When you think river cruise, family travel might not be top of mind but tt’s a great option for families with kids over age 6. 

We are exploring the brand new #AmaMagna ship from AmaWaterways. This is the largest river cruise and the rooms are gorgeous and easily accommodate a family of four without needing to use an adjoining room or suite.  The room we are in is the size of a standard hotel room. 

All the rooms have balconies which is a great place to sit and watch the river, take in a sunrise or sunset and have some quiet time if you don’t want to go to the deck, which is also very nice.

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We are sailing from Hungary to Germany with some amazing destinations in between. At each stop included in the package are 3-4 guided activities to choose from. I like the fact that the activities and tours are included and prearranged and we just have to choose the ones we want. 

The kids are the exact right age for this type of trip because they can keep up with us on the tours without getting too tired. There are options of bus, hike, or bike for the excursions. For those who want a gentler pace there are different groups of tours and you can choose which group you want to go with. 

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If you are an adventurous family you could take younger kids but it might be more challenging because there is no kid’s club. The AmaMagna ship does have a pool and movie theatre. 

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We are not noticing the lack of a kid’s club or babysitting because of the activities, which is really what we are here for. The cabins are big and we feel relaxed in the room rather than wanting to leave the room. There is also a great selection of movies and shows as well as streaming available through on-board wifi.  When not in the room, there is the lounge area, the deck with games, walking track, and even an herb garden. If you are an early riser there are morning classes like gentle stretching and they even have a gym and wellness area including a spa.

If you want to have fun and explore with your kids this is a great fit. If you are looking for a break or your kids are easily bored and do not like exploring this will not be a good fit for your family. 

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One tip for having some quiet time is to feed the kids and then have them relax in the room while you have a longer more romantic dinner or rock it out on the dance floor after evening entertainment. 

I often hear from parents that they don’t like cruises because they are anxious of being stuck on a ship in the middle of the ocean. Well with a river cruise the water is not too deep and the shore is a short swim away if there was ever an emergency. I know this definitely was a big draw for me. I also like that there is no motion sickness or sea legs after because there is no rocking from the ocean waves. 

With a river cruise, whether it’s day or night, it’s smooth sailing and beautiful scenery along the way.

For what to expect read my post on our itinerary