ONBOARD THE AMADEUS QUEEN -- At first look, it's easy to see
that Amadeus River Cruises' newest vessel, the 162-passenger Amadeus Queen, is
sleeker than its predecessors. It is also designed to better adapt to high
water-level issues by being six inches lower than most competing ships.
"It makes it a little bit more reliable," said
Patrick Janssens, CEO of the Netherlands-based Shipyard De Hoop. "Compared
with the competition, when the waters are high, this ship will be one of the
last ones that can still pass [under] the bridges and continue the voyages."
Janssens said that while six inches might not seem like a
lot, in the already tight dimensions of a river vessel, that meant the shipyard
had to really rethink the construction and engineering. In so doing, it
incorporated engines that are quieter, produce fewer vibrations and are more
fuel efficient, among other enhancements.
The restaurant onboard the Amadeus Queen offers an intimate feel and a variety of seating configurations. Photo Credit: Michelle Baran
But even those passengers who won't ever know the
engineering innovations that took place behind the scenes will readily
recognize the investments in the public areas and ship decor, which make the
Queen the most chic Amadeus vessel to date.
From the midcentury, modernesque furniture to the bright and
airy central lobby that enables natural light to flood from large skylights
through the center of the ship, the Queen showcases the evolution of the
Amadeus River Cruises brand and the company's efforts to be more competitive in
the river cruise market.
The Amadeus Queen falls into the company's Silver class of
vessels, which includes the Amadeus Silver, Amadeus Silver II, Amadeus Silver
III and the Amadeus Provence. As of next year, it will also include the Amadeus
Star.
Perhaps one of the most unusual spaces on the Amadeus Queen
is the lap pool and lounge area at the aft that features a retractable sunroof,
enabling it to be used in both warmer and cooler weather. This area has its own
bar, as well.
Martina Luftner, who co-owns Amadeus parent Luftner Cruises
with her husband, Wolfgang, was a key force in the design process of the
Amadeus Queen. She confided that she took inspiration for the resortlike area
from the design of a yacht she found in a magazine.
That inspiration continues into the atrium lobby, where the
central staircase is flanked by porthole-shaped openings and mirrors. Right off
of the staircase on the lowest deck, a Zen garden-style planter marks the
entrance to the massage room and hair salon, exuding an aura of relaxation.
The Amadeus Queen's bar/lounge area features midcentury modern-inspired furniture. Photo Credit: Michelle Baran
The restaurant, with its shades of light gray and white, is
decidedly clean and modern, the lighting warmed by lamps hanging above the
tables that offer a more intimate feel among a large variety of seating
configurations, including two- and four-top tables as well as bench seating.
The food is pan-European and consistently delicious.
Passengers can expect a mix of local specialties of the region they are sailing
through as well as dishes that are popular throughout Europe. Breakfast and
lunch are served buffet style, with the option of ordering specialty eggs at
breakfast and from a set menu at lunch. Dinner is served from a full menu with
two or three choices offered for each course, often including vegetarian
options.
The Amadeus Queen has staterooms that are either 172 or 188
square feet as well as 12 suites at 284 square feet with small, step-out
balconies. The larger staterooms are unique in that they have walk-in closets,
which are not common on river ships. They also have drop-down windows that
function as balconies when lowered. Several lower-deck cabins are connecting
staterooms for families.
The bow features a fitness room and a bar/lounge area with
outdoor seating. An elevator connects the three lower decks; the only deck not
accessible by elevator is the sun deck.
The central staircase on the Amadeus Queen allows natural light to flow all the way down to the first deck. Photo Credit: Michelle Baran
Luftner Cruises formally launched its Amadeus River Cruises
line in the U.S. two years ago. The family-owned and -operated company has been
building and managing river cruise ships for more than 30 years, and after a
couple attempts at partnering with third parties to represent Luftner in the
U.S., it finally decided it was time develop its own U.S. office and business.
Marcus Leskovar, executive vice president of Amadeus River
Cruises, who spearheads the company's U.S. operations, said, "We wanted to
be able to compete and be represented."
Leskovar said that what Amadeus offers to the U.S. market is
a better value than many of its competitors offer, thanks in part to the fact
that the European customer base that the company has traditionally worked with
is much more price sensitive than the U.S. customer base. American passengers
who opt for an Amadeus river cruise can expect a more European atmosphere
onboard, including the possibility of multiple languages being spoken, such as
German, French and Spanish. But Leskovar said that English-speaking passengers
can expect all announcements, excursions and services to be offered in English,
as well.