Cruising The Danube On AmaWaterways’ AmaSonata

Cruising the Danube on AmaWaterways’ AmaSonata

By Gwen Pratesi

Grand European cities, castles nestled in hillsides overlooking the river, terraced vineyards as far as the eye can see, and a medieval town that could be the setting of a fairytale.

These were the scenes from my weeklong journey along the Danube River traveling to six countries from Budapest to Vilshoven, Germany on AmaWaterway’s AmaSonata.

The 162-pax AmaSonata in Budapest. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

A Familiar Journey Along the Danube

The Danube, the second longest river in Europe after the Volga, stretches 1,770 miles through 10 countries from Germany’s Black Forest to the Black Sea.

While it was my first time traveling through this part of Central Europe by river boat, it was not my first time visiting several of these destinations. In 2006, I planned a two-week land tour for my husband and me from Budapest to Prague, opting out of a river cruise with a similar itinerary.

Buda Castle in Budapest. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

With the land tour we spent extended time in Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg, and Prague, and visited the castles of Bavaria’s eccentric King Ludwig II (known as Mad King Ludwig), including Neuschwanstein, the most famous of his palaces that’s picturesquely situated at the foothills of the Germany Alps. Neuschwanstein was also the inspiration for Walt Disney World’s Cinderella Castle.

In addition, we toured his boyhood home of Hohenschwangau, took a boat across the Chiemsee lake to visit Herrenchiemsee, and wandered the gardens and interior of Linderhof Palace in the village of Ettal in the southwest part of Bavaria.

As you can imagine, it was quite the journey involving planes, trains, and automobiles — and a boat. Our time in Germany ended in Munich on the first day of Oktoberfest, September 16, 2006, before we took the train to Prague the next morning.

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A New Journey – Cruising the Danube on AmaWaterways from Budapest to Vilshofen

Seventeen years later, my river cruise with AmaWaterways also ended in Munich on September 16, after taking the early morning motorcoach ride from Vilshofen to the Munich airport.

However, it was a different journey this time with a few new destinations, such as the towns of Linz, Austria and Passau, Germany — and I added a new city and country to my push pin travel map with our stop in Bratislava, Slovakia. This city, once under communist rule — and at one time a ghost town — now has a bustling Old Town with colorful medieval buildings, streets lined with boutiques, and outdoor cafés filled with residents and tourists .

Old Town in Bratislava. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

The biggest surprise of all was the magical walled medieval town I had heard about many years ago, but had not visited until now, Český Krumlov in the Czech Republic. The full day excursion involved crossing over a former communist era checkpoint at the border between Austria and the Czech Republic and a moving commentary by our guide on what life was like during the Soviet communist regime.

Český Krumlov on a Danube River cruise with AmaWaterways

Český Krumlov. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

Our River Boat AmaSonata

AmaSonata was christened in Vilshofen, Germany in July 2014 by godmother Brenda Kyllo, who became the company’s vice president of strategic alliances in April 2016. Kyllo was on our sailing along the Danube.

When I mentioned to her that the ship looked almost new, she explained that all of AmaWaterways’ ships are refreshed every season during the months they are out of service, and it shows.

The ship looked like new, including the Bar and Lounge on AmaSonata. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

The beautiful 443-foot-long vessel carries a maximum of 162 passengers and features an inviting bar and lounge area and plenty of outdoor spaces, especially on the sun deck where you’ll find a heated pool and cozy seating to view the scenery along the river.

Lounging Area in the Sun Deck, in Budapest. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

chess board and heated pool on the Sun Deck of ?AmaSonata

The chess board and heated pool on the Sun Deck. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

There’s a small fitness room, and yoga and other exercise classes are offered daily with the onboard wellness host.

The lounge on AmaWaterways’ AmaSonata. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

AmaSonata also carries its own set of bikes for its active excursions and for use by guests who prefer to set off and explore on their own. A small gift shop located next to the reception desk offers an interesting collection of jewelry and other souvenir items.

The main restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For late or early risers, a light bistro breakfast is available in the lounge. A light lunch and afternoon tea is also served in the lounge. Coffee and tea are available throughout the day.

The meals on board the ship, prepared by executive chef Kaloyan Mitev and his team, were outstanding. Inspired by the regions we visited and paired with different local wines every evening, the cuisine was a real treat.

Oven roasted turkey breast on a AmaWaterways Danube Cruise

Oven Roasted Turkey Breast and Leg with Barolo Jus. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

Viennese Boiled Beef aboard AmaSonata. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

Sacher Torte. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

AmaWaterways is a member of the International Association of Gastronomy, La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, so one evening there was also a special Chaîne des Rôtisseurs menu.

In addition, the Chef’s Table Restaurant is a must one night during the cruise, offering a specially prepared tasting menu in an intimate dining room at the back (or stern) of the ship on the Violin Deck.

One of the Private DIning Rooms in the Main Restaurant of AmaSonata

One of the Private Dining Rooms in the Main Restaurant. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

Nightly entertainment included traditional Hungarian music and dancing, an evening inspired by the “Sounds of Austria,” and other destination focused music. There’s also a resident musician that plays piano in the lounge.

My stateroom on the Cello Deck (#210, category AB) was very comfortable at 235 square feet and featured both a French and outside balcony. (Most staterooms on the ship have double balconies.)

There was a small seating area and a desk with a cabinet beneath on one side and a small refrigerator on the other. The double closet had generous hanging space, and plush robes and slippers were provided. Drawer space was limited in the cabin, but there are shelves in the closet beneath the in-room safe.

The marble bathroom (which has a window looking into the stateroom) was spacious with plenty of shelf and counter area to store toiletries. I also appreciated the multi-jet showerheads in the glass-enclosed shower.

VIDEO: Gwen gives us a video tour of her cabin below.

Our captain and crew were engaging and friendly, especially the cruise director Cesario. My husband and I sailed on AmaWaterways’ AmaLegro from Paris to Normandy in the spring of 2014 and we had the same experience with an attentive and outgoing crew, excellent service, and a very enjoyable onboard dining experience.

One of my favorite waiters – Igor. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

Fellow cruisers ranged in age from the 20s (kids traveling with their families) to passengers in their 70s, with the average age in the 50s and 60s. Many older adults were very fit opting for the active excursions. Kyllo told me that the addition of the active excursions to the line’s offerings has attracted a younger demographic.

Facts Sidebar

Itinerary

Day 1: Embarkation in Budapest, Hungary (overnight)

Day 2: Budapest

Day 3: Bratislava, Slovakia

Day 4: Vienna, Austria

Day 5: Weissenkirchen, Austria

Scenic cruising

Grein, Austria

Day 6: Linz, Austria

Day 7: Passau, Germany

Vilshofen, Germany

Day 8: Debarkation in Vilshofen

AmaWaterways' Melodies of the Danube map

Melodies of the Danube map. * Image: AmaWaterways

Starting Price: $2,480 per person, double occupancy. Here’s a link to booking info for this itinerary.

Fares Include:

Stateroom accommodations (most with two balconies)
High-speed internet
Entertainment-on-demand in the cabin
Bottled water refreshed daily
All onboard dining (including the Chef’s Table specialty restaurant) and non-alcoholic beverages
Unlimited fine wines, beer, and soft drinks at lunch and dinner
Unlimited sparkling wine and fresh juice at breakfast
Sip & Sail Cocktail Hour with complimentary wine, beer, spirits, and soft drinks
Immersive tours in every destination
Wellness activities on the ship and ashore
Snacks and tapas served throughout the day in the lounge

Getting There

Traveling to Budapest required three flights. I flew from Jacksonville, Florida to Atlanta, then Atlanta to Paris, and finally, Paris to Budapest on Delta.

On the return flights home, most of us departed from the airport in Munich, which is a nearly two-hour drive from Vilshofen. A small group of us traveled by a large motor coach that departed about 6 a.m. from the ship.

Tips for Cruising the Danube on AmaWaterways

According to our captain, who has sailed for many years on the Danube, water levels are not typically a problem for the river cruises as they are controlled by a series of locks. While there was a situation with unprecedented low water levels during Europe’s drought in the summer of 2022, it is extremely rare.

Weather

Our trip in early September was quite warm, but it’s been hot everywhere this year. We had very warm temperatures in Budapest and Bratislava with highs in the upper 80s. It cooled down into the 70s by the time we were in Austria and Germany; we only had one day of light drizzle. It did rain significantly one evening while we were on the ship, but it never affected our time ashore. The weather was near perfect for the entire cruise.

Fall and spring are my preferred seasons to travel to Europe. There are fewer tourists and generally, the temperatures are cooler.

One Quick Note

Don’t expect to see the “Blue Danube” from the ship or ashore.

The Danube River is a muddy greenish-brown due to several factors, including the damming of the tributaries, construction of power plants along the river, drainage of the floodplains and economic growth.

In addition, the river is constantly churning sediment, which also impacts the color.

Excursions On My Danube River Cruise

AmaWaterways features three types of included excursions: gentle, regular, and active — depending on your stamina and physical condition.

Some of the tours combine the gentle and regular participants as they go at about the same pace with a walking and/or combined van or motorcoach tour. Active excursions are typically biking and hiking tours that are more challenging.

We also had one optional evening excursion (an additional cost) to attend the Mozart & Strauss Concert presented by the Hofburg Orchestra at Hofburg Palace in Vienna.

If you’ve sailed on a river cruise before, you know how busy the days can be.

There are no sea days like you’ll find on ocean going vessels, although you may have an afternoon of scenic cruising between destinations.

If you don’t want to miss anything, plan to be off the ship in the mornings and afternoons on most days, whether on one of the planned excursions or off exploring on your own.

The Danube’s Wachau Valley

In addition to the beautiful European capital cities and enchanting villages and scenery along the Danube, another highlight of a Danube River cruise is the opportunity to sample the local wines.

The Wachau Valley, Austria’s most renowned wine region, sits along the Danube between the towns of Krems and Melk in Lower Austria.

Here, the landscape is dotted with picturesque ancient villages, monasteries, abbeys, churches, and castle remains, including those of Dürnstein Castle.

Dürnstein Castle on a Danube River cruise.

Dürnstein Castle. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

Then, there are the terraced vineyards and dry, stone walls that date back to the Middle Ages and blanket the steep hillsides along the river. As a (Districtus Austriae Controllatus), which is the Austrian term for an origin-controlled quality wine, the distinction is similar to the AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in the U.S. which identify a specific geographic or climatic feature of where the wine grapes are grown.

While our sailing was not a wine-themed cruise, we sampled wines produced in regions from Hungary, Austria, and Germany at dinner every evening (depending on where we were sailing).

In the charming town of Dürnstein, Austria I opted for the wine tasting tour where we greeted by the winemaker of Weingut Böhmer, Leopold Böhmer, at Dürnstein Abbey.

Cruising the Danube on AmaWaterways and enjoying wine tasting

Wine tasting at Dürnstein Abbey. * Photo: Gwen Pratesi

During our time at the abbey, we were treated to a bit of his quirky wit, along with a tasting of three of his wines: two versions of Grüner Veltliner, the Federspiel (very light and crisp) and Smaragd (full bodied with more character); and Zweigelt, an interesting red wine that had notes of ripe currants and chocolate.

I purchased a bottle of the Smaragd Grüner Veltliner to remember my journey along the Danube journey over dinner one evening at home.

VIDEO: Have a look at the lovely Wachau Valley as seen while cruising the Danube River aboard the AmaSonata.

AmaWaterways Danube River Cruise Final Conclusion

On our last evening in Vilshofen, the town hosted a private Oktoberfest celebration for our ship, which was a fun touch, especially since the big event was just beginning in Munich. It was a festive way to end the trip with traditional music and dancing, Bavarian pretzels, and of course, lots of German beer.

From the beguiling beauty of Budapest and the grandeur of Vienna’s palaces to the charming storybook villages set among the terraced vineyards — along with outstanding wines and cuisine — a river cruise along the Danube should be at the top of your travel wish list.