AmaWaterways wine cruises add a unique epicurean dimension to a variety of itineraries at no additional cost. Join one of these wine cruises with a special wine host and be treated to a menu of exclusive wine and culinary experiences designed to delve deeper into the wonderful flavors and tastes of Europe.
European cities transform into majestic winter wonderlands for the holiday season – and we invite you to experience all their splendor with us. In addition to our variety of daily excursions, you will also have the opportunity to visit festive Christmas Markets in select destinations and participate in nostalgic traditions.
Maximize your Christmas experience by embarking at the height of the holiday market season with daily or near-daily visits to Christmas Markets.
Get "just a taste" of the holidays in mid-November or late December with visits to one or two Christmas Markets during your river cruise.
We are pleased to offer guests the opportunity to experience Floriade in 2022 while sailing along the Rhine River and Dutch and Belgian Waterways between April 14 and October 9. Right outside Amsterdam, this rare experience calls for its visitors to “explore, touch and change” as part of their journey into Floriade – which is set to feature stunning gardens, innovative sustainable gardening exhibits, live entertainment, talk shows, souvenirs and food stalls.
We invite you to join our incredible cruise on the Rhône with a Latin Touch, featuring bilingual cruise managers, daily tours with Spanish-speaking guides, Latin-inspired music nights and other distinctive elements.
Explore the rich history of classical music along the Danube River where famous composers lived, worked and performed. Plus, be treated to a variety of live performances on this melodious journey.
Based on the overwhelmingly positive response received from the announcement of our first-ever “Soulful Experience” on the Rhône River in 2023, we are delighted to announce four new opportunities for guests to celebrate their heritage and discover Black history and culture along the rivers with us in 2024.
Join award-winning television host and travel expert, Samantha Brown, Godmother of AmaMagna, as we cruise through four countries along the Danube River. Special events and Travel Talks are included on this exclusive sailing.
Join Chef Joanne Weir, award-winning cookbook author, restaurant owner and host of PBS television series “Plates & Places” as she hosts a special 7-night Flavors of Burgundy river cruise.
We invite you to join our incredible cruise on the Danube with a Latin Touch, featuring bilingual cruise managers, daily tours with Spanish-speaking guides, Latin-inspired music nights and other distinctive elements.
Based on the overwhelmingly positive response received from the announcement of our first-ever “Soulful Experience” on the Rhône River in 2023, we are delighted to announce four new opportunities for guests to celebrate their heritage and discover Black history and culture along the rivers with us in 2025
Explore the rich history of classical and folkloric music along the Danube River where famous composers lived, worked and performed. Plus, be treated to a variety of live performances on this melodious journey.
Countries Visited: Austria, Hungary, Slovakia
Join award-winning television host and travel expert, Samantha Brown, Godmother of AmaMagna, as we cruise through five countries along the Danube River. Special events and Travel Talks are included on this exclusive sailing.
We invite our loyal past guests to join us once again on these special Loyalty Cruises, offering unique experiences in multiple ports, commemorative gifts, and many more surprises and delights.
Imagine if there was a way to combine luxury river cruising on the iconic Danube with the opportunity to indulge your passion and play golf. We have created the perfect package to enable you to do just that with our Exclusive Concierge Golf Program. Discover Europe, complete with award winning cuisine, incredible service and a choice of excursions in every port, as well as up to 5 rounds of golf at some of the leading championship courses on the continent.
AmaWaterways’ Exclusive Concierge Golf Program is available on select Magna on the Danube cruises sailing aboard the AmaMagna.
Hello! "I'm Kristin Karst, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of AmaWaterways and I'm passionate about river cruising. Each month, I love to share with you my thoughts, personal stories, travel tips and latest news on the people and places that help turn every mile of our guests' river cruise experience into one of their most cherished memories!"
Visit Porto, one of the wine capitals of the world, on our Enticing Douro and Flavors of Portugal & Spain itineraries.
What is Port?
Produced exclusively in the rugged Douro valley of northern Portugal, port is a sweet, fortified wine that is often served with dessert (which only makes it more delicious) or perhaps paired with rich cheese. Typically a red wine, white ports are gaining in popularity as excellent white wines are also produced in Portugal.
The history of Port wine is rather delicious in and of itself -- and the perfect taste of knowledge to pair with your Port wine know-how. Did you know that the traditional Portuguese Rabelo boats (a few of which can usually be spotted below Porto’s famed Luis I bridge) once transported wine down the river. Or that Portugal – while the only country to produce Port wine -- could easily give France or, in particular Britain, credit in helping to establish these delicious vintages. When England was at war with the French in the 17th and 18th centuries, levying high taxes on wines from Bordeaux – the British turned to nearby Portugal. Apparently, war is no time for Prohibition! Port wine – which derives its name from Portugal’s second largest city, Porto – became popular not only throughout the British Isles but also its many colonies. Especially in America.
A Range of Flavors
Port wines are beloved for their wide variety. Wine enthusiast Henry Vizetelly once colorfully wrote that “there are as many styles of Port wine as shades of ribbon in a haberdasher’s shop.” Indeed, this breadth of choice is part of the fun of experiencing Portugal’s many flavors. From youthful Ruby Port to aged Tawnies and distinguished Vintage Ports – the signature Portuguese drink features incomparable richness, complexities and strong aromas, a long finish -- on both the nose and the palate, and a high level of alcohol content (generally between 19 and 22% by volume).
The Port Process
Brandy fortifies Port wines before fermentation (unlike other vintages), capturing their fruit nuances and higher sugar and alcohol levels. Port is then pumped into large oak casks for roughly a year and a half of aging before being blended with other Port wines and then either transferred back to casks or over to bottles for further aging. Intense tannins and fruity flavors merge into a bolder velvety flavor, a blend in varying degrees (depending on the style of Port) of raspberry, blackberry, black currants, caramel, chocolate, butterscotch, caramel and nuts.
Wood-aged Ports are younger wines, their age sped up by contact with the air. Bottle-aged wines, in contrast, have almost no contact with the air and thus, take many more years to fully evolve. Vintage wines are typically best enjoyed 20-40 years after bottled. With wine, patience is an always-rewarded virtue!
Cheers to that!
Taste the best of Portugal's wine culture with a glass of Port wine during our Enticing Douro and Flavors of Portugal & Spain sailings.