We have just embarked on our first Adventures by Disney river cruise. For the next week we will be exploring the jewels of the Danube. I hope you will follow along on our adventure.
First, a little background…
What is an Adventures by Disney River Cruise?
Let’s start with what it is not… It is not a Disney Cruise or an ocean liner. As it was explained to us, on many cruises the ship is the destination. On this adventure, the ship is our method to transport us to our various destinations. I must admit, that this is selling the AmaLea a bit short, as the ship is beautiful and features fine dining and fantastic service. That being said, it does not have the range of activities and amenities that you would expect on Cruise Ship. There is no full-service spa, just an onboard masseuse. There is no Broadway-style shows, just more intimate entertainment. There is only one restaurant, one lounge, and one pool. With that being said, we only have 150 guests onboard, so you would expect smaller scale offerings.
It is also not a land-based Adventures by Disney experience. With those, you, two adventure guides, and about 40 other guests bond together as you share a unified experience exploring a country or region. There is typically one program and you quickly get to know everyone. On this river cruise, we have five adventure guides and we have times when there are various options we choose (more on that later).
It is also not a standard river cruise. As my aunt said about her experience, it is weird to be 72 and be the youngest person on the ship. Our adventure is filled with various ages from families with kids, parents with their grown children, and older couples who want the Disney experience. And while you have the option of electing our activities, there seems to always be something going on as opposed to one activity per day that is included in many standard river cruises.
With that out of the way, let’s begin our experience.
Checking In
We elected to arrive a few days early so we could explore Budapest, get acclimated to the time change, and allow for any travel delays. When we arrived at the airport, we were met by an Adventures by Disney representative who arranged a meeting with our driver. We were then taken to the Budapest Marriott where, upon check-in, we were given a letter detailing where and when we would meet our Adventure Guides.
After a few days in Budapest, the day had finally arrived. After enjoying breakfast, we checked-in with our guides at 9 am. Before we left the states, we were given a form to help us choose our activities when we had several choices. While we discussed our options as a family before we left, one of the guides took us aside and went through each day to make sure we understood what each activity entailed so we could make informed choices. While we were glad that we talked it through as a group prior, it was nice to know that those choices were not set in-stone prior to our arrival. The guide also helped us tag our bags and we left them with the guide. We could have called a bellman to take them, but it didn’t seem worth the effort as we had yet to buy souvenirs so our luggage was light.
There were going to be buses departing the hotel at noon, 3 pm, and 5 pm, but our staterooms would not be ready until 3 pm. Also, the Marriott check-out time was 11. Since we didn’t want to just loiter around, we decided to explore Budapest some more. Once we were done, we took a taxi to the dock. Despite having the address, our taxi driver did not know where to go. Luckily they described the ship in our welcome letter, so we could see it in the distance and direct the driver towards it.
We checked-in around 2:30 and were told that our rooms would be ready shortly, We waited in the lounge which had some light refreshments and desserts. The adventure guides could be seen talking to each family that they did not speak to at the Marriott. Shortly, they started making announcements about formally checking in. They did it by stateroom number, so we sat tight for just a moment. When we checked-in, an Ama representative escorted us to our stateroom and explained the functionality. The room has a Mac as a TV which features channels, on-demand entertainment, and internet. Speaking of the internet, the WiFi is complimentary… and how I am writing this article. They warn us that it may go out at times, but so-far, so-good. The climate control, lighting, and other features are also controlled by a touchscreen. Our luggage was waiting for us in the room, so we unpacked. The room is not a luggage-friendly as a Disney Cruise stateroom as the bags won’t fit under the bed, but there is ample closet space. Each room also featured robes, umbrellas, and complimentary bottled water. We were advised that it would be replenished each day so to make sure we bring it on our excursions.
Welcome Reception
At 5:30, there was a welcome reception and safety demonstration. Women, of all ages, were given flowers as the entered, and everyone was offered a drink. We met our Captain, Cruise Director and other Ama representatives. They, in turn, introduced our adventure guides. It was obvious that this experience would be a partnership between Ama and Disney. There was some logistics talk, but nothing to difficult or surprising. The Captain then went through the safety talk which was fairly informal. (He kept just saying to watch the in-room video). There are no life-boats on river ships so he said we would just go to the highest point on the ship and we got closer to one of the banks. They also demonstrated the lifevest operation. After our welcome toast, we were entertained by a music and dance group that celebrated Hungarian folklore (CDs available in the lobby for $10). It was a lot of fun, and they timed it perfectly so that it ended just in time for dinner. As we departed, we were given our Pin of Today. It featured Mickey and the phrase “Udvozoliuk,” which means “welcome” in Hungarian.
Dinner
Unlike a Disney Cruise, seating was not assigned. They essentially let us pick our own table. The service was fantastic and they were eager to accommodate any request. Each evening, there would be a wine selection based on the port we were in, but other options were available and they were not offended by my request for a Coke. The meal consisted of an amuse bouche, appetizer, soup, main course, and dessert. My meal consisted of:
- Amuse Bouche: Falafel, Gochujang Sauce
- Appetizer: Casanova Salad
- Soup: Consomme Double
- Main Course: Asparagus Risotto
- Dessert: Cherries Jubilee
The food was tasty, and everyone seemed to enjoy their selection. And despite the number of courses, the meal did not feel as it dragged. Following dinner, we were invited to the sun deck to enjoy the “illuminations cruise.”
Illuminations Cruise
No, this has nothing to do with Epcot. An illuminations cruise is the popular tourist activity of seeing Budapest lit up at night. Budapest used to be two cities, Buda and Pest, that were separated by the Danube. Pictures can not do this justice. It was spectacular. Our cruise director narrated our voyage and shared some history while pointing out the various buildings. We were also offered complimentary “schnapps,” but I did not partake. The sun deck features a small pool which was popular with the kids. It also had a “life size” chess set which added some charm. There were plenty of chairs and elbow room. Despite everyone being up top, you never felt even close to being crowded. After our voyage, we docked at a city dock for the evening. It was a different dock than the one we boarded and is more towards the center of town.
Upon returning to our room we found a chocolate, tomorrow’s “Daily Adventurer” which highlighted the schedule for the day, and pins commemorating that this was our fifth Adventures by Disney experience.
There is so much to share, but please let me know if you have any questions about the ship, the adventure, or anything else. I will do my best to answer them.