River cruising is our most favourite way to travel, and, in our opinion, the best way to truly experience Europe.
We know you've seen there are many river cruise companies to choose from, so we thought I'd give a brief overview of the three most popular ones. These are based solely on our opinions, of course, but we are very confident that most others who've done several of these river cruises would agree 🙂
Quick summary: if you want a Danube cruise that feels more like a roomy, activity-rich boutique hotel afloat, AmaWaterways - and its showpiece
AmaMagna - should be at the top of your list. Other major lines (Viking, Uniworld, Scenic, Avalon) each have strengths (brand consistency, ultra-luxe décor, or fully all-inclusive packages), but Ama tends to win on space, flexible dining and active shore programming.
AmaWaterways / AmaMagna : the win (also my favourite)
AmaMagna is uniquely wide (nearly
twice the width of a traditional river ship), so cabins, public areas and on-deck facilities feel much more spacious than usual for river ships. Click
HEREto see the ship!
It was designed to offer variety onboard: multiple restaurants, a sun-deck pool, wellness/fitness spaces and extra lounges (great if you like options without leaving the ship).
Ama emphasizes active, included excursions (biking, guided walks, more energetic options) alongside classic cultural tours (ideal for travelers who want to mix movement with sightseeing).
Viking
Strengths: consistent design, strong marketing to history/culture travelers, and a reputation for calm, predictable service and well-structured included excursions. Viking’s fleet tends to be more traditional in size and style, appealing to guests who prefer a quieter, classic river-cruise vibe. Often lower-priced than its competitors, possibly in part due to them putting more people on each ship (this means larger groups for excursions). Speaking of excursions, I've found that though Viking does include daily options, they 'sell' the best ones at an upcharge (AMA includes them)
Uniworld
Strengths: boutique, highly decorative “hotel-style” ships and very luxurious interiors; tends to appeal to travelers who want lavish décor and a high level of onboard polish. Compared to Ama, cabins can feel smaller but more opulently dressed. Some of the Suites include butlers who do everything (including unpacking and packing your clothes!). Of the three, Uniworld is the priciest. If you are a major art lover, and things like high tea are on your daily 'must do' list, then Uniworld is a wonderful option.
Now, if you haven't tried River Cruising, or want to go again, we'd like to invite you to join us on our next hosted group🙂
The AMAMagna cruise we are hosting is leaving April 26th, 2026. It sails from Vilshofen to Budapest. You can click
HEREto see the detailed itinerary. You'll also see the choices of included excursions (I hope you'll join me for the full day in Salzburg, where we will visit the places that Sound of Music was filmed!). You can see their public rates for that sailing
HERE. Note: their pricing does not include gratuities or premium beverage package (approx. $1000/total per stateroom). Now, you can compare that with our pricing (and you'll save anywhere from $3000 to $6000 depending on what category you book.
Categories E, Owner's Suite and Grand Suite are sold out.
Want more info? Call or find us on on Facebook!
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