We loved our second AMA cruise at least as much as our first one, which was from Nuremberg to Luxembourg. But the countryside and culture are entirely different and less visited, so this is a special trip. We learned a great deal about the history of Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Croatia, from the times of the Ottoman empire right up to the present -- the conflicts arising from the breakup of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. I was impressed that AMA scheduled a tour of Vukovar (Croatia), where terrible atrocities where committed – not your typical visit to architecture landmarks and cultural icons. The Vukovars have created a sobering, respectful memorial to the many who were outright murdered, and the war victim cemetery with it row of empty plots for those still missing is a stirring visit too. They have also left the shell-pocked water tower as-is, an always-visible reminder. This optional excursion should not be missed.

I went on all three optional bicycle tours, which as always were guided by local knowledgeable and personable guides. I liked all three, but particularly recommend the one to Ada Ciganlija & its lake in a park in Belgrade, and most of all the one in Hungary to the White Stork Museum in Kolked, from Mohacs where we were docked. This little museum really is out-of-the-way, but the passionate naturalist who guided our tour made it memorable. The third was through downtown Novi Sad and was another eye-opener about life in Communist and post-revolution Balkans.

We were treated very well by everyone on and off the ship in every place we visited. Our fellow passengers were a great bunch, and we had good times with quite a number of them. Read more