- Our very own APT has sparked a revolution on Europe’s waterways with its two new ships.
- Cruise Passenger’s Jane Archer has been aboard both, and is impressed.
- The quality of the design (by a Melbourne company) and six dining venues were her highlights.
Just two months after unveiling its first APT-branded river ship in Europe, APT has done it again. Vessel number two, APT Ostara, launched in June and, just like its sister ship (APT Solara, for those who haven’t been keeping up), it has set a new standard for luxury on Europe’s rivers.
From the quality of the finish to the exceptional cuisine, there is so much to love about this vessel. The service is excellent, the look more akin to a private yacht than a river ship, and it never feels crowded even though there are 133 on our cruise (mostly Australians, with a handful of Brits), which is not far short of its capacity of 154.
Even more notable, there are six places to eat (seven if you count room service, which is available during mealtimes), which is way more than many other vessels of this size. Several are by invitation-only, so everyone gets to try them all once (but book one of the Owner’s Suites, of which more later, and you get extra dining privileges).
Gruner Bar & Dining: A restaurant that moves
We were impressed with the food in all the restaurants, but for added wow, it’s hard to beat the Gruner Bar & Dining. When Ostara is sailing, it’s accessed from the back of deck three; once in port, the crew press a button and the whole thing – the seating, galley, bar and all – lifts hydraulically onto the sundeck. And if you don’t believe that’s what happens, check out the hole on deck three where the restaurant used to be. It’s technology gone amazing.
Gruner is open for lunch and dinner, and you need invitations for both meals. The menus are different, but portions are designed to be shared, which works if you and your partner have the same tastes – if not, you can each order what you fancy.
For lunch, that means anything from chilled cucumber soup for starters (just to be clear, that is not for sharing!) to German sausage or pork schnitzel (my choice, and so good) for a main. Dinner courses are labelled “small”, “medium”, “large” and “sweet”, and they are not kidding. The grilled chicken with pomodoro spaghetti looked meagre, but after the “medium” open striploin sandwich, and over-indulging with bread and yummy hummus for the “small”, it was quite enough.
Bistro Saison, a French-style restaurant, is the main dining room equivalent, so no reservations are needed. Breakfast and lunch are a mix of buffet and a la carte meals (and yes, they have Vegemite), while dinner is a served three or four-course meal with salads, soups, meat, fish and vegetarian options.
You are also free to drop in for light breakfasts and lunches at the front of the Salon (APT’s name for the lounge), but in the evening the eatery morphs into the invitation-only Annie’s Table, which serves a three-course French-inspired menu.
So that’s four eateries ticked. Number five is the Daystar Deck, an area of the sundeck between the wheelhouse and the front of the ship, where they fire up a barbie twice per cruise as long as the weather plays ball.
It wasn’t looking good for our cruise, but someone up there was watching out for us because right on cue, the clouds cleared and the sun came out. And so did kebabs, calamari, German sausages, steak, salads, and fruit. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who snuck back for seconds.
Saving the best till last
And then there is the Owner’s Cellar, an elegant eatery within Bistro Saison designed like a wine cellar, which is invitation-only and sits just 16 people. We were welcomed with champagne and munched our way through a tasting menu that started with a cauliflower velouté and moved on to a classic prawn cocktail; pike perch cooked with nuts, grapes and grapefruit; sirloin steak; and finally a chocolate mousse. Naturally, there was a different wine poured with each course.
The food was delicious – the steak was tops for me – but we were equally impressed by the tempo of the meal, personal service and sensible portion sizes that didn’t leave you feeling stuffed.
That was the same in all the eateries and APT’s contribution to health and wellness. There’s also a small gym and spa room on Ostara – massages are anything from 30 minutes to an hour – and 10 electric bikes you that can be borrowed for free or used on bike tours. When time allows, Amy, one half of Ostara’s entertainment duo, hosts meditation, line-dancing and fitness classes, and she and partner Ludo also take folk out hiking.
The suite life
As befits a river ship selling itself on luxury, all rooms on Ostara are suites. The best are the eight Owner’s Suites on deck three, which have a separate sitting area and balcony and come with free laundry and a spa treatment, plus a second invitation to the Owners’ Cellar for those on the 15-day Magnificent Europe cruise between Amsterdam and Budapest.
Most rooms are like ours, though. They are a bit smaller but look lovely, with a super-comfy bed, a panorama window that opens halfway at the touch of a button, plenty of storage, a stylish Smeg kettle, and a good-sized bathroom with a Butler-style sink and glass-enclosed shower. I was promised that bathrobes are on the way.
In a nod to APT’s roots, the interior design was the work of Melbourne-based Hecker-Guthrie and is both spectacular and very different to the norm on rivers.
Acres of white wood panelling give the ship a nautical look and add a feeling of space; there are beechwood banisters and furniture, rope-entwined pillars and an eye-catching sculpture in the lobby stairwell that resembles a fishing net. On deck one, meanwhile, 14 suites have teak-like panelling reminiscent of a ship’s cabin of old. Instead of curtains, the windows (two in each room, but they don’t open) have slatted wood-effect blinds that open and close at the touch of a button.
In all rooms, images taken by Australian photographer Nicholas Wilkins showcase the highlight places visited along the rivers between Amsterdam and Budapest.
Castles and cities
Most passengers were sailing from Budapest to Amsterdam on an iconic journey through Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Germany and Holland. If you’re coming all the way from Australia, it’s an amazing two weeks ticking off everything from castles and cities to historic towns and villages with picturesque half-timbered houses and an obsession with either beer or wine.
We joined them at their halfway mark, in Nuremberg, for an eight-day Highlights of the Rhine and Main cruise to Amsterdam that has more than its fair share of delightful old towns, castles, churches, quirky stories and, of course, plenty of beer and wine.
With APT, all tours are included in the price – even when there is a choice of excursions, which is a neat touch. On walking tours, we were divided into groups, with one set aside for slow walkers. Easy-to-use Quietvox receivers are provided, so you can hear guides without having to crowd around them.
The full cruise features three exclusive Signature Experiences. On our section, we had champagne with a real-life princess in her castle. She told us the story of the “house”; its history, how it was seriously damaged in the world wars, and her journey renovating it, before we were given free rein to look around. APT’s other tours were really good, but the princess was so interesting and so gracious that is the one we will never forget.
Expert tips
Favourite meal: I enjoyed all the food served (although a bit more oomph in a curry one lunchtime would have been nice) but the stand-out was Annie’s Table: a platter of cold meats, olives, eggplant mousse and roasted peppers to start, a delicious confit of duck to follow, and a crème brûlée to round it all off. Just perfect.
What to pack: This depends on when you are travelling. Summers in Europe are generally warm and dry (although there are exceptions, as on this trip!) while winters veer from cold to freezing, so woolly jumpers and hats, gloves and scarves are a must. On board, it’s very casual. Gala night is an excuse for dressing up if you feel inclined. Secret tip: APT doesn’t supply water bottles, plastic or otherwise, so take your own. They can be refilled at the tea-and-coffee station in the salon.
* APT Ostara is sailing 15-day Magnificent Europe cruises between Amsterdam and Budapest until late December this year and from March to December in 2026, with prices from $9695 per person including drinks, tips, excursions and wi-fi. Our one-week cruise between Nuremberg and Amsterdam (or vice-versa) is available on selected dates, as are cruises between Nuremberg and Budapest.
See more and for bookings go here.
