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AmaWaterways is the Real Deal!

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AmaWaterways is the Real Deal!

Holland and Belgium River Cruise…

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go on a European river cruise?  I had a preconceived notion thinking this was an old person’s vacation.  Although river cruises do attract older people and accommodate those who may have mobility issues, this is definitely not an elderly cruise!  I can tell you that this was one of the most fascinating vacations I have ever been on.  The AmaStella was our vessel, or ship, and is basically like a floating hotel.  Your room is always in the same location on board so no need to pack your bags and change rooms every few days.  AmaWaterways offers a variety of cruise itineraries that will keep you interested time and time again.   Right now they are celebrating 20 years in business with some amazing prices!

We flew out a day before the cruise and did a little sightseeing in Amsterdam.  I highly recommend doing this to get acclimated to the time change.  We took a canal cruise which was interesting, but not recommended if you have jet lag!  The warm sun made my eyelids heavy and I am sure I missed a thing or two!

Saturday morning we took the Anne Frank Guided Walking Tour which took us through the Jewish Quarter. Our guide, Roza, did a great job telling us about what it was like in Amsterdam during WWII.  

One stop was at the Auschwitz Monument.  The monument is made of broken mirrors signifying that 'heaven is no longer unbroken since Auschwitz.'

The last stop of the tour was in front of the Frank house where Anne and her family survived for 761 days!  Unfortunately we did not get to go in the house, but seeing the outside of the house in person as well as renderings of the inside makes it even more remarkable that they survived there for so long.

Our first stop on the AmaStella was in Utrecht, Amsterdam.  In the morning we visited Floriada, the international horticultural exhibition.  Castle De Haar, the largest castle in the Netherlands, was where we spent the afternoon. 

Castle De Haar was once the private residence of the Van Zuylen family, whose descendants still stay here yearly. The castle also frequently hosted members of the international jet-set with their lavish lifestyle; from Coco Chanel to Roger Moore, they too left their mark on the plush rooms of the most beautiful spot in Utrecht.

Lastly, we had dinner at the chef’s table aboard the beautiful AmaWaterways, AmaStella! A wonderful experience with several passengers in a private dining room.  This is available for all guests at least one night on the cruise. Delicious!

It's a good trip when you can't remember what day of the week it is while on vacation! On Tuesday, June 28th we were in Ghent, Belgium!  A beautiful and quaint city with so much to offer!  Our day started by visiting the St. Bavo Cathedral and the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. The Ghent Altarpiece, or ‘The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’ by the Van Eyck brothers, completed in 1432, is recognized worldwide as a great work of art, and one of the most influential paintings ever made. Hubert van Eyck painted part of the Ghent Altarpiece that includes the Mystic Lamb, but was never able to finish it. His younger brother Jan, completed this masterpiece a few years after Hubert’s death.

This church was originally named Saint John the Baptist in 942.  The diocese of Ghent was founded in 1559 and the church became St Bavo's Cathedral.

After this, we had free time to explore.  We ate waffle fries, bought and tasted some chocolate, visited the smallest bar in Ghent (which used to be a jail) and then off to visit the Gravenstein Castle.  The moated castle was built by Count Phillip of Alsace in 1180.  I am so impressed with how well these castles have stood the test of time.  When I think about how long ago they were built with no modern way of constructing such a large building, it really is amazing!

One of our days was spent at the Battle of the Bulge site.  What rich history is here in Belgium!  The perspective of this museum is one of great appreciation of the United States and what they did to save their country during World War II.  Our tour guide was a walking encyclopedia!  He had so much knowledge of World War II and how each country became involved.

The photos below are from the museum, the actual battle field where foxholes still exist, a memorial to the 101st Airborne Division, memorials to honor General Patton and General McAuliffe.  The people of Belgium are incredibly grateful to the United States and paid to have these memorials in their country.

Our day in Antwerp was spent participating in a walking tour of the city and ending our time with a Belgium beer tour!  We saw the beautiful Cathedral of Our Lady, Steen’s Castle, Grote Market and Brabo Fountain.  This particular city paid homage to the Virgin Mary.  Citizens from long ago would place a statue of the Virgin Mary on a light post so they would not have to pay taxes!  Some statues were elaborate and some very simple, but all placed for the same reason.  We ended our day with a beer tour tasting local beers.  Some were good, others not so much!  After all that beer, I finally found my Belgium waffle!  It was delicious!

The last day was in a small beautiful harbor town called Dordrecht.  I was in awe of this beautiful community.  We walked the city streets learning all about the rich history and sightseeing the amazing homes and businesses.  Dordrecht is Holland’s oldest city, being founded in 1220.  The last tour of the day was visiting the iconic windmills in Kinderdijk.  This small town is known for having the largest concentration of windmills dating back to the 18th century.  The first windmill still exists today!  What I found so interesting is that the windmills are used to pump water back to the sea to keep the town from flooding.  We climbed inside a windmill to see how it works and received some interesting information from a “miller” who is someone who operates the windmill.  

 

If you are now inspired to find an AmaWaterways river cruise that fits your interests, please contact me at laura@vincentvacations.com or 918-645-9524.  


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Back by popular demand! Download our FREE ULTIMATE Guide to AmaWaterways. We are an AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist Agency, ready to create your perfect itinerary! Our over 120 page page guide to river cruising through Europe, Asia & Africa. The latest on ships, new destinations and itineraries. More information about their award winning fleet, RHINE CASTLES & SWISS ALPS, VINEYARDS OF THE RHINE & MOSELLE, ESSENCE OF BURGUNDY & PROVENCE, AFRICA SAFARIS & WILDLIFE CRUISE

Joe Merendino

AmaWaterways is the Real Deal!

Chicago Travel Agent Near Me

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Hey there, I'm Joe Merendino – a self-proclaimed travel enthusiast with a childhood drenched in California sunshine and a penchant for zigzagging across the country to visit my extended family in New York. Those cross-country trips for family gatherings and special occasions fostered a love for maps, geography, and the sheer thrill of air travel. I could regale my parents with every detail of our trips and destinations, fueled by an insatiable curiosity. The year 1992 marked a pivotal moment when I embarked on my first cruise, a brief 3-night escapade with Royal Caribbean. To call it a transf...  Read More >>>

An expert destination wedding travel agent near me with five star luxury travel packages with a luxury travel company, Vincent Vacations.


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Joe, with Vincent vacations, was absolutely fantastic to work with. 10/10 Would recommend. This was my family‘s first cruise, so I had a myriad of questions. He’s always available for a quick call and always quickly responded to text messages/emails. He had great insight into tips and tricks that made our Vacation extremely smooth annd enjoyable…not to mention cheaper.


Because of Joe’s help the vacation I went on was significantly better than the one I would’ve gone on, had I tried to do everything on my own. If you’re not using a travel agent to help plan your vacation, you’re foregoing an extremely valuable resource. I highly recommend Joe and Vincent Vacations to assist you in planning your next getaway.



-Adam Myers

Christmas Cruise

Joseph was amazing in helping with all our needs. We have all ages from 2-73. He made sure everyone would enjoy the things he suggested. When I needed something he got back very quickly and emailed me things more than once. Great experience. Will use him in the future.
-Brooke Golden

Ireland 2024 - Birthday Trip

I recently came back from my Irish vacation and man was it one for the books! Joe started by helping me plan my trip and asked me about the different things I wanted to see while in Ireland. With his help I was able to tackle all of the items off of my bucket list, excluding Giant's Causeway. The guided tour he hand picked for me was nothing short of fantastic. The tour guide, Peter was knowledgeable and helped bring the country to life. He told us all about the island, folklore and history of the country. Each stop gave us time to explore on our own whether that was visiting the many castles and historical sites, local shopping and/or eating. We even got to explore areas of the Wicklow Mountains where Queen Victoria had a picnic many years before. This was definitely a trip of a lifetime for me. It gave me the ability to explore a country I have never been to before and gave me piece of mind that I would be safe as a solo traveler. Each place we stopped at for the night had a unique experience attached to it. I'd say one of the highlights of the trip was going to Bunratty Castle and Taylor's Night out. We even had a chance to taste the BEST Irish coffee at the Red Fox while on our travels. I will definitely be booking another adventure with Joe. We are starting to talk about a cruise in Greece. Thank you Joe for a trip of a lifetime! xoxo Megan
-The Crazy Sa's

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