Part of any experience to Europe involves wine. Even for those who don’t drink wine, it is always a treat to visit the estate wineries while on a river cruise.
For some, the wine experience is as important as the cultural and historical sites when they visit Europe. Luckily, there are more and more options for those who want to immerse themselves in the grapes when on a river cruise.
AMA Waterways has set itself apart in this regard. They offer several wine-themed cruises every year in all different parts of Europe. In both 2020 and 2021, they have wine-themed itineraries in these areas:
• Bordeaux – in Southwest France
• Seine River – between Paris and the Normandy coast
• Provence – in Eastern France between Lyon and Avignon
• Douro – in Portugal and Spain
• Danube – between Bavaria and Budapest
• Rhine – between Amsterdam and Basel, Switzerland
A wine-themed cruise includes a number of trips to wineries along the route, as well wine tastings and lectures on board the ship that are all INCLUDED in your fare.
A wine expert – usually a winery owner or sommelier – sails with you for the entire cruise acting as your host and wine expert.
If you’re anything like me, you probably like wine (in my case a lot) but might not be particularly expert at any aspect of the wine industry. I don’t really feel the need to become a collector or true connoisseur of wine, but I do look forward to opportunities to learn more about wine, and to visit the wineries.
Here’s one wine-themed cruise that really caught my eye for later this year: it’s a 1-week cruise on the Rhine with Ama Waterways, departing Basel on November 16, 2020 and finishing 7 days later in Amsterdam.
This is a wine-themed cruise, but it’s even better than that.
Our agency has a host on board, and you’ll be part of a small, exclusive group receiving extra benefits during the cruise. You’ll be invited to a private cocktail reception, and you’ll be included (at no extra charge) in a very special shore experience along the Alsace Wine route in Strasbourg, ONLY for our guests who are part of our exclusive group.
If you’ve ever wanted to join a wine-themed cruise, this is a great time to try it.
Right now, availability on that cruise looks good. Here’s the pricing by cabin type:
• Window rooms: $2199 per person
• French Balcony rooms: $2898 per person
• Veranda rooms: $3698
If those particular dates or the itinerary doesn’t work for you, AMA has plenty of other wine-themed itineraries in 2020 and 2021. Here’s the link:
https://www.amawaterways.com/destination/wine-cruises/2020
The other thing I like about sailing with AMA is their focus on physical activity and wellness (could come in handy if I spend a lot of time at the wine tastings). There are bicycles on board for you to borrow at any time, and they arrange shore excursions on those bikes as well.
They also have a dedicated Wellness Coordinator on board all their ships. This person conducts the more active shore excursions, and also offers classes on yoga, Pilates, or general fitness.
After all, you need to do something to offset all the incredible food and wine!
Planning a Cruise? I’d love to help! Click here to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
