Mother and daughter duo Juanita D. and Ericka C. share how their cruise brought them closer together and gave them the opportunity to participate in activities that suited each of their needs. With distance separating them, time together is hard to find, but an AmaWaterways river cruise gave them a chance to relax and reconnect — their way.
Juanita and Ericka’s Recommended Highlights on the Danube
Budapest, Hungary
(Ericka): We spent some time at the Great Market Hall during the "Queen of the Danube" tour and the food there was amazing. There were plenty of places to stop, sample some local delicacies and recharge. We also found some great souvenirs to take home to our family.
Vienna, Austria
(Ericka): We really enjoyed the "Imperial Vienna" tour for gentle walkers. Mom needed something low-impact, but we still got to see the incredible Opera House and former Imperial Palace. And since the tour ended in the city center, we were able to explore the city during our leisure time and do some shopping — our favorite activity together!
Passau, Germany
(Juanita): The "City of Three Rivers" walking tour in Passau was probably my favorite because we saw some really interesting Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture, which I’ve always followed and admired.
Gentle Walkers Tours
(Juanita): I thought the variety of included excursions was excellent, because you had active, regular and gentle walkers tours. That worked well for me because I was looking for something more low-impact that was easy to keep up with. While we were at each port, it was helpful to be able to choose tours that aligned with my physical abilities. I really wanted to keep up with my daughter on the regular tours, but then I tried a gentle walkers tour halfway through and I was able to transition to that tour with no problem. This tour allowed me to take more frequent rest breaks but still see everything that I wanted to see.
How This River Cruise Reinforced Their Bond
(Juanita): We shared a spacious stateroom and did everything together, from watching beautiful views pass by to excursions and dinners. We enjoyed getting to know everyone on board. The crew and the guests were so friendly, but there were still opportunities for us to spend time together.
(Ericka): We loved being able to strengthen our bond. Even though we are both at different ability levels, I didn’t feel like Mom was being left behind; I felt that she was being taken care of. Being docked right in the center of many cities meant that she was able to see everything and take it slowly when needed.