River Cruise
Amsterdam to Budapest
4th November to 18th November
We arrived in Amsterdam early on morning of 3rd November after long flight via Hong Kong. Took shuttle from airport to Bridge Hotel which is situated on Amstel River near Magere (Skinny) Bridge. Our room overlooks the river and good view of activities. Able to check in early, so showered and then out to explore the city. Cold, with very cool breeze and showers. Over 40 years since both of us in Amsterdam so like visiting somewhere new. Easy to wander around but needed eyes everywhere to avoid bikes that have right of way!
Was good to stretch our legs, but when the heavens opened we dashed into a pub at Rembrandt Square for shelter and a drink!
Time to head back to the hotel for a
rest. We found a very lively pub for dinner near the hotel - very poplular with the locals on way home from work. Early night.
After breakfast on Friday we repacked and left our bags at the hotel and headed out to walk to the Rijks Museum. Interesting wandering along the streets and canals - wonderful shops especially the bakeries.
Eventually found the museum and spent around 21/2 hours wandering the main exhibits of Van Gogh and Rembrandt - not enough time to see much else. Most impressed with the museum.
A bite to eat and then back to hotel to collect bags and take taxi to the Ruijterkade Oost Steiger where our river ship, AmaVenita, was docked. Checked in at 3pm - photos taken and then issued with cards to scan ourselves into cabins and on and off ship.
Rest of day on board - unpacked, had safety drill and made selection of excursions for first few days etc. Our cabin on 2nd deck in middle of ship - very convenient for everything. Dinner in the restaurants - one with Italian slant. Large number of Australians and Brits on board - very few New Zealanders. Met up with some of the other passengers, but we all had an early night.
Saturday 5th November - grey, cold and showery.
After breakfast (buffet) we went on Canal Tour and walk in old town - just our luck when getting off canal boat the heavens opened up again and had a rather damp walk around the Red Light District - very quiet at this time of day!!
From here took a bus to where the AmaVenita was waiting for us upstream on the Amsterdam Cologne Canal at Wijk bij Duurstede.
Lunch served - mix of buffet and set menu. Spent the afternoon cruising through the Dutch countryside passing lots of large barges carrying all sorts of goods.
Captain's cocktails before dinner (a glass of bubbles) - met all the main members of crew. Had dinner at Captain's Table Restaurant in aft of ship - only sits 28 and has a very good menu - same for week one and changes for week two. Sat with a Scottish couple (Meg and Ian). Delicious NZ rack of lamb - very tender. Booked for next Saturday to celebrate Ian's birthday.
Moved onto the Rhine during the night.
We docked in Cologne on Sunday 6th quite close to the Cathedral. Took the walking tour of old Cologne and had a very good guide who took us round the historic centre. Eventually ended up in the Cathedral Square - very cold with bitter wind. Went inside cathedral whilst service going on - very interesting.
As it was Sunday no shops open, but a very good coffee shop nearby did good business while we waited for bus to take us through to Bonn to rejoin the AmaVenita.
Cruised the Rhine for the afternoon past villages, vineyards and Remagen with the pillars that remain from its famous bridge - eventually docked at Andernach.
Went ashore at 6.15pm to visit Namedy Castle - home of Princess Hohenzollern. We were welcomed into the castle with glasses of bubbles and then wandered around the rooms before having dinner in the mirrored ballroom. A very impressive small estate that has been restored by opening up the place to guests for concerts, weddings etc. Between courses we were entertained by a very talented young Chinese pianist. At the end of the evening we walked back to bus in the rain and returned to the AmaVenita.
Monday 7th saw us in The Rhine Gorge.
Was magnificent cruising along past so many old castles and vines that are very colourful at this time of year. Needed to wrap up well to be outside to enjoy the scenery, but well worthwhile. Sailed past the Loreley Rock and in the early afternoon we docked at Rudesheim - a famous wine town (home of Reisling).
Went ashore and took small train into town centre and spent time wandering around. Unfortunately most places closed at this time of year, but a very picturesque centre with narrow cobbled lanes. We strolled back along side the river to the AmaVenita.
We moved onto the Main River - a narrower and very windy river - very picturesque through the countryside. Very little other river traffic. The morning of Tuesday 8th was spent on board with a glass blowing demonstration by Hans Ittigs - very entertaining.
We docked at Miltenberg early afternoon and walked into the village for a guided walk. The village suffered after the 30 years war in the 17th century and could not afford to replace its old medieval half-timbered houses and it remains a time capsule right up to today.
Very picturesque. After our visit we took buses back to the Ama Venita as it had sailed further up river to Freudenberg while we were ashore. Glad to be back on board as rain had settled in.
Cruised on again through the many locks on the Main.
Both now suffering with colds along with many of the passengers. Very difficult when in confined quarters and with temperatures around 4 degrees.
Docked in downtown Wurzburg early on Wednesday 9th. We opted for the tour to the old walled town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Saw our first snow on the ground when on bus. Travelled through farmland - no fences as mostly crops grown here, especially sugar beet. All the villages were made up of farmhouses with their barns.
Lots of wind turbines and solar panels in blocks on the land or on the roofs of the houses and barns. Enjoyed our time walking around in Rothenburg - a lovely old walled town with half-timbered medieval buildings and great views over the river valley.
One of the food delicacies in Rothenburg is snowballs - balls made of pastry and covered in chocolate and coconut - very dry and tough to eat! Franconian wine from this area is bottled in bottles similar in shape to Mateus Rose.
Back to the ship and then free time in the afternoon to wander into Wurzburg for a look around. Bob suffering with severe chill and crawled into bed to warm up and sleep for a few hours.
Near centre of Wurzburg is the Old Main Bridge over the Main River. Similar to the Charles Bridge in Prague with the statues along each side. View to the Fortress of Marienburg up on the hill. Several churches in the centre of town with a busy market place.
Sailed late afternoon and headed towards Bamberg. Spent the morning of 10th cruising the Main. Treated to a "Fruhschoppen" mid morning. A Bavarian tradition of an alcoholic drink in company before midday and can include food such as sausage, sweet mustard and pretzels - apparently a Sunday treat after church! A bleak, cold day and not pleasant to be out on deck.
Docked early afternoon at the UNESCO world heritage town of Bamberg - boarded buses for short trip to edge of town and did 1.5 hour walking tour in the rain along cobbled streets. Again another beautifully restored town with River Regnitz running through and St Peter and St George Cathedral on one hill and St Michael's Monastery on another. The brew of the town is Rauchbier, a smoked beer - very different taste! We had 2 hours of free time after the tour, which was too long as it was cold, wet and getting dark - all glad to get back on buses and then boat at 5.30pm.
We entered into the Main-Danube Canal. The construction of this canal has allowed ships to sail from the North Sea to the Black Sea.
On a cold and wet morning we docked in Nuremburg and went for an historical tour of the city ending up at the castle (built in 11th century) on the hill and walking down into the town centre. Nuremberg was virtually destroyed during WW2 and was rebuilt in its original style.
Our first stop was at the Zepplin Fields where the Nazi Rallies were held (now a motor racing track) and then toured around past many old Nazi buildings and the courthouse where the Nuremberg trials were held, had a good view of the city walls and then toured the castle.
Installation was well underway for the Christmas Market in the main square - will be visiting in 2 weeks or so. Had a coffee to warm up and then met in the square to watch the clochinspiel perform at midday before heading back to the ship.
Sailed on through the largest locks of the trip - up to 25m - across the continental divide at 406 metres above sea level and then downhill to the Danube. An afternoon cruising and then a Bavarian style dinner with entertainment later.
Saturday 12th saw us in Regensburg on the Danube - another old and well preserved medieval town that was barely harmed during WW2. We docked very close to the town centre and did a walking tour.
Again a wonderful history with a Romanesque bridge over the river and the oldest bratwurst kitchen in the world alongside. Tour ended up at the Gothic cathedral and we made our way back at our leisure.
We stopped in at the bratwurst kitchen and sampled their special sausages with sweet mustard and sauerkraut in a very small dining area.
Another afternoon of cruising and our last full day in Germany.
On Sunday we had an early start and went by bus to Passau Railway Station where we boarded the Majestic Imperator for our day trip to Salzburg and then to Linz to meet up with the Ama Venita once again.
The Majestic Imperator is a replica of the train that was used by the Austro-Hungarian monarchy.
All the carriages are elaborately fitted out with amazing furnishings. We were treated with bubbles, wine, beer, coffee and cake in the morning going to Salzburg and then had canapes with bubbles on the way to Linz with musical entertainment.
Interesting travelling along through the farmland and small towns.
We did a short tour of Salzburg by bus before getting into the city centre and began a walking tour through the weall alleys and squares ending up at the University Square and then free time until 3.30pm. We then walked over the Salzach River to the Mirabell Gardens and back onto the bus.
It was a cold day and not too pleasant to be walking around too much and we found a lovely cafe and had goulash soup to warm up. Did spend sometime wandering around the small streets window shopping and looking around some of the Christmas market stalls that had been set up. A long, but very enjoyable day that ended when we joined the ship at Linz around 7pm.
Monday 14th we visited Melk and did the tour of the Benedictine monastery that was formed in 1089. Originally it was the residence of the Babenberg family. The Baroque buildings have been extensively renovated and Stift Melk is a real highlight. There is a high school for 900 pupils in the monastery also.
We were unable to take photos inside due to strict security and it was a real shame when we came to the beautiful church which was being decorated for harvest festival. Great views from the exterior over the countryside.
We walked down into the small town afterwards and then strolled back alongside the river to the ship. After lunch we cruised along the Wachau Valley with its castles and vines - not as spectacular as the Rhine and also very cold outside (rugged up in blankets) to stay too long to enjoy the views.
Late in the afternoon we stopped at the small town of Durnstein with its blue baroque church spire alongside the river and the ruins of the castle up on the hill where Richard the Lionhearted was imprisoned during the time of the crusades. The Wachau Valley is well known for its apricots and the Wachau apricot gained EU protection in 1996.
Arrived in Vienna early Tuesday morning and the ship docked quite some distance from downtown. We did a city tour in the morning - firstly by bus and then by foot. Another very cold day with quite a bitter wind. Was lovely to be in Vienna again with its magnificent buildings. The tour ended up at the cathedral and we had free time from there before walking back to the bus and then to the ship for lunch.
Opted to have a relaxing afternoon on board as we will be back next week and far too cold to be wandering about using public transport!
In the evening we went to the Liechtenstein City Palace for a private concert in one of the ballrooms. The was built between 1692 and 1705 by an Italian and a Swiss architect. It is very baroque in style along with rich rococo revival interiors. Restoration was completed in 2013 at the cost of 10 million Euro and is certainly magnificent. We had bubbles in an ante room and then moved to the ballroom for the concert which consisted of Mozart and Strauss music. A wonderful evening and very grand surroundings. Back to the ship for a late dessert of strudel to finish off the evening.
Stayed in Vienna overnight and the next day we took up the option of going to Bratislava in Slovakia. Unfortunately it was a wet day and again rather cold - there had been snow 2 days before.
Was very interesting though visiting a city with its very Soviet style buildings and then the wonderful old town with its cobbled streets that had been preserved. We went to the castle where we got views of the city through the misty rain. There is a very young population here and the city is really alive after getting freedom from the Soviets in 1989. We had free time for lunch in the many restaurants that line the narrow streets of the old town and then wandered around for a while - not all that pleasant in the rain though.
Headed back to Vienna and the Ama Venita. A disembarkation briefing and then Captain's Farewell Cocktail in the lounge - bubbles and canapes followed by the Farewell Dinner.
Thursday 17th is last full day on the ship. We docked at Vac, north of Budapest and people went on an excursion to a horse farm and then did the bus tour of Budapest from there.
We opted to stay on board the ship and sail into Budapest - arriving just before lunch. In the afternoon we went for a walk along the river to the Liberty Bridge, the Central Market and along Vaci Street - the area where we stayed when in Budapest 3 years ago. A very relaxing afternoon which was concluded by getting our packing done.
Before dinner we had a Hungarian Folklore Show which was very enjoyable. Typical gypsy music with lively dancing.
After dinner we cruised on the ship to see the city of Budapest lit up at night. A wonderful sight with all the lights on the buildings and bridges.
Our cruise on the AmaVenita covered 1811 kilometres along the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, Rhine/Waal to Mainz, the River Main, the Main-Danube Canal and finally the Danube. All up we passed through 66 locks on the journey.
As must be all things come to an end and Friday 18th is the end of the cruise. We all had to vacate our cabins by 9am with bags outside - some had left earlier in the morning to various destinations. We arranged to go by taxi at 2.30pm to our hotel as could not check in before. Went for a walk around town for a while, but mostly relaxed on board. Guests began arriving for next cruise that began with check in at 3pm - all Chinese.
Checked into the Zenit Hotel which is in a very handy position for all that we want to see during this stay in Budapest.
Will finish here at the end of the cruise which was very enjoyable despite the cold and wet that we experienced at various stages along the way. The towns and cities we visited were all very interesting and full of history. We enjoyed the scenic cruising along parts of the Rhine and Danube with the castles and autumn colours in the vines and trees. All up we have had an enjoyable time.
Bob and Mary
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| View from our room balcony |
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| Riverside accommodation! |
Was good to stretch our legs, but when the heavens opened we dashed into a pub at Rembrandt Square for shelter and a drink! 
rest. We found a very lively pub for dinner near the hotel - very poplular with the locals on way home from work. Early night.
After breakfast on Friday we repacked and left our bags at the hotel and headed out to walk to the Rijks Museum. Interesting wandering along the streets and canals - wonderful shops especially the bakeries.
Eventually found the museum and spent around 21/2 hours wandering the main exhibits of Van Gogh and Rembrandt - not enough time to see much else. Most impressed with the museum.
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| Buskers at entrance to Rijks Museum |
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| Van Gogh self portrait |
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| Rembrandt's Night Watch |
A bite to eat and then back to hotel to collect bags and take taxi to the Ruijterkade Oost Steiger where our river ship, AmaVenita, was docked. Checked in at 3pm - photos taken and then issued with cards to scan ourselves into cabins and on and off ship. 
Rest of day on board - unpacked, had safety drill and made selection of excursions for first few days etc. Our cabin on 2nd deck in middle of ship - very convenient for everything. Dinner in the restaurants - one with Italian slant. Large number of Australians and Brits on board - very few New Zealanders. Met up with some of the other passengers, but we all had an early night.
Saturday 5th November - grey, cold and showery.
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| Three storied bycycle park by train station! |
From here took a bus to where the AmaVenita was waiting for us upstream on the Amsterdam Cologne Canal at Wijk bij Duurstede.
Lunch served - mix of buffet and set menu. Spent the afternoon cruising through the Dutch countryside passing lots of large barges carrying all sorts of goods.
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| Seems to be okay to have cows in the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal!!! |
Captain's cocktails before dinner (a glass of bubbles) - met all the main members of crew. Had dinner at Captain's Table Restaurant in aft of ship - only sits 28 and has a very good menu - same for week one and changes for week two. Sat with a Scottish couple (Meg and Ian). Delicious NZ rack of lamb - very tender. Booked for next Saturday to celebrate Ian's birthday.
Moved onto the Rhine during the night.
We docked in Cologne on Sunday 6th quite close to the Cathedral. Took the walking tour of old Cologne and had a very good guide who took us round the historic centre. Eventually ended up in the Cathedral Square - very cold with bitter wind. Went inside cathedral whilst service going on - very interesting.
As it was Sunday no shops open, but a very good coffee shop nearby did good business while we waited for bus to take us through to Bonn to rejoin the AmaVenita.
Went ashore at 6.15pm to visit Namedy Castle - home of Princess Hohenzollern. We were welcomed into the castle with glasses of bubbles and then wandered around the rooms before having dinner in the mirrored ballroom. A very impressive small estate that has been restored by opening up the place to guests for concerts, weddings etc. Between courses we were entertained by a very talented young Chinese pianist. At the end of the evening we walked back to bus in the rain and returned to the AmaVenita.Monday 7th saw us in The Rhine Gorge.
Went ashore and took small train into town centre and spent time wandering around. Unfortunately most places closed at this time of year, but a very picturesque centre with narrow cobbled lanes. We strolled back along side the river to the AmaVenita.
We moved onto the Main River - a narrower and very windy river - very picturesque through the countryside. Very little other river traffic. The morning of Tuesday 8th was spent on board with a glass blowing demonstration by Hans Ittigs - very entertaining. 
We docked at Miltenberg early afternoon and walked into the village for a guided walk. The village suffered after the 30 years war in the 17th century and could not afford to replace its old medieval half-timbered houses and it remains a time capsule right up to today.
Very picturesque. After our visit we took buses back to the Ama Venita as it had sailed further up river to Freudenberg while we were ashore. Glad to be back on board as rain had settled in.
Cruised on again through the many locks on the Main.
Saw our first snow on the ground when on bus. Travelled through farmland - no fences as mostly crops grown here, especially sugar beet. All the villages were made up of farmhouses with their barns.
Lots of wind turbines and solar panels in blocks on the land or on the roofs of the houses and barns. Enjoyed our time walking around in Rothenburg - a lovely old walled town with half-timbered medieval buildings and great views over the river valley.
One of the food delicacies in Rothenburg is snowballs - balls made of pastry and covered in chocolate and coconut - very dry and tough to eat! Franconian wine from this area is bottled in bottles similar in shape to Mateus Rose. 
Back to the ship and then free time in the afternoon to wander into Wurzburg for a look around. Bob suffering with severe chill and crawled into bed to warm up and sleep for a few hours.
Sailed late afternoon and headed towards Bamberg. Spent the morning of 10th cruising the Main. Treated to a "Fruhschoppen" mid morning. A Bavarian tradition of an alcoholic drink in company before midday and can include food such as sausage, sweet mustard and pretzels - apparently a Sunday treat after church! A bleak, cold day and not pleasant to be out on deck. 
Docked early afternoon at the UNESCO world heritage town of Bamberg - boarded buses for short trip to edge of town and did 1.5 hour walking tour in the rain along cobbled streets. Again another beautifully restored town with River Regnitz running through and St Peter and St George Cathedral on one hill and St Michael's Monastery on another. The brew of the town is Rauchbier, a smoked beer - very different taste! We had 2 hours of free time after the tour, which was too long as it was cold, wet and getting dark - all glad to get back on buses and then boat at 5.30pm.
We entered into the Main-Danube Canal. The construction of this canal has allowed ships to sail from the North Sea to the Black Sea.
On a cold and wet morning we docked in Nuremburg and went for an historical tour of the city ending up at the castle (built in 11th century) on the hill and walking down into the town centre. Nuremberg was virtually destroyed during WW2 and was rebuilt in its original style.
Our first stop was at the Zepplin Fields where the Nazi Rallies were held (now a motor racing track) and then toured around past many old Nazi buildings and the courthouse where the Nuremberg trials were held, had a good view of the city walls and then toured the castle.
Installation was well underway for the Christmas Market in the main square - will be visiting in 2 weeks or so. Had a coffee to warm up and then met in the square to watch the clochinspiel perform at midday before heading back to the ship.
Sailed on through the largest locks of the trip - up to 25m - across the continental divide at 406 metres above sea level and then downhill to the Danube. An afternoon cruising and then a Bavarian style dinner with entertainment later. 
Saturday 12th saw us in Regensburg on the Danube - another old and well preserved medieval town that was barely harmed during WW2. We docked very close to the town centre and did a walking tour.
Again a wonderful history with a Romanesque bridge over the river and the oldest bratwurst kitchen in the world alongside. Tour ended up at the Gothic cathedral and we made our way back at our leisure.
We stopped in at the bratwurst kitchen and sampled their special sausages with sweet mustard and sauerkraut in a very small dining area.
Another afternoon of cruising and our last full day in Germany.
On Sunday we had an early start and went by bus to Passau Railway Station where we boarded the Majestic Imperator for our day trip to Salzburg and then to Linz to meet up with the Ama Venita once again.
The Majestic Imperator is a replica of the train that was used by the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. 
All the carriages are elaborately fitted out with amazing furnishings. We were treated with bubbles, wine, beer, coffee and cake in the morning going to Salzburg and then had canapes with bubbles on the way to Linz with musical entertainment.
We did a short tour of Salzburg by bus before getting into the city centre and began a walking tour through the weall alleys and squares ending up at the University Square and then free time until 3.30pm. We then walked over the Salzach River to the Mirabell Gardens and back onto the bus. 
It was a cold day and not too pleasant to be walking around too much and we found a lovely cafe and had goulash soup to warm up. Did spend sometime wandering around the small streets window shopping and looking around some of the Christmas market stalls that had been set up. A long, but very enjoyable day that ended when we joined the ship at Linz around 7pm.
Monday 14th we visited Melk and did the tour of the Benedictine monastery that was formed in 1089. Originally it was the residence of the Babenberg family. The Baroque buildings have been extensively renovated and Stift Melk is a real highlight. There is a high school for 900 pupils in the monastery also. 
We were unable to take photos inside due to strict security and it was a real shame when we came to the beautiful church which was being decorated for harvest festival. Great views from the exterior over the countryside.
We walked down into the small town afterwards and then strolled back alongside the river to the ship. After lunch we cruised along the Wachau Valley with its castles and vines - not as spectacular as the Rhine and also very cold outside (rugged up in blankets) to stay too long to enjoy the views. 
Late in the afternoon we stopped at the small town of Durnstein with its blue baroque church spire alongside the river and the ruins of the castle up on the hill where Richard the Lionhearted was imprisoned during the time of the crusades. The Wachau Valley is well known for its apricots and the Wachau apricot gained EU protection in 1996.
Arrived in Vienna early Tuesday morning and the ship docked quite some distance from downtown. We did a city tour in the morning - firstly by bus and then by foot. Another very cold day with quite a bitter wind. Was lovely to be in Vienna again with its magnificent buildings. The tour ended up at the cathedral and we had free time from there before walking back to the bus and then to the ship for lunch.
Opted to have a relaxing afternoon on board as we will be back next week and far too cold to be wandering about using public transport!
In the evening we went to the Liechtenstein City Palace for a private concert in one of the ballrooms. The was built between 1692 and 1705 by an Italian and a Swiss architect. It is very baroque in style along with rich rococo revival interiors. Restoration was completed in 2013 at the cost of 10 million Euro and is certainly magnificent. We had bubbles in an ante room and then moved to the ballroom for the concert which consisted of Mozart and Strauss music. A wonderful evening and very grand surroundings. Back to the ship for a late dessert of strudel to finish off the evening.
Stayed in Vienna overnight and the next day we took up the option of going to Bratislava in Slovakia. Unfortunately it was a wet day and again rather cold - there had been snow 2 days before. 
Was very interesting though visiting a city with its very Soviet style buildings and then the wonderful old town with its cobbled streets that had been preserved. We went to the castle where we got views of the city through the misty rain. There is a very young population here and the city is really alive after getting freedom from the Soviets in 1989. We had free time for lunch in the many restaurants that line the narrow streets of the old town and then wandered around for a while - not all that pleasant in the rain though.Headed back to Vienna and the Ama Venita. A disembarkation briefing and then Captain's Farewell Cocktail in the lounge - bubbles and canapes followed by the Farewell Dinner.
Thursday 17th is last full day on the ship. We docked at Vac, north of Budapest and people went on an excursion to a horse farm and then did the bus tour of Budapest from there.
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| One of the animals made from towels in cabin |
We opted to stay on board the ship and sail into Budapest - arriving just before lunch. In the afternoon we went for a walk along the river to the Liberty Bridge, the Central Market and along Vaci Street - the area where we stayed when in Budapest 3 years ago. A very relaxing afternoon which was concluded by getting our packing done. 
Before dinner we had a Hungarian Folklore Show which was very enjoyable. Typical gypsy music with lively dancing.
After dinner we cruised on the ship to see the city of Budapest lit up at night. A wonderful sight with all the lights on the buildings and bridges.
Our cruise on the AmaVenita covered 1811 kilometres along the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, Rhine/Waal to Mainz, the River Main, the Main-Danube Canal and finally the Danube. All up we passed through 66 locks on the journey.
As must be all things come to an end and Friday 18th is the end of the cruise. We all had to vacate our cabins by 9am with bags outside - some had left earlier in the morning to various destinations. We arranged to go by taxi at 2.30pm to our hotel as could not check in before. Went for a walk around town for a while, but mostly relaxed on board. Guests began arriving for next cruise that began with check in at 3pm - all Chinese.
Checked into the Zenit Hotel which is in a very handy position for all that we want to see during this stay in Budapest.
Will finish here at the end of the cruise which was very enjoyable despite the cold and wet that we experienced at various stages along the way. The towns and cities we visited were all very interesting and full of history. We enjoyed the scenic cruising along parts of the Rhine and Danube with the castles and autumn colours in the vines and trees. All up we have had an enjoyable time.
