Brook Bramley

Our river cruise vacation on the AmaMagna was a bucket list experience and one of the best vacations ever! I had planned a three-night Pre-Cruise stay in Munich which we thoroughly enjoyed! We stayed at The Charles Hotel, which has a prime location walking distance to everything we wanted to see. We loved having cocktails at Sophia’s bar which is in the hotel and listened to live jazz music every night after dinner.

We took tours on both days including a full day tour of Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof, both commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. It was fascinating to learn about the history of Bavaria as well as the tragic story of King Ludwig’s mental illness and demise. Our tour also included a scenic drive through Oberammergau, where the Passion Plays take place. The houses are decorated with amazing artwork from fairy tales. Our tour guide, Annette, was a former actress and she was incredible! 

I can’t leave out the wonderful foodie experiences we had in Munich, including bratwurst and German Pilsner at Viktualienmarkt. This market is a great combination of farmers markets, beer gardens serving local favorites of sausages and the like, and arts & crafts vendors. It has a lively and casual atmosphere and was full of families and tourists enjoying the beautiful day while we were there. We also had amazing Wienerschnitzel at Kaisergarten restaurant, which was great tip from a friend who happens to work at The Charles Hotel! 

The day of our cruise, we took the train from Munich to Vilshofen and boarded our ship, the amazing AmaMagna. Our cabin was unbelievably luxurious! We had a King bed and flat screen TV, a full sitting area which was set up with champagne and fruit when we entered, a desk with a large size Mac, his and hers closets, and double vanities in our bathroom.

That evening the crew had planned an Oktoberfest party on shore for us, complete with musicians and dancers in traditional dress, games, German beer, and pretzels. It was a fun and lively way to kick off our river cruise experience. Each day of our cruise included at least one tour and often we had the option to take two. We could choose between city walking tours, hiking, or biking tours.

I loved the full day tour to Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and famous for the “Sound of Music”. Another amazing experience was the hiking tour to see the vineyards of the Wachau Valley. Not only were the views stunning but I learned so much from our amazing tour guide about Reisling and Gruner Veltliner wines and wine production in this part of the world. 

When we arrived in Vienna, we took a tour of this romantic and elegant city and had lots of time for photos in front of the famous St Stephen’s Cathedral. We also visited the Kunsthistorisches Art Museum and enjoyed viewing some masterpieces. Our last stop was Schönbrunn Palace, one of the most famous in Europe, and once the summer home of the Habsburgs. 

Our cruise ended in Budapest, and we were all eagerly waiting to sail past Hungary’s Parliament building. This magnificent structure has been on my bucket list for ages, and it did not disappoint! On our tour of this wonderful city, we explored both the Buda (hilly) and Pest (flat) areas of the city. A tip for anyone visiting this amazing city is to take in the views from Fisherman’s Bastion - they are incredible!  

Finally, a quick word about life onboard the ship. We had amazing meals throughout our trip. Each day we had the option to have a sit-down breakfast, lunch, and dinner in one of 5 restaurants. Dinners were multiple courses including appetizers, salads, soups, main courses, and desserts. We found ourselves going with the Chef’s recommendations on many evenings which were fresh, regional, and always delicious. Popular favorites like steak and fish were on the menu every evening. Of course, each dish was paired with the perfect wine. And can I just say how good the bread was on board! AMA chefs bake a variety of fresh bread daily and they are all so yummy! We also dined at the Chef’s table midway through the cruise and it was simply amazing! The dishes were beautifully plated and were as delicious to eat as they were to look at. There was a different wine paired with each course which amplified the dining experience to new heights!    

The daily cocktail hour was a definite highlight of our cruise. It was so nice to relax and enjoy drinks and conversation with newly made friends. The live entertainment was amazing, and the music played by our resident pianist often had us dancing late into the night.  

This certainly was a trip of a lifetime, and I was so sad for it to end. On the bright side, I will be planning my next river cruise soon and will have that to look forward to!