I've been to the European Christmas markets many times over the years and the memory that most stands out is the food. Roasted chesnuts in cinnamon, mulled wine simmering and a wide variety of local specialties unique to each town provide a feast for all the senses. Though we had phenomenal gourmet food available onboard the AmaLucia, we gave …

I don't usually dedicate two posts to food, but this trip really warrants the distinction. We ate delicious local cuisine ashore but also finely crafted gourmet local and international specialties onboard.

Starting the cruise on Thanksgiving with a large American contingent, the AmaLucia chef made sure to prepare some Thanksgiving inspired …

The Rhine River is perhaps best known today for it's huge variety of castles. In fact, it boasts over 50 castles, many located along a 65 mile stretch between Ruedesheim and Koblenz. We had a great lecturer come onboard to provide some context on why all these castles are located in a small area. The Rhine has long been a critical means of …

One of my favorite things about sailing with AMA Waterways, is the care that they take to provide a wide variety of shore excursion options. Each day travelers have several options. Guided walking tours are offered with gentle, regular, or active walking styles. Biking excursions and longer hikes are also common.

In addition to these standards, …

Nothing quite compares to a European Christmas market for getting into the holiday spirit. These markets started in the Middle Ages or before. In the beginning, they were mostly essential markets, designed to provide locals a way to stock up on necessary goods to get through the long, cold winter. Over time, vendors added handmade winter goods …

In addition to a menu of excursions off the ship, there's no shortage of things to do onboard. We were blessed to have AMA's original wellness host, Tiago, leading wellness activities all throughout the day. From morning stretches and yoga to afternoon walks along the deck, Zumba classes and even line dancing, Tiago made sure that the …