Ralph Grizzle

1 month ago | rivercruiseadvisor.com | Ralph Grizzle

AmaWaterways launches its newest ship this week, the AmaSintra. The launch takes place in Porto, the beautiful Portuguese city situated on the Douro River. In late March, we spent more than a week in Porto, discovering the treasures this remarkable city has to offer. We strongly recommend that anyone embarking on a Douro river cruise spend a few extra days before or after the cruise exploring Porto and its surroundings. Here what we learned during our time in Porto. A Walkable City.

2 months ago | rivercruiseadvisor.com | Ralph Grizzle

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve pitched camp in Vienna. The capital and largest city in Austria, Vienna is a highlight on Danube river cruises. The city’s rich history, imperial grandeur, world-famous music, expansive parks, majestic palaces and coffeehouse culture make for exceptional excursions from ships that dock 10 to 15 minutes away from the city center. The city also makes for an exceptional pre- or post-river cruise stay.

2 months ago | rivercruiseadvisor.com | Ralph Grizzle

Does the photo above look dated? Indeed it is. What you’re seeing is stateroom 135 on Peter Deilmann’s Mozart. This was my stateroom on a Danube river cruise in 2008. I enjoyed the ship, which you can read about in my story, Size Matters: Peter Deilmann’s Mozart. Mozart has had quite the journey since then. Two years after my trip, Peter Deilmann ceased operations, leaving the so-called “Queen of the Danube” sidelined for a few years. But like a cat with nine lives, Mozart would sail again.

Mar 1, 2025 | rivercruiseadvisor.com | Ralph Grizzle

Probably the most enduring image from our winter cruise on the Danube is the one above. We were making our way to Weißenkirchen, cruising up the Danube on AmaMagna, when we passed fairy-tale-like Dürnstein, easily identifiable by its blue-and-white tower, known as Dürnstein Abbey. I had never seen Dürnstein so quiet and mystical, but then again, it was February – when few tourists wander the picturesque town. Dürnstein projected an almost ethereal beauty as we passed.

Feb 21, 2025 | travelresearchonline.com | Ralph Grizzle

When traveling internationally, cellular data is important for many of us, whether we’re using our smart phones keeping in touch with friends and family back home or taking care of others matters such as banking or travel reservations. For example, when I land in Amsterdam tomorrow morning, I’ll want to book a train ticket to the city center, which I can do using the NS app.