Amadeus Silver River Cruise Review
Our Marketing Executive, Laura, and Cruising Specialist, Jade, recently enjoyed a cruise along the beautiful River Rhine, courtesy of Amadeus River Cruises. Read their exclusive review:
We joined Amadeus Silver part way through the cruise in the beautiful town of Koblenz, which lies at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. The ship was very spacious and light, with a modern contemporary feel. As we checked into reception the crew took our luggage to our cabin which had a panoramic window that extended the full width of the cabin, and automatically lowered to take in the ever-changing vistas. Our cabin had tasteful décor, ample storage space, comfortable beds and an impressive power shower, with features including a flatscreen TV, Wi-Fi access, safe and hairdryer. There are also twelve suites on the ship that feature a private walk-out balcony with seating area.
The food on board was very high quality and mealtimes are very sociable; with an open seating policy we soon got to know our fellow passengers. There was a hot and cold buffet for breakfast and at lunchtime there was the choice between a lighter option in the lounge or a full five course meal in the restaurant. Dinner was always superb, with a particular highlight being the Captain’s Gala Dinner which was a seven-course extravaganza preceded by a Cocktail Reception. Wine, draught beer and soft drinks are included with lunch and dinner and the waiters regularly topped up our glasses throughout the meals! If all this food wasn’t enough there was afternoon tea every day with sandwiches and delicious pastries as well as a late night snack at 10.30pm. In the evening there was the chance to relax in the Panorama Lounge with a drink from the bar and enjoy nightly music from the talented ship musicians the Amadeus Duo. On the final night there was a rousing performance by a local Dutch sea shanty band.
The Panorama Lounge is also the venue for informative talks about upcoming ports, and one afternoon the chef gave an apfelstrudel-making demonstration here followed by a delicious tasting. One morning whilst cruising along the Rhine river we were treated to a traditional German brunch up on the sun deck, where there were sausages, sauerkraut, pretzels and beer to sample. The sun deck was the perfect place to relax on a sun lounger or deck chair whilst watching the stunning scenery glide by. We had lovely weather throughout most of our cruise and spent a lot of time on the sun deck, where there is also a giant chess set and shuffleboard. On a couple of occasions where the weather wasn’t as nice we retired to the lounge where we could still enjoy the views from the huge picture windows, or the Amadeus Club where there is 24-hour complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits. There is the opportunity to indulge in some pampering with a massage or a trip to the hairdressing salon, or work out in the two-storey gym which offers amazing views of the passing scenery.
We enjoyed a scenic cruise along the Moselle river to the medieval town of Cochem. Here, the enchanting cobbled streets and half-timbered houses are dominated by the spectacular Reichsburg Castle, which offers breathtaking views of the surrounding scenery. Back on the Rhine the historic city of Cologne with its impressive Gothic cathedral was the next stop, and here we took a trip through the Old Town on the mini-train then crossed the river on an exciting cable car ride – not for the faint-hearted, although it did offer incredible views of the city and the cathedral!
The next day we joined the North Holland and Amsterdam excursion. A luxurious coach whisked us through the Dutch countryside, past traditional windmills to the old fishing village of Volendam. Our Quietvox headsets meant that we could always hear our guide whilst walking past the pretty canals and along the beautiful waterfront. We also visited a local cheese farm where we found out how Dutch cheese is made, then sampled around thirty different cheeses! The highlight of this excursion was the glass-topped canal boat tour through Amsterdam where we passed famous landmarks such as the Anne Frank House, and learnt about the city’s history and culture. Sadly this was our last full day and the next morning we said goodbye to all the wonderful crew and our new friends, and travelled home with lots of lovely memories of a fabulous cruise.