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Timeless elegance spills from the decks of AmaVida as the ship cruises along Portugal and Spain’s Douro River. Rust and gold color schemes bring together the Douro’s breathtaking sunsets and a sepia hue that conjures timeworn snapshots of the world’s oldest demarcated wine region. Most staterooms feature balconies from which to enjoy views of terraced vineyards, as well as Entertainment-On-Demand, climate-controlled air conditioning and an in-room safe. AmaVida’s passionate chefs will treat you to exquisite, locally-sourced cuisine paired with unlimited local wine—and the region’s signature Port—as well as beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner in the Main Restaurant cada noche.
The AMA staff from pre trip to post trip were great. Everyone on boat was very nice and accommodating. We loved the tours, loved the people, enjoyed the boat! Many passengers lost luggage and had to go shopping in Madrid for new outfits! The luggage finally made it but one passenger had to wait eight days. Unfortunately SO many people on our trip came down with Covid... We were never told about it but saw medical personal on board at ports and heard of early morning evacuations of sick passengers. There was also an outbreak of 24 flu bug. On our post trip we had to test to get back home. After testing negative I never received an email that I needed to board my flight. Our test was 2pm, my flight was 10am the next day. I spent the whole evening with our guide making phone calls trying to get paperwork showing negative test. We were up until 11pm trying different emails etc. We were back up at 3am, no email. We tried again for a couple of hours, no luck. I missed my flight! About 10:30am the Ama guide called so excited, she finally got the email I needed. She suggested I call my travel agent and re-book. She also recommended I leave soon otherwise I'd have to test again and risk being positive. At this point almost everyone in our group was testing positive. It was the middle of the night at home, no travel agent available. I panicked feeling like I had to leave within the 24 testing window. I had to spend thousands to book a last minute flight. I did this with AMA guides suggestion to get out while I can.... After returning home we have contacted AMA for some compensation... They arranged testing and assured us it would be taken care of ... it was not... I missed the flight and spent so much on new one. AMA responded that I should have done it through my travel agent... that was not an option and I had to leave within 24 hours of testing. What a nightmare.... We have been on other AMA waterways cruises and loved the fact that we felt very taken care of... not anymore. Sad...and disappointing....
We recently sailed on the AmaVida on the “Flavors of Spain & Portugal cruise. We elected to do both the pre- and post-cruise extensions with AMA. We began in Madrid. Since we always try to arrive at least a day early, using AMA for the transfer was not an option. Our travel agent arranged for a car to pick us up. Our flight arrived on time, but getting through passport control at MAD was horrendous, and took us over an hour and a half. Fortunately, our driver waited and contacted us, so we had our ride to our hotel. We stayed at the NH Collection Madrid Paseo del Prado, which is the hotel used by AMA. It is, in fact, located right across the street from the Prado Museum, a definite plus. We quickly arranged to keep the same room for the duration of our stay. The hotel is lovely, and the staff were magnificent. We enjoyed the pre-cruise, except for the fact that the temperature stayed around 100°F. We had a delightful tour of Toledo, then stopped in Salamanca on our way to the river. Our Cruise Manager, Marcia, was with us the entire time, and she was magnificent! Once on the ship, we found that the ca ins were small, as expected, due to the size restrictions on the Douro. In fact, the cabins on the AmaVida are larger than on most competing lines. The crew were welcoming and friendly. Unfortunately, the meals were not as good as we had come to expect on AMA. Definitely not bad, but missing something. One passenger commented that it seemed like food you’d get in a nursing home. The best meals were the Chef’s welcome dinner the first night, and the farewell dinner. Our sommelier, Angel, tried to make sure that everyone found a wine they could enjoy with dinner, and Port was offered every night. The river is beautiful, and going through the locks is always fun. The tours were fine, and I certainly enjoyed tasting the wines and especially the Port. The heat made it difficult to fully enjoy the tours. I would recommend taking this tour in Spring or Fall. Porto was wonderful, and we all enjoyed the evening cruise under the “6 bridges.” We ended with a few days in Lisbon, a beautiful city. Our tour of Sintra was marred by my wife falling ill and passing out. The head of security was wonderful in how he treated her, and our guide and Marcia stayed close at hand. Fortunately, my wife recovered, it was unable to attend the Fado concert we had booked for the evening. AMA refused to reimburse us, and since we never saw a doctor we couldn’t bill our insurance. Marcia offered to reimburse us out of her own pocket, but we declined, since it wasn’t her fault. All in all, it was good, but it could have been much better.
This cruise was recommended by our Travel Advisor. The entire experience was wonderful. I'm glad we did a short river cruise (220 Km). We were in port every night which allowed us to sightsee, dine off the ship if we wanted. Every day was an event by bus to see the many different sights each city or town presented. We saw a varied things on our day trips for Cathedrals, Castles, Wineries. All excursions were complete with guides and quiet boxes (as they call them) to keep us informed of the history and related stories. The Douro river trip involved our ship in 5 loks with the biggest vertical drop being 115' (33 m) .. The team on the boat was friendly, the wine and food were delish with much thought going to each different city for wine pairings. Simply put, a great trip that I would recommend for people to do .. thank you Ama Waterways for making our vacation so memorable ...
The AMA staff from pre trip to post trip were great. Everyone on boat was very nice and accommodating. We loved the tours, loved the people, enjoyed the boat! Many passengers lost luggage and had to go shopping in Madrid for new outfits! The luggage finally made it but one passenger had to wait eight days. Unfortunately SO many people on our trip came down with Covid... We were never told about it but saw medical personal on board at ports and heard of early morning evacuations of sick passengers. There was also an outbreak of 24 flu bug. On our post trip we had to test to get back home. After testing negative I never received an email that I needed to board my flight. Our test was 2pm, my flight was 10am the next day. I spent the whole evening with our guide making phone calls trying to get paperwork showing negative test. We were up until 11pm trying different emails etc. We were back up at 3am, no email. We tried again for a couple of hours, no luck. I missed my flight! About 10:30am the Ama guide called so excited, she finally got the email I needed. She suggested I call my travel agent and re-book. She also recommended I leave soon otherwise I'd have to test again and risk being positive. At this point almost everyone in our group was testing positive. It was the middle of the night at home, no travel agent available. I panicked feeling like I had to leave within the 24 testing window. I had to spend thousands to book a last minute flight. I did this with AMA guides suggestion to get out while I can.... After returning home we have contacted AMA for some compensation... They arranged testing and assured us it would be taken care of ... it was not... I missed the flight and spent so much on new one. AMA responded that I should have done it through my travel agent... that was not an option and I had to leave within 24 hours of testing. What a nightmare.... We have been on other AMA waterways cruises and loved the fact that we felt very taken care of... not anymore. Sad...and disappointing....
We recently sailed on the AmaVida on the “Flavors of Spain & Portugal cruise. We elected to do both the pre- and post-cruise extensions with AMA. We began in Madrid. Since we always try to arrive at least a day early, using AMA for the transfer was not an option. Our travel agent arranged for a car to pick us up. Our flight arrived on time, but getting through passport control at MAD was horrendous, and took us over an hour and a half. Fortunately, our driver waited and contacted us, so we had our ride to our hotel. We stayed at the NH Collection Madrid Paseo del Prado, which is the hotel used by AMA. It is, in fact, located right across the street from the Prado Museum, a definite plus. We quickly arranged to keep the same room for the duration of our stay. The hotel is lovely, and the staff were magnificent. We enjoyed the pre-cruise, except for the fact that the temperature stayed around 100°F. We had a delightful tour of Toledo, then stopped in Salamanca on our way to the river. Our Cruise Manager, Marcia, was with us the entire time, and she was magnificent! Once on the ship, we found that the ca ins were small, as expected, due to the size restrictions on the Douro. In fact, the cabins on the AmaVida are larger than on most competing lines. The crew were welcoming and friendly. Unfortunately, the meals were not as good as we had come to expect on AMA. Definitely not bad, but missing something. One passenger commented that it seemed like food you’d get in a nursing home. The best meals were the Chef’s welcome dinner the first night, and the farewell dinner. Our sommelier, Angel, tried to make sure that everyone found a wine they could enjoy with dinner, and Port was offered every night. The river is beautiful, and going through the locks is always fun. The tours were fine, and I certainly enjoyed tasting the wines and especially the Port. The heat made it difficult to fully enjoy the tours. I would recommend taking this tour in Spring or Fall. Porto was wonderful, and we all enjoyed the evening cruise under the “6 bridges.” We ended with a few days in Lisbon, a beautiful city. Our tour of Sintra was marred by my wife falling ill and passing out. The head of security was wonderful in how he treated her, and our guide and Marcia stayed close at hand. Fortunately, my wife recovered, it was unable to attend the Fado concert we had booked for the evening. AMA refused to reimburse us, and since we never saw a doctor we couldn’t bill our insurance. Marcia offered to reimburse us out of her own pocket, but we declined, since it wasn’t her fault. All in all, it was good, but it could have been much better.
Relax and rejuvenate in spacious, luxurious staterooms with plenty of amenities. Most feature outside balconies that afford stunning views of the scenery along the river.
Savour regionally inspired, exquisite cuisine at a variety of dining venues.
Your river cruise with AmaWaterways will be a luxurious experience from start to finish. Customise how you explore Europe with a variety of included shore excursions and flexible tour options.
With fewer passengers on board, guests can enjoy the luxury of space — our public areas, like lounges and restaurants, are never overcrowded.
Are you looking for a way to stay fit on vacation? Hit the treadmill or lift some weights while cruising from one destination to the next.
Please note that children facilities are not available onboard this ship.
