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.
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.
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 2025
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 you to join our incredible cruise on the Douro with a Latin Touch, featuring bilingual cruise managers, daily tours with Spanish-speaking guides, Latin-inspired music nights and other distinctive elements.
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!"
AmaWaterways’ Co-owner and Senior Vice President of Sales, Gary Murphy, shares his thoughts on family and why our Christmas Markets cruises in Europe are his top choice for families.
I love traveling with my family and some of my most cherished memories have been on our Christmas Markets cruises. Whether you travel on Europe’s Rhine River or the Danube, there’s something BEYOND special about being in Europe during this season. The settings are unbelievable, including some located in front of amazing palaces, such as Vienna’s Schönbrunn and Belvedere, and Salzburg’s Hellbrunn. You’ll always find unique handcrafted ornaments, but for me, I love tasting the local specialties the most. My personal favorites are the crispy German pork rinds, sausages with different kinds of mustard and the hot spiced wines. There could be 15 different places selling spiced wines with three or four different choices, all home recipes, and each vendor has its own unique mug that you can keep.
These cruises are great for families, especially if you have children in their early teens and up, because AmaWaterways often offers up to five different activities in each port. You can choose your own excursions and reunite at meals to share your experiences. The holiday spirit is brought to life on board and ashore, and the stress that sometimes comes with planning multigenerational gatherings melts away.
Experience the Markets as a Local
I have a vision etched in my mind of the Christmas Market in Linz, Austria. My wife and I were just enjoying the moment with a hot spiced wine. It was snowing, and as the snowflakes fell, we watched an Austrian family leaving the market. Two of their children were sitting on a toboggan, holding onto a Christmas tree and dragging it behind them. That’s what’s so great about these markets. They’re really set up for the locals, so when you go, you don’t feel like a tourist at all. You feel like just another local coming on your annual holiday adventure. And it’s incredibly humbling to experience the season the way it has been experienced in Europe for so long.
Create a New Collection of Treasures
All the markets AmaWaterways visits are memorable. Like many of our guests, I particularly love the many markets of Vienna. But this past year, the Budapest market held at Vörösmarty Square holds a special place in my heart.
My wife Daphne loves collecting Christmas ornaments and has been doing so over the course of our 27 years together. However, our entire collection of ornaments was destroyed in a fire in 2018. While I strolled through Budapest’s market stalls browsing the local handicrafts, I came across a young couple who had spent much of their year making porcelain ornaments. Each was a little bearded man with a red hat, no more than two inches tall. I bought as many as I could, walked back to an ATM, and bought even more. That Christmas, in 2018, Daphne and I didn’t buy a traditional Christmas tree. Instead, we got a simple illuminated one from Costco. We hung the red ornaments all over it and it was beautiful – the beginning of our new collection.
Sharing Quality Time Together
Our ships are always beautifully appointed, but during the Christmas season, they really sparkle with garlands, wreaths and a stunning Christmas tree, so you’re in the holiday spirit from the moment you step on board. You let bygones go and everyone just enjoys sharing time together.
There are holiday menus with regional European specialties and traditional favorites, tree trimmings and games, but the very best activity on board is conversation with your family – or with your newfound AmaWaterways family.
Gary’s Top 3 Christmas Markets Tips
Whether you’re traveling solo or with every generation of your family, we hope to welcome you aboard as part of our AmaFamily on one of our magical Christmas Markets river cruises through Europe in 2024 or 2025!