Title – Shelly’s amazing time with AmaWaterways in beautiful Budapest
I was so fortunate to get a chance to attend the CLIA Riverview Conference with my lovely group of colleagues from Miles Morgan Travel in the beautiful city of Budapest. We were extremely blessed to have amazing sunshine too.
I also got the chance to visit the amazing AmaWaterways “AmaSonata” ship. I was so impressed as soon as I saw the standout ship; it has a beautiful and classy look, and I knew straight away it would be special inside.
As soon as I walked on board, we had a wonderful welcome from the friendly staff and I loved the décor, the impressive central glass lift is gorgeous. The main lounge is so spacious with wonderful views of the river and a well-stocked bar to get drinks and socialise.
The cabins are wonderful; colourful and spacious with large inviting beds and all you need for a very comfortable stay. They have lovely, roomy bathrooms with powerful rainfall showers. Some of the suites have a French and outside balcony which are gorgeous and make the rooms feel so spacious. I can picture myself relaxing with a glass of wine as the sun sets. These rooms are designed to make the most of the incredible views you can only capture from the river.
On the sun deck there is plenty of outdoor seating and nice comfortable sofas, including cushions, for a get together with other guests and friends which I absolutely loved. I can visualise myself enjoying being outside and chatting to people while having a coffee, with a great ever-changing view.
There is a good-sized heated swimming pool with sun loungers, I really like the idea of having a swim and sunbathing whilst cruising along beautiful rivers. I got to meet the wellness host who was very keen to get us doing some yoga. I really enjoyed participating and found it so energising to be outside moving while enjoying the beautiful sights of Budapest. It felt really awesome to be in a city doing yoga on the river.
I love that AmaWaterways has a wellness programme and even a walking track on the sun deck. There is a well-equipped fitness room too, a spa for when it’s time to have a relaxing therapeutic massage, and a hair salon.
I also got to meet the wonderful captain of the ship, who was so happy to talk and show us the different depths and challenges of the river. He was really friendly and interesting to listen to.
There is a spacious well-presented restaurant which also has a separate dining area to the side available to reserve if you have a group of friends or if you would prefer a more personal experience. The menu changes on a daily basis and dishes uses locally sourced food that are traditional to the areas visited.
I absolutely love food and I really fancied trying the “Chef’s Table” restaurant which is situated at the front of the ship. There’s big glass windows in there so you can get views of the stunning Budapest. It offers a seven-course taster menu that they cook in front of you, accompanied by wines selected by the destinations visited. The other choices of food and wine offered by AmaWaterways sounds incredible, and it left me feeling hungry and eager to try. I must come back!
I really loved the AmaWaterways river cruise experience and have been dreaming of a return trip for myself and a few friends or a mother/daughter trip. River cruising is such an easy way to visit a few cities whilst only unpacking luggage once, fantastic food included throughout the day, daily wellness and excursions to choose from and amazing comfortable rooms with views that move.
If you are thinking about trying a river cruise for your next holiday and would like to know more about AmaWaterways and the many rivers they cruise on, please pop into MMT’s Ross-on-Wye branch or give me a call, it would be wonderful to share my experience with you over a cup of tea or coffee. I look forward to talking to you soon!
