Have you ever fallen in love with a ship at first sight?
Usually, it’s the sleek lines that do it—suggesting a nimble craft awaiting the pilot’s touch. The masts soar, birds wheel and fuss, and flags flutter in the breeze. When the engines fire, the sound reaches you not as a roar but a rumble felt in the soles of your feet. You sense her leap to life, ready to churn the deep. You love such a ship because you know she can fly.
I experienced none of these feelings when I met the AmaVerde.
The AmaVerde tied up in Vilshofen an der Donau.
She lolled next to the quay in Vilshofen an der Donau, nearly hidden by the stone embankment. The AmaVerde was hardly sinuous; she was squat and compact. Boxy, even. Her flags hung limp. I soon learned that the wheelhouse could be pumped up or down from its nest like the hand of a hesitant third-grader, raised or lowered by mechanical arms whenever a low bridge called the question. Even the flag-bearing antenna was retractable.
To my uninitiated eyes, she looked odd. But I should have known better. Dutch shipbuilders have been in the seafaring business for centuries; they built the AmaVerde perfectly for her task. On these rivers, the goal isn't to break records, but to float on flatwater with maximum efficiency. In this world, space—not speed—is the ultimate luxury.
She was a low-slung affair.
Built for the Squeeze
And speaking of space... the AmaVerde is surprisingly long. At 443 feet, she stretches a football field and a half, allowing her to carry nearly 200 passengers and crew. Yet, she is remarkably skinny. With a beam of only 38 feet, she can squeeze through river locks with just inches to spare.
The topdeck is a great place to lounge and enjoy the scenery. We were, however, sternly warned when passing under low bridges “to keep our hands and feet inside the ride at all times.”
She is also intentionally short. Three living decks sit beneath a top deck, housing berths and public spaces. The first deck sits nearly underwater, its existence suggested only by a row of portholes. The upper decks feature large windows and small balconies—perfect for morning coffee. While she’s no ocean liner, the Danube is no ocean; a smaller, more intimate passenger list promises a far less harried experience.
The 80 staterooms of the AmaVerde can house 160 passengers.
Life on the River
We gathered in the lounge for the muster drill, where the captain and cruise director introduced themselves. The captain was as crisp and short as his ship, while the director—a tall, blonde Austrian—stood even taller in her red high heels. Mimosas flowed freely, encouraging laughter at the captain’s bad jokes.
As the details of our AmaWaterways* package were revealed, I liked what I heard: an inclusive experience with no hidden charges. Later, in the dining room, Vicki and I settled into a routine of ordering the “Chef’s Recommendation.” It was the easiest way to navigate a menu full of Eastern European delicacies we couldn't yet decipher. The kitchen promised regional dishes as we traveled—though I didn’t realize at the time that this would eventually include escargot!
Afterward, we retired to our cabin. It was spacious, lovely, and quickly felt like home. As we studied the excursion options—eyeing the bicycle tours in particular—the ship’s engines hummed underfoot. The Bavarian countryside began to slip slowly past our sliding glass doors. I’m not sure what I expected, but a fella might just learn to love a ship like this.
*To learn more about AmaWaterways, find their website here: https://www.amawaterways.com/
Bible Land Explorer is adding a new adventure to our offerings. We will be hosting an African safari in 2023. Between July 27 and August 5 we will return to the big game parks in Tanzania, including the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire. We will four-wheel drive and tent camp (or “glamp,” really!) in the Serengeti and follow the Great Migration of the wildebeest. It is one of the wonders of the natural world. This expedition is already half-full. If you are interested in signing on for a wild time, click here or contact BibleLandExplorer@gmail.com.