Zandra P. and her husband John were loyal ocean cruisers for decades when they decided the mammoth sea-faring ships were growing far too large for their tastes. After joining a group to follow their dream of attending Oberammergau in Germany as part of a custom Melodies of the Danube river cruise with AmaWaterways, Zandra said, “We just loved it so much. Why wouldn’t we stay with the same river cruise line?” 

Benefits Matter 

A member of several travel loyalty programs, Zandra admitted the first thing she did before planning her next vacation was review AmaWaterways’ Loyalty Benefits for past guests. That’s when she came across our Loyalty Appreciation Cruises. These special sailings include exclusive offers, experiences and excursion enhancements that show our appreciation for the guests who have become esteemed members of our AmaWaterways family. 

With more than 30 unique AmaWaterways itineraries in Europe and nuances to sailings operated on the same river, Zandra was grateful the smaller selection of Loyalty Cruises helped her “whittle down” one to reserve. She was also elated at how affordable her Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps Loyalty Cruise was when she and John were able to apply our $1,000 per person cruise savings (one of three offers always available on these special sailings). “And with the Loyalty Benefits,” she said, “there’s so many perks AmaWaterways let us combine.” 

Surprise! 

We always try to surprise and delight our guests during their river cruises and although it was unplanned, Zandra was thrilled to be welcomed on board AmaSerena by our wonderful Cruise Manager Miriam, whom she and her husband had traveled with on their first AmaWaterways sailing. “That was a fun surprise,” Zandra recalled. “Having Miriam for the second time made it feel like a homecoming week.”  

Bite-Sized Enhancements 

In addition to a very special AmaFamily Reunion cocktail event honoring the guests who have logged the highest number of cruises (14 on Zandra’s sailing), our Loyalty Cruises include enhancements that are not regularly offered on our excursions. During her Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps cruise, Zandra explained, “Our tour guide would run off and come back with a treat for us. There were little cheese plates, a special cookie in Strasbourg, donuts in one place, pretzels in another. It was nice to get those extras along the way."

Service From Stem to Stern  

Prior to cruising with AmaWaterways, Zandra had heard repeatedly from friends who had embarked with multiple river cruise lines about AmaWaterways’ friendly crew and superior service. But once she experienced it for herself, she was hooked. “We love the smaller atmosphere,” she said. “The crew get to know your names so fast and make you feel like the king and queen.” 

Zandra was also quick to point out the rarity of how AmaWaterways’ officers and crew unite as one to complete what could easily be stressful or overwhelming tasks, such as restocking the ship, which she and John witnessed as they disembarked. “Watching them work together, no sour faces…. We just sat there in amazement,” she said. “Captain Eddie even carried my luggage off the ship and was so personable. That level of service is incredible.” 

Camaraderie and Reassurance 

Impressed by its nearly 28,000 members, Zandra also praised the AmaWaterways Loyal Guests Facebook Group, sharing that it has given her “a lot of wonderful information and insider tips” as she considers and plans for upcoming journeys, such as the Gems of Southeast Europe Loyalty Cruise she and John have reserved later this year. She also appreciates the positive feedback that is shared in posts and comments. “It’s nice to know there is such strong loyalty,” she said, “because we’re still somewhat new to AmaWaterways. It’s not just us!” 

We are continuing to investigate new enhancements to our Loyalty Cruises to keep our past guests on their toes – just wait until you see what is in store on our Loyalty Cruises this year!