How the beer flows on the Rhine River with AmaWaterways
Table of Contents
Pros
- No crowds. You can easily stroll through the streets and alleys of the towns and cities and blend in among the residents. This also means coach rides probably will be shorter because of reduced traffic.
- The theme drives the day. You will feel the energy of a shared affinity among your fellow travellers, which makes for good conversation starters among strangers who become fast friends.
- AmaLucia offers nice amenities. Cabins are spacious and comfortable, and the ship has spa services, a heated pool, large gym, Wellness Host with included daily workouts and a wider variety of dining experiences than you’ll find on other river lines. Â
Cons
- The weather can be cold, grey and rainy. This means you won’t get to enjoy the pool and sundeck as you probably would during spring and summer.
- The cruise had many missed opportunities to emphasize the beer theme. There was not a featured beer at dinner each night or a special menu of beers onboard. Instead, all of the beer experiences (except for the beer-pairing dinner) were at short outings ashore at one brewery.
- Embarkation in Zaandam. The trip is billed as Amsterdam to Basel, but the ship was in Zaandam, meaning cruisers didn’t have easy access to all that Amsterdam has to offer during the first day and night onboard. (The cruise departed the next morning at 11 from Zaandam.)
In recent years, more lines have been offering winter river voyages in Europe, making cruising – traditionally a seasonal holiday – a year-round possibility for avid travellers. The weather, of course, is not as delightful as it is during spring or summer in Europe. In fact, it can be cold, drizzly – or even snowy.Â
So, why did I come to Europe for a Rhine River cruise in February, with temperatures forecast to be from three to seven degrees daily during our voyage? Well, I’m here for the beer! We’re on a river cruise in Europe with AmaWaterways called Captivating Rhine, Celebration of Beer.
I always enjoy a river cruise, and AmaWaterways has long been one of my favourites. However, I was curious to see what it’s like to travel in the low season, when crowds are virtually non-existent.
Plus, the draw of the beer-tasting experience on our trip on the AmaLucia river ship as we travel from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, made this a must-do cruise for me and my wife, Colleen.
We’re beer aficionados, always eager to try new styles and craft brews as well as learn about the history of brewing during our travels.
A rise in themed river cruising
AmaWaterways has been using themed cruises more often to attract a broader base of new cruisers, too. The line had more than 30 themed cruise departures available on its website as of February 2026.
This Celebration of Beer voyage is just one of a growing variety of themed trips offered by the line. Under the Interests tab on AmaWaterways’ website, you’ll find music cruises, holiday voyages for the Christmas markets, Smithsonian Journeys and special theme cruises called Latin Touch and Soulful Experience.
Latin Touch cruises feature a Spanish-speaking cruise director and vibrant Latin-focused entertainment onboard. It’s designed for Spanish speakers. The Soulful Experience voyages celebrate Black history and culture along the rivers where AmaWaterways cruises around the world, from Europe to Egypt to Colombia and Asia.
Beer lovers cheer a winter getaway on the Rhine
Our trip begins in Amsterdam/Zaandam, where we join dozens of fellow beer lovers who will be travelling onboard the 156-passenger AmaLucia to enjoy the comforts and convenience of river cruising. The journey includes tours and talks with beer sommelier Ken W. Smith, who has had a decades-long career specialising in brews, with most of it spent at The Boston Beer Co. (Sam Adams) in the United States.
Indeed, there were no crowds in our ports this time of year, and we had the towns and cities to ourselves as we roamed from brewery to brewery in places like Utrecht, Netherlands; Dusseldorf, Breisach and Cologne, Germany; and Strasbourg, France.
Onboard the ship, nightly entertainment and other amenities made the trip enjoyable, despite the cooler temps in mid-February along the Rhine.
The Sun Deck features a pool, but this isn’t the time of year to be out in your swim trunks on the top deck. However, we did bundle up and head outside to take in the sights of the fabulous Rhine gorge during periods of scenic cruising.
Retreating to the comfort of the Lark Lounge, though, allowed everyone to enjoy the nightly musical entertainment from pianist Cezar and performances from guest musicians, such as the string trio La Strada, who charmed the audience with a variety of classical pieces and classical takes on more contemporary hits.
Wellness activities help us earn our brews
AmaLucia also offers massages, and Colleen and I indulged in a relaxing 60-minute treatment mid-cruise to refresh after a few days of drinking, eating and walking around the towns and cities.
One of the best things about travelling with AmaWaterways is the ability to incorporate a little wellness into your holiday. The ship features a Wellness Host, and during our voyage, Antonio led morning sessions, such as core workouts and stretch classes, as well as afternoon activities like dance classes and walking groups. This program helps travellers achieve some balance, especially on a themed cruise that has given us an excuse to indulge in drinking beer and consuming hearty portions of food all day.
The ship also carries a fleet of bikes, and these are available for group tours or independent exploration.
Our first beer outing was in Utrecht, where we had a beer tasting at a small brewery.
We also had a few pours in Strasbourg, trying some French varieties during an onboard tasting and food-pairing basics class.
However, the main thrust of the program properly focused on the legendary history of German brews.
We downed the traditional crisp and tasty Kölsch during a fun walking tour in Cologne, and we sampled more varieties on a tour in Breisach, which has a rich mix of Alsatian beers, with traditional German styles and seasonals like cherry beers. Breisach also boasts a growing diversity of regional crafts.
In addition to the tours ashore, Smith led talks and tastings onboard, including a session called the History of Beer from the Sumerians to the Fall of Rome, as well as a special beer-pairing dinner with five varieties in the ship’s Journeys restaurant.
Food is plentiful too
AmaLucia has a number of ways for you to get fed during your cruise. Journeys is the main restaurant, featuring buffets for breakfast and lunch and a plated four-course menu for dinners.
The ship also has a Chef’s Table eatery for a seven-course wine-pairing meal. This is included for all cruisers who can make a reservation to enjoy this experience once during their voyage.
AmaWaterways uses the space for a new Italian lunch concept. The menu features a soup, pasta and pizza of the day, as well as a different gelato selection each time.
Additionally, there is the Al Fresco bistro located at the front of the Lark Lounge, where you can get an early-risers breakfast or bistro lunch of sandwiches, pasta, fruit, salads and desserts if you want something quick and more casual than the buffet at Journeys.
Cruisers also get evening snacks such as hot dogs, empanadas or chicken tenders set out in the lounge at 10 nightly. You won’t go hungry on this trip.
Sharing a few brews with new friends
The ship had about 90 cruisers onboard, so a bit more than half capacity, and a large chunk of them were drawn to the sailing because of the focus on beer.
We visited the small craft brewery Oudaen in Utrecht, Netherlands, and tried three styles (wit bier, Champagne beer and Belgian-style tripel) while downing traditional Dutch bar snacks, such as bitterballen, beer cheese, cured sausages and fried snacks like Kaassoufle (chicken), Gehaktbal (meatball) and Kipcorn (crispy chicken), with mustard and syrup made from beer as dipping sauces.
In Cologne, we took a short walking tour to see the city’s famous cathedral before stopping by the Gaffel am Dom brewhouse, a traditional Kölsch house. Here, we had a couple of cold Kölschs plus a wheat beer. Upon returning to the ship, our beer sommelier Ken Smith, who had travelled from Colorado to serve as the expert in residence during our trip, gave a fascinating talk on the history of beer and its development and relevance to ancient civilisations.
These outings and activities allowed for easy-flowing conversations among new friends who share a passion for their favourite beverage and love experiencing travel through the lens of learning about new brews and how the beer-making culture has evolved in various destinations.
Expert Tips
My Favourite Meal: The Chef’s Table was a fabulous experience, with seven courses, a welcome Champagne and three other wines. The service was impeccable, and the meal was delicious, as we enjoyed appetisers of a chilled scallop and compressed pear on a bed of avocado tartar and a poached king prawn with coconut-lemongrass foam.
The main dish was an Angus beef striploin with orange-rosemary jus and roasted baby vegetables.
What to Pack: Casual wear is the standard on AmaLucia, and it’s essential to pack layers, sweaters, scarves, winter hat, gloves and comfortable walking shoes that are water-resistant. Rainy and cold conditions are to be expected, so be prepared for your time outside on tours and viewing the Rhine Gorge on the outer decks of the ship.
Umbrellas are provided by AmaWaterways.
Secret Tip: Make reservations for the Chef’s Table and massage treatments as soon as you get on board to get your preferred time that fits within your schedule around your excursions for the week.
