How I spent New Years on an AmaWaterways river cruise

“I’m sure this is the right place but that doesn’t look like it,” my husband says, looking anxiously at the river ship ahead of us. I’ll be honest. Panic is setting in. We’ve dragged our suitcases all the way (the map said 20 minutes, but it’s been at least twice that) from Basel railway station to an unusual out-of-town dock to join our AmaWaterways river ship and I do not want to have to walk back.

And then the penny drops. We’re looking for AmaWaterways’ familiar blue-and-white colours but they are so last year. These days, its river ships sport a rust-like colour that Catherine Powell, who joined the company as CEO last year, calls vivace. “It’s a crowded market out there so we needed to stand out,” she tells me. The new look, which she describes as a warm blush, certainly does that (as long as you remember what you are looking for).

We’re joining AmaViola for a seven-night Enchanting Rhine New Year’s cruise from Basel to Amsterdam. Or at least that’s what we thought. More on that later. It’s a classic river cruise itinerary, taking us from Switzerland into France, Germany and the Netherlands, calling into Breisach, Strasbourg, Ludwigshafen, Rudesheim and Dusseldorf en route.

Along the way we’ll sail through the Rhine Gorge, past numerous castles that once governed trade on the river, go wine tasting with the vintner who made them and explore what must be the most fought over territory in the world, switching between France and Germany five times in the past 400 years.

“We still have a dialect that is a mixture of French and German that other French and Germans can’t understand,” laughs Francois, our guide on a walking tour of the medieval town of Colmar. I suspect that is apocryphal, but it’s a fun thought.

Colmar, reached from Breisach, is in France now, but its fairy-tale looks – think cobbled streets and full- and half-timbered houses – bear testimony to its German roots back in the days of the Holy Roman Empire. The French took it in 1648, the Germans grabbed it back in 1871 and it went back and forth between the two during the world wars. “My grandmother woke up one day to find she was German and no longer allowed to speak French,” he recalls.

Joining us on this journey are plenty of AmaWaterways’ stalwarts who have notched up five, six or more of the company’s river cruises but were feeling unsure about the new management, wondering what changes might be made to the brand they loved. “It usually means cost-cutting is on the way,” one American whispered to me during the pre-dinner Sip and Sail hour, a daily gathering open to all when a limited selection of beer, wine and cocktails are complimentary.

They needn’t have worried (unless they really don’t like the vivace, as the new brand colour is everywhere). Things might be changing but rather than facing cuts, passengers are getting more bang for their buck.

A new era for AmaWaterways

An Italian lunch menu is now served in the Chef’s Table, a restaurant at the back of the ship that was previously only open in the evenings. There is also a new all-day dining menu in the lounge, which has been renamed The Lark, while the restaurant becomes Journeys, giving both venues more of a personality. The new dining options were added after the winter season, so sadly we didn’t get to try them. On the other hand, it’s a perfect excuse to get on another cruise.

Launched in 2016, AmaViola is one of AmaWaterways’ older ships but don’t let that worry you. It has all the line’s signature features, including cabins with split all-weather balconies – one half outside, the other inside – and colourful furnishings that give the vessel a cheery vibe. There is also a pool on the top deck, which would be great in summer but was never going to get any takers on our winter cruise.

With temperatures not far off freezing some days, this is not the cruise to skimp on jumpers, gloves and scarves, but as it is the festive season we can at least warm up with a glass or two of glühwein, German’s hot mulled wine, or vin chaud, the French, less spicy, version.

Strasbourg, another Franco-German hybrid, is a gorgeous city with a stunning cathedral (be there at 12.30pm to see the astronomical clock swing into action) and a predilection for choucroute – the French name for sauerkraut – if the number of times we saw it on menus is anything to go by. “Strasbourg is where French finesse meets German efficiency, giving us the best of both worlds,” says Layla, our guide, as we drive into the city past monumental buildings and grand squares in the stately German quarter.

Ludwigshafen, our next stop, has the dubious honour of being voted Germany’s ugliest city so we were happy to hear we were switching to Mannheim. The latter is not going to win any beauty contests either, but at least it has a better claim to fame – namely, it is where Karl Benz built the world’s first car in 1886. If that doesn’t get your motor running, do like us and join an excursion into pretty Heidelberg instead.

Countdown to 2026

AmaWaterways includes a variety of tours in the cost of the cruise, which is handy because you can dip in and out of what you fancy without worrying about the budget. We like the guided walking tours as they are a useful way to get your bearings before exploring alone, but in Rudesheim, I opted for a tour of Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet.

“Do I have to go?” the hubbie pleaded, but even he fell for the charms of Onkey, our guide, as she sang and bopped along to the big band and orchestral sounds coaxed out of the museum’s vast collection of restored mechanical musical instruments that would have graced homes and dance halls back in the day.

From Rudesheim, we continued north, sailing through the Rhine Gorge and racing to reach our next stop, Dusseldorf, before the clock struck midnight on December 31. We just made it, and wow. As we sailed into the city, both banks of the river exploded in a frenzy of colour to welcome in 2026. A magical sight I know none of us will ever forget.

And so to Amsterdam. Or so we thought. It turned out we were actually going to Zaandam, about 18km away. It’s where most of AmaWaterways’ Rhine cruises now start and end, I was told. A case of jumping – and staking its claim elsewhere – before being pushed by the city, which is reducing river cruise berths due to overcrowding.

We joined a tour of Zaandam and were fascinated to discover the French impressionist painter, Claude Monet, lived here in 1871. He painted 25 pictures but left after four months because the locals didn’t like them. Fast forward to today and fans can follow a trail of murals of his works on buildings around the town. It’s not quite up there with Amsterdam I know, but the city is only 20 minutes away by train so adding a few hotel nights there before or after a cruise nets you the best of both worlds.

Book it

AmaViola will be back with a New Year cruise on the Rhine in December 2026. The seven-night cruise, from Basel to Zaandam, departs on December 26 and will be in Dusseldorf for New Year’s Eve. Prices include excursions, fitness classes, all dining, Wi-Fi, wine or beer with lunch and dinner and a pre-dinner cocktail hour.

---

Expert Tips

Favourite meal: Crispy chicken poke bowl with roasted nuts, mango, couscous, carrot and pineapple cubes. Both tasty and healthy!

What to pack: Life on board is very casual with no dress codes. Some like to make an effort on gala evenings, but feel free to wear what you are comfortable in. For days ashore, pack for the season. Winter in Europe is cold, springs can be a bit rainy, summers get quite toasty.

Secret tip: Everyone has the chance to eat in the Chef’s Table once per cruise but if there’s space, you might be able to sneak in another time.