At the end of August, I was invited to sail on AmaSiena on its christening cruise. This invitation was a big deal, not only because it was a christening cruise but also because this was my first cruise back since COVID.
Over the past few weeks I have shared how I prepared for cruising during COVID as well as my first impressions of the sailing and what it was like to be back on board. I also interviewed my cruise manager Martina, and held a webinar about my experience on board.
Though I feel like I have covered a lot about my sailing, I spent a lot more time covering COVID than I did the ship itself. So today, we will do just that.
AmaSiena, Details, Details
AmaSiena is one of the newest ships in AmaWaterways’ fleet. The 156-passenger vessel is sister ship to both the AmaKristina and AmaLea, built in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Upon first glance, AmaSiena is similar to many others in Ama’s fleet. The ship is bright and bold with a mix of prints and fabrics. Most staterooms feature AmaWaterways’ signature Twin Balcony concept. The ship features both a lounge and Chef’s Table restaurant, just as its predecessors. The difference with AmaSiena is that Ama has taken what works so well for them, an already impressive ship layout and style, and added details that enhance the guest experience.
For example, while the stateroom layout was similar to the staterooms that Ama has had in the past, there was a notable difference: the mounted TV instead of a MacBook sitting on the desk. This gave me more space to work, and the larger TV screen was nice for watching movies in bed. There was also a shelf in bottom corner of the shower to place your leg to either shave or wash your legs. A small detail – but nice.
The layout of the lounge was different as well. Whereas the lounge area used to have seating that extended throughout, the updated lounge design features tables and chairs for dining or placing your laptop, an iPad or even a puzzle, allowing for an “al fresco” dining experience or for me, a nice place to take in the views of the rivers while I worked.
Staterooms on AmaSiena range from 155 square feet to 350 square feet. My stateroom was a BB category and the 210-square-foot stateroom had plenty of room to accommodate me, and would have easily fit a guest had I brought one along. All staterooms feature entertainment on demand, flat-screen TVs, desk space and a chair, and complimentary bottled water and internet and wifi.
The sun deck of the ship houses a pool with a swim-up bar. Though the temperatures on the Rhine were not ideal for a swim during my cruise, I couldn’t help but to jump in for a minute. Our hotel director, Romeo, was there with a mimosa to reward me for my bravery.
The ship also has a fleet of bikes that are there for guests to use whenever they like. After a night in Cologne, I decided to take a bike out after dinner and have a ride before the ship departed at 9:30 p.m. The bike was ready by the time I changed out of my dinner clothes and I was able to pedal off my large dinner before heading up the Rhine.
Dining On AmaSiena
Speaking of dinner, the meals on AmaSiena were great, as expected. As I mentioned in a previous story, we were assigned seating for the sailing. We had to sit with the same tables for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and Ama made arrangements for everyone to dine at Chef’s Table with their “bubble.” Usually, guests are able to reserve space at the Chef’s Table any night, and as many nights, as they want to.
If you want to read a more in-depth review of the food on AmaWaterways read: AmaViola – Dining Experiences & After Dinner Entertainment
In that piece, I write about the buffets for breakfast and lunch, which AmaWaterways has done away with entirely due to COVID. They also don’t seem to have plans to bring these buffets back. There has been positive guest feedback with the company providing full service breakfasts and lunches. I agree, it’s nice to be handed a menu but, at the same time, I don’t mind a breakfast or lunch buffet.
If you are familiar with AmaWaterways’ other ships, you will be pleasantly surprised by the small details that make AmaSiena stand out from the rest of the fleet. If you are a new AmaWaterways’ customer, you will find a home quickly on board any of Ama’s ships.
There is so much more that I have to say about this sailing: the crew were fantastic, the itinerary was beautiful. So stay tuned for my final coverage on AmaSiena and the Captivating Rhine.
