Redefining Theme Cruises

Awaken Your Palate on a Wine Cruise

Uncork local traditions and savor intense flavors during one of our more than 60 exclusive AmaWaterways Celebration of Wine Cruises. Offering enhanced epicurean experiences included in the price of your river cruise, these thrilling wine-themed journeys sail through Austria’s UNESCO-designated Wachau Valley; France’s celebrated Bordeaux area and equally distinguished Burgundy and Côtes du Rhône regions; Portugal’s Douro Valley, the oldest demarcated wine region in the world; Germany’s breathtaking Rheingau, Franconia and Moselle regions and beyond.

Insider’s View with The Experts

A superbly knowledgeable Wine Host, cultivated from an exclusive group throughout North America, will bring delicious wine on board, lead special tastings and discussions, as well as a food and wine pairing dinner, and accompany you to historic cellars and vineyards ashore.

Gondola ride in Rüdesheim, Germany

Explore Vineyards with an Expert Guide

Authentic Encounters

Authentic encounters add to the rich tapestry of local culture, always making for memorable encounters. Walk alongside artisans and vintners through the same fields in which their ancestors toiled. Learn how best to pair decadent chocolate with wine; discover how olives transform into the Mediterranean’s prized nectar, olive oil; go in search of the “Black Diamond” truffles in Avignon; or be tempted by everything from apricot jams and strudels to apricot brandy while in Austria’s enchanting Wachau Valley.

Festive Holiday Cruises

AmaKristina Onboard Tree Decorating Event

Experience the deep-rooted traditions and heartwarming cuisine of Europe at this most wonderful time of year. Join friends and loved ones on a Holiday Cruise and do what the Europeans have been doing for centuries—gather at the Christmas Markets, wrap your hands around a mug of glühwein or cocoa, shop for one-of-a-kind handcrafted treasures and celebrate the spirit of the season.

Iconic Christmas Markets

Four countries—Hungary, Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic—await your arrival for one unique, festive celebration after another. Visit iconic cities like Budapest, Vienna, Nuremberg and Prague where a day spent at these Christmas Markets is the ultimate gift. Children singing carols, enticing aromas of gingerbread and timeless wonders are a feast for your senses.

Christmas Markets on The Danube

Experience timeless holiday traditions and elegant pageantry along the captivating Danube. Discover the Baroque splendor of the Habsburg Empire with visits to regal Christmas Markets at Vienna’s Schönbrunn and Salzburg’s Hellbrunn Palace. Stroll through Regensburg’s romantic market in front of the Thurn and Taxis Palace and be spellbound by Prague’s Old Town Christmas Market.

Explore Christmas Markets in Vienna, Austria

Christmas Markets on The Rhine

From the colorful canals of Amsterdam to the Swiss mountain peaks of Lucerne and Zurich, soak up the holiday festivities in four countries. Cologne’s Christmas Market with its impressive Gothic cathedral as its backdrop; the “Capital of Noël,” Strasbourg; and Heidelberg’s market are all timeless, highlighting traditions handed down through the centuries.

Christmas Market Shopping

Explore New Holiday Traditions

In 2021, AmaWaterways debuted their new Colors of Provence (Christmas) sailing, which visits Christmas Markets and Provencal holiday traditions on the Rhône River. And beginning in 2023, you can sail the Lower Danube River through Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, and Servia to immerse yourself in Orthodox holiday traditions and winter markets on AmaWaterway's Gems of Southeast Europe (Christmas) itinerary.

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