AmaWaterways Partners with Ancestry®
Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert
AmaWaterways just seems to be on a relentless mission to enhance their offerings in river cruising –their moto “Leading the Way in River Cruising”—still rings true.
Their latest partnership, just announced on 23 June 2021 is amazing—a true home run in my opinion. AmaWaterways has partnered with Ancestry to offer a specialized Ancestry themed cruise on 30 July 2022. If you subscribe to Ancestry or are interested in genealogy this is the cruise for you!
They are calling this specialized cruise Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry® Experience
We anticipate this cruise will sell out fast. We are waiting for final approval but may soon be able to offer $250.00 off the listed price on this cruise per person—please don’t wait! Space can be reserved by a non-refundable deposit of $1,550. The cruise will have an extra fee of $1,500 for the Ancestry® services added to the cruise prices. Your total price will depend upon what type of cabin stateroom you select for this special voyage.
Please don’t wait—if this appeals to you, call me at 713-397-0188 or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com—at max there will be only 156 spaces but I suspect even less, as AmaWaterways will need to provide a cabin stateroom or 2 for the genealogy experts from Ancestry.
So, let’s explore together and learn about this special partnership and the new river cruise.
The Route
Your route. Map from AmaWaterways and used by permission.
The route is a modification of the Captivating Rhine Cruise we have taken in 2016 and 2018.
A couple of disclaimers here—this is still in development, so there could be changes but I would not anticipate any big changes. Second, with AmaWaterways’ permission, I have copied much of this almost word for word.
Itinerary Overview
Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry® Experience
The sailing dates are July 30 – August 6, 2022
7-night journey on the Rhine, Amsterdam to Basel aboard the AmaStella (135 meter vessel)
Optional 2-night in Amsterdam pre-cruise and/or 4-night in Switzerland (Lucerne and Zurich) post-cruise packages
Your Cruise Ship—the AmaStella
The AmaStella is a twin balcony designed ship with 78 staterooms and has a max capacity of 156 passengers. As with all AmaWaterways ships with this design, there is a Main Lounge, a Reception Area, the Main Dining Room, the Chef’s Table, a Massage & Hair Salon, a Fitness Room, an Elevator, and a Swim-up Heated Pool on the top Sun Deck. These style ships are wonderfully designed and tastefully decorated.
While we have never sailed on this ship, we have sailed on several other similar riverships with AmaWaterways and they are first class in every respect.
Each sailing has a dedicated Cruise Manager and Certified Fitness Host and an outstanding crew to make your vacation experience special.
The meals are outstanding; the service is excellent and you become part of the AmaWaterways family and will want to come back to sail with them soon.
The best part of your journey will be the outstanding standards AmaWaterways uses on all its sailings coupled with the Ancestry Cruise—a true winning combination!
The AmaStella. Picture used with permission from AmaWaterways.
The Chef’s Table on the AmaStella. This wonderful dining option is included in the price of the cruise—there are no additional costs to dine here. Photo from AmaWaterways and used by permission.
One of the 2 wine rooms that are part of the main dining room. Picture from AmaWaterways and used by permission.
Please note, guests will have opportunity to see Floriade if they take a pre-cruise in Amsterdam. There is no opportunity to visit Floriade on the main cruise, as guests will be taken from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Antwerp, Belgium for the Ancestry specific excursion on Day 2 of the main cruise.
If you are not familiar with the Floriade, it is a once a decade horticultural show, that runs from April to October in 2022. The theme is “Growing Green Cities.”
Optional 2-night pre-cruise in Amsterdam:
Day 1 Amsterdam Hotel check-in; on Day 2 in Amsterdam a Walking Tour and on Day 3 prior to embarkation, a visit to the Floriade.
Amsterdam Canal.
The famous Gabled Roofs on the narrow buildings. Most were built as narrow as possible to limit property taxes that were assessed by the width of the building.
This is a former gate entrance to the city. All the walls have been torn down of this former walled city. It is now a restaurant.
The Cruise
Day 3 Embarkation - July 30, 2022
Day 4 Amsterdam Transfer to Antwerp by bus
Antwerp “In the Footsteps of Our Ancestors”: Visit to Red Star Line Museum, accompanied by an expert genealogist
Ancestry Specific Excursion Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp, Belgium
This excursion is exclusive to the Heritage on the River sailing and allows guests to go in the footsteps of the emigrants who were in search of a new home in North America.
Guests will arrive from Amsterdam to Antwerp by bus and start the tour from the Antwerp Central Station. For many who immigrated to the New World, this is where their story began, and the accompanying genealogist will bring that history to life in this grand hub.
Later, guests will have a unique experience at the Red Star Line Museum, considered Europe’s counterpart to Ellis Island. There they will follow in the footsteps of three million emigrants as they embarked Red Star Line Ocean liners in Antwerp between 1873 and 1934 on their way to North America.
This excursion includes time for guests to personally search the Red Star Line’s database for ship manifests that may uncover the names of your relatives. Following the excursion, guests will transfer to Utrecht where they will re-join the ship.
For more information on the Red Star Line Museum, please visit their website:
Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp
Day 5 Cologne “Holy City” walking tour and cathedral visit; OR Kölsch beer tasting; OR Cologne bike tour
This wonderful photo taken by Anne shows this magnificent Cologne Cathedral.
Day 6 Rhine Gorge Castles along the Rhine scenic cruising / Rüdesheim
In Rüdesheim you have several options--wine tasting, OR a Gondola ride; OR Vineyard hike; OR Guided bike tour of the Rheingau region; Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum; OR Rüdesheimer coffee
Rüdesheim narrow streets. On the far right, with the yellow lollipop sign, is Chris, the cruise manager for the cruise when Anne took this photo in 2016. Guides use the lollipop signs for the small walking groups when on tour.
Hank (right) with his West Point Classmate Jim, drinking Rüdesheimer coffee (coffee, whipped cream and Rüdesheimer brandy)
Day 7 Ludwigshafen “Romantic Heidelberg” excursion OR Heidelberg Philosopher’s Path hike; OR “Secrets of Speyer” tour; OR Ladenburg bike tour
The Gate Bridge entrance to Heidelberg over the Neckar River..
Heidelberg Castle ruins in the snow—there will not be any on your 2022 trip.
Speyer pilgrim statue..
Speyer Cathedral
Day 8 Strasbourg “The Gem of Alsace” tour; OR Strasbourg bike tour
Strasbourg
Stasbourg
Day 9 Breisach Riquewihr walking tour OR Freiburg excursion; OR Black Forest hike; OR Breisach wine country bike tour
Riquewhir watch tower.
Riquewhir cobblestone streets. This colorful village was used as the inspiration of Belle’s village in the Disney production of Beauty and the Beast.
The old Merchants Guild Hall in Freiburg.
Day 10 Basel Day 10 DISEMBARKATION, August 6th, 2021
Optional 4-night post-cruise in Switzerland:
Day 10 Basel highlights tour begins with a Transfer to Lucerne by bus; Lucerne walking tour and Hotel check-in. Day 11 Lucerne Lion Monument and medieval city walls. Day 12 Lucerne Lucerne Lake cruise and scenic drive to Zurich by bus, Zurich Hotel check-in. Day 13 Zurich “Little Big City” tour. Day 14 Zurich Return flight home
Lucerne’s famous covered bridge.
Alpine art in Lucerne.
The old city walls and watch tower in Lucerne,
Lion Monument in Lucerne. The Lion Monument is a tribute to the 1000 Swiss Gurads who died trying to protect King Louie XVI of France in 1792 during the French Revolution.
Old Town Zurich.
Zurich Grossmunster.
What’s Included Before the Cruise
The journey begins the moment you make a reservation. An expert Ancestry genealogist will begin performing research into the your family history.
A welcome call with a designated expert genealogist (about 1 hour).
A five-hour consultation and introductory research to study aspects of your family that are of particular interest to them. (Additional hours are available at extra cost)
A summary of findings from the five-hour consultation and introductory research. (The summary is completed as part of the five hours). Through this research, Ancestry will look to identify places guests will visit or pass on the river cruise that may be connected to their ancestry.
Guests will also have an option to add-on an Ancestral Home Visits.
What’s Included in the Cruise
In addition to AmaWaterways regular inclusions, the Ancestry experience includes:
An expert genealogists will be with our guests for the entire river cruise, personalizing their experience, setting the historical context, and answering questions about their family, history, and the next steps they can take to research them. This expert will connect the places we are visiting to the guests’ family history. The expert will also explain changes in national borders and regional politics over time, all while providing a glimpse into the guests’ ancestors’ likely experiences and daily lives.
The expert genealogist will deliver at least two historical and genealogical presentations during the cruise. These presentations will help guests learn more about what life was like for their ancestors and what records are available to find out more about them.
Each participant will receive one private consultation with the expert genealogist while on board. (They will sign up during the cruise.) T his is a great opportunity to review their Ancestry Tree with their expert genealogist.
An Ancestry-specific excursion with the expert genealogist
My Final Thoughts
What a great opportunity to learn about your ancestry. Not only will you get a fabulous vacation, the added benefit of 5 hours of personalized research is amazing. If you really want to learn about your family tree and history, this is amazing opportunity.
We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.
When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.
Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!
HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:
AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent
