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Cruise with Me on a Rhine River Cruise in 2017

Our Rhine River cruise aboard the new AmaKristina begins in Zurich.

I’m excited to announce that in April 2017, I am co-hosting a Europe river cruise! I’ve teamed up with friends Stuart and Kimberly Cohen and we’ve chosen a Rhine River cruise for this spectacular voyage.

View of St. Stephens Catherdral in Breisach, German.
View of St. Stephens Catherdral in Breisach, German.

Who are your hosts on the Europe river cruise?

Me. I’m Sherry Laskin Kennedy, a cruise and travel writer, blogger, photographer, storyteller and iTunes podcaster.  An advocate of slow travel, I’m on a mission to entertain, inspire and encourage readers to travel without flying.  Discover the world via ships, riverboats, trains and road trips.

Since 2005, I’ve spent over two months each year cruising the rivers of Europe.  I’d love to share my insight and experiences with you on our Europe River Cruise 2017 along the Rhine River as we meander from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam.

Stuart Cohen is an international motivational speaker, business coach, author and 29-year travel industry executive and visionary. He is also a certified integrative health coach.

Kimberly Cohen is a nurse practitioner specializing in cardiology, certified integrative health coach and a wellness blogger.

 

Our day-by-day Europe river cruise journey:

ITINERARY

One of the reasons that we chose this spectacular itinerary called The Enchanting Rhine is because it is filled with castles and ruins, steeped in medieval history and ancient legends.  The Rhine River cruise is a highly scenic, enticing journey!

Our adventure begins in Switzerland.

This awesome 12-day trip begins with two nights in Zurich and then two nights in Lucerne.

We’ll board our motor coach for a short ride to Basel to meet our ship – the brand new AmaKristina.  After the special Welcome Aboard dinner, our journey beings along the legendary Rhine River through France,Germany and the Netherlands.

For those opting out of the pre-cruise land package, your adventure will begin in Basel, Switzerland where you will board AmaKristina directly.
 

Our River Ship, the AmaKristina.

AmaKristina is under construction as we speak! Our river cruise ship will be NEW when we sail the Rhine in 2017. With a design inspired by classic ocean yachts, the new 158-passenger AmaKristinaprovides our group with a luxurious, warm and very friendly ambience found only aboard AmaWaterways vessels! AmaKristina is our floating ’boutique hotel’ for 8-days.

 AmaKristina Special Features:
  • Panoramic Lounge with bar; piano and dance floor; and Observation Lounge.
  • Complimentary specialty tea & coffee station available 24/7.
  • Elevator reaches the Restaurant, Lobby/Main Lounge and staterooms on Violin & Cello Decks.
  • Beauty salon, massage and spa services.
  • Walking track, heated pool and fitness room.
  • Complimentary use of bicycles for exploring on your own or on guided bicycle tours.

Stateroom Amenities & Features:

  • All outside accommodations, with revolutionary “Twin Balconies” on the Violin & Cello decks
  • Deluxe hotel-style bedding with high-thread count linens, plush pillows and duvet cover.
  • Cozy sitting area perfect for admiring scenic river views.
  • Spacious bathrooms with multi-jet shower heads.
  • Premium European toiletries, plus plush terry robes and slippers.
  • Large wardrobe, full-length mirror, hair dryer, safe and direct-dial telephone.
  • Flat-screen TV featuring local and satellite channels.
  • In-room entertainment on-demand system providing free Internet access, TV shows, movies and music.
  • Individually controlled air-conditioning.
  • Complimentary bottled water replenished daily.

Dining & Restaurant Features:

  • Main Dining Restaurant – offering regional specialties using locally sourced ingredients.
  • The Chef’s Table – a specialty restaurant, which serves as an intimate dining alternative to the main restaurant.
  • Complimentary unlimited fine wine, beer, soft drinks with every lunch and dinner.
  • Complimentary unlimited specialty coffees with every lunch & dinner, plus sparkling wine at breakfast.

Ship: AmaKristina Deck Plan

We have charted (pre-paid for) choice staterooms in the following categories (AA, AB, BA and BB).  Chartering, versus taking group space, allows us to have first choice of staterooms and to acquire exclusive rates that are truly exceptional! Note: The AmaKristina Deck Plan is identical to the AmaViola and AmaStella (AmaWaterway’s two newest ships sailing in 2016)

 

What is Included

We have created very special, EXCLUSIVE Friends & Family package pricing that includes just about everything. AmaWaterways already provides a highly inclusive cruise experience. We’ve built in even more to make the value and convenience absolutely outstanding!

    • Accommodations. Choose your stateroom board AmaKristina! (Deposit early for the best stateroom selection).
    • Shore excursions. Daily shore excursions will take us to the heart of the city, town or village. No waiting in line to visit the most famous landmarks as well as its hidden gems. Local guides are all English-speaking. Set your own pace. Enjoy state-of-the-art QuietVox headsets. Enjoy riverside bikeways (yes, bicycles and helmets included!). See HERE and see our daily itinerary and daily excursions. 
    • All gourmet meals onboard. Amawaterways is the only river cruise line invited to join one of the prestigious La Chaine des Rotisseurs. Early Risers enjoy continental breakfast in the Main lounge while a full buffet breakfast with made-to-order specialties, accompanied by freshly-baked breads and pastries is served from 7am daily. At lunch, we are treated to an enticing buffet complete with fresh salads, pasta dishes, hot entrees, and desserts, as well as meals to order from the menu; a light lunch option is also available in the Main Lounge. In the afternoon, stop by the Main Lounge for tea or complimentary espresso, as well as sandwiches, pastries and cookies. Dinner is a multi-course affair, accompanied by free-flowing wines and beer. 
    • Special dietary requests are gladly fulfilled.  Let either Sherry or Stuart know at time of booking and we will confirm your request with the ship.  Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, low sodium, no sodium and kosher-style are available.
    • Wine & Beer with lunch and dinner. Every lunch and dinner on board includes free-flowing regional wines as well as complimentary beer and soft drinks. Complimentary sparkling wine is also served with breakfast.
    • Coffee, Tea, Ice Water, Ice Tea. These are provided with all meals. Cappuccino and Expresso can be requested free of charge during all meals as well. Coffee and Tea will always be available complimentary 24-hrs/day.
    • Captain’s Welcome & Farewell Receptions. These are always fun. We’ll get all dapper and mix and mingle with our ship’s crew – and our great group of friends and family.
    • Stateroom amenities. Bottled water is replenished daily in our staterooms. Enjoy the fluffy robes and slippers! 
    • Swimming Pool & Fitness equipment. Yes, we have a swimming pool up on the Sun Deck for us to lavish in!
    • Bicycles. Whether you join a guided bike tour or explore with friends, bicycles (complete with helmets) offer us the ultimate in touring freedom.
    • Nightly Piano Music. Social time is splendid! We connect, share stories of the day, compare pictures, make new friends, plan for the day ahead and maybe even dance!
    • Cruise Director. Services of an English-speaking cruise director will become a wondrous part of our journey.
  • Internet. Complimentary wifi is available to you in the lounges. Send pics and post on Facebook. Get everyone at home green with envy about your amazing river cruise experiences! Internet is also available via flat screen TV and keyboard in your stateroom (so you don’t need to bring a laptop computer). Internet is always based on the satellites – remember, we’ll be cruising through the Rhine River valleys!

What is NOT normally included but WE ARE INCLUDING for OUR guests ONLY:

    • Port charges INCLUDED. Port charges ($168 per person) are already included in your Friends & Family Package.
    • Gratuities INCLUDED. Gratuities for the entire crew including the Cruise Director are already included in your Friends & Family Package.
    • BONUS EXTRA SPECIAL PRIVATE V.I.P. CONCIERGE SERVICES: Because I’m your host (along with Stuart and Kimberly), I will provide ‘VIP’ tips throughout our journey together! I’m only doing this for our group…none of the other AmaKristina passengers.
    • BONUS EXTRA SPECIAL PRIVATE EXCLUSIVE SHORE EXCURSION: This will ONLY be available to friends & family in our special group.
  • BONUS EXTRA SPECIAL PRIVATE WELCOME RECEPTION IN ZURICH. This will ONLY be available to friends & family in our special group.

What is NOT INCLUDED?

  • Travel Insurance is not already built in but required because we all believe it is so important. We will offer special pricing for your consideration. Our trusted insurance provider is Travel Insured International.
  • Other beverages that you may purchase from the bar.
  • Personal telephone calls made from staterooms or the reception area.
  • Gift shop and other personal charges.
  • Beauty Salon and Massage services.
  • Airport transfers (if you have not purchased AmaWaterways airfare).
  • Items purchased off the ship.

Additional Resources:

Rates:

NOTE:  These prices are in effect through May 31, 2016.  Prices will increase $200 per couple on June 1, 2016.  Deposit of $400 per person is due at time of booking.  FINAL payment is due November 18, 2016.Screen Shot 2016-05-12 at 11.58.02 AM

Who’s Going on our Europe River Cruise 2017?

Me! Sherry Laskin Kennedy

“There’s nothing more relaxing than the slow pace of a river cruise! Our itinerary is a culinary, historic, architectural and scenic experience wrapped into one glorious and memorable week.”

Stuart & Kimberly Cohen, Germantown, TN

“The elegance of it all – being treated luxuriously by the ship’s crew (who welcome us as family), the warm hospitality in each city, and the celebrations each evening on board!” This will be Kimberly’s second and Stuart’s third river cruise!

 

Thea Cohen, Dix Hills, NY

“Looking forward to sunshine lazy days on the riverboat, delicious cuisine and the company of wonderful people.” This will be Thea’s 1st river cruise!

Mark & Joan Zukor, Boca Raton, FL

“Being with friends and family.” This will be Mark & Joan’s second river cruise!

Brian & Elise Rothstein, Orangeburg, NY

“Most looking forward to experiencing the awesome destinations together and with our friends and family!” This will be Brian & Elise’s first river cruise!

Arthur & Sheila Palter, Boca Raton, FL

“Cruising the Rhine on AMA Waterways and seeing all the sites but especially Amsterdam!” This will be Arthur & Sheila’s second river cruise!

Pete & Carol Pino, Montville, NJ

“Can’t wait to see this part of Europe while relaxing on a beautiful ship cruising up the Rhine River with old friends and making new ones.” This will be Pete & Carol’s first river cruise!

Jon & Andrea Scilken, Memphis, TN

“We are looking forward to seeing Europe from our balcony on the ship.” This will be Jon and Andrea’s first river cruise!

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For over twenty-five years, I've been traveling the world without flying, by only river ships, ocean ships, road trips and trains. I hope to inspire you to travel slow, explore new places, experience different cultures and taste new cuisine. Follow my solo travel and food adventures across the USA and the world!

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