What made you decide to choose AmaWaterways the first time you cruised?
Kathy: It was on our bucket list to go on a river cruise. I called a gal I used to work with and she said she wouldn’t book anyone on any other line but AmaWaterways.

Tell us how you spent your days aboard AmaLea during your most recent sailing.
Garry: Due to my Parkinson’s and lack of balance, I can’t go on the long hikes ashore. I just told Kathy to do any excursions she wanted because I didn’t want to hold her back. I read a lot on the Sun Deck and would go down to the fitness center. I also just cruised around and talked to the crew, went into the Main Lounge and kept myself busy.

Kathy: Our first night at dinner I met these two gals and I just became “a mosquito on their back” the whole time. We went on tours together and had a ball! At night I was dancing around with new friends.

How did Captain Pat make you feel welcome on board?
Garry: Every time you saw him, he had a big old smile on his face.

Kathy: I approached Captain Pat to tell him Garry was a boat captain as well and would be spending a lot of time on board. He assured me that my captain would be extended a bridge tour, and the bridge would be lowered down to him and his two walking sticks. Garry got to spend time up there where the two of them exchanged sea stories. Garry reported that the bridge is state of the art with the best equipment. He really enjoyed the hospitality.

Garry, tell us from a Captain’s viewpoint: What do you think of our ships – and especially AmaLea’s bridge?
Garry: During our first river cruise, AmaKristina was just four trips into her service on the Rhine River and she was like a diamond. The craftsmanship and materials were first class. I was amazed at the stainless steel metalwork and the hydraulics. I went around with my mouth hanging open. On AmaLea during our most recent cruise, the bridge looked brand new. It’s very modern and the installation was tremendous. There wasn’t a speck of dirt, chips or cookies – it was just spotless, like an operating room at a hospital. You could tell whoever had been up there is very proud of it.

What surprised you the most about AmaLea’s crew?
Garry: The Hotel Manager saw we needed an adapter for my CPAP machine, and she just crawled under the bed and hooked it up for me. And then one day when everyone was on their excursions, I saw the crew carrying trash bags. Even the captain was out there throwing them into the dumpster. I was intrigued. This doesn’t happen in the U.S. – the captain doesn’t handle trash. But he said to me, “We’re a team.” That impressed me. It would be hard to improve on your crew or Captain Pat.

Will you cruise with AmaWaterways again?
Kathy: Word of mouth is the best advertisement, and we recommend AmaWaterways every chance we get. It’s a top-drawer operation!

Did You Know? A limited number of Nordic walking sticks and shower stools are available on board upon request.