AmaWaterways wine cruises add a unique epicurean dimension to a variety of itineraries at no additional cost. Join one of these wine cruises with a special wine host and be treated to a menu of exclusive wine and culinary experiences designed to delve deeper into the wonderful flavors and tastes of Europe.
European cities transform into majestic winter wonderlands for the holiday season – and we invite you to experience all their splendor with us. In addition to our variety of daily excursions, you will also have the opportunity to visit festive Christmas Markets in select destinations and participate in nostalgic traditions.
Maximize your Christmas experience by embarking at the height of the holiday market season with daily or near-daily visits to Christmas Markets.
Get "just a taste" of the holidays in mid-November or late December with visits to one or two Christmas Markets during your river cruise.
We are pleased to offer guests the opportunity to experience Floriade in 2022 while sailing along the Rhine River and Dutch and Belgian Waterways between April 14 and October 9. Right outside Amsterdam, this rare experience calls for its visitors to “explore, touch and change” as part of their journey into Floriade – which is set to feature stunning gardens, innovative sustainable gardening exhibits, live entertainment, talk shows, souvenirs and food stalls.
We invite you to join our incredible cruise on the Rhône with a Latin Touch, featuring bilingual cruise managers, daily tours with Spanish-speaking guides, Latin-inspired music nights and other distinctive elements.
Based on the overwhelmingly positive response received from the announcement of our first-ever “Soulful Experience” on the Rhône River in 2023, we are delighted to announce four new opportunities for guests to celebrate their heritage and discover Black history and culture along the rivers with us in 2024.
Join award-winning television host and travel expert, Samantha Brown, Godmother of AmaMagna, as we cruise through four countries along the Danube River. Special events and Travel Talks are included on this exclusive sailing.
Join Chef Joanne Weir, award-winning cookbook author, restaurant owner and host of PBS television series “Plates & Places” as she hosts a special 7-night Flavors of Burgundy river cruise.
We invite you to join our incredible cruise on the Danube with a Latin Touch, featuring bilingual cruise managers, daily tours with Spanish-speaking guides, Latin-inspired music nights and other distinctive elements.
Explore the rich history of classical music along the Danube River where famous composers lived, worked and performed. Plus, be treated to a variety of live performances on this melodious journey.
Based on the overwhelmingly positive response received from the announcement of our first-ever “Soulful Experience” on the Rhône River in 2023, we are delighted to announce four new opportunities for guests to celebrate their heritage and discover Black history and culture along the rivers with us in 2025
Join award-winning television host and travel expert, Samantha Brown, Godmother of AmaMagna, as we cruise through five countries along the Danube River. Special events and Travel Talks are included on this exclusive sailing.
We invite you to join our incredible cruise on the Douro with a Latin Touch, featuring bilingual cruise managers, daily tours with Spanish-speaking guides, Latin-inspired music nights and other distinctive elements.
We invite our loyal past guests to join us once again on these special Loyalty Cruises, offering unique experiences in multiple ports, commemorative gifts, and many more surprises and delights.
Imagine if there was a way to combine luxury river cruising on the iconic Danube with the opportunity to indulge your passion and play golf. We have created the perfect package to enable you to do just that with our Exclusive Concierge Golf Program. Discover Europe, complete with award winning cuisine, incredible service and a choice of excursions in every port, as well as up to 5 rounds of golf at some of the leading championship courses on the continent.
AmaWaterways’ Exclusive Concierge Golf Program is available on select Magna on the Danube cruises sailing aboard the AmaMagna.
Hello! "I'm Kristin Karst, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of AmaWaterways and I'm passionate about river cruising. Each month, I love to share with you my thoughts, personal stories, travel tips and latest news on the people and places that help turn every mile of our guests' river cruise experience into one of their most cherished memories!"
Under the royal backdrop of the majestic Schönbrunn Palace, one of Vienna’s most splendid markets glows with an intoxicating blend of holiday cheer, nostalgia and romance.
A twinkling tree, the stunning glow against the Palace, lively and festive concerts, handmade gifts and traditional Christmas markets – these are why a million people visit Vienna’s stunning Christmas Market at Schönbrunn (aka Weihnachtsmarkt Schönbrunn). And don’t forget the food – Victorian-style candy and sweets, candied fruits, traditional gingerbread and cookies, strawberries dipped in hot chocolate, melted cheese on dark bread, roasted chestnuts, delicious pastries, cotton candy, Christmas punch, mulled wine, piping hot waffles, crepes and sausages are a delicious and tempting taste of the market. Two specialties include the fragrant Vanillekipferl – a delightfully light, crescent-shaped biscuit with icing, sugar, vanilla and almonds. Yum! And the sweetest way to combat the cold is with a swig of traditional Christmas Punsch (aka Weihnachtpunsch). There are numerous variations – but it is often some combination of either mulled wine or tes, spices, sugar, rum and brandy.
Each year, somewhere between 60 to 80 exhibitors turn out with small wooden stalls teeming with traditional handicrafts and workshops. An intricately hand-carved manger sits in front of the lit-up Christmas tree. And in a throwback to another era, traditional artists of all sorts – everyone from candlemakers, glass blowers, wood carvers and stonemasons – come together to sell their crafts. Homemade beeswax candles are popular gifts here -- along with handmade ornaments, nativity sets, jewelry, notebooks, toys and snowglobes (fun fact: snowglobes were invented in Vienna in the early 1900s!). Visitors also enjoy live open-air concerts or Mozart wafting through speakers (Vienna was of course Mozart’s home base!)
The history of Vienna’s Christmas Markets can date back to 1298 and the founding of its early precursor, the ‘December Market.’ At the time, King Rudolph I (no relation to the famous reindeer) granted his son, Duke Albrecht I, certain rights and privileges, including the ability to hold a December Market (or Krippenmarkt). Since then, Vienna’s markets have grown in number and activities. The addition of the ‘huts’ were chronicled for the first time in 1626, and the sale of gingerbread, baked goods and confectionary treats. By 1764, there was already a mention of a second market. By the 1870’s, the term ‘Christmas Market’ was widely used.
Nowadays, there are at least six popular markets in the city. Other popular markets here include the Viennese Christmas Market (located on the square in front of City Hall), Christmas Village at Belvedere Palace, Christmas Village Maria-Theresien Platz (located between the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Art), Christmas Market at Spittelberg (behind the Volkstheater) and the Christmas Village in the Former General Hospital.
Experience the splendor of the holidays in Vienna while sailing on our Christmas Markets on the Danube, Magna on the Danube (Christmas) and Iconic Christmas Markets river cruises.