knowledge about not only the ship but the destinations on your itinerary. He gave us some of our best insider tips about the places we visited. For example: We were going to sign out bikes to explore Cologne on our own, but our cruise director warned us that because it was Pride Weekend, the area would be more crowded than usual, making biking difficult. As an alternative, he gave us a map of the city and suggested the best places we could walk. The Pride festivities gave the city a fun, welcoming energy. We walked to the Lindt Chocolate Museum and the famous Cologne Cathedral, which was incredible to see in person.

In Amsterdam, we took AmaWaterway’s Canal Cruise Tour, where we learned the history of the city and the canals. For me, an Amsterdam first-timer, it was a great overview of the city and a highlight of our trip.

My biggest tip is to extend your stay both before and after the cruise. We arrived in Basel a day early and while the extra day enhanced our experience, we found ourselves wishing we had more time in Switzerland. After the cruise, we were able to explore more of Amsterdam and venture into the Netherlands countryside by staying longer. We took an amazing independent full-day tour to Volendam, Edam and Zaandam, where we saw beautiful windmills and watched a local man make wooden clogs. We also learned about the process for making Dutch cheese, which included a delicious sample.