In September, we featured AmaWaterways’ Christmas Time Cruise as our River Cruise of the Week.  Operated this year aboard AmaLegro, AmaLyra andAmaDolce, this classic weeklong voyage whisks guests on a magical cruise along the beautiful blue Danube River from Nuremberg to Budapest.

The Amacello sports a striking profile guaranteed to turn heads on the waterways of Europe. Photo courtesy of AmaWaterways.

But that’s not the only holiday voyage AmaWaterways offers, which is why we’ve chosen the company’s Rhine Winter Voyage as our River Cruise of the Week.

Available with an optional two nights in Zurich and two nights in Lucerne, this weeklong voyage takes passengers on a storybook sailing along a snow-covered Rhine River.  Beginning in Basel, guests will sail aboard the elegant AmaCello as it calls on Breisach, Strasbourg, Speyer, Rudesheim, Koblenz and Cologne before arriving for an overnight stay in the final port of call, Amsterdam.

Departures are available between November 16 to December 10, 2011, and November 29 to December 27, 2012.

Enjoy a piping cup of Gluhwein, or hot mulled cider. Many markets have unique cups, like these in Koblenz. Photo courtesy of Weihnachtsmarkt Koblenz.

Along the way, the fortunate guests aboard AmaCello will have the pleasure of visiting and exploring some of the most popular Christmas Markets in all of Europe. With their historic roots firmly anchored in Germany, these markets continue a tradition that spans hundreds of years as places where people congregate to shop for original hand-crafted gifts while nursing an invigorating cup of mulled cider to ward off the chill. It’s the ultimate Christmas tradition, and one that will immediately capture your imagination and holiday spirit.

The elaborate and festive decorations that adorn the Christmas Market in Strasbourg, France. Photo courtesy of the City of Strasbourg.

There also opportunities to venture further afar. In Breisach, guests can participate in an optional overland excursion into Germany’s legendary Black Forest; while in Speyer they can choose to join in a tour of Heidelberg. If you’ve seen enough Christmas Markets, you can also elect to participate in a wine tasting in Breisach and Rudesheim.

The full itinerary:

Of course, all of this comes with AmaWaterways’ trademark service. Dedicated to providing an onboard experience that consistently exceeds guest expectations, every AmaWaterways ship in Europe boasts features like complimentary wines and beer with dinner; complimentary coffee, tea and hot chocolate served around the clock; complimentary internet access; and a variety of included shore excursions and guided tours, all of which are equipped with wireless headsets to ensure guides never have to yell, and guests never have to strain to hear them.

If you’ve never taken a river cruise, or have never explored Europe during the winter months, give this exciting itinerary a shot.  After all, sometimes the best Christmas traditions are the ones that have yet to be created.

For more information on AmaWaterways and the elegant AmaCello, be sure to read our complete line and ship profiles here on River Cruise Advisor.

Still two more days remaining on the Seabourn Odyssey, but I wanted to take a break from the coverage to invite you to join me for a “virtual river cruise” next week on AMAWATERWAYS’ new Amacello.

We’re sailing from Budapest to Istanbul, but I’ll be on board only from Sunday, August 2, departing Budapest, until Wednesday, August 5, when I step off in Belgrade.

Please leave your comments here on the site if you have questions about river cruising, about AMAWATERWAYS or about the new Amacello. I’m happy to oblige.

You can follow along here on avidcruiser.com, but you might also visit Avid Cruiser’s sister site, www.rivercruiseadvisor.com.

Posted from my Blackberry.