This Under-The-Radar European River Cruise Delivers Big Cabins, Soothing Views, And Zero Tourist Chaos

While ocean cruises have evolved into full-on, mobile, luxury resorts full of world-class entertainment options like those on the underrated Norwegian Cruise Lines, there's a lot to be said for river cruises. This is especially true in a region completely saturated in deep, dense, and diverse history, like Europe. A river cruise on the esteemable, spacious and high-class (but still cozy) AmaMagna, takes travelers from renowned city to city along the Danube River in a stress-free way with the gorgeous, mountainous European countryside as your riverside guide.

Launched in 2019 and able to accommodate 196 guests and 70 crew, the AmaMagna is a true gem of the Danube. Almost twice as wide as most river ships, the AmaMagna contains everything you'd except from a classy hotel and more. There's an array of comfortable-sized staterooms and suites of various layouts with or without balconies. There's three full-service restaurants to choose from, an outdoors dining terrace, two lounges, and a sundeck with pool and jacuzzi. There's also a movie theater, a hair salon, a laundry room, a dedication coffee center, a fitness room, and a wellness spa. And, the AmaMagna does all this with sumptuous decor and more open space than some land-based hotels.

In between sleeping on the ship and relaxing to your heart's content, all AmaMagna cruises stop at a chain of cities across multiple countries. Depending on the option, cruises start in Austria and travel through countries like Czechia, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, with the longest cruise ending all the way in Turkey. For an experience like this, it pays to put in for a top-tier ship like the AmaMagna.   

Rather than being a cramped, confined space consisting of tiny cabins and barely enough room to squeeze by other passengers, life on board the AmaMagna gives guests the chance to actually breathe and relax between ports of call. Essentially a high-end hotel floating from city to city through Central to Southeastern Europe, the AmaMagna removes the stress of travel while providing a home that affords stunning, ever-changing views of the European countryside.

Short of standing on its deck it's hard to get across how much space the AmaMagna actually delivers. At 130 feet long, it's not the longest river cruise ship in the world — that would be the MV Ganga Villas at about 203 feet. But while the MV Ganga Villas is less than 40 feet wide, the AmaMagna is 72 feet wide. It's this difference that allows for a ship layout with spacious rooms and so many amenities. And while cruise amenities like spas are sometimes not worth the money, the AmaMagna is at least restful enough to not ruin the serenity of the spa once you're done.

The smallest of the AmaMagna staterooms, the Category E, has 205 square feet of space, its own shower and bath, internet and on-demand TV, and bed for two. The largest, the Category OS, has 710 square feet of space, its own bar, living room, dining table, office setup, and extra toilet and sink. Take this luxury and combine it with a balcony that faces the green, silent shores of the Danube, and you've got a perfect recipe for exceeding peace far away from the hustle and bustle of tourist-stuffed spaces. 

For such a high-class river cruise, it's strange that the AmaMagna isn't more widely known. Then again, it's not cheap. The most afforable, seven-day option — the Gems of Europe itinerary through Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey — runs about $4,000 at the time of writing (at full price). It might not be cheap enough to live on full-time, as some people have taken to doing on certain cruises, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience worth undertaking if you're willing and able.

And even though the AmaMagna is arguably the star of the show on its Danube river cruises, the cruise wouldn't be much without its ports of call. The entire, sinuous stretch of the Danube — the second-longest river in Europe — has all but defined the politics and histories of the nations along its borders. Once serving as the northeastern border of the Roman Empire, the Danube now runs along ten countries: Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine. The capital cities of Vienna (Austria), Bratislav (Slovakia), Budapest (Hungary), and Belgrade (Serbia) all sit along it.

While cruise-goers might have a hard time keeping this immensity of history in mind as they go from port to port, they can still witness it up close via each AmaMagna cruise package. The 14-day Grand Danube Cruise, for instance, includes a UNESCO City of Media Arts walking tour in Linz, Austria, while Budapest has a Castle Hill hike along the western, Buda side of the Danube. These options, and many more, provide a truly awesome way to see a lot in a short time, while never sacrificing the comfort of your floating, mobile hotel.