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Enjoy the sweet life aboard AmaDolce. Your experience starts in your elegantly appointed stateroom, where Entertainment-On-Demand and soothing bath and body products bring you the ultimate in comfort before your cozy bed envelops you in sweet dreams. Warm caramel and honey-colored tones adorn the room while a French balcony - available in most staterooms - allows you to indulge in scenic views. Follow your nose to the Main Restaurant or clink glasses in the bar, where rich, chocolate-hued woods bring beauty to the backdrop of your every craving. The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant is the cherry on top of an already exquisite culinary experience on board that includes lunch and dinners paired with unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks. And should you wish to stay active, a Sun Deck walking track, fitness room and a fleet of onboard bicycles are ready and waiting to assist you on your wellness journey.
AmaWaterways has an ambitious schedule of themed cruises on topics ranging from Jewish heritage to craft beer, and on those trips passengers will find a number of lectures, workshops and tastings as part of their cruise. Otherwise, there is very little enrichment offered beyond the cruise director's nightly briefings, and as passengers are often busy in port, evenings, aside from music performed by local groups, is pretty low-key.
Shore Excursions
In most cases, AmaDolce docked very close to small towns and villages along our route (including in the heart of the city of Bordeaux itself) and there was typically ample time to explore these places independently. The heart of its shore excursion program typically went further afield via a fleet of motor coaches. There was always a group dedicated to gentle walkers, along with tours that moved at a quicker pace. QuietVox headsets, which allow passengers to hear the guides without crowding around them, are provided to all. Typical groups ranged between 30 to 40 people.
AmaDolce offered a nice range of shore excursions that showcased the Bordeaux region's famous wine chateaux and also its cultural and artistic destinations. As noted, cycling tours in many ports attracted a varied age group and were designed as engaging tours of areas we visited, with adequate rest and guided sightseeing. Most tours are included in cruise fares; on our trip, just one, a daylong jaunt to Cognac, was offered as an extra-fee option.
Reservations can be made ahead of time though we waited until we got onboard and didn't come across any "sold out" lists.
Every cruise has a program director who coordinates tour briefings and excursions throughout the entirety of the cruise (ours was also a talented opera singer who performed for us one evening in the lounge!).
Daytime and Evening Entertainment
On most cruises aboard AmaDolce, daytime entertainment, especially when in port, is limited as most passengers are off exploring on shore. At night, following multicourse feasts, the after-dinner crowd is fairly light in the Lounge though there were some special events that were absolutely worth staying awake for. The most memorable? On our last night of the cruise, docked in Bordeaux, the captain took us out for a spin in the harbour after the sun had gone down and the lights of the city shown brilliantly.
Enrichment
While there is plenty of information provided on the tours you'll take beforehand -- via briefings from the cruise director and information in the Daily Cruiser, the ship's newsletter -- there typically isn't an emphasis on guest lecturers.
The Lounge: This is the primary spot for entertainment onboard. It's got a horseshoe-shaped bar, a handful of tables for playing games or working on laptops and lots of cosy armchair/loveseat configurations. There's a small stage and a piano, whose pianist plays at lunchtime, tea and before dinner. One of our favourite tucked-away places in the Lounge was actually the small, forward-facing alfresco deck with a table and chair setups.
The expansive top deck is the outdoor place to gather. There are plenty of chair/table configurations, including some under a shaded canopy, along with a set of comfortable wicker-like sofas and settees. On warm days, the whirlpool tub drew a lot of fans; freshly washed towels were stacked nearby.
There's a life-sized chess board set.
On AmaDolce, all services are directed from the reception desk, located between cabin decks and the Lounge. Supporting it, located just a half deck above, the cruise director's desk, where there are also displays of maps and other information pertinent to the itinerary. Here as well is a library; one series of shelves had books on the region, the other was a repository for passengers who'd finished the books they'd brought and wanted to pick up another. Games are here, too, for borrowing.
Wi-Fi is complimentary on AmaDolce and worked throughout the ship, from cabins to the Lounge.
A half-a-passenger cabin-sized room onboard AmaDolce has been outfitted with a full-length massage table, and a salon chair. You won't find anything seriously creative in terms of services but the basics are here and well-provided. Massage options include mood therapy with essential oils and Swedish styles; you can choose between 30 and 60 minutes. Treatments are more moderate than we've experienced at big ship spas. Haircuts, washes and blow-dry's are available for both men and women.
There's a walking track on the ship's top deck.
AmaDolce's fleet of more than 20 bicycles is always available in port (save for when there's an official cycling tour) and there's no fee to use them -- nor is there a charge for bike locks or helmets, the latter of which is required attire. There are also Nordic walking sticks to borrow.
AmaWaterways has long been dedicated to the culinary arts and in fact it's the only river line to be part of the prestigious Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, the world's oldest gastronomic society. As such, quality of cuisine, which is generally European Continental in style with a few relaxed concessions to its primarily North American passenger base, is very good.
The Main Dining Room: The Main Dining Room is AmaDolce's primary venue, and accommodates all 148 passengers during single-seating meals (even with most passengers descending to the restaurant at the same time, it never felt too crowded). A number of two-tops are available alongside tables for four, six and eight. While tables are first-come, first-served -- no reservations are allowed -- we never had trouble getting a table for two. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served here daily. Hours are noted though they can vary based on itinerary demands.
Breakfast is offered in the restaurant from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. The European-style smorgasbord features cold cuts, cheeses, fruits (canned and fresh), a large bread and pastry table, a smoked salmon setup with obligatory accoutrements (cream cheese, capers, onions, etc.), as well as hot offerings like scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon (U.S. strip variety), hash browns, beans and fried tomatoes. There are also made-to-order selections that include omelettes, oatmeal, waffles and eggs cooked any way.
Lunch is served mostly buffet-style; you order your soup and entrée off the menu and then select the rest of your meal from a buffet of salads, cold entrees, desserts and cheeses. Typically, three entrée choices are offered: a fish, meat and vegetarian course. Every day, the "always available" menu includes a minute steak sandwich, chicken ciabatta with tomato and mozzarella and a fish burger (don't forget to order fries -- they're hot, salty and superb). You can also always order hamburgers, cheeseburgers and hot chicken sandwiches. Healthy choice options are designated as are locally inspired dishes.
The international cheese table -- a comforting presence never absent from the restaurant -- is also there for lunch. Beer and wine, including red, white and rose, were liberally poured.
Lavish dinners are part of AmaWaterways' heritage and on AmaDolce the multicourse extravaganzas were always something to look forward to. There are two menus each night; the Chef's Recommended featured appetizer, soup, main course and dessert. Even more options were offered via the regular menu, which started with an amuse-bouche (gift of a taste from the kitchen), appetizer, soup, sorbet, main course and dessert. In all cases passengers could mix and match between the two, trying as few or as many courses as desired. The "always available" dishes at dinner included grilled steak, salmon or chicken, Caesar salad and the redoubtable fries. Desserts were decadent and, as with lunch, the cheese cart was bountiful and of a high quality.
As with lunch, beer and wine were offered on a complimentary basis.
The Lounge: The lounge was a favourite noshing spot throughout the day, offering light fare for breakfast and lunch, and then a lovely afternoon tea. While schedules varied based on itinerary, a typical day started at 6:30 a.m. with an hour's light breakfast (pastries, toast, coffee) before the Main Dining Room opened. After it closed, the lounge repeated the early risers' breakfast for late risers, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
It was a terrific spot to catch a quick lunch. From noon to 1:30 p.m., you can find trays of sandwiches, a kettle of soup, a small array of salads and a hot dish, typically pasta. Desserts were, as always, ever too tempting. Beer and wine were served here, as well, on a complimentary basis during lunch.
Afternoon tea, available between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. each day, featured a buffet that included sandwiches, scones and pastries.
There are eight tables in the lounge that are of dining height, so you're not required to balance plates on laps.
The Chef's Table: A standout on AmaDolce, a multicourse tasting menu is the centrepiece of The Chef's Table experience -- but it's the chefs, labouring away in an open kitchen that's part of the room -- that are the stars. All passengers are entitled to a dinner at The Chef's Table -- there's no extra fee -- but we encourage you to choose your night and make reservations in advance to get your first choice.
Seating 24 passengers, the aft-facing room -- with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ship's wake -- has an enchanting atmosphere. So is the menu, which is a bit more Michelin-inspired than even the very solid offerings in the Main Dining Room. On our trip we started with a Chef's Welcome taste of goat cheese and yellow tomatoes in a prune sauce. The appetizer was a trio of samplings, including scallop with marinated seaweed and caviar, foie gras and beetroot carpaccio. On to the soup course, which was a fennel cream with Pernod and sautéed escargot, then sorbet. Similar to the appetizers, the main course was a trio of small dishes that on this evening included cod fillet in saffron sauce, ox short ribs in a Medoc wine and a truffle mousseline with asparagus. For dessert, you can opt for fresh fruit, a cheese plate or a series of pastries, including a delectable chocolate fondant.
It should go without saying that you may want to have just a light lunch on the day leading to your Chef's Table experience but the portions were just right -- and the menu wasn't overpowering.
Complimentary wines were matched to individual courses.
Passengers with food allergies are urged to provide advanced notice so chefs can prepare appropriately.
Room Service: In-cabin meal delivery is not available unless a passenger is ill. However, coffee, tea and snacks are available in the lounge 24 hours.
AmaDolce has 71 standard staterooms and four junior suites.
All have an Apple TV with keyboard for internet access along with broadcast and video channels. Bottled water, each day, is replenished. Floor-to-ceiling closets are tucked into the wall and outfitted with personal safe, shoe horn, bathrobes and slipper sets (beds are high enough for storing suitcases underneath); one can accommodate full-length hanging clothing, and the other has shelves. Here's a secret I learned on my last day aboard -- there are drawers beneath the beds as well.
Wi-Fi is complimentary and works well from cabins. A powerful hair dryer is tucked beneath the bathroom sink.
The numerous outlets in each cabin are European two-prongers. Electricity is 220 volts onboard, so U.S. passengers will need to bring adapters. (A limited supply is available at reception.)
Marble bathrooms are beautifully laid out with marble walls, floors and sink. Storage space is limited and glass showers are a bit on the cramped side.
Riverview: There are no inside cabins on AmaDolce but the lowest category cabins, located on Deck 1, have high windows that let in natural light. Adapting to a slightly smaller size of 150 square feet, aside from lacking the pair of armchairs found in larger staterooms, these are otherwise identically outfitted. Note that the lift does not travel to Deck 1 so this is not a good choice of cabin for those with mobility issues.
Measuring 170 square feet, there are a handful of Riverview cabins with picture windows. These are identical in layout and design to those with French verandas.
French Balcony: Fifty-nine cabins on AmaDolce have French verandas (which means you can open the door but can't sit out on it). Most are 170 square feet, which these days is not all that spacious but designers have done a good job of maximizing space with streamlined furnishings, colourful colour schemes and well-designed storage. Windows open about half way to their width.
Suites: A quartet of Junior Suites measure 255 square feet in just one room. There's a freestanding desk and separate seating area and they each have a picture window and French veranda. Bathrooms are also a step-up from other staterooms; these have separate tubs and showers.
There are no cabins configured for passengers with disabilities.
