April 30, 2025 • 30 mins
In this episode of All Things Travel, hosts Ryan and Julie continue their discussion of Ryan's recent river cruise experience with AmaWaterways on the Romantic Danube itinerary. After covering the pre-cruise stay and initial impressions in the previous episode, they dive deeper into the dining experience, daily excursions, and how the cruise line handles unexpected situations.
Dining Experience on AmaWaterways
- Breakfast: Combination of menu items (omelets, eggs benedict, pancakes) and buffet options including English breakfast and pastries
- Lunch: Menu-based with regionally-inspired options, including sandwiches, soups, and hot main dishes
- Dinner: Full menu service with regionally-based cuisine reflecting the sailing locations
- Chef's Table: Complimentary specialty dining experience in a separate venue with a chef preparing meals in front of guests
- Unlimited beer and wine included with lunch and dinner
- Late night snacks available in the lounge around 10 PM
- Flexible dining options for various preferences, with "always available" menu items like steak, chicken, and salmon
Itinerary and Port Highlights
- Technical issues required modifications to the schedule, with AmaWaterways providing bus transportation to destinations
- Wachau Valley: Though initially missed due to ship issues, the cruise was rerouted to allow passengers to sail through this beautiful Austrian valley
- Dürnstein, Austria: Known for apricots, offering tastings of various apricot products
- Melk Abbey: A gorgeous architectural complex with monks still in residence
- Vienna, Austria: Ryan toured the vibrant city on Palm Sunday
- Bratislava, Slovakia: Surprisingly Ryan's favorite stop, offering the perfect blend of small village charm and modern city amenities
- Walking tour through the old town
- Beer garden with Slovakian beer tastings
- Local pastries and ice cream (including fig flavor)
- Shopping opportunities at both traditional shops and modern malls
- Budapest, Hungary: Sailing into Budapest and seeing the Parliament building along the Danube
- Tours of both Buda (old town, castle area) and Pest sides
- Visit to the Jewish memorial shoes along the Danube
- Easter market with food, music, decorations, and gifts
Key Takeaways
- Exceptional level of service throughout the cruise
- Variety of experiences available even with similar excursion types
- River cruising allows
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (00:00):
Hello and welcome to All Things
Travel.
Last episode we started todiscuss my recent river cruise
on the DNU with Amma waterways.
There was so much included inthis amazing trip.
I wanted to continue the journeytoday.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (00:13):
Listen destination experts, Ryan and
Julie.
He is your travel professorteaching you everything you need
to know to have a magicalvacation.
And I am a Disney lovingMaryland mom of three and a
specialist in family travel.
Whether we're discussingincredible destinations, top
vacation tips, or sharingpersonal stories, it's always
(00:34):
all things travel.
It's a Sunday night.
We're back to our routine here alittle bit.
Um, I had a fun day.
I was out expo all day talkingtravel.
You had a busy weekend.
Oh my gosh.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (00:50):
Oh So, so I'm moving in a couple weeks,
in with my fiance, and this wasthe prototypical week of we're
stopping at Lowe's.
We're stopping at this store,we're going to Costco.
we're stopping over her parentsto pick
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (01:04):
Oh my gosh.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (01:05):
fun.
to do all that It's
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (01:06):
It's fun to do all that stuff.
It's expensive to do all thatstuff, but good for you.
Good I'm glad one of us workedthis weekend.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (01:12):
Well, hey.
We both worked.
We just worked at
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (01:14):
We did.
Okay.
So We are gonna talk more aboutRyan's river cruise that he just
went on with Amma water rays.
And last week we talked a lotabout like kind of getting to
the cruise, your presay inMunich, first impressions, your
first couple days on the trip.
So before we get back into therest of the itinerary, tell us
(01:36):
about food because I know thatthat's, that's on your mind.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (01:40):
It is a big part of the cruise, right?
What am I gonna be eating?
How am I gonna be eating?
And I think Amma really does itwell.
the meals are kind of laid outin a certain way.
First of all, there's not roomservice.
breakfast is kind of acombination of menu and buffet.
you can order off of a smallmenu, get like every day I
tended to get an omelet or therewas eggs benedict or pancakes
(02:03):
then they also had Kind of abuffet So there's anything from
English breakfast to an eggstation to pastries.
So you didn't go hungry.
at breakfast, there was usuallylike a fruit juice of the day
kind of thing.
So that was how breakfast was.
you would have breakfastsomewhat early, because your,
your first excursion wouldleave, you know, nine or 10 in
(02:25):
the morning.
So you get up, you havebreakfast.
Now if you don't want to havethat full breakfast up in the
lounge for both breakfast andlunch, they have a lighter,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:34):
Kind
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:34):
more of a continental
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:35):
a,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:36):
of
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:36):
so you just
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:37):
Lunch is straight off the menu.
oftentimes there would be
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:40):
Uh.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:41):
based around, uh, where you are.
So for instance, when we were inBavaria, there were, The
pretzels and the meats and thecheeses and all that.
and what was interesting, andyou're gonna appreciate this
'cause you and I have had asimilar experience, in the bread
basket that day, there wereseveral, Bavarian pretzels.
so our table kind of ate those.
(03:02):
And, and one of the women said,you mind if we have some more
pretzels with our bread?
And he said, absolutely.
And he came back and the basketwas covered.
And what do you think was in it?
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:11):
Just all pretzels.
All pretzels.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:14):
cause you and I had the same
experience with shrimp when wewere on Royal Caribbean.
Right.
So I even said that beforehand,I said, I bet there's all
pretzels in here.
And sure enough there were,lunch is sandwiches, There's
soups, there's always a hot.
Main dish.
then wine and, and beer isserved with lunch if you want.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:33):
And dinner
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:33):
dinner is a full, off the menu.
it's always regionally basedbased on where you're sailing.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:41):
chef.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:41):
a chef's, um, suggestion for the
full menu.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:45):
I would get that and maybe swap out an
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:47):
swap out an or swap out a Maine based
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:49):
app if you
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:50):
If you weren't feeling as adventurous.
I wouldn't say the food wassuper fancy or
j_1_04-27-2025_201 (03:54):
adventurous, but
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:56):
but, there were certainly different
things throughout the cruise.
There was always steak, therewas always chicken, there was
always salmon as an option.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:03):
you
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:03):
and you would have appetizer, salad
soup.
Maine dessert.
I mean, if you wanted it, therewere always different options in
each of those
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:11):
Okay, wait, I have I have questions.
first.
ocean cruises it's kind of likean all you can eat sort of deal
if you wanna order three plates.
Is it the same with the rivercruising?
Absolutely.
Okay.
So there would be nights maybeyou,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:23):
would be nights maybe you, wanted to
try both appetizers,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:26):
the
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:27):
maybe the.
table would want to sampleseveral different things.
So you could certainly do that.
one of the women in our group,tended to want a salad with some
sort of protein.
she would order the Caesarsalad, which was always, on the
always available menu, and getit with chicken or steak or
salmon based on
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:43):
Yeah.
And,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:43):
that night.
So they really do accommodateyou.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:46):
and then lunch.
So you talked about lunch.
on board, but are you alsoeating lunch off the shipper lot
or how does that work?
Okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:55):
the day.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:55):
Yep.
It depends on the day.
Um, if
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:57):
if you're doing both a morning and
afternoon excursion, Then
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:02):
to the ship and have lunch, okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:04):
and then depart in the afternoon, is
really nice.
It
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:06):
kind of thing.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:07):
to Kind of take
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:07):
Maybe the weather's changed, You need to
go drop off.
A coat
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:10):
off.
a coat, pick up A coat
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:12):
that off.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:12):
that, or drop off souvenirs that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:13):
Um, if you're
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:14):
if you're at an all day excursion,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:16):
on, okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:17):
your own.
There was one situation, I'lltalk about this in a second
because our plans changed.
Amma actually paid for ourlunch.
and then there are someexcursions where a meal is
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:27):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:28):
just depending on
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:29):
Lots of options.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:30):
there were certainly times that, that,
I bought my lunch and I washappy to,'cause it was
experiencing
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:35):
Yeah.
Okay, so tell us about theChef's Table.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:40):
Okay, so this is a really cool
experience.
and what's cool about it withAmma is it's
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:46):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:47):
So every guest has the option to
dine at the chef's table atleast
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:52):
And there
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:53):
And if there are.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:55):
are faces.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:56):
you can dine more than once, and it
is a special prefix chef menu.
And you're actually in adifferent dining room, a smaller
dining room, and the chef ispreparing your meal in front of
you.
They have kind of like a kitchenstation, so there's a completely
different weight staff.
There's different wines to have.
(06:17):
different food options.
It's just an
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:20):
Wow, that's,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:22):
would say that's,
j_1_04-27-2025_20175 (06:23):
definitely a
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:24):
that's definitely a.
more elevated meal than theother options, but compared to
any cruise line I've been on, Iwould say most meals were as
good, if not better than anyother cruise line I've been on.
even in the main dining room anddefinitely in the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:39):
And I appreciate that a lot of those
you mentioned were likeregionally Oh,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:45):
Oh, a hundred percent.
The wines
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:47):
you know,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:47):
you're in Germany.
and you're having BavarianYou're in Hungary and you're
having,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:52):
Hungry food
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:53):
and, and a
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:54):
hung.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (06:54):
Hungarian food and, and one of the
appetizers that night was.
the street food I had at theEaster market that afternoon,
they really try to do that.
But if you're not thatadventurous, there's always a
burger, there's always a steak,there's always chicken.
You know, you're good to go.
And the potato wedges on Ammawaterways are amazing.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:12):
remember you talking about those before,
so they must be really memorable
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:16):
So, know, you get the potato wedges
and the steak and the peppercornsauce, and you're having a good
meal regardless of what's
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:22):
as you roll off the ship at the end.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:24):
the last.
Exactly.
And the last option, to behonest on this cruise, I never
did this one'cause I wasn't upthat late, but about 10 o'clock.
Then in the lounge they alwayshave kind of a late night snack.
And this can be burgers, it canbe kind of appetizers,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:39):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:39):
thing.
So you're not going hungry on analma waterways cruise when it
comes to drinks, lunch anddinner, you've got your beer and
wine as much as you care to
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:48):
Wow.
That's amazing.
That sounds so great.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:51):
what I like about it is, yes, there's a
lot of food, but you can reallydo what you want.
if it's a soup and salad day, sobe it.
if you're on the ship in themorning and not doing an
excursion and you want a longerbreakfast, you can certainly do
that.
it's really flexible around whatyou
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:06):
Okay, so dining sounds amazing.
Let's get back to youritinerary.
I know that you mentioned thatthere was a little bit of a
hiccup, so tell us what happenedand, what was the result of
that.
Okay, so when we were
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:21):
when we were.
in Lynn, Austria and we got backfrom our walking tour.
it was time for the sip andsale.
about the hour before dinner.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:29):
manager Ella would
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:31):
would always come out and kind of
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:33):
the day
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:34):
the day talk if there's anything for
tomorrow.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:37):
was
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:37):
that was kind of the,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:39):
the team.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:40):
for the cruise.
You know, everybody's there, um,enjoying a drink and hearing any
announcements and she said,well.
ship is having an issue.
We're having a power issue withthe ship.
It does not impact any of us onthe ship,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:55):
we
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:56):
we don't feel comfortable sailing
the ship tomorrow.
So here's what we're going todo.
there were two excursionsscheduled for tomorrow.
one was to Stein.
Austria and one
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:09):
happy
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:10):
Abbey in milk,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:11):
and you were
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:12):
And you were to choose one of
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:14):
one.
both were in the app.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:15):
were in the afternoon,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:16):
here's what.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:17):
said, here's what we're gonna do
instead.
If you want to go on theseexcursions, we are combining the
two excursions and we're busingyou.
So it's an all day
j_1_04-27-2025_20175 (09:26):
excursion.
You'll go
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:28):
Stein in the morning, you'll go, to
the Milk Abbey in the afternoon,we will
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:31):
Hey everybody
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:32):
25 euros for lunch That's gonna be
our day
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:36):
you want to stay
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:37):
stay on the ship, meals and
everything will be here if youjust wanna hang out and Lynch
have at it.
So
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:42):
so
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:43):
next day
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:43):
next day, that's what we did.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:44):
took a bus to Dine Stein's a small
little town.
and it's all about apricots andthat was actually, the excursion
was an apricot tasting I hadsigned up for.
So a little different.
it was more of a walking tour,but we definitely had time to
sample apricots, apricotproducts.
I brought back some apricot rum.
I brought back some preserves,some candies, all
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (10:07):
that sounds cool.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (10:08):
then as you registered for your
excursion, waterways gave you 25euros that you could then use
for your lunch.
thought that was a good way tohandle it, Probably the biggest
disappointment was we did notget to sail through the Wachau
Valley that day, which is thisbeautiful fertile valley in
Austria.
But they made up for that alittle later, and I'll tell you
(10:30):
how they did that, in theafternoon.
Then we went to the Milk Abbey,which is just a.
Gorgeous, complex.
there are monks that still livethere.
Mostly it's a touristattraction.
There's a school that is housedthere in the Abbey and is this
gorgeous architecture.
And it was so cool to, uh, tosee it and learn about, uh, the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (10:54):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (10:55):
that live there and and
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (10:56):
So I have a question.
I have a I have a question.
What, I'm curious, why did theyhave to combine them?
Because the ship was havingissues.
what would've been the, if theship wasn't having issues, what
would the, those excursions, howwould they have been different?
Okay, so if the ship was nothaving.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:15):
um, issues that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:16):
we would've sailed through the walk
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:18):
Valley
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:19):
and they would have dropped those
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:21):
off that wanted to go to Ernstein,
and they would in the afternoon,and then they would've sailed to
milk and dropped those peopleoff.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:26):
Got it.
Okay.
Okay.
That I to go Okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:29):
to do was,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:31):
to do was
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:31):
to do was was
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:32):
Got it.
You know?
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:33):
you know, again, with Alma
waterways, you've got smallgroups.
they were able to deal with it.
And that's really where someonelike Ianella, the crew manager,
just shines
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:45):
Able to
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:46):
to
j_1_04-27-2025_2017 (11:47):
everything.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_2 (11:47):
everything, get the logistics taken care
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:50):
Nice.
That's amazing.
And then that night we.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:53):
Then that night we had the chef
table.
that was just a wonderful meal.
with all the travel advisorsthat were there with Alma
waterways plus their guests.
it was really kind of sweetbecause, our friend Summer, I.
Who had kind of joined our, ourband of, of Mary, sailors, if
you will.
I was able to take her as myplus one, so most of our group
(12:13):
were able to go together, shedidn't have to go by herself.
that was just a really niceevening.
the, the chefs table is a,highlight
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:20):
Amazing.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:21):
crews.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:21):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:22):
So the next, day part of our problem
with Julie was it was theweekend.
And so they were having troublegetting parts.
They were actually flying intechnicians from other
countries.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:32):
from,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:32):
were folks from AWA Waterways
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:34):
gosh,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:35):
that was there.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:36):
they were
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:36):
they
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:37):
bus.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:37):
care
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:38):
was just unfortunate that was happening.
Mm-hmm.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_20 (12:40):
happening.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:42):
so
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:42):
so.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:43):
they said was
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:44):
said was, this is your
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:46):
We can bus,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:47):
We can bust you to Vienna for the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:49):
or able
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:50):
not
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:51):
to jet.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:51):
to Chesky Kof in Czech Republic.
If you want to do that, we willbus you
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:57):
have that excursion.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:58):
that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:59):
or if you want
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:00):
if you
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:00):
the day on the ship,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:01):
the day on the ship.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:02):
my friends,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:03):
my friends, I.
Wanted to
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:05):
day on the ship and they love
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:06):
ship they loved that.
Several of them went to CheskyKof
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:09):
do that the other day.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:10):
the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:11):
So they have the
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:11):
So
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:12):
to go to
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:13):
to both Salzburg and Chesky Kof.
And I
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:16):
Vienna.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:17):
'cause I'm like, you know, I want to go
to Vienna.
I want to have that experience.
And that was really cool becausemost of the excursions
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:25):
that point,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:26):
point, were smaller
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:29):
and so.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:30):
so.
it was neat to go to a big city.
It was Palm Sunday, so the citywas busy.
There was a lot of energy.
Had a really nice walking tourthrough Vienna.
I.
had some time to do someshopping.
I think I texted you and said,well, of course I'm having Greek
food in Vienna'cause that's whatyou do.
so I was able to have a nice
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:50):
And again,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:50):
again, I'm a waterways credited us
lunch money on our onlineaccount,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:56):
So I,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:56):
So
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:57):
other than having a bus ride when we
didn't,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:59):
when we didn't feel like, or when we
weren't planning
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:02):
they took care of us.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:03):
took care of us.
here's the best part too.
When we got back to the ship,the ship intentionally met us at
a port so then we could sailthrough the Wachau Valley
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:14):
Actually see it
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:16):
as as the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:18):
as going.
And
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:20):
the, and then the crews
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:22):
then, so
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:23):
So
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:23):
bit of a hiccup,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:24):
hiccup for a couple
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:25):
I do
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:26):
do know that Ian
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:27):
this.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:27):
said that folks, two folks,'cause
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:29):
people that
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:29):
people that were, you know.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:31):
met
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (14:31):
primarily because some people had paid
extra for a
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:35):
primarily
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:35):
in Vienna.
Um, and that did not happen.
that was probably, as I lookback at everything,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:41):
that was the one
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:42):
one
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:42):
that
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:42):
that was lost throughout all this.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:44):
people obvious,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (14:45):
obviously got their money back
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:46):
she did say that no waterways would be
reaching.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:49):
out to everybody on the sailing.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:51):
sure
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:51):
sure because I was there specifically
as a travel advisor, if
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:55):
me, but it definitely sounds like,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:57):
like, you know, Amma Waterways is
gonna take care of their people.
I heard
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:01):
time again.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:02):
and time again from folks who had
sailed on Amma waterways in thepast that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:07):
Customer service.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_20175 (15:08):
service of not just even on the ship,
but the company, as they'remaking reservations, as they're
dealing with covid,reservations, all that kind of
stuff, they took care of them.
Entire time.
And so I have no doubt thatAlma's gonna
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:22):
So had you been able to sail to those
ports that they bust?
Like how long was that bus rideto, you know, the milk Abbey or
to Vienna?
Like how much of aninconvenience was that bus ride?
Was it like a couple of hourswas bus, the first
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:39):
was
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:39):
day was about an hour, and the second
day was about two
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:41):
day
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:41):
Okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:41):
about two hours.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:43):
second day
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:43):
second day, people really kind of, do I
want to be on a
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:46):
That was,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:47):
Um, that was really kind of
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:48):
but again, I had
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:49):
I
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:50):
dinner.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:50):
been to Vienna.
I hadn't had that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:51):
I
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:52):
so I was, wanting to do that.
And actually, um, I ha I sentout postcards to some of my
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:00):
not even,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:00):
and I'm not even sure if they'll get
them by this point'cause I knowit
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:03):
that's what I did on the bus,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:04):
I did on the, bus, on the on the way
there I just filled outpostcards for everybody.
at the end of the day, I sawwhat I wanted to see.
Amma treated me well.
I felt well taken care of.
I've been on tons of buses inEurope.
That doesn't worry me.
I'm okay.
It's
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:20):
And you got to see, Additional towns
that you would not have seen,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:25):
and just not gonna let that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:27):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:27):
day.
and it didn't seem like most
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:29):
Okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:30):
did.
I mean, there was certainlysome, some direct conversations
with the cruise manager,especially with that second day.
but at the end of the day, itall worked.
it was all fine.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:40):
All right, so now we're gonna come
up to What you've said wasprobably your favorite.
Stop.
If you would have told me beforethis cruise barada, sva Slovakia
is gonna be your favorite stop.
I would've been like, what now?
it was beautiful.
was absolutely beautiful.
(17:01):
it was the perfect blend of asmall village and a modern city.
Wow
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (17:08):
So in the morning, you know, I am
taking a walking tour throughthis beautiful old town of
Bratislava.
In the afternoon, I'm shoppingfor my son at this brand new
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (17:19):
Art.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_2017 (17:20):
shopping mall.
I just.
thought it was a
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (17:23):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (17:24):
I really did not expect that.
So we got into Bratislava at
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (17:29):
Had the my travel.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (17:30):
one of my travel agent meetings that
morning and then, we got intoBratislava and we had a taste of
Slovakia.
Excursion.
So we did a walking tour, wherethe, the guy kind of took us
through Barada, Sava obviouslytalking, you know, like a lot of
these places, the, the impact ofcommunism and the resurgence of
(17:53):
the culture, and brought ALA asa capital and then took us to a
beer garden and we sampled someSlovakian beers.
We had a charcuterie board,which was wonderful.
The only thing I didn't have wasthe tongue.
apparently it was good, but notwhat I was interested in.
we had some local music and.
Then we were given time toexplore what I liked about this
(18:17):
guide.
Was, she did exactly what Ithink you should do when you're
with people for not very long.
Okay, here's what I wanna showyou, but when we're free, you
could do this and this is theway you should go.
You could go here and this is,you know, so she kind of prepped
where we needed to go.
my group that I was with, wesampled a few of kind
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (18:39):
Pastries.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_2017 (18:39):
pastries that she
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (18:41):
Ice cream.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (18:41):
ice cream.
because she talked about howgood the Slovakian ice cream
was.
I had, fig
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (18:47):
Ice cream.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (18:47):
ice cream.
and it was just absolutelywonderful.
we did some shopping, did somewalking around.
Just enjoyed the day.
And then, like I said, I neededto do some shopping specifically
for my son.
So I went to, there was ashopping mall.
Down from the port and justreally had a nice day.
It is absolutely gorgeous.
(19:07):
And, and I actually looked atEslava.
I said, you know, if I wanted totravel here again, what would
that be like?
As I researched it's a reallygood starting point for a
vacation because in a coupledays you can see the highlights
of Bratislava, and then it's atrain ride to everywhere.
You can go to Prague, you can goto Budapest, you can go to
Vienna.
It's a very easy
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (19:28):
That's amazing.
I, I'm so surprised that wasyour favorite too.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (19:31):
A hundred percent.
It really, really was.
and then our last full day, wewent to Budapest, and this was
probably our worst weather.
We lucked out on weather allweek long.
We had some DRE that day, andthe weather was cooler, but it
was by no means bad.
But let me tell you, Julie, ifyou've seen anything about River
(19:53):
Cruising the Danube, you've seenthe Parliament in Budapest and
sailing into that bridge andseeing that Parliament building
is just
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:04):
Well
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:05):
I just, I ha
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:06):
the,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:06):
was was on the.
Deck I got some great photos,some great video, and I I'm
like, I'm here.
I'm doing This
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:12):
That's awesome.
Wow.
So
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (20:15):
obviously when you're in Budapest, you're
gonna go to
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:18):
obviously different, separated by
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (20:20):
separated by the Danube.
So Buddha
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:22):
was much more.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:24):
much more of the old town castle,
kind of regal and royal, area.
had a really nice walking tourthere.
saw some really neat sights.
There
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:35):
an over of
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:36):
of Budapest that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:37):
a
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:37):
by
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:37):
church was
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:38):
church that was just
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:39):
gorgeous,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (20:39):
gorgeous.
Came
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:41):
had, um,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:42):
um,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:42):
really nice Hungarian l awesome, um,
blue wash
ryan_1_04-27-2025_20175 (20:47):
goulash then went and saw
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:49):
and on this second we went to, um.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:53):
um.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:53):
memorial.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (20:54):
memorial, and this is along the Danube.
There are metal shoes in Memoriaof the Jews that were lined up
along the Danube and shot, intothe river.
as Budapest was taken over bythe Nazis.
it was interesting.
The, guide in the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (21:11):
say.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (21:11):
said, you know, we're really bad at
picking sides.
We haven't picked a winning sideof a war in 500 years.
throughout this entire cruisetalking about the Nazis, talking
about World War ii, talkingabout communism just came up
over and over and it wasinteresting to hear, Everybody's
take on a similar
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (21:32):
Mm.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (21:33):
That
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (21:33):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (21:34):
as a history buff that was
interesting to me.
so we went to the memorial, verymoving, very interesting.
and then we did a walk aroundthe parliament so you could see
that building closer up.
and appreciate it.
and understand it.
and then we took our bus to theEaster market.
I had heard of Christmasmarkets.
(21:55):
Budapest actually has an Eastermarket, which has food and music
and decorations and gifts andeverything.
It was so cool.
I was
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:06):
I bet you were super excited.
That is, that is right up youralley.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:11):
I was geeking out, I was having, some
really interesting street food.
I was checking out the Easterscene.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:17):
Easter
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:18):
it was
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:18):
scene.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:18):
way to kind
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:19):
The Easter scene.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:20):
Easter scene.
Yeah.
Um, that was a fun way to endthe cruise.
you really feel like I'm in aEuropean setting and this is a
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:29):
So is that where the ship stopped?
Was that the last Okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:34):
That correct?
that was the last.
day.
And what was interesting wasthat day, and then the next day
there were actually peoplegetting on to
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:44):
Oh wow, return.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:45):
crews back.
So at dinner that night, you hadkind of new people and you're
like, who are these people?
These people aren't part of ourcrews.
but they're actually getting onand starting the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:54):
That's so interesting.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:56):
to Germany.
So the last night on board wasvery nice.
Had a nice meal with my crew.
they brought on some Hungariandancers and musicians, so that
was neat.
Up in the, lounge.
Oh, and I didn't say when wewere in lys, had some opera
singers come on, and do that.
So they had some regionalentertainment throughout the
(23:16):
crews there.
That was a lot of fun.
And then really just kind of saygoodbye to everybody.
Finish packing, figured out howI was gonna fit everything into
my suitcase, what I needed toleave in my state room, to make
that happen.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (23:29):
I don't need these clothes.
I'm just gonna leave these here.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (23:32):
and then
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (23:33):
what I would say
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (23:33):
say is over the last day and a half,
our cruise manager reallystressed, I need to know your
plans.
Even if you're on your own, weneed to take care of you or at
least know what's going on.
I had purchased my air throughAmma, my transfer back to the
airport was included.
So basically they look at yourflight and they say, okay.
(23:54):
This is what time we need yourluggage out.
and this is when your transferis.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (23:58):
So my
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (23:59):
So my transfer.
they said my lunch needed to beout by nine in the morning.
My transfer was at 10 30, so Ihung out in the lounge, did some
work on my laptop, talked to myfriends a little bit.
At 10 30, the cruise managercame in and said, it's time for.
Our red group to, head out andwe got on the transfer.
(24:20):
There was an Amma waterwaysperson on the bus with us.
from the ship to the airport, ittook about 30 minutes.
When we got there, she said,this is so and so, he's gonna
take care of you.
he was an Amma waterways person.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:34):
Airport.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:34):
the Airport.
Made sure we reached, checkedin, put our tag on our luggage.
I mean, I felt very taken
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:41):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:42):
right?
Got our luggage off, saidgoodbye.
And
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:44):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:45):
very smooth.
very smooth.
felt well taken care of.
Very professional.
totally would recommend thetransfers just for the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:54):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:55):
of that experience.
One of my, friends I met on thecruise.
We were on the flight to Munichtogether, and then I, flew to,
Washington, DC from Munich.
Had some time there, flew toIndianapolis.
It was a very, very long day,but very
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (25:12):
Amazing.
I mean, this cruise, like I feellike the way that you describe,
you do this.
You do this with a lot ofdestinations, but I can always
feel like I'm there and I'mlike, man, I wanna take a river
cruise.
And then I'm like, wait, gimmelike 30 years.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (25:28):
It.
You know what I love about rivercruising and I was definitely
not the youngest person on theriver cruise.
I was one of the youngestpersons as mid forties, but I
did not feel young.
I mean, there were definitelythe stereotypical river
cruisers, but, it's definitely
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (25:46):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (25:46):
down
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (25:47):
telling me in like 10 years, not 30,
maybe 10 years,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (25:51):
What I love about river cruising, Julie
is.
It allows you to take thevacation as you want.
wanted to see the sites, so Iwas willing to go, go, go.
Some of my friends,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:05):
Mm-hmm.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:06):
relax, so spending time on the ship
they enjoyed that.
We each had different vacations,but at the same time we were
able to come together and enjoythat time.
I love the fact that you canreally do whatever you want and
if you just want to get out anddo your own thing, you
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:21):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:22):
to do these excursions at all.
I could just check out, as longas I'm back on the boat, by the
time you know that it leaves, Ican do whatever.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:30):
Yeah,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:31):
walk.
could take a bike from the shipand bike
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:36):
that sounds so great.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_2017 (26:37):
whatever I wanted.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:38):
Okay.
Any big takeaways, Ryan?
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:40):
I think none of these were
shocking to me, but definitelythe level of service I was blown
away again at a company likeAlma Waterways.
the level of detail, the levelof service, anything from how my
state room was taken care of tomy dining, to the logistics of
the tours, I.
Was just really smooth andreally thought out.
(27:00):
I was really happy with that.
I really enjoyed the variety ofexperiences even though, it
sounded like I did a lot ofwalking tours, which I did.
Each one was different.
Each one kind of had their ownflavor.
I was able to choose differentthings and
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:15):
Right.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:16):
I could do the tasting in Slovakia
or the apricot tasting or thewhat have you, and it.
was all part of it.
and really it allowed me to havethe vacation that I wanted.
And then lastly.
I wasn't worried about travelingsolo.
I was actually kind ofinterested and
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:33):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:34):
it.
but it really showed me thatriver cruising was a good way
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:38):
That's amazing.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:40):
Yeah, so highly recommend.
Again, this was Amma Waterways.
I was on the AM Sonata.
This was the romantic Danubefrom Vil, Chauvin, Germany, all
the way to Budapest,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:52):
Sounds like such an amazing cruise.
All right, so you wanna plan atrip to an amazing destination
like an alma waterways cruise,but don't know how to get
started.
As your travel advisors, we workwith you to create a customized
itinerary for your vacation andtake the stress of planning away
so you can focus on the fun andcreating memories.
(28:12):
You can reach us at all thingstravel podcasts.com and click
contact us.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (28:17):
We look forward to talking to you
next week on all Things Travel,when we share some really
exciting, big, super special,awesome news.
Hello and welcome to All Things
Travel.
Last episode we started todiscuss my recent river cruise
on the DNU with Amma waterways.
There was so much included inthis amazing trip.
I wanted to continue the journeytoday.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (00:13):
Listen destination experts, Ryan and
Julie.
He is your travel professorteaching you everything you need
to know to have a magicalvacation.
And I am a Disney lovingMaryland mom of three and a
specialist in family travel.
Whether we're discussingincredible destinations, top
vacation tips, or sharingpersonal stories, it's always
(00:34):
all things travel.
It's a Sunday night.
We're back to our routine here alittle bit.
Um, I had a fun day.
I was out expo all day talkingtravel.
You had a busy weekend.
Oh my gosh.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (00:50):
Oh So, so I'm moving in a couple weeks,
in with my fiance, and this wasthe prototypical week of we're
stopping at Lowe's.
We're stopping at this store,we're going to Costco.
we're stopping over her parentsto pick
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (01:04):
Oh my gosh.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (01:05):
fun.
to do all that It's
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (01:06):
It's fun to do all that stuff.
It's expensive to do all thatstuff, but good for you.
Good I'm glad one of us workedthis weekend.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (01:12):
Well, hey.
We both worked.
We just worked at
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (01:14):
We did.
Okay.
So We are gonna talk more aboutRyan's river cruise that he just
went on with Amma water rays.
And last week we talked a lotabout like kind of getting to
the cruise, your presay inMunich, first impressions, your
first couple days on the trip.
So before we get back into therest of the itinerary, tell us
(01:36):
about food because I know thatthat's, that's on your mind.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (01:40):
It is a big part of the cruise, right?
What am I gonna be eating?
How am I gonna be eating?
And I think Amma really does itwell.
the meals are kind of laid outin a certain way.
First of all, there's not roomservice.
breakfast is kind of acombination of menu and buffet.
you can order off of a smallmenu, get like every day I
tended to get an omelet or therewas eggs benedict or pancakes
(02:03):
then they also had Kind of abuffet So there's anything from
English breakfast to an eggstation to pastries.
So you didn't go hungry.
at breakfast, there was usuallylike a fruit juice of the day
kind of thing.
So that was how breakfast was.
you would have breakfastsomewhat early, because your,
your first excursion wouldleave, you know, nine or 10 in
(02:25):
the morning.
So you get up, you havebreakfast.
Now if you don't want to havethat full breakfast up in the
lounge for both breakfast andlunch, they have a lighter,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:34):
Kind
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:34):
more of a continental
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:35):
a,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:36):
of
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:36):
so you just
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:37):
Lunch is straight off the menu.
oftentimes there would be
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:40):
Uh.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (02:41):
based around, uh, where you are.
So for instance, when we were inBavaria, there were, The
pretzels and the meats and thecheeses and all that.
and what was interesting, andyou're gonna appreciate this
'cause you and I have had asimilar experience, in the bread
basket that day, there wereseveral, Bavarian pretzels.
so our table kind of ate those.
(03:02):
And, and one of the women said,you mind if we have some more
pretzels with our bread?
And he said, absolutely.
And he came back and the basketwas covered.
And what do you think was in it?
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:11):
Just all pretzels.
All pretzels.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:14):
cause you and I had the same
experience with shrimp when wewere on Royal Caribbean.
Right.
So I even said that beforehand,I said, I bet there's all
pretzels in here.
And sure enough there were,lunch is sandwiches, There's
soups, there's always a hot.
Main dish.
then wine and, and beer isserved with lunch if you want.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:33):
And dinner
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:33):
dinner is a full, off the menu.
it's always regionally basedbased on where you're sailing.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:41):
chef.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:41):
a chef's, um, suggestion for the
full menu.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:45):
I would get that and maybe swap out an
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:47):
swap out an or swap out a Maine based
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:49):
app if you
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:50):
If you weren't feeling as adventurous.
I wouldn't say the food wassuper fancy or
j_1_04-27-2025_201 (03:54):
adventurous, but
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (03:56):
but, there were certainly different
things throughout the cruise.
There was always steak, therewas always chicken, there was
always salmon as an option.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:03):
you
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:03):
and you would have appetizer, salad
soup.
Maine dessert.
I mean, if you wanted it, therewere always different options in
each of those
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:11):
Okay, wait, I have I have questions.
first.
ocean cruises it's kind of likean all you can eat sort of deal
if you wanna order three plates.
Is it the same with the rivercruising?
Absolutely.
Okay.
So there would be nights maybeyou,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:23):
would be nights maybe you, wanted to
try both appetizers,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:26):
the
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:27):
maybe the.
table would want to sampleseveral different things.
So you could certainly do that.
one of the women in our group,tended to want a salad with some
sort of protein.
she would order the Caesarsalad, which was always, on the
always available menu, and getit with chicken or steak or
salmon based on
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:43):
Yeah.
And,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:43):
that night.
So they really do accommodateyou.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:46):
and then lunch.
So you talked about lunch.
on board, but are you alsoeating lunch off the shipper lot
or how does that work?
Okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:55):
the day.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:55):
Yep.
It depends on the day.
Um, if
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (04:57):
if you're doing both a morning and
afternoon excursion, Then
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:02):
to the ship and have lunch, okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:04):
and then depart in the afternoon, is
really nice.
It
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:06):
kind of thing.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:07):
to Kind of take
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:07):
Maybe the weather's changed, You need to
go drop off.
A coat
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:10):
off.
a coat, pick up A coat
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:12):
that off.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:12):
that, or drop off souvenirs that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:13):
Um, if you're
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:14):
if you're at an all day excursion,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:16):
on, okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:17):
your own.
There was one situation, I'lltalk about this in a second
because our plans changed.
Amma actually paid for ourlunch.
and then there are someexcursions where a meal is
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:27):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:28):
just depending on
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:29):
Lots of options.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:30):
there were certainly times that, that,
I bought my lunch and I washappy to,'cause it was
experiencing
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:35):
Yeah.
Okay, so tell us about theChef's Table.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:40):
Okay, so this is a really cool
experience.
and what's cool about it withAmma is it's
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:46):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:47):
So every guest has the option to
dine at the chef's table atleast
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:52):
And there
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:53):
And if there are.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:55):
are faces.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (05:56):
you can dine more than once, and it
is a special prefix chef menu.
And you're actually in adifferent dining room, a smaller
dining room, and the chef ispreparing your meal in front of
you.
They have kind of like a kitchenstation, so there's a completely
different weight staff.
There's different wines to have.
(06:17):
different food options.
It's just an
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:20):
Wow, that's,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:22):
would say that's,
j_1_04-27-2025_20175 (06:23):
definitely a
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:24):
that's definitely a.
more elevated meal than theother options, but compared to
any cruise line I've been on, Iwould say most meals were as
good, if not better than anyother cruise line I've been on.
even in the main dining room anddefinitely in the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:39):
And I appreciate that a lot of those
you mentioned were likeregionally Oh,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:45):
Oh, a hundred percent.
The wines
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:47):
you know,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:47):
you're in Germany.
and you're having BavarianYou're in Hungary and you're
having,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:52):
Hungry food
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:53):
and, and a
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (06:54):
hung.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (06:54):
Hungarian food and, and one of the
appetizers that night was.
the street food I had at theEaster market that afternoon,
they really try to do that.
But if you're not thatadventurous, there's always a
burger, there's always a steak,there's always chicken.
You know, you're good to go.
And the potato wedges on Ammawaterways are amazing.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:12):
remember you talking about those before,
so they must be really memorable
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:16):
So, know, you get the potato wedges
and the steak and the peppercornsauce, and you're having a good
meal regardless of what's
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:22):
as you roll off the ship at the end.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:24):
the last.
Exactly.
And the last option, to behonest on this cruise, I never
did this one'cause I wasn't upthat late, but about 10 o'clock.
Then in the lounge they alwayshave kind of a late night snack.
And this can be burgers, it canbe kind of appetizers,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:39):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:39):
thing.
So you're not going hungry on analma waterways cruise when it
comes to drinks, lunch anddinner, you've got your beer and
wine as much as you care to
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:48):
Wow.
That's amazing.
That sounds so great.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (07:51):
what I like about it is, yes, there's a
lot of food, but you can reallydo what you want.
if it's a soup and salad day, sobe it.
if you're on the ship in themorning and not doing an
excursion and you want a longerbreakfast, you can certainly do
that.
it's really flexible around whatyou
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:06):
Okay, so dining sounds amazing.
Let's get back to youritinerary.
I know that you mentioned thatthere was a little bit of a
hiccup, so tell us what happenedand, what was the result of
that.
Okay, so when we were
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:21):
when we were.
in Lynn, Austria and we got backfrom our walking tour.
it was time for the sip andsale.
about the hour before dinner.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:29):
manager Ella would
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:31):
would always come out and kind of
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:33):
the day
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:34):
the day talk if there's anything for
tomorrow.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:37):
was
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:37):
that was kind of the,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:39):
the team.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:40):
for the cruise.
You know, everybody's there, um,enjoying a drink and hearing any
announcements and she said,well.
ship is having an issue.
We're having a power issue withthe ship.
It does not impact any of us onthe ship,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:55):
we
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (08:56):
we don't feel comfortable sailing
the ship tomorrow.
So here's what we're going todo.
there were two excursionsscheduled for tomorrow.
one was to Stein.
Austria and one
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:09):
happy
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:10):
Abbey in milk,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:11):
and you were
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:12):
And you were to choose one of
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:14):
one.
both were in the app.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:15):
were in the afternoon,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:16):
here's what.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:17):
said, here's what we're gonna do
instead.
If you want to go on theseexcursions, we are combining the
two excursions and we're busingyou.
So it's an all day
j_1_04-27-2025_20175 (09:26):
excursion.
You'll go
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:28):
Stein in the morning, you'll go, to
the Milk Abbey in the afternoon,we will
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:31):
Hey everybody
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:32):
25 euros for lunch That's gonna be
our day
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:36):
you want to stay
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:37):
stay on the ship, meals and
everything will be here if youjust wanna hang out and Lynch
have at it.
So
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:42):
so
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:43):
next day
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:43):
next day, that's what we did.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (09:44):
took a bus to Dine Stein's a small
little town.
and it's all about apricots andthat was actually, the excursion
was an apricot tasting I hadsigned up for.
So a little different.
it was more of a walking tour,but we definitely had time to
sample apricots, apricotproducts.
I brought back some apricot rum.
I brought back some preserves,some candies, all
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (10:07):
that sounds cool.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (10:08):
then as you registered for your
excursion, waterways gave you 25euros that you could then use
for your lunch.
thought that was a good way tohandle it, Probably the biggest
disappointment was we did notget to sail through the Wachau
Valley that day, which is thisbeautiful fertile valley in
Austria.
But they made up for that alittle later, and I'll tell you
(10:30):
how they did that, in theafternoon.
Then we went to the Milk Abbey,which is just a.
Gorgeous, complex.
there are monks that still livethere.
Mostly it's a touristattraction.
There's a school that is housedthere in the Abbey and is this
gorgeous architecture.
And it was so cool to, uh, tosee it and learn about, uh, the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (10:54):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (10:55):
that live there and and
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (10:56):
So I have a question.
I have a I have a question.
What, I'm curious, why did theyhave to combine them?
Because the ship was havingissues.
what would've been the, if theship wasn't having issues, what
would the, those excursions, howwould they have been different?
Okay, so if the ship was nothaving.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:15):
um, issues that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:16):
we would've sailed through the walk
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:18):
Valley
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:19):
and they would have dropped those
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:21):
off that wanted to go to Ernstein,
and they would in the afternoon,and then they would've sailed to
milk and dropped those peopleoff.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:26):
Got it.
Okay.
Okay.
That I to go Okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:29):
to do was,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:31):
to do was
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:31):
to do was was
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:32):
Got it.
You know?
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:33):
you know, again, with Alma
waterways, you've got smallgroups.
they were able to deal with it.
And that's really where someonelike Ianella, the crew manager,
just shines
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:45):
Able to
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:46):
to
j_1_04-27-2025_2017 (11:47):
everything.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_2 (11:47):
everything, get the logistics taken care
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:50):
Nice.
That's amazing.
And then that night we.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (11:53):
Then that night we had the chef
table.
that was just a wonderful meal.
with all the travel advisorsthat were there with Alma
waterways plus their guests.
it was really kind of sweetbecause, our friend Summer, I.
Who had kind of joined our, ourband of, of Mary, sailors, if
you will.
I was able to take her as myplus one, so most of our group
(12:13):
were able to go together, shedidn't have to go by herself.
that was just a really niceevening.
the, the chefs table is a,highlight
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:20):
Amazing.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:21):
crews.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:21):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:22):
So the next, day part of our problem
with Julie was it was theweekend.
And so they were having troublegetting parts.
They were actually flying intechnicians from other
countries.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:32):
from,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:32):
were folks from AWA Waterways
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:34):
gosh,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:35):
that was there.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:36):
they were
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:36):
they
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:37):
bus.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:37):
care
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:38):
was just unfortunate that was happening.
Mm-hmm.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_20 (12:40):
happening.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:42):
so
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:42):
so.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:43):
they said was
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:44):
said was, this is your
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:46):
We can bus,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:47):
We can bust you to Vienna for the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:49):
or able
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:50):
not
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:51):
to jet.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:51):
to Chesky Kof in Czech Republic.
If you want to do that, we willbus you
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:57):
have that excursion.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:58):
that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (12:59):
or if you want
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:00):
if you
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:00):
the day on the ship,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:01):
the day on the ship.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:02):
my friends,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:03):
my friends, I.
Wanted to
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:05):
day on the ship and they love
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:06):
ship they loved that.
Several of them went to CheskyKof
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:09):
do that the other day.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:10):
the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:11):
So they have the
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:11):
So
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:12):
to go to
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:13):
to both Salzburg and Chesky Kof.
And I
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:16):
Vienna.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:17):
'cause I'm like, you know, I want to go
to Vienna.
I want to have that experience.
And that was really cool becausemost of the excursions
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:25):
that point,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:26):
point, were smaller
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:29):
and so.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:30):
so.
it was neat to go to a big city.
It was Palm Sunday, so the citywas busy.
There was a lot of energy.
Had a really nice walking tourthrough Vienna.
I.
had some time to do someshopping.
I think I texted you and said,well, of course I'm having Greek
food in Vienna'cause that's whatyou do.
so I was able to have a nice
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:50):
And again,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:50):
again, I'm a waterways credited us
lunch money on our onlineaccount,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:56):
So I,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:56):
So
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:57):
other than having a bus ride when we
didn't,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (13:59):
when we didn't feel like, or when we
weren't planning
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:02):
they took care of us.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:03):
took care of us.
here's the best part too.
When we got back to the ship,the ship intentionally met us at
a port so then we could sailthrough the Wachau Valley
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:14):
Actually see it
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:16):
as as the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:18):
as going.
And
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:20):
the, and then the crews
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:22):
then, so
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:23):
So
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:23):
bit of a hiccup,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:24):
hiccup for a couple
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:25):
I do
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:26):
do know that Ian
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:27):
this.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:27):
said that folks, two folks,'cause
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:29):
people that
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:29):
people that were, you know.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:31):
met
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (14:31):
primarily because some people had paid
extra for a
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:35):
primarily
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:35):
in Vienna.
Um, and that did not happen.
that was probably, as I lookback at everything,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:41):
that was the one
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:42):
one
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:42):
that
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:42):
that was lost throughout all this.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:44):
people obvious,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (14:45):
obviously got their money back
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:46):
she did say that no waterways would be
reaching.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:49):
out to everybody on the sailing.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:51):
sure
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:51):
sure because I was there specifically
as a travel advisor, if
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:55):
me, but it definitely sounds like,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (14:57):
like, you know, Amma Waterways is
gonna take care of their people.
I heard
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:01):
time again.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:02):
and time again from folks who had
sailed on Amma waterways in thepast that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:07):
Customer service.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_20175 (15:08):
service of not just even on the ship,
but the company, as they'remaking reservations, as they're
dealing with covid,reservations, all that kind of
stuff, they took care of them.
Entire time.
And so I have no doubt thatAlma's gonna
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:22):
So had you been able to sail to those
ports that they bust?
Like how long was that bus rideto, you know, the milk Abbey or
to Vienna?
Like how much of aninconvenience was that bus ride?
Was it like a couple of hourswas bus, the first
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:39):
was
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:39):
day was about an hour, and the second
day was about two
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:41):
day
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:41):
Okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:41):
about two hours.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:43):
second day
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:43):
second day, people really kind of, do I
want to be on a
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:46):
That was,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:47):
Um, that was really kind of
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:48):
but again, I had
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:49):
I
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:50):
dinner.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:50):
been to Vienna.
I hadn't had that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:51):
I
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (15:52):
so I was, wanting to do that.
And actually, um, I ha I sentout postcards to some of my
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:00):
not even,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:00):
and I'm not even sure if they'll get
them by this point'cause I knowit
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:03):
that's what I did on the bus,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:04):
I did on the, bus, on the on the way
there I just filled outpostcards for everybody.
at the end of the day, I sawwhat I wanted to see.
Amma treated me well.
I felt well taken care of.
I've been on tons of buses inEurope.
That doesn't worry me.
I'm okay.
It's
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:20):
And you got to see, Additional towns
that you would not have seen,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:25):
and just not gonna let that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:27):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:27):
day.
and it didn't seem like most
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:29):
Okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:30):
did.
I mean, there was certainlysome, some direct conversations
with the cruise manager,especially with that second day.
but at the end of the day, itall worked.
it was all fine.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (16:40):
All right, so now we're gonna come
up to What you've said wasprobably your favorite.
Stop.
If you would have told me beforethis cruise barada, sva Slovakia
is gonna be your favorite stop.
I would've been like, what now?
it was beautiful.
was absolutely beautiful.
(17:01):
it was the perfect blend of asmall village and a modern city.
Wow
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (17:08):
So in the morning, you know, I am
taking a walking tour throughthis beautiful old town of
Bratislava.
In the afternoon, I'm shoppingfor my son at this brand new
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (17:19):
Art.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_2017 (17:20):
shopping mall.
I just.
thought it was a
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (17:23):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (17:24):
I really did not expect that.
So we got into Bratislava at
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (17:29):
Had the my travel.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (17:30):
one of my travel agent meetings that
morning and then, we got intoBratislava and we had a taste of
Slovakia.
Excursion.
So we did a walking tour, wherethe, the guy kind of took us
through Barada, Sava obviouslytalking, you know, like a lot of
these places, the, the impact ofcommunism and the resurgence of
(17:53):
the culture, and brought ALA asa capital and then took us to a
beer garden and we sampled someSlovakian beers.
We had a charcuterie board,which was wonderful.
The only thing I didn't have wasthe tongue.
apparently it was good, but notwhat I was interested in.
we had some local music and.
Then we were given time toexplore what I liked about this
(18:17):
guide.
Was, she did exactly what Ithink you should do when you're
with people for not very long.
Okay, here's what I wanna showyou, but when we're free, you
could do this and this is theway you should go.
You could go here and this is,you know, so she kind of prepped
where we needed to go.
my group that I was with, wesampled a few of kind
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (18:39):
Pastries.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_2017 (18:39):
pastries that she
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (18:41):
Ice cream.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (18:41):
ice cream.
because she talked about howgood the Slovakian ice cream
was.
I had, fig
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (18:47):
Ice cream.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (18:47):
ice cream.
and it was just absolutelywonderful.
we did some shopping, did somewalking around.
Just enjoyed the day.
And then, like I said, I neededto do some shopping specifically
for my son.
So I went to, there was ashopping mall.
Down from the port and justreally had a nice day.
It is absolutely gorgeous.
(19:07):
And, and I actually looked atEslava.
I said, you know, if I wanted totravel here again, what would
that be like?
As I researched it's a reallygood starting point for a
vacation because in a coupledays you can see the highlights
of Bratislava, and then it's atrain ride to everywhere.
You can go to Prague, you can goto Budapest, you can go to
Vienna.
It's a very easy
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (19:28):
That's amazing.
I, I'm so surprised that wasyour favorite too.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (19:31):
A hundred percent.
It really, really was.
and then our last full day, wewent to Budapest, and this was
probably our worst weather.
We lucked out on weather allweek long.
We had some DRE that day, andthe weather was cooler, but it
was by no means bad.
But let me tell you, Julie, ifyou've seen anything about River
(19:53):
Cruising the Danube, you've seenthe Parliament in Budapest and
sailing into that bridge andseeing that Parliament building
is just
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:04):
Well
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:05):
I just, I ha
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:06):
the,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:06):
was was on the.
Deck I got some great photos,some great video, and I I'm
like, I'm here.
I'm doing This
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:12):
That's awesome.
Wow.
So
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (20:15):
obviously when you're in Budapest, you're
gonna go to
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:18):
obviously different, separated by
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (20:20):
separated by the Danube.
So Buddha
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:22):
was much more.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:24):
much more of the old town castle,
kind of regal and royal, area.
had a really nice walking tourthere.
saw some really neat sights.
There
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:35):
an over of
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:36):
of Budapest that
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:37):
a
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:37):
by
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:37):
church was
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:38):
church that was just
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:39):
gorgeous,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (20:39):
gorgeous.
Came
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:41):
had, um,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:42):
um,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:42):
really nice Hungarian l awesome, um,
blue wash
ryan_1_04-27-2025_20175 (20:47):
goulash then went and saw
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:49):
and on this second we went to, um.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:53):
um.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (20:53):
memorial.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201 (20:54):
memorial, and this is along the Danube.
There are metal shoes in Memoriaof the Jews that were lined up
along the Danube and shot, intothe river.
as Budapest was taken over bythe Nazis.
it was interesting.
The, guide in the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (21:11):
say.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (21:11):
said, you know, we're really bad at
picking sides.
We haven't picked a winning sideof a war in 500 years.
throughout this entire cruisetalking about the Nazis, talking
about World War ii, talkingabout communism just came up
over and over and it wasinteresting to hear, Everybody's
take on a similar
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (21:32):
Mm.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (21:33):
That
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (21:33):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (21:34):
as a history buff that was
interesting to me.
so we went to the memorial, verymoving, very interesting.
and then we did a walk aroundthe parliament so you could see
that building closer up.
and appreciate it.
and understand it.
and then we took our bus to theEaster market.
I had heard of Christmasmarkets.
(21:55):
Budapest actually has an Eastermarket, which has food and music
and decorations and gifts andeverything.
It was so cool.
I was
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:06):
I bet you were super excited.
That is, that is right up youralley.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:11):
I was geeking out, I was having, some
really interesting street food.
I was checking out the Easterscene.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:17):
Easter
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:18):
it was
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:18):
scene.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:18):
way to kind
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:19):
The Easter scene.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:20):
Easter scene.
Yeah.
Um, that was a fun way to endthe cruise.
you really feel like I'm in aEuropean setting and this is a
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:29):
So is that where the ship stopped?
Was that the last Okay.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:34):
That correct?
that was the last.
day.
And what was interesting wasthat day, and then the next day
there were actually peoplegetting on to
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:44):
Oh wow, return.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:45):
crews back.
So at dinner that night, you hadkind of new people and you're
like, who are these people?
These people aren't part of ourcrews.
but they're actually getting onand starting the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:54):
That's so interesting.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (22:56):
to Germany.
So the last night on board wasvery nice.
Had a nice meal with my crew.
they brought on some Hungariandancers and musicians, so that
was neat.
Up in the, lounge.
Oh, and I didn't say when wewere in lys, had some opera
singers come on, and do that.
So they had some regionalentertainment throughout the
(23:16):
crews there.
That was a lot of fun.
And then really just kind of saygoodbye to everybody.
Finish packing, figured out howI was gonna fit everything into
my suitcase, what I needed toleave in my state room, to make
that happen.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (23:29):
I don't need these clothes.
I'm just gonna leave these here.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (23:32):
and then
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (23:33):
what I would say
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (23:33):
say is over the last day and a half,
our cruise manager reallystressed, I need to know your
plans.
Even if you're on your own, weneed to take care of you or at
least know what's going on.
I had purchased my air throughAmma, my transfer back to the
airport was included.
So basically they look at yourflight and they say, okay.
(23:54):
This is what time we need yourluggage out.
and this is when your transferis.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (23:58):
So my
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (23:59):
So my transfer.
they said my lunch needed to beout by nine in the morning.
My transfer was at 10 30, so Ihung out in the lounge, did some
work on my laptop, talked to myfriends a little bit.
At 10 30, the cruise managercame in and said, it's time for.
Our red group to, head out andwe got on the transfer.
(24:20):
There was an Amma waterwaysperson on the bus with us.
from the ship to the airport, ittook about 30 minutes.
When we got there, she said,this is so and so, he's gonna
take care of you.
he was an Amma waterways person.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:34):
Airport.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:34):
the Airport.
Made sure we reached, checkedin, put our tag on our luggage.
I mean, I felt very taken
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:41):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:42):
right?
Got our luggage off, saidgoodbye.
And
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:44):
Wow.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:45):
very smooth.
very smooth.
felt well taken care of.
Very professional.
totally would recommend thetransfers just for the
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:54):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (24:55):
of that experience.
One of my, friends I met on thecruise.
We were on the flight to Munichtogether, and then I, flew to,
Washington, DC from Munich.
Had some time there, flew toIndianapolis.
It was a very, very long day,but very
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (25:12):
Amazing.
I mean, this cruise, like I feellike the way that you describe,
you do this.
You do this with a lot ofdestinations, but I can always
feel like I'm there and I'mlike, man, I wanna take a river
cruise.
And then I'm like, wait, gimmelike 30 years.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (25:28):
It.
You know what I love about rivercruising and I was definitely
not the youngest person on theriver cruise.
I was one of the youngestpersons as mid forties, but I
did not feel young.
I mean, there were definitelythe stereotypical river
cruisers, but, it's definitely
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (25:46):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (25:46):
down
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (25:47):
telling me in like 10 years, not 30,
maybe 10 years,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (25:51):
What I love about river cruising, Julie
is.
It allows you to take thevacation as you want.
wanted to see the sites, so Iwas willing to go, go, go.
Some of my friends,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:05):
Mm-hmm.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:06):
relax, so spending time on the ship
they enjoyed that.
We each had different vacations,but at the same time we were
able to come together and enjoythat time.
I love the fact that you canreally do whatever you want and
if you just want to get out anddo your own thing, you
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:21):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:22):
to do these excursions at all.
I could just check out, as longas I'm back on the boat, by the
time you know that it leaves, Ican do whatever.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:30):
Yeah,
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:31):
walk.
could take a bike from the shipand bike
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:36):
that sounds so great.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_2017 (26:37):
whatever I wanted.
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:38):
Okay.
Any big takeaways, Ryan?
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (26:40):
I think none of these were
shocking to me, but definitelythe level of service I was blown
away again at a company likeAlma Waterways.
the level of detail, the levelof service, anything from how my
state room was taken care of tomy dining, to the logistics of
the tours, I.
Was just really smooth andreally thought out.
(27:00):
I was really happy with that.
I really enjoyed the variety ofexperiences even though, it
sounded like I did a lot ofwalking tours, which I did.
Each one was different.
Each one kind of had their ownflavor.
I was able to choose differentthings and
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:15):
Right.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:16):
I could do the tasting in Slovakia
or the apricot tasting or thewhat have you, and it.
was all part of it.
and really it allowed me to havethe vacation that I wanted.
And then lastly.
I wasn't worried about travelingsolo.
I was actually kind ofinterested and
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:33):
Yeah.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:34):
it.
but it really showed me thatriver cruising was a good way
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:38):
That's amazing.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:40):
Yeah, so highly recommend.
Again, this was Amma Waterways.
I was on the AM Sonata.
This was the romantic Danubefrom Vil, Chauvin, Germany, all
the way to Budapest,
j_1_04-27-2025_201752 (27:52):
Sounds like such an amazing cruise.
All right, so you wanna plan atrip to an amazing destination
like an alma waterways cruise,but don't know how to get
started.
As your travel advisors, we workwith you to create a customized
itinerary for your vacation andtake the stress of planning away
so you can focus on the fun andcreating memories.
(28:12):
You can reach us at all thingstravel podcasts.com and click
contact us.
ryan_1_04-27-2025_201752 (28:17):
We look forward to talking to you
next week on all Things Travel,when we share some really
exciting, big, super special,awesome news.
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