AMAMarcy Archives – All Things Cruise

What are the differences between ocean cruising and river cruising?

November 29, 2011November 29, 2011 by Editor

Okay, what are the differences between ocean cruising and river cruising? The differences are tremendous, but one doesn’t necessarily rule out the other. Consider the entire “cruise” concept includes unpacking once. That’s a great comfort whether on a three-day cruise to the Bahamas, a 100+ day world cruise or a week or two on Europe’s rivers, in the Mekong Delta or soon to come, AMA’s offering on the Zambezi in Africa. Having said that the joy of unpacking …

Our cruise is coming to and end, but let me list the many wonderful things about AMA Waterways

November 29, 2011 by Marcia

We are enroute from Passau, Germany to Vilshofen, also in Germany. The cruise on the Danube is coming to an end. Tomorrow morning a coach will pick us up and take us to Prague, with a stop mid-day at Regensburg, Germany. We will get into Prague around the dinner hour, spend Tuesday and Wednesday in the Czech capital and return home Thursday. It has been a good week, a memorable week. We have made new friends and …

Our Saturday in Linz features a Christmas market

November 27, 2011November 27, 2011 by Marcia

If this is Saturday AMADolce is in Linz, Austria. This third largest Austrian city obviously sits on the Danube. The route into town is lined with international corporations, huge plants and office buildings. In town, a concert hall named for composer Anton Bruckner and a Contemporary Art Museum are just minutes from the dock. This is our last Austrian port and the options included a half-day tour to Salzburg which was optional or a half-day tour to …

Austria: Prettiest part of the Danube thus far

November 27, 2011November 27, 2011 by Editor

On the day after Thanksgiving, as our countrymen were standing on line waiting to buy electronics or sweaters, many of my fellow passengers and I climbed back aboard AMADolce after a brief walking tour of the little (350 people qualifies as “little,” doesn’t it?) town of Durnstein, Austria. It was cold and windy, tiny drops of moisture – not even qualifying as a drizzle – dropped onto our heavy coats. Our faces reddened by the early morning …

A concert in Vienna: A perfect way to enjoy the city

November 29, 2011November 25, 2011 by Marcia

Last night’s concert at Auersperg Palace was the ultimate Viennese experience. Sure the State Opera is a bit more impressive, but if you don’t love opera, these Viennese favorites are just your cup of coffee – and maybe a piece of chocolate cake as well. Mozart and Strauss were performed the Vienna Residence Orchestra at Auersperg Palace in downtown Vienna. The concert was one of AMADolce’s “optional” tours. Tailored for music-lovers, two busloads of passengers spent the …

It is chilly in Vienna, but the AMADolce river ship is a warm home

November 27, 2011November 25, 2011 by Marcia

I cannot begin to tell you how cold it is. As the BBC weather person said this morning. “Western Europe is fairly moderate. It is quite cold in the East.” AMADolce is docked in Vienna. Vienna is pretty far east of where the forecaster was reporting. It is cold. This hot-house flower finds temperature in the 20s unpleasant. And that’s where the temperature hovered as we toured Budapest yesterday morning. A couple of stops for coffee were …

Marcy Levin begins her trip on the AMA Dolce on the Danube River in Europe

July 15, 2015November 21, 2011 by Marcia

A funny thing happened on my way to Budapest to pick up AMA Dolce, the AMAWaterways river ship on which I, along with a lifelong friend, would spend seven days on the Danube, ending with a three-day stay in Prague before flying home on Dec. 1 After flying for nine hours from Miami to London, changing planes, and flying for another two-and-a-half hours to Budapest we met up with other AMA passengers. After introductions, someone told us …