Is this the most epic river cruise ever? See what 1 line just announced for 2024
How long is too long for a European river cruise? AmaWaterways is about to find out.
The upscale river cruise line just announced its longest itinerary ever for a single vessel — a 49-night routing between Amsterdam and Giurgiu, Romania, that will include travel on seven European waterways.
Dubbed the Seven River Journey, the itinerary includes travel on the Scheldt, Maas and Waal waterways of the Netherlands and Belgium and the Rhine River, which cuts down the center of Europe.
The itinerary also includes several weeks of sailing on the Moselle, Main and Danube rivers, as well as the Main-Danube Canal.
All seven waterways are interconnected.
AmaWaterways is planning two departures of the itinerary, each of which will bring visits to 15 countries in all. Both will take place in 2024.
The first of the departures will be a southbound sailing starting in Amsterdam on April 22, 2024. It ends June 10, 2024. The second of the departures will be a northbound trip starting in Giurgiu on June 10, 2024, and ending in Amsterdam on July 29, 2024.
Related: Best river cruises in Europe
The trip includes stops everywhere from Cologne, Koblenz, Rudesheim, Mainz and Nuremberg in Germany to Vienna, Austria; Budapest, Hungary; and Belgrade, Serbia.
The 15 countries on the itinerary range from the Netherlands and Belgium on one end to Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova on the other.
AmaWaterways last year announced plans for similarly long Seven River Journey itineraries to take place in 2023, but the trips were created by stringing together voyages on more than one ship into one long vacation. The new sailings announced for 2024 are the first the line has offered on a single vessel that stretch beyond just a few weeks.
Typical AmaWaterways river cruises in Europe are a week or two long.
"Since the debut of our Seven River Journeys [announced] in 2021, we have received tremendous demand from travelers who are looking to spend extra time immersing themselves in beautiful destinations throughout Europe," AmaWaterways executive vice president and co-founder Kristin Karst said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
The new single-ship itinerary makes it "easy for guests to sit back, relax and enjoy the unparalleled experience of cruising seamlessly between the North Sea and the Black Sea," Karst said.
Related: Everything to know about booking a river cruise
The newly announced itineraries will include a seven-day exploration of the Danube Delta, which isn't visited as often as other river areas in Europe.
Fares for the voyages start at $25,649 per person, based on double occupancy.
As is typical for AmaWaterways sailings, fares include a room, meals, wine and beer with lunch and dinner, and shore tours in every port. In addition, just for these longer sailings, AmaWaterways is including complimentary gratuities and laundry services in its fares.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
- The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
- The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
- A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
- 15 ways cruisers waste money
- 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
- What to pack for your first cruise
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.