Our Cruise Onboard AmaWaterways Paris to Paris

Embarkation Day

After spending a wonderful day and evening in Paris my travelling companion and I met the complimentary AmaWaterways shuttle bus to the ship which took approximately 20 minutes. First glimpse of the AmaLyra was impressive, check in was quick and easy and the crew very friendly and professional. Afternoon tea and refreshments were available.

Our Cabin

Our cabin was very clean with nice extra touches including good quality toiletries in the bathroom and hand cream by the bed. There was a very useful euro extension cable and complimentary bottled water which was replaced throughout the cruise.

We explored the ship including the restaurant, gym, elevator (which moves between the two middle decks), the lounge area and the Sun deck which has a jacuzzi and plenty of outdoor sitting space. The ship is beautifully furnished and has a very relaxed feel to it.

Welcome Meeting

The Welcome Meeting was held in the lounge by the Cruise Manager and many crew members were introduced to the passengers. We were given information about the ship including meal times, the very special event of the Chef’s Table, shore excursions (which are all included with the cruise fare), complimentary Wifi and other general information.

Soon it was time for our first dinner onboard which was very good with plenty of choice and variety. Special dietary requirements can be met.

Following dinner the Captain took a slight detour so we could see the Eiffel Tower which was lit with sparkling lights, a very special moment.

Day 2 Paris, France

Excursion to Monet’s House & Gardens

Today, following a light lunch in the lounge, we took a walking tour to Monet’s House and Gardens (for those guests who do not wish to take the walking tour this tour is also available by coach).

The walk into the picturesque village of Giverney took around an hour and was pleasant in the sun. Our first stop was to the see the church where Monet married his sweetheart and his coffin is displayed. We then visited Monet’s grave and memorial where many of his family are also buried.

We then walked a little further to Monet’s Gardens which are stunningly beautiful. Even in late September there were flowers everywhere. As in Monet’s day a team of gardeners attend the gardens and the leaves and natural debris are cleaned from the water regularly. An action requested by Monet who always demanded a clean surface on the water.

The fabulous gardens continue to the house where all rooms are open for viewing and one can enjoy the awe inspiring views of the gardens from the windows.

We took a coach back to the ship and enjoyed dinner followed by an entertainer in the lounge.

Day 3 Caudebec-en-Caux & Honfleur

Caudebec-en-Caux is a very attractive small town around a 15 minute walk from the ship. The town boasts many historic buildings and there is a very pretty stream running through the centre.

We explored and then made our way back to the ship in time for lunch then took an afternoon tour to Honfleur. The guide accompanied some passengers on a guided walk and others choose to explore independently. Honfleur is a vibrant, diverse town in a wonderful setting on the harbour front.

There are numerous restaurants overlooking the water serving all kinds of seafood. During the day we visited there was a market with cheese, meat, fish vendors and also clothing and gifts. Overlooking the harbour is a traditional fairground carousel which adds to the atmosphere perfectly. To our surprise, mid afternoon, a brass band appeared on the town steps to entertain the crowds in the sunshine.

Back onboard and dinner was the famed ‘La Chaine des Rotisseurs’ exclusive dining experience. An occasion not to be missed. Each evening there is a varied choice of dishes on the menu and also a Chefs Recommendations menu. The food is very tasty and the waiting staff are friendly and efficient. Complimentary drinks are serviced throughout lunch and dinner.

The ship docked overnight so in the evening we went ashore to experience the local hospitality of this lovely town.

Day 4 Normandy Beaches

After three fabulously sunny days the sun has deserted us. Today we are taking a tour to the Normandy Beaches. We collect our substantial packed lunches from the ship and join our coach.

Our first stop is Ranville War Cemetery which is a very moving experience. The youngest person buried here was killed at aged 16 after signing up at age 14. The oldest is 49.

We then travelled to the Memorial Pegasus Museum where we saw the original Pegasus Bridge with it’s shrapnel damage. There is also a full size replica of a Horsa glider used in their hundreds by the British in Normandy.

As this was the tour for the UK and Canadian guests onboard (there is also a tour for the American guests onboard) we concluded our excursion with a visit to the Juno museum and Juno beach. The museum had many artifacts from the Canadian forces and German bunkers were dotted around the area.

Back onboard dinner tonight was in the Chef’s Table restaurant. All guests onboard can book the Chef’s Table and experience the fabulous tasting menu at no extra cost. In this restaurant the kitchen is surrounded by glass and you can watch the chef prepare the delicious food. The service was perfect and the food exceptional. An experience not to be missed.

Day 5 Rouen

Today the sunshine is back with us and there is plenty of time to take a shore excursion or wander independently around the cobbled and historic town of Rouen full of medieval buildings and interesting sights.

Joan of Arc was burned at the stake here, prior to which she was held in Rouen Dungeon. The old and new buildings sit seamlessly beside one another and offer a large variation of shopping and sightseeing opportunities.

There is entertainment on board the AmaLyra every evening, today there was a classical singing duo who were very good.

Day 6 Les Andelys

After yesterdays leisurely evening sailing today we took a walk to the majestic, medieval castle Chateau Gaillard. The climb to the castle is strenuous however there are plenty of other, much less strenuous tours to choose from. The views from the castle ruins over the River Seine and the town are spectacular.

Lunch onboard today was a special Normandy lunch featuring food and wine from the local region. This was followed by an ice-cream party on the Sun deck which was fun.

Day 7 Conflans

During a gentle walk we came across a very fascinating Church. “Je Sers” is a unique Catholic Church on a barge moored in Conflans on the banks of the Seine River. This barge was built in 1919 as a coal towing barge, subsequently sold in 1936, renamed “Je Sers” & blessed by the Bishop of Versailles. Today, Je Sers continues to be a church for mariners, their families & community, providing amongst other things, daily masses, a food bank & lessons for the children of the community.

In the afternoon we took a leisurely sail back to Paris arriving in the evening. If you wish you could spend the evening exploring Paris.

Day 8 Sadly, Disembarkation Day

Disembarkation was easy and smooth. Some passengers were enjoying an extended stay in Paris and others flying home, some to the USA, some to Canada and some to the UK.

The comments among the passengers were unanimous. Everyone had thorough enjoyed their cruise and couldn’t wait to sail with AmaWaterways again. I must agree. It has been a fabulous experience from start to finish.

Would I recommend Ama? Absolutely and without a shadow of a doubt!

Hope to see you onboard soon!

“I want to say thankyou to you and John for making my first cruise so memorable and being so warm and supportive.”
Mr G Hinkins
We wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our first Dialysis Cruise. It was so lovely to meet you and we really appreciated everything you arranged for us to make the experience run smoothly from the early days of booking the cruise to the dialysis on board. Peter and I were always confident that he was in safe hands and having excellent care throughout the cruise really made the holiday. A special “big thank you” to you and the Charge Nurse. We are so looking forward to our next cruise with you in December.
Mrs A Terrey
It was really great meeting yourself and the Dialysis Team and THANK YOU
all for making my dream of a holiday to Norway a Reality, especially with the
reassurance of very competent dialysis while on holiday. I look forward to my future trips with Cruise Dialysis.
Michael Williams
Cruise with Confidence. Cruise Dialysis was discovered on the internet. My first impression of Lisa Parnell encouraged me to sign up for a cruise. Naturally there were concerns with trusting one’s health with an unknown dialysis team. They were quickly overcome when meeting the Head Nurse, a dedicated nephrologist and team of nurses. They were all accomplished professionals and friendly as well. Two examples of why they are so good: their concerns about individual patients and willingness to be flexible in scheduling. Most importantly sessions were worked around ports so that cruisers had maximum access to shore activities. Additionally, they made efforts to know their patients, their preferences, and alter treatment times with passenger preferences in mind. There will be more cruises in my future with Ambassador Cruise Lines and their dialysis team. My family is confident that my health needs will be in good hands.
Steve Martin
This is my review of the German Market cruise last week (December), I really enjoyed it, met a lot of friendly people, food was good most of the time, nice warm Cabin, good entertainment, safe parking while away and the dialysis was first class, very caring staff and a special mention to the Charge Nurse and Lisa, pleasure to meet them, they made it all go smoothly, I would do it again probably in warmer weather, but for a first cruise, loved it and would recommend to others.
Paul Salmons
Just to say once again, thank you for the excellent organisation of our recent cruise. It went like a dream. My mum is 79 years old and has wanted to go on a cruise for many years. When she became ill and needed kidney dialysis (haemodialysis) we thought she would never fulfill her dream. I then discovered Cruise Dialysis, where kidney patients have their usual dialysis, on board ship, whilst on their holiday cruise. We looked at cruises offering dialysis at sea, and when we found the right one we wanted we booked it. Lisa at Cruise Dialysis was so helpful every step of the way, liaising with mum’s dialysis unit at home and helping us through the process.

The cruise on Ambience, one of Ambassador’s two ships, was fantastic. The ship is beautiful, the staff so lovely, and the dialysis team were absolutely wonderful. Mum was very much looked after throughout the whole 15 night cruise. She even danced several times, something she hasn’t felt well enough to do in years.

A huge thank you to all. Now she wants to go again!
Deborah Shellcock
I’d like to thank you for the wonderful service you provide for dialysis patients. The administration before the cruise was efficient and the care on ship superlative. I was very impressed with the clinical team and felt really confident with their level of expertise and experience. The dialysis sessions ran smoothly and contributed to a relaxing and reinvigorating holiday. We look forward to joining you for another cruise in the near future.
Andrew Westlake
I just wanted to say how great the cruise was. The facilities on board were above and beyond what Mark and I were expecting. Nothing was too much trouble for the crew members.

As for the dialysis, we’ll what can I say? Lisa; the Charge Nurse and his team were amazing! The care they gave to all the patients was fantastic – they all made us feel special and really looked after us.

I have to admit I was pretty nervous about dialysing on a boat with strange people but about 10 minutes after meeting the team it was as if we’d been friends forever!

The welcome speech given by Lisa and the Charge Nurse really put everyone at ease and it was a great opportunity to ask any questions.

I would say to anyone who feels like they can’t go on holiday because of being on dialysis to just get in touch with Cruise Dialysis and see the world open up again.

We are already planning next year’s holiday – a river cruise along the Danube. I think we’re hooked now!!

We’ll see you again soon.
Kim Fountain
Apologies for a very overdue message – an extremely busy spell for me with a new job starting and moving house – but we both wanted to say a huge thank you for making our time on board absolutely fantastic. We really appreciate the hard work and care put into making our trip so special, and many thanks too to all the team (not just for adopting me!). We hope to come back sometime in the future.
Antonia Coleman-Harvey
Just a belated note to say thank you and your staff for making the cruise so enjoyable.  The treatment and attention were first class, and I would certainly recommend to anyone thinking of Cruising.

As a Widower, Dialysis patient, and first time Cruiser I was very apprehensive about booking a cruise.

From the outset Lisa was extremely helpful and made the whole process easy, alleviating many of my concerns.  The paperwork was very easy to follow and my dialysis unit very helpful in ensuring all tests etc were completed.

Once on board we met the Charge Nurse and his team. The Charge Nurse’s enthusiasm for dialysis was remarkable explaining every detail with great clarity.  The treatment was as good as any private hospital.

Being single status was not an issue as I met several friendly people including the nursing staff (on their day off) for dining and in the bar.

Any Dialysis patient out there considering a cruise – take the plunge- I can thoroughly recommend it.
Graham Curtis
Thank you and your team for everything on our cruise. We enjoyed it and the dialysis was first class. And the social side with you all was a pleasure.
Mr J Evans
I would just like to place on record my appreciation for the wonderful service and attention I received on my dialysis cruise round the Greek Islands. I hope to book with you soon for another trip soon.
Mr J Redfern
Just a quick note to thank you, the Charge Nurse and the rest of the team, including the Doctor, for the wonderful cruise we just enjoyed. As usual everything went well and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.
Mr K Best
Just wanted to say thank you, the ladies really enjoyed their holiday in fact one was crying and did not want to come home. They had a great time. Thank you for your help and patience .
Ms J Mitchell
Thank you for planning an excellent holiday which we thoroughly enjoyed – wish it was for another 3 days. The dialysis worked very well as we were a bit apprehensive for the first time Celebrity was great, our first time.
Mrs N Rahim
Just a note to say how enjoyable the Rhine cruise was. The dialysis was both caring and sociable.
Mr R Ward
Just wanted to say many thanks for the Cruise. We had a fantastic time.
Mr P McGouran
“I do wish to thank you, the Charge Nurse and the rest of your dialysis team. You’re doing a great service to those in need of it and who are keen to travel at the same time. Your variety of ocean and river cruises gives all those who may be interested a wide choice of styles and destinations, while at the same time being able to rely on professional care and service in dialysis needs. Keep up the good work. Thank you once again”
Mr Dominic Yau
Cruise was wonderful. We loved the Europa2 and Dr. Westerman was a delight to have do our dialysis sessions.
Mrs S Pearl
We had a lovely holiday and have lots of pictures to remind us of where we went – they are on my screensaver already and are a very enjoyable reminder. As you know I love these holidays. I am really grateful that I could have a holiday while on dialysis – it is so lovely to get away from home for more than a night!
Mrs L Osborn
I’d just like to thank you and your professional Dialysis Team for making my first ever cruise experience so wonderful.  Starting from the time of booking, through the worst parts – waiting for the departure date to come around, right through until disembarkation.

The paperwork, though comprehensive was clear and easy for myself and my home clinic nurses to complete, and your advice on what to pack for the expectations of the cruise liner took that stress away.

It was good to meet everyone in your team and my compatriots for treatment so soon after embarkation and everything always felt like it was no problem and easily handled.  The dialysis team was totally professional at all times, but that was also complimented by their personalities which meant time on dialysis went quite quickly chatting etc. The Nephrologist was extremely thorough at all times but was also quite amusing in her own way. The Charge Nurse was a wealth of experience and definitely the glue bonding the team together and always available for everyone at all times. The two nurses providing support were effective team players and knew their stuff.

Being an accompanied cruise meant there was always someone about if you wanted a chat even on the excellent inclusive shore trips. It was good to see the planning that went in to arranging dialysis sessions around these activities and the team were always looking to be flexible on start stop times.

I will do this again in the future, need to save up a bit first, but would recommend it to anyone.  Thanks for a wonderful holiday.
Mr K Summerhayes
I wanted to tell you that it was a wonderful cruise and thank you for all the efforts you have had in respect to the dialyses. Everything was working at the full satisfaction.
Mr J Steinmann
Just a quick email to thank you very much for all your help with organising our Canary Island Cruise and dialysis on board for my mum. Everything ran smoothly and the dialysis staff were excellent, friendly, professional and a pleasure to meet. Hopefully we will be able to travel again using your excellent dialysis at sea service.
Ms C Sharratt
I want to let you know we really enjoyed the holiday, the ship was very good and the dialysis went well.
Mrs S Platt
I just wanted to send you an email and say THANK YOU so much for all your help with organising the cruise for my mum and me! Anoop had a really good time on the cruise. It was definitely an experience, we managed to go on the organised day trips and see new places. Many thanks once again, I really appreciate all the help you gave me.
Mrs A Chandhock
My father asked me to contact you upon his return from his recent cruise which we booked with you. He wanted me to pass on what a great trip he had and a fantastic break. On a personal note I would also like to thank you for your service throughout the booking and my endless enquiries.
S Lupton
Trip was great and dialysis team work excellently together. Nephrologist and Charge Nurse were top notch. Again thanks you did a great job.
Mr R Gray
We arrived home safe, well and happy. You might like to know we were delighted with the whole Cruise Dialysis adventure. Apart from the impressively competent and conscientious attention of the dialysis team we both very much enjoyed their company and hope to be able to have future involvement. Rae’s health stood up very well, and she came home better than for years.

The AmaWaterways river cruise itself was also a great pleasure, at just the right level of comfort, interest and variety without opulence. Just about everything was well suited to our needs and desires – as experienced travellers and critical customers. You would be welcome to let others who might be interested contact us in case they have any questions about customers’ experience with your system.
R Kennedy & R Bogner
Just returned from a fantastic cruise. Everything was excellent and dialysis was 1st class . Have no hesitation in recommending you to others. Thanks for all your help. Hope to book again as soon as unit allows. Thanks again.
Mrs E Adrain
Recently my husband and I were fortunate to holiday with AmaWaterways. It was ‘The Enchanting Rhine’ cruise travelling from Basel in Switzerland to Amsterdam. The whole holiday from start to finish was fantastic. The staff on-board couldn’t do enough to ensure we were well looked after. The food was lovely and plentiful. The excursions were very well organised and catered for everyone. My husband had dialysis on-board which was also very well organised and arranged so no excursions were missed. The medical team were lovely and looked after my husband well. I would thoroughly recommend this cruise and hope future travellers enjoy it as much as we did.
Mr & Mrs K Setchfield

Cruise Dialysis

Our Cruise Onboard AmaWaterways Paris to Paris