Why a Sailings Log Matters
Any travel advisor can read a brochure. Any advisor can complete a certification course and pass an exam. What separates a river cruise specialist from a generalist is firsthand experience on the ships, across multiple lines, across multiple rivers, in multiple seasons.
I have personally sailed or inspected more than 25 river and ocean cruise ships. I have attended the ASTA River Cruise Expo multiple years running. I have sailed the Danube during Christmas Market season, sailed the Netherlands during tulip season, attended ship inaugurals, and been aboard as a Riverside Luxury Cruises Brand Ambassador. The log below is the full accounting of that experience.
When a client asks me which AmaWaterways ship has the warmest interior palette, I can answer from memory because I have stood in the AmaLucia's common area and the AMAMora's cabin and the AmaViola's Sun Deck. When a client asks whether the Riverside Debussy feels different from the Mozart, I can answer because I have been on both. That is what this log represents.
River Ships: Sailed and Inspected
| Ship | Cruise Line | River | Route or Event | Cabin Category | Date | Type | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AmaViola | AmaWaterways | Danube | Budapest to Vilshofen | Luxury Stateroom, Twin Balcony | 2023 | Sailed | Yes |
| AmaSerena | AmaWaterways | Netherlands | ASTA Expo Soft Opening, Netherlands Tulip Season | Stateroom | March 2024 | Sailed | Yes |
| AmaLucia | AmaWaterways | Rhine / Danube | ASTA River Cruise Expo, Amsterdam | Inspection | March 2024 | Inspected | Yes |
| AMAMora | AmaWaterways | Rhine / Danube | ASTA River Cruise Expo, Amsterdam | Inspection | March 2024 | Inspected | Pending |
| AmaMagna | AmaWaterways | Danube | ASTA River Cruise Expo, Amsterdam | Inspection | March 2024 | Inspected | Pending |
| AmaPrima | AmaWaterways | Rhine | ASTA Soft Opening, Christmas Markets | Stateroom | November 2026 | Sailing | Pending, after November 2026 |
| AmaVerde | AmaWaterways | Rhine / Danube | ASTA River Cruise Expo | Inspection | 2023 | Inspected | Pending |
| Riverside Mozart | Riverside Luxury Cruises | Danube | Vienna to Vilshofen, Christmas Markets | Luxury Suite, Butler Service | December 2023 | Sailed | Yes |
| Riverside Debussy | Riverside Luxury Cruises | Rhine | ASTA Expo Inaugural, Amsterdam | Suite, Butler Service | March 2024 | Inaugural | Yes |
| Viking Longship | Viking River Cruises | Rhine / Danube | ASTA River Cruise Expo | Inspection | March 2023 and March 2024 | Inspected | Pending |
| Scenic Jasper | Scenic Luxury Cruises | Rhine / Danube | ASTA River Cruise Expo | Inspection | March 2023 | Inspected | Pending |
Ocean Ships: Sailed and Inspected
| Ship | Cruise Line | Route | Cabin Category | Date | Type | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regent Seven Seas Explorer | Regent Seven Seas | Vancouver to Anchorage, Alaska | Superior Suite F2 | September 2024 | Sailed | Yes, live on site |
| Nieuw Statendam | Holland America | Caribbean, Jamaica, Bahamas, Grand Cayman | Neptune Suite | February 2026 | Sailed | Yes, live on site |
| Star of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | Bahamas 3-night, ASTA Pre-Inaugural | Central Park Balcony | August 2025 | Pre-Inaugural | Yes, live on site |
| Rotterdam | Holland America | Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Grand Turk | Ocean View Balcony | April 2025 | Sailed | Yes, live on site |
| Celebrity Reflection | Celebrity Cruises | CLIA Seminar at Sea | Stateroom | February 2026 | Seminar | Yes, live on site |
| Disney Wish | Disney Cruise Line | FAM Trip | Stateroom | August 2026 | FAM | Pending |
| Utopia of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | ASTA Pre-Inaugural | Stateroom | 2025 | Pre-Inaugural | Pending |
| Ovation of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | FAM Trip | Stateroom | 2025 | FAM | Pending |
| Navigator of the Seas | Royal Caribbean | Seminar at Sea | Stateroom | 2024 | Seminar | Pending |
| Princess (ship TBC) | Princess Cruises | Various | Stateroom | 2019 and 2025 | Sailed | Pending |
| Norwegian (ship TBC) | Norwegian Cruise Line | Various | Stateroom | 2023 | Sailed | Pending |
A Note on This Log
This log is updated after every sailing. Ships marked Pending have been inspected or sailed but do not yet have a published review. Reviews are added on a rolling basis. If you are considering a ship that appears on this list and want firsthand guidance before a review is published, contact me directly at melissa@ccta.co or 602-558-0154.
Ships marked Sailing are confirmed future sailings. The AmaPrima review will be published after my November 2026 AmaWaterways Rhine Christmas Markets sailing.
Schedule a Call with Melissa: No Planning FeesAbout Melissa Yetter
Melissa Yetter is founder and lead travel advisor at Cruisin Couple Travel Agency in Chandler, Arizona. She holds a CLIA Certified Cruise Counselor (CCC) designation, Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), Certified Travel Industry Executive (CTIE), and is an ASTA Verified Travel Advisor and member of the Arizona ASTA Chapter Board of Directors. She is an AmaWaterways Certified Specialist and a Riverside Luxury Cruises Brand Ambassador.
Contact: melissa@ccta.co · 602-558-0154 · cruisincouple.com/schedule-a-call