CRUISE GPS
Giving Back,
River by River
Giving Back, River by River
Explore how AmaWaterways supports culture, conservation, and community across its European itineraries.
Quiet choices often speak the loudest. At AmaWaterways, each consideration flows through every itinerary like a steady current. In Europe, that might mean funding the restoration of 18th-century manuscripts, buying wine from a vineyard run by three generations, or letting a market vendor’s greeting set the tone for your afternoon. Impact shapes the itinerary, not the other way around.
Preserving the Past in the Wachau Valley
At Melk Abbey in Austria’s Wachau Valley, sunlight pours through stained glass onto the marble floor of one of Europe’s most important monastic libraries. As an official book patron, AmaWaterways helps fund the restoration of centuries-old manuscripts still housed in vaulted archives. The scent is unmistakable: old paper, beeswax polish, and the passage of time. Guests can tour the library, but their visit does more than fill an afternoon. It helps protect a cultural landmark still shaped by scholarship, faith, and the passing of hands across generations.
From Vineyard to Table Along the Rhine
Onboard, the wine has a backstory. The cheese does, too. Along the Rhine, AmaWaterways sources ingredients from small farms and family-run vineyards that have shaped the region’s flavors for generations. Guests might sip a mineral-rich Riesling poured by the winemaker herself or bite into cheese that matured just upriver. It’s the kind of scene Stanley Tucci would linger over: simple, sensory, steeped in place.
“AmaWaterways sources ingredients from small farms and family-run vineyards that have shaped the region’s flavors for generations.”
Local Roots Run Deep in France
Along the Rhône, guests stroll through Provençal villages where lavender grows wild, and the winemaker offers a pour and a story. In Avignon, market visits feel less like excursions and more like a window into daily life: stallholders calling out greetings, baskets brimming with goat cheese and stone fruit. The city once served as the seat of the papacy, and its rhythms still echo through walled streets and sunlit squares.
A Bear with a Bigger Message
Some stories start in boardrooms. Others begin with a child and a stuffed polar bear named Tikko. Years ago, a boy with Autism sent Tikko into the world to see it for him. That small gesture sparked a global movement. Since then, Tikko has cruised with longtime guest Laurel B., visited Antarctica twice, floated down the Danube, and even launched into space with astronaut Chris Hadfield. Wearing a shirt that reads, “Autism. It’s okay to be different,” Tikko sparks quiet conversations that travel far and land close to the heart.
No two rivers feel the same onboard AmaWaterways, but every sailing leaves something meaningful behind.
Step aboard a world of unparalleled experiences.
CRUISE GPS
Giving Back,
River by River
Giving Back, River by River
Explore how AmaWaterways supports culture, conservation, and community across its European itineraries.
Quiet choices often speak the loudest. At AmaWaterways, each consideration flows through every itinerary like a steady current. In Europe, that might mean funding the restoration of 18th-century manuscripts, buying wine from a vineyard run by three generations, or letting a market vendor’s greeting set the tone for your afternoon. Impact shapes the itinerary, not the other way around.
Preserving the Past in the Wachau Valley
At Melk Abbey in Austria’s Wachau Valley, sunlight pours through stained glass onto the marble floor of one of Europe’s most important monastic libraries. As an official book patron, AmaWaterways helps fund the restoration of centuries-old manuscripts still housed in vaulted archives. The scent is unmistakable: old paper, beeswax polish, and the passage of time. Guests can tour the library, but their visit does more than fill an afternoon. It helps protect a cultural landmark still shaped by scholarship, faith, and the passing of hands across generations.
From Vineyard to Table Along the Rhine
Onboard, the wine has a backstory. The cheese does, too. Along the Rhine, AmaWaterways sources ingredients from small farms and family-run vineyards that have shaped the region’s flavors for generations. Guests might sip a mineral-rich Riesling poured by the winemaker herself or bite into cheese that matured just upriver. It’s the kind of scene Stanley Tucci would linger over: simple, sensory, steeped in place.
“AmaWaterways sources ingredients from small farms and family-run vineyards that have shaped the region’s flavors for generations.”
Local Roots Run Deep in France
Along the Rhône, guests stroll through Provençal villages where lavender grows wild, and the winemaker offers a pour and a story. In Avignon, market visits feel less like excursions and more like a window into daily life: stallholders calling out greetings, baskets brimming with goat cheese and stone fruit. The city once served as the seat of the papacy, and its rhythms still echo through walled streets and sunlit squares.
A Bear with a Bigger Message
Some stories start in boardrooms. Others begin with a child and a stuffed polar bear named Tikko. Years ago, a boy with Autism sent Tikko into the world to see it for him. That small gesture sparked a global movement. Since then, Tikko has cruised with longtime guest Laurel B., visited Antarctica twice, floated down the Danube, and even launched into space with astronaut Chris Hadfield. Wearing a shirt that reads, “Autism. It’s okay to be different,” Tikko sparks quiet conversations that travel far and land close to the heart.
No two rivers feel the same onboard AmaWaterways, but every sailing leaves something meaningful behind.
Step aboard a world of unparalleled experiences.
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With 27 years of travel & tourism industry experience, Monica Arun is the Founder & Destination specialist at Globetrotter LLC.
She is a tourism board certified Hawaii & Alaska destination expert as well as Lindblad Expedition National Geographic specialist. She has traveled to Europe, Canada, Bahamas, South Africa, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Qatar, Dubai, India, Hongkong-Macau and USA.
Her customer centric approach, knowledge of multiple destinations, expertise in the travel industry and an eye for detail, makes her the perfect go-to person in planning memorable holidays.
An ardent travel enthusiast herself, Monica brings down her expertise in planning and booking travel for people who love to explore. Owing to her diligent attitude and unrivaled customer service, Monica has garnered herself a lot of appreciation and acknowledgment not only from her customers, but also across different media platforms. The Story Exchange, an award-winning m ...