AMA definitely River Cruising again

I was lucky enough to be selected to join APT for 4 nights at the beginning of October to sail on the Main River. Pronounced ‘Mine’ this is where the Rhine River ended and before the Danube River begins.

The ship was the stunning Amavenita. The sector i sailed on was part of the 14 night Magnificent Europe Itinerary. We were due to sail on a sister ship to this but due to the weather this summer the river levels had really dropped. Therefore the first week of this itinerary was on board the Amavenita then the 2nd week the guests were transferring to the other ship when it reached Nuremberg. Which i thought was great as the ships were like for like and it meant guests din’t have the holiday cancelled like some liners had to do this year.

The Amavenita is a Concerto Class ship with APT. Launched in 2015 she carries a maximum of 164 passengers. Gorgeous decor and very spacious. As i’m used to being on big ships i was a little worried about feeling squished in but the lounge was a great size to relax and have drink. Cabins were very spacious. I was in cabin 216 which was a P+ twin balcony cabin. If you have the money it is very well worth upgrading to this cabin type. I used the balcony a lot to sit out on and have a hot chocolate. Plenty of storage space. I have a video link here for you giving a little tour around the cabin Click Here .

I did get to look at a River View cabin category E cabin 106. It’s a little smaller than the cabin i was in. Bathroom was a bit smaller too. And the window is head height and level with the water. If you were in France this would be sloshing against the window. I would recommend looking at upgrading to at least the French Balconies.

With most APT River Cruises the drinks are included along with the food, Gratuities are included and you get Freedom of Choice excursions. This means that everyday you can advise the cruise director of which of the excursions you would like to join. Our Tour Director Yanos would have the passengers meet in the lounge 10 mins before the evening meal and talk to us about the entertainment for that evening and the trips available to us the next day at the stop. After our meal we would stop at his tour desk and tell him which one we had chosen to do.

There would usually be 3 or 4 to choose from and the Tour group sizes were pleasant. You don’t have to worry about missing anything as the have these Vox machines that you charge up in your cabin, you hang it round your neck and use the earphone. Just tap the device on the tour guides paddle and you’re all set, you can hear everything they have to say.

The food was brilliant and i found myself eating as much as i did on a cruise ship. The served early breakfast, breakfast, late breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks and then a 5 course evening meal.

The Chef’s Table is included for all guests on board and everyone will receive an invite to dine in here during their stay. If you would like it for a particular evening say for a Birthday or Anniversary then let the cruise director know and they will try and accommodate this for you. The menu will be the same for all guests on that sailing.

Please contact me if you have any questions about River Cruising Click Here. Next time i’ll tell you a little more about the ports we visited. Until then Happy Sailing.