Adventures by Disney: River Cruise

The Fairy Tale Choice: Why We Chose an Adventures by Disney River Cruise

Guest Post by: Jenny Crawford

It’s 2018 and I’m sitting in my cubicle, with the hum of office chatter fading into the background. Despite the numerous emails waiting for my attention, I found myself drifting into a daydream. Our 30th wedding anniversary was approaching, and I was dreaming of an epic way to celebrate. As I surfed the internet, an Adventures by Disney Rhine River cruise caught my eye. My favorite travel partner, Disney, was doing European river cruises! I started digging, sailing through castle-studded landscapes? Yes please! Then I looked at the ship, AmaWaterways, AmaMora. It was gorgeous!

@journeyswithjenny

I immediately texted the hubby and told him all about the cruise. Since he loves all things Disney too, it didn’t take too much convincing and we were booked!

Yikes! I Can't Believe I Booked That!

Then came the planning! Do we need to renew passports? Do we need visas to enter any of the destinations? What kind of currency does each country use and how much will we need? What kind of trip insurance coverage should we get? It wasn’t the fun part, but necessary.

I did love researching all the destinations and excursions. I couldn’t wait to visit the town that inspired Beauty and the Beast (really?!?). I wanted to show the hubby Heidelberg Castle. Towns filled overflowing with post of geraniums and half-timbered buildings and cathedrals! All the things that make central Europe charming.

Now I was getting obnoxiously excited!

All Aboard!

We arrived in Basel, Switzerland, where we would board the ship and it was magical. But all we could think about was boarding the stunning AmaMora! Finally, we boarded and were greeted by the Adventure Guides, with ‘Welcome Aboard’ celebration in the Lounge. Settling in with snacks and champagne, little did we know that the lounge would be our hub for the coming week and that our adventure was just beginning.

Every day offered at least two activities or excursions, yet the pace never made us feel rushed or overwhelmed. It’s difficult to really pin down favorites, but some things really stand out in my memory.

After breakfast, everyone gathered in the lounge for an engaging orientation session. The Adventure Guides outlined the day’s events, providing additional details to the itinerary. This allowed for last-minute changes to excursions if anyone wished or needed to make changes.

Evenings before dinner, there was a daily wrap up and celebrations of birthdays and anniversaries. Since we were celebrating our thirtieth wedding anniversary, we were serenaded and celebrated! They plopped wedding ears on us and took our picture. Still one of my favorite photos of the trip.

The Rhine River Gems I Can't Stop Talking About:

I chose this sailing was so we could visit Riquewihr, an inspiration for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Amidst cobblestone streets, pots of geraniums, colorful half-timbered buildings, and history at every turn, I found myself falling in love. I loved the al fresco restaurants. I loved the juxtaposition of a brand new car, parked on cobblestones outside a home. I loved the shops jam-packed with untold treasures. (We might have come home with an antique French firehose nozzle, made from brass.) And I might have deliberately worn a skirt so I could spin and sing, “Little town, it’s a quiet village” (My poor hubby!).

More Gems:

Much of this Adventures by Disney river cruise itinerary sailed through Alsace, now part of France and Germany. Alsace was on my travel bucket list because of its charming towns, Riesling wine (which I adore) and it holds a deep connection to my family’s ancestry. We did get to sample some fabulous wines and see beautiful vineyards lining the Rhine.

The most unique sampling we did was in the basement of a hospital, Cave des Hospice de Strasbourg. (The cellar has been there for hundreds of years because families used to pay in wine.) Surrounded by large wooden barrels of wine, we sipped three different wines and munched on kugelhopf, a local baked good. The hospital is also home to the world’s oldest wine, from 1472. It was last served after WWII in 1944. At this point, it’s undrinkable because of the acid level. Which makes me wonder how everyone felt after drinking it in 1944.

My favorite destination was Rudesheim, another quaint town in Alsace and home to Rudesheimer coffee. Made with a sugar cube and brandy, there’s a show that goes with it. After pouring the brandy on the sugar cube and lighting they add coffee, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings. And its served in a unique, handleless cup with tiny red deco on it. Best coffee ever! I even bought one of the coffee cups to bring home.

One Last Port!

The last port was Amsterdam; no more quaint towns, but a bustling city full of quintessentially Dutch buildings lining canals, and bikes everywhere (watch out if you are walking around!).

We got a guided tour of the Rijkesmuseum art museum. The collection included several paintings by the Dutch Masters. These paintings were the highlight for us. Photographs can’t do them justice. There is so much depth, lighting, emotion and humanity that you can’t capture in photo. The hubby was very impressed by them. He said he knew they were paintings but not just paintings. They are so much more!

This Trip Changed My Life!

This was the best vacation the hubby and I have ever been on! It wasn’t the first time we’d traveled overseas, but it definitely was the easiest. Adventures by Disney and AmaWaterways took care of all the details.

When we bought the antique fire nozzle, we had concerns about getting it home. The brass made it very heavy. AmaWaterway’s Cruise Manager was on that excursion with us and offered to have it shipped home for us. When we decided to pack it, he made sure we weighed it and that our luggage wasn’t over weight.

Final Thoughts:

Transportation was included to and from the airports which makes traveling much easier. Making sure I arrive at the airport, or any other destination, on time is stressful for me. The stress is worse when I have to deal with one or two foreign languages! But they literally told us where to go and when. So easy!

@journeyswithjenny I’d love to have you sail with me on AmaWaterway. I’ve secured group rates for the first 5 cabins booked through June 30, 2023. Message me for more info! #mainstreetmagic #jennysmainstreetmagic #amawaterways #rhinebeckflorist ♬ original sound - Jenny’s Main Street Magic

I also loved the all-inclusive nature of the trip. We didn’t have to worry about paying more for excursions, adult beverages, food, transportation!

But the best thing was the people. Ama’s staff was incredible, from the Cruise Manager, who became our friend, to the server we were delighted to see again on our Danube cruise. (And who remembered us!) Disney’s Adventure Guides were amazing, with kids, with adults, handling everything with a smile, joke and a great attitude. They guided us, they served us, they educated us and they became our friends. And of course, the other passengers! It was great to get to know them and hear about their days and what they enjoyed!

My "Fun" Job!

On my Adventures by Disney river cruise trip I was lucky enough to meet Amy, who owns Main Street Magic, LLC. As a travel agent, she gets to travel a lot as part of her job. WOW! In love travel and once I got home, I couldn’t stop thinking about being a travel agent. So I reached out to Amy and she made my dream come true.

I finally had a “fun job”! For decades I worked for a major bank, which was not a dream job. I always joked with my hubby that I wanted a “fun job”. He always had “fun jobs” like firefighter and pilot. (Yes, he’s both.) Working as a travel agent has been my dream-come-true “fun” job! And I still love it!