If we're friends on Facebook you probably saw me use the term "life-changing" when describing the river cruise I just took. That is 100% accurate. Below is a (long) recap of my experience that I hope will help paint the picture of what river cruising is like, what people can learn about or do in the places we visited, and why it's such a terrific way to travel.

AmaStella Cruise Itinerary

Romantic Danube from Vilshofen, Germany to Budapest, Hungary
November 18-25

Arrival - Day 1
We arrived in Munich around 10:30am the day of embarkation after an uneventful non-stop flight from Charlotte. The pick-up point for transfers is outlined in the pre-cruise documents mailed to each guest but we had trouble finding the restaurant (blaming it on jetlag). Anyone arriving in terminal 2 must go outside and across the courtyard to the terminal 1 building. AmaWaterways also has an optional three night pre-cruise extension in Prague where guests can begin their trip.

Vilshofen - Day 1
The motorcoach journey to Vilshofen was a lovely two hour ride through the countryside. We arrived much earlier than the official 3pm embarkation time but the crew welcomed us onboard with a light lunch. Beginning the cruise in this quaint (I'll try not to use that word often) town was a great way to build up to the larger cities we encountered later in the trip.

After walking around Vilshofen a bit, our room was ready and we settled right in. We had a twin balcony and while it was a little too cold to use either the French balcony or the full balcony very often, they were nice to have.

That evening's highlight was a mini Oktoberfest celebration set up outside and in front of the ship. This was only for AmaWaterways guests and featured Vilshofen musicians on accordians, the Vilshofen beer queen, pretzels, and locally brewed beer.

We met the cruise manager, Matyas, this first day as well. Cruise managers on river cruises do so much - they coordinate shore excursions, help arrange private tours, provide information and history on the areas you are visiting, schedule post-cruise transfers, and so much more. Matyas made the trip unbelievably special and was even up at 4am the day of disembarkation to help the the first group board the airport bound motorcoach.

(L to R) Day 2: Passau, Day 3: St. Wolfgang and Basilica St. Michael

Passau - Day 2
The ship overnighted in Vilshofen and set sail for Passau the following afternoon and arrived a couple hours later. This day was pretty dreary, rainy, and cold but we braved the elements for the short walking tour. Each stateroom is equipped with Quietvoxes, which are headphone sets that guests use to connect to tour guides. They worked wonderfully for this tour and many others after. Passau is another small Bavarian town but home to one of the world's largest, if not the largest, pipe organ housed in St Stephen's Cathedral. The fortress Veste Oberhaus from the early 1200s can be seen from the river and provided a dramatic entrance to the town as we arrived.

That evening was our group's turn at the Chef's Table restaurant. The tasting menu and wine pairing experience is included with cruise fare and guests have the opportunity to eat here at least once during their cruise. I still dream about that meal (and the wine!). Chef's Table is a must-do for everyone.

Linz - Day 3
The ship sailed overnight to Linz, Austria, a larger and more modern city than the previous two we'd just seen. Waking up in such beautiful places each day was incredible but I was glad that I listened to Kate's advice of not sleeping with the curtains open because we docked this close to a Viking ship.

That morning there were two excursion options: either a walking tour or a bike tour of Linz. There was also a full day excursion to Salzburg that began at 9am and ended at 7pm. We opted for the bike tour. Ama's ships have bikes onboard and local tour guides take guests through carefully planned routes while offering commentary on the history of the region. We're fairly experienced cyclists but riding through the city and its traffic was a little stressful. Some people may feel more comfortable on their own two feet in Linz.

The afternoon tour options were for a half day Salzburg visit, a trip to Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic, or to the Austrian Lake District. We opted for the Lake District and happened to be the only two people on the entire tour so it worked out very well. The drive through this area was gorgeous and yes, full of beautiful lakes and scenery. We saw the Basilica St Michael where Maria and Captain von Trapp from The Sound of Music film were married (it's not where the real von Trapps were wed, though) and enjoyed our first Christmas market in St Wolfgang. I would probably choose going to the medieval town of Cesky Krumlov if I had the opportunity again. Everyone who participated in that excursion raved about their experience.

That evening's entertainment was Sound of Austria, a group of two singers and one pianist. They performed traditional Austrian songs (in costume!) and selections from The Sound of Music.

Wachau Valley and Weissenkirchen - Day 4
The ship began its early morning journey to the Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is the prettiest portion of the Danube with vineyards, villages, and rolling hills. We pulled into Weissenkirchen in the afternoon and immediately disembarked for a walking tour of Durnstein, a nearby village, and wine tasting. Richard the Lionheart spent some time in Durnstein castle when he was held prisoner there in the late 1100s and those ruins can be seen from the village.

That evening's entertainment was a classical concert performed by a local trio called La Strada. Each night featured either a local group of musicians and/or Gancho, the ship's pianist.

(L to R) Day 6: Schronbrunn Palace and Christmas Market - Vienna, Day 7: Matthias Church - Budapest

Weissenkirchen and Krems - Day 5
We awoke still in Weissenkirchen and enjoyed an invigorating 20 mile bike ride through the vineyards up to Durnstein where we had been the day prior and further up to Krems where the ship would be later that afternoon. This was a wonderful port stop for biking with minimal traffic and beautiful scenery along the Danube. The other morning tour option was an excursion to the 900 year old Benedictine Melk Abbey, which I heard was quite nice.

The ship pulled out in the afternoon to head upstream to Krems which took a couple hours with the strong current. Once we arrived, almost everyone on our sailing joined the Schloss Gobelsburg wine cellar tour and wine tasting excursion in nearby Melk.

Vienna - Day 6
One of my favorite days was spent here in Vienna. We started off with the morning city tour and hit the highlights by bus and by foot. The highlights were Hofburg Palace, Vienna Opera House, Parliament, City Hall, and even a glimpse of the famous Lipizzan horses outside the Spanish Riding School. The catacombs of St Stephen's Cathedral were especially interesting although a little gruesome so I'll leave those details out for now.

We spent that afternoon at Schonbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the Habsburgs. The official cruise line excursion was cancelled but our cruise manager helped set up a private tour for those of us who still wanted to visit it. The palace was exquisite and there was a Christmas Market set up on the front lawn. Other excursion options that day were bike tours and a Mozart and Strauss concert which was unfortunately cancelled due to low interest.

The day wasn't over yet as we went with almost everyone from the ship to the enormous Christmas Market held in front of the city hall. There must have been 200 beautifully lit booths with Christmas decorations, ornaments, crafts, food, and drinks as well as an ice skating rink and carol singers in the plaza. It was truly a spectacular time to be in Europe.

Budapest - Day 7
We set sail from Vienna at midnight and arrived in Esztergom, Hungary, the following afternoon, where we disembarked for the two hour drive to Budapest. Our city tour began once we arrived in Budapest. The highlights for me were the Fisherman's Bastion and nearby Matthias Church where Franz Joseph and Elisabeth were crowned King and Queen of Hungary. *I am now fascinated with the Hapsburgs after this trip.

Our ship (now fully decked in Christmas decorations) met us back in Budapest where we were treated to Hungarian violinists serenading us during the Thanksgiving meal the chefs thoughtfully created that evening. The finale of the trip was the illumation cruise I'd been looking forward to. Our ship sailed slowly up and down the river to showcase Budapest's marvelously lit buildings. Buda Castle and the Hungarian Parliament Building are even more beautiful at night, if that's possible. To end the cruise with that display was incredible.

Day5: Weissenkirchen Bike Ride

Other Thoughts
Our sailing was only 1/3 full so there were actually more crew members than guests. This isn't a normal occurrence but we definitely enjoyed it. The meals were incredible and the service was outstanding. I'm sure this is the case whether there are 15 guests or all 150 guests onboard, though.

Breakfast and lunch are buffet style with the option to choose from specialty items on the menu. Meals and wine are themed around the sailing regions (sausages, schnitzel, goulash, strudel). Dinner choices are menu based and the options are plentiful. Seating is open so you can dine with whoever you want each night. I'm confident we ate with every person on our ship at least once since there were only 44 of us.

Unlimited wine and beer are served for lunch and dinner as well as other special receptions. I have to say the coolest machine onboard was the coffee/espresso/latte/hot chocolate maker which was self service and available 24/7. It's only a few thousand dollars and now on my Christmas wish list.

The included shore excursions were phenomenal but there are 4-5 additional tour options available for a nominal fee (such as the symphony in Vienna). Tipping is welcomed, of course. In addition to the bike tours available in most ports, there are "gentle walker" options for folks who want to slow things down a bit or can't keep up with the regular walking tour group.

We ordered euros before we left but ATMS were fairly prevalent throughout the trip. The Christmas Market vendors weren't credit card friendly so having cash on hand was essential. Everywhere we went in Hungary accepted euros as well.

Wi-fi is complimentary throughout most of the ship. Each stateroom has an "infotainment" system with a selection of movies and music as well as internet access.

The gym was small with two treadmills and two recumbant bikes. The massage room and salon were also small but I really don't know when there would be time to fit in a massage or hair styling!

You will walk, walk, and then walk some more. I can't stress sturdy, comfortable shoes enough.

About Rebecca Witt, Cruise & Travel Writer

Rebecca was bitten by the travel bug in college after a bagpipe competition in Scotland and an immersion experience in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Her love of travel has taken her from the wilderness of Denali National Park and the Canadian Rockies to the sugar sand beaches of French Polynesia. Rebecca has cruised the Bahamas, Caribbean, South Pacific, and most recently the Danube River through Germany, Austria, and Hungary. Constantly in pursuit of knowledge, she has certifications from all major cruise lines and destinations, and was honored as one of Travel Agent Magazine's "Top 30 Under 30" travel professionals for 2013. She is excited to share her experiences and knowledge while helping you find the perfect adventure of your own.