I haven’t experienced AmaWaterways in quite a while, and an opportunity arose to do so on the November 8, 2025 14-Night Grand Rhine & Dutch Canal Cruise on AmaWaterways’ AmaStella through Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Switzerland.
Oh, and this is an AmaWaterways Beer Cruise! What the means there will be:
- Two Onboard Beer Tastings and Lectures
- Up to Four Beer-Themed Excursions (in addition to city tours, bike rides, hikes, and more)
- Specialty Beer and Culinary Experiences during certain meals.
By the way, even though this is not an official Goldring Travel Culinary & Cultural Journey, you are welcome to join me. AmaWaterways is offering your choice of a $3,500 Discount per stateroom OR a 10% Single Supplement OR a Complimentary 4-night Land Package (2 nights in Zurich and 2 nights in Lucerne). In addition, you will receive some amenities from Goldring Travel and the opportunity to explore some of the towns with Eric Goldring…which is always an adventure!
While I regularly recommend and book AmaWaterways river cruises for my clients, and they always return happy, I hadn’t realized it has been over a decade since I was a guest (Oh, how much my articles have improved over time!):
- Goldring Travel’s 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise – AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part IV (Georg Breuer Riesling Tasting) – Goldring Travel
- Review and Reflection of the 2012 AmaWaterways AmaLotus Vietnam and Cambodia Tour and Cruise
What attracted me to this particular river cruise is its focus on Belgium (another one of those places when people say, “Eric, you’ve been everywhere,” and I reply, “You have no idea how many places I haven’t been to!”), the canals of South Holland, Switzerland (another place I haven’t been), along with Germany and France.
The ability to visit so many places, coupled with the relaxation a river cruise affords, is a real attraction for me. And with the AmaStella (and all AmaWaterways ships) offering real comfort in its staterooms and throughout the ship coupled with great cuisine and wines – as compared to, say, Viking, I know the onboard experience will be excellent. (More on that during my cruise!)
Because AmaWaterways docks in some of the most convenient locations, I usually hop off the ship and spend my day wandering unless I want to take advantage of the included or premium tour options offered. AmaWaterways provides a wide variety of shore excursions, offering three levels of activity (active, moderate, and “gentle walkers”), guided bike tours, guided hikes, and special interest tours. Interestingly, you cannot book any of the tours until 60 days prior to sailing, and then it must be done on the AmaWaterways app, but you can get a good idea of what is available on the website’s descriptions.
Starting in Basel, Switzerland, should be fun and delicious (fondue and raclette), as I will obviously spend at least one night there prior to embarking on the river cruise. As I am not much of a “builiding” kind of guy, our first stop is Breisach, Germany, where a Black Forest Hike is being offered…and that sounds good to me!
Then there is the picturesque city of Strasbourg, France, and, for me, Alsace wines, foie gras, and spaetzle. This is followed by Ludwigshafen, Germany which is known as the Ugliest City in Germany. This one I have to figure out which tour I will be taking that heads out of the city itself.
Then things change dramatically, with rising green hills as we visit Rudesheim, Germany. This is where I had an amazing Riesling wine tasting at George Breuer during my previous AmaWaterways cruise: Goldring Travel’s 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise – AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part IV (Georg Breuer Riesling Tasting), and it may well be what I do this time too! Dusseldorf, Germany is next and since I have already been to nearby Cologne, I may well immerse in the city…and its beer.
I have spent a good bit of time in Amsterdam, having spent years attending and speaking at the Global Superyacht Conference as well as during “normal” travel. It is one of my favorite cities, without question. With two full days in Amsterdam, I am going to hit some of my old stomping grounds, including dinner at Five Flies, known as a culinary museum. But I will also take advantage of AmaWaterways’ special tour of the Rijksmuseum, something I have visited before, but I am sure I will see in much greater depth.
I really haven’t seen much else of the Netherlands, and this river cruise offers me time in the fairytale city of Utrecht and, in South Holland, Hellevoetsluis, with its colorful waterfront and where the famous dikes, storm surge barrier, and more are easily seen. This should be educational, picturesque, and a bit of a culinary adventure.
Speaking of culinary, we will then be cruising through Belgium and its cities of Ghent, Brussels, and Antwerp; sort of the Big Three in Three Days. Between chocolate, beer, moule frites (the national dish), and some of its famous stews and soups I plan on having some good wanders.
Back to the Netherlands, with our final stop being Dordrecht, there are three options, including a possible bike ride through Rotterdam, and, finally, to Amsterdam to conclude the river cruise.
What about the time of the year? In early November, the crowds are gone, the Christmas markets haven’t started, it is still (fingers crossed) leaf season, and it is sweater weather. Sounds pretty perfect to me!
Interested? Give me a call, drop me an email, or text via your favorite app.
