Blue skies and cheerful sunshine alone are enough to put many of us in a positive mood when summer rolls around in late June – there’s no wonder it is one of the most popular times to take a vacation. If you’re considering a summertime sojourn, here are six reasons (plus a special offer) to consider river cruising with AmaWaterways between June and August.

1. Small Towns

Cruising European rivers means visiting many off-the-beaten-path towns and villages inaccessible by the large ocean cruise ships, and therefore you won’t be faced with overcrowding while on shore. In Spitz, on the Danube River, for example, only one ship is allowed to dock in this Austrian winemaking hamlet, and it is our own 196-passenger AmaMagna. Along the Moselle River, all the ports we dock in are intimate storybook destinations in Germany, from Bernkastel to Trier to Cochem. Quaint Rüdesheim on the Rhine is perfect for wandering down narrow cobblestone lanes past fairytale homes with lovely flowerboxes – and it even hosts an annual wine festival in mid-August.

Best Towns to Visit in Summer: Rüdesheim, Bernkastel, Cochem and Vilshofen, Germany; Spitz, Weissenkirchen and Dürnstein, Austria; Riquewihr, Seurre and Viviers, France

2. The Sun Deck

Every AmaWaterways river cruise ship offers a spacious Sun Deck with plenty of seating, fresh air and panoramic views where our wonderful wait staff visit frequently to offer you drinks. Most of our ships include heated sun-deck swimming pools, perfect for cooling down after an included morning hike or biking excursion, while five ships offer a soothing whirlpool that beckons as the sun sets. AmaMagna is the only ship in our fleet with both a sun-deck pool and whirlpool, leaving the choice of water temperature up to you.

Ships with Sun-Deck Pools: AmaBella, AmaCerto, AmaDouro, AmaKristina, AmaLea, AmaLucia, AmaMagna, AmaMora, AmaPrima, AmaReina, AmaSerena, AmaSiena, AmaSonata, AmaStella, AmaVenita, AmaVerde, AmaVida, AmaViola

Ships with Sun-Deck Whirlpools: AmaCello, AmaDante, AmaDolce, AmaLyra, AmaMagna

3. Extended Daylight Hours

With the sun shining into the evening hours and lending lovely temperatures for nighttime strolls, you can see more and explore more on our summer sailings. Sit out on your balcony and watch the world go by – or choose one of our itineraries that offers more than one overnight in port enabling you to explore the nightlife in a fascinating destination such as Vienna, Bratislava or Lyon.

Best Itineraries for Overnights: Celebration of Classical Music: The Danube, Legendary Danube, Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps, Flavors of Burgundy, Essence of Burgundy & Provence

4. Refreshing Amenities

Although temperatures outside rise in summer, our wonderful crew members aboard our air-conditioned ships are always ready and waiting with something that will cool you down: a recyclable Tetra-Pak water container as you depart for your excursions; cold water, iced tea or lemonade and a chilled towel as you return; a refreshing cocktail or beer at our daily complimentary Sip & Sail cocktail hour; delicious creamy ice cream for dessert - perhaps up on the Sun Deck during nice weather.

5. Ideal Timing for Family Travel

If you have school-aged children or grandchildren, summer is the best season to spend quality time together – and chances are, the kids won’t even feel like they are learning valuable lessons about the world around them. Select ships in our European fleet offer a limited number of triple occupancy staterooms or connecting staterooms, which provide peace of mind for travelers who wish to keep an eye on their loved ones. Plus, with AmaWaterways’ variety of included excursions, guests of all ages are accommodated with tours for gentle walkers, active hikes and bike rides, tasting tours and more!

Ships with Connecting Staterooms: AmaKristina, AmaLea, AmaLucia, AmaMagna, AmaMora, AmaSerena, AmaSiena, AmaStella, AmaViola

Ships with Triple Occupancy Staterooms: AmaBella, AmaKristina*, AmaLea*, AmaLucia*, AmaMagna*, AmaMora*, AmaSiena*, AmaStella*, AmaVerde, AmaViola*

*Ships with Quadruple Occupancy Suites

6. Easy Packing

With fairly predictable balmy weather throughout most European destinations, sundresses, shorts and short-sleeved shirts make for stress-free packing and lighter bags. Plus, with AmaWaterways’ convenient, attractively priced laundry service, you can likely get away with just carry-on luggage to avoid any potential hassle at summer’s busiest international airports. Zip through customs, unpack once on board and let the vacation begin right away as you visit multiple destinations during one spectacular vacation of seven nights or more.

BONUS:

Summer Triple Savings

Warm up your summer vacation plans with our Summer Triple Savings offer! Reserve your stateroom on select July and August European river cruises and save up to $2,000 per stateroom – plus enjoy a complimentary stateroom upgrade and $50 onboard credit! Offer expires September 30, 2024. Click here for more details. 

Contact your preferred travel advisor to reserve your summer river cruise through Europe today!