About the line
About AMA Waterways
AMA Waterways is a family-run line known for generosity: a complimentary Sip & Sail cocktail hour before dinner every night, premium wine and beer throughout the day, and a chef's table restaurant included at no extra charge. Their holiday season is unusually deep — four distinct cruise types spanning mid-November to early January: early-season Taste of Christmas sailings, the classic Christmas Markets cruises (six to eight major markets per itinerary on the Danube, Rhine, and Main), and Christmas Day and New Year's Celebration sailings with a gala over the holidays themselves. On board expect gingerbread decorating, Glühwein, caroling, and elegantly decorated ships. The AmaMagna on the Danube is nearly double the width of a standard river ship, with more lounge and dining space. And when the rivers run low, AMA is the line with a published playbook — sister-ship swaps, reroutes, and newly built itineraries rather than cancellations (see our River Report for the full story).
On board & on route
AMA in pictures
Photos: AMA Waterways
Best for
Food and wine lovers, active travelers, and multi-gen groups who want choice and a generous drinks package.
Pros
- Complimentary wine, beer & cocktails throughout the day
- Sip & Sail pre-dinner cocktail hour daily
- Chef's Table specialty restaurant included
- Four holiday cruise types, mid-November through New Year's
- Published low-water playbook — adapts rather than cancels
- Bikes carried on board, free to use
Cons
- Gratuities and flights not included
- Some premium excursions cost extra
- Slightly higher base fare than Viking
Inclusions
What’s included
A quick read on the standard Christmas-sailing package. Partial inclusions are marked with a half-circle.
Drinks
All drinks (all day)
Excursions
PartialSome excursions included
Flights
Flights extra
Gratuities
Gratuities extra
Wi-Fi
Complimentary Wi-Fi
Bikes
Bikes carried, free to use
The fleet
Ships
AmaSerena
AmaLea
AmaStella
AmaMagna
AmaKristina
AmaSiena
Christmas itineraries
Example Christmas sailings
Named itineraries this line runs for the Christmas-market season. Nights and rivers as published.
- 7 nights
Christmas Markets on the Danube
Danube River
- 7 nights
Christmas Markets on the Rhine
Rhine River
- 7 nights
Iconic Christmas Markets (Budapest–Nuremberg)
Danube River
- 7 nights
Magical Christmas Markets of Germany (new for 2027)
Main River
Itineraries we feature
Example cruises on this line
Real, published itineraries — shown as examples. Live availability via a planning expert.
Magical Christmas Markets of Germany — NEW for 2027
AmaWaterways' newest Christmas itinerary, debuting winter 2027: a 7-night all-Germany river cruise along the Main between Frankfurt and Nuremberg. Frankfurt's historic Altstadt transforms into a winter wonderland, Wiesbaden glitters with its 'Shooting Star Market,' and Wertheim adds medieval charm — before finishing at Nuremberg's world-famous Christkindlesmarkt. Extend with two nights in Berlin and two in Dresden, home of one of the world's oldest Christmas markets. As a brand-new itinerary, the best cabins will go to the earliest bookings.
Example pricing
Request pricing
per person · example
Christmas Markets on the Danube
AMA's Danube Christmas sailing runs the classic Nuremberg-to-Budapest route with the most generous drinks package in the business — a daily Sip & Sail cocktail hour plus wine, beer, and cocktails throughout the day. The AmaSerena carries bikes and has twin-balcony cabins. A chef's table tasting menu is included at no extra charge.
Example pricing
from $2,799
per person · example
Christmas Markets on the Rhine
AMA's Rhine Christmas sailing pairs the classic Amsterdam-to-Basel route with the line's signature generosity — Sip & Sail cocktail hour, all-day drinks, and an included chef's table. The AmaSiena has twin-balcony cabins and a heated pool on the sun deck (rare in December, but welcome).
Example pricing
from $2,899
per person · example
Magnificent Christmas Markets on the Danube
AMA's Magnificent Christmas Markets runs the Danube on the AmaMagna — nearly double the width of a standard river ship, with four dining venues, a cinema, and a heated pool. The 9-day itinerary includes overnights in Vienna and Budapest, so you get full evenings at both markets.
Example pricing
from $3,499
per person · example
Keep exploring
Other cruise lines
See how the rest of the field compares.
Viking River Cruises
The thinking person's river cruise.
Viking revolutionized European river cruising with its fleet of identical, award-winning Longships. The Christmas-market season is one of their signatures: a daily excursion is included at every port, beer and wine flow free at lunch and dinner, and the Aquavit Terrace turns into a cozy winter lounge. The itinerary is packed but unhurried, with a resident historian and an included excursion in every stop.
from $2,499
per person · example
Riverside Luxury Cruises
Luxury, redefined on the river.
Riverside took over the former Crystal river ships and re-launched them as a genuinely all-inclusive luxury product. Nearly every excursion is included, drinks flow all day, gratuities are covered, and the service ratio is among the highest on the rivers. Christmas sailings feel intimate and refined — fewer passengers, more space, and a butler-style cabin service on the top suites.
Request pricing
per person · example
Tauck River Cruising
All-inclusive, done right.
Tauck brings its land-tour pedigree to the rivers with a genuinely all-inclusive model: all excursions, all drinks, all gratuities, and a Tauck Director on every departure. Ships are among the newest and lowest-density on the rivers, with a scarcity of suites relative to standard cabins. Christmas sailings emphasize behind-the-scenes access — private evening market visits, exclusive concerts in Vienna.
Request pricing
per person · example
Avalon Waterways
See the world differently.
Avalon's signature is the Suite Ship: cabins with floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall panoramic windows that slide open to turn your whole stateroom into a balcony. They pioneered the 'choose your excursion' model — classic, active, and discovery options at most ports. Christmas sailings often bundle a hotel night in Prague or Budapest, which adds value.
from $2,399
per person · example