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There are so many decisions to make during an AmaStella cruise: Have breakfast in the lounge or the main dining room? Take a walking tour, go on a hike or bike ride? Red or white? The choices seem endless on this narrow slip of a ship as it sails down the Danube River between Amsterdam and Budapest, and along the Main and Rhine through the Czech Republic, Germany and Netherlands.
AmaStella launched in 2016. Its understated comfort and spaciousness provides a welcoming atmosphere. Staterooms are generous in size; most feature twin balconies and adjoining rooms are available. Features like a spa, hair salon, fitness centre and relatively large gift shop set it apart. There is even a heated swimming pool with a swim-up bar on the Sun Deck.
The staff is very friendly and professional. They take pride in every task and genuinely try to assist in any way they can -- from the captain, cruise manager, hotel manager and chef to the reception desk clerk, wait staff and room stewards.
Three standouts make AmaStella exceptional: stateroom size, fine dining and the number of excursions available. Every stateroom features seating, desks and, for a river ship, spacious bathrooms.
Dining is outstanding. One chef's duty is making all the bread; another chef is in charge of deserts. The kitchen team and excellent wait staff could easily be compared to any fine dining restaurant.
The number of excursions and choices is remarkable. On many days there were morning, afternoon and evening excursions; most included in the cruise base price. At many ports of call, passengers were also offered gentle walkers, walking, hiking and biking choices.
The dress code is casual from jeans, shorts and T-shirts to dress slacks and collared shirts for men; and sundresses, shorts and T-shirts, and dress pants and blouses for women. The “Captain's Farewell” dinner is more formal with suit coats and dresses, but generally this is a casual ship. It is advisable to bring raingear during the summer months and appropriate cold-weather gear for the Christmas Market cruise. Umbrellas are provided for every guest.
There is a full schedule of activities every day. With an impressive range of excursions, informative talks during afternoons of sailing and afternoon and evening entertainment by the piano player, there is never a time during the day when an activity is not taking place. Add to this complimentary in-room movies, television, music and internet access.
Shore Excursions
Daily excursions are included and optional tours are offered. Excursions include coach tours, gentle walkers, walking, hiking and biking. Evening excursions include wine tasting and musical performances.
Optional excursions can be booked before sailing. At the beginning of the cruise a list of excursions is given to each individual. Passengers sign up for each excursion they want to take. The morning of the excursion, they tell the receptionist their tour and are given a colour. The colour coordinates with their guide and/or bus.
Each passenger also has a Quiet Vox headphone system that they carry along on their excursions. By touching their guide's “lollypop,” at the beginning of the excursion, the radio frequency allows them to hear their guide throughout the excursion whether they are near the guide or farther away.
Daytime and Evening Entertainment
Because there are so many excursions (sometimes three in one day), there are few entertainment special events although an excellent piano player is on hand in the lounge during the afternoon and evening to entertain guests.
Enrichment
AmaStella offers few enrichment programs because of the full schedule of shore excursions. The programs that are offered take place in the lounge during the afternoon and evening, including classical and opera music performed by local artists. There are no fees or required reservations. They are expertly presented and well worth attending.
The lounge and bar are located on the Violin Deck and serve as a meeting point for enrichment programs, daily briefings and evening entertainment. The area is bright and cheerful with plenty of seating space arranged in conversational settings. During the evening, before and after dinner, the piano player performs playing a wide range of music and taking requests.
The Sun Deck features an uncovered heated swimming pool with swim-up bar, chessboard set and plenty of awning-covered and uncovered seating.
The reception deck is open 24/7 to help guests with any questions or needs. Complementary Wi-Fi is offered ship wide with computers in every stateroom. A nice-sized library with several books and board games is located just off the lounge. The gift shop, also on the Violin Deck, features high-end costume jewellery as well as souvenirs representing the countries the ship visits. Laundry service is available for a fee.
On the Piano Deck are the spa and fitness centre. The spa offers 30- and 60-minute massages as well as a hair salon. Reservations are required and prices are very reasonable.
The fitness centre is on the Piano Deck. It is spacious for a river cruise ship and offers two treadmills, two stationary bikes, a resistance band machine, weights and an exercise ball. There is a fitness track on the Sun Deck that is available 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Pedal bikes are also available; reservations required.
Dining on the AmaStella is excellent from the breakfast and lunch buffets to gourmet meals served in the evening. At dinner, presentation is superb and portion-size perfect for the four-course meal. Menu selections are clearly marked with allergies, including gluten, and every menu includes at least one vegetarian option.
Main Dining Room (Cello Deck):Meal times are set around daily excursions, but generally breakfast is set from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. The breakfast buffet features an omelette station, on-ship baked breads, fruit, yogurt and hot and cold cereal. Menu items include eggs Benedict and waffles. Lunch usually begins at 1 or 1:30 p.m. and dinner around 7 or 7:30 p.m. Lunch menus are casual with selections such as fish and chips, sandwiches and soup. Dinner is four courses including appetizer, soup, main and dessert. It is open seating with tables ranging in size from four to eight seats. One night you might try the grilled black Angus beef tenderloin with carved vegetables, herb mousseline potato and the next rack of lamb with a lemon-pepper crust, rosemary jus and broccoli, ratatouille and potato gratin. Healthy and local choices are also available.
The Chef's Table (Violin Deck): Every passenger is invited to eat one time at The Chef's Table. The tasting menu features five courses. The same menu is served each night, is prepared by the executive chef and includes delectable offerings such as lamb rack with sweet potato-peach salsa with mint jelly, and aged beef brisket with whiskey sauce and pumpernickel-foie gras. Reservations are required. No additional fee.
Main Lounge & Bar: (Violin Deck):Early risers are offered pastries from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. Late risers are offered pastries from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. (Bread and pastries are made fresh daily on the ship). A light lunch is offered midday. Tea is served late afternoon. At 10:30 p.m. a late-night snack is also served.
There is no room service. The coffee station is available all day.
There are 10 different cabin categories. The two main differences are size (155 to 350 square feet), and river view (balcony or window). The majority of the staterooms offer twin balconies and measure 210 to 235 square feet. Four suites measure 350 square feet.
All staterooms include hotel-style bedding with Egyptian linens, robes and slippers, large wardrobe, full-length mirror, hair dryer, safe and direct-dial telephone. The flat-screen television also works as a computer and features an entertainment on-demand system providing TV, movies and music. The internet and Wi-Fi are accessible in the stateroom and throughout the ship. Complimentary bottled water is replenished daily.
The bathroom includes a shower with a multi-jet showerhead. A magnifying mirror and spa-quality toiletries, including soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion and shower gel, are provided.
There are a limited number of connecting cabins.
River View: River-view cabins are 160 square feet on the Piano Deck. Staterooms have two chairs and a small table.
Twin Balcony: The majority of the staterooms offer twin balconies: two French balconies or a French balcony and outside balcony. Located on the Cello and Violin decks, size ranges from 155 to 235 square feet. Each stateroom has one or two chairs and larger staterooms have a small table. There are two chairs and a table on the balcony.
Suite: The spacious suites are 310 sq. feet on the Violin Deck and feature a French balcony and outside balcony. The living room area features a couch, two chairs and table, and a built-in desk and chair. A slatted wall divides the living room from the bedroom. The spacious bathroom features a bathtub and separate shower. There are two chairs and a small table on the balcony.
