In April, AmaWaterways will take delivery of their newest vessel: the elegantly appointed AmaCerto. While she may look similar to her sleek sisters at first glance, there’s no shortage of reasons to sail aboard her next spring.

Some staterooms aboard AmaCerto will feature a unique "twin balcony" concept. Photo courtesy of AmaWaterways.

Capable of holding just 164 guests, the AmaCerto is based largely upon the successful AmaBella and AmaVerde, which joined the AmaWaterways fleet in 2010 and 2011, respectively. At 443 feet in length, the AmaCerto offers up all the fantastic features and amenities that made her predecessors such a hit with passengers.

Take the line’s Twin Balcony concept. Aboard AmaCerto, guests in Category AA, AB, BB and Suites are treated to staterooms that feature both French and full walk-out balconies, all within the same room. These rooms measure a very generous 210 to 235 square feet, while Suites come in at 350 square feet – an almost unheard of size among river cruise vessels.

Popular lounges, like the aft lounge aboard AmaDolce, return aboard the new AmaCerto. Photo courtesy of AmaWaterways.

AmaCerto also offers staterooms equipped with a single French balcony. These Category C staterooms come in at a roomy 170 square feet – the same size as most staterooms on the lines’ other vessels. Down on the Piano Deck, accommodations featuring fixed windows replicate the feel of Oceanview staterooms found on deep-ocean cruise ships and represent an excellent choice for the budget-conscious.

Most other AmaWaterways vessels in Europe are 360 feet long, and with her expanded length, AmaCerto is able to offer her passengers a little more of, well, everything. In addition to an outdoor sun deck high atop the ship, one deck down on Violin Deck passengers can utilize the Massage and Hair Salon, the fitness room, or the cozy aft lounge. All the way forward, the main Lounge has been expanded to offer more seating and boasts stunning 180-degree views of the surrounding countryside.

One deck down, the Restaurant has also been expanded. Guests sailing aboard any AmaWaterways ship are treated to complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks with dinner, meaning you don’t have to worry about the cost of that glass of wine. You can simply enjoy the excellent food and the magnificent views.

Be the first to sail down the Danube aboard AmaCerto next year. Photo courtesy of AmaWaterways.

Other included niceties aboard AmaWaterways include complimentary internet access, a 24-hour specialty coffee and tea station, a heated swimming pool, an in-stateroom Infotainment centre offering first-run Hollywood movies, and even a passenger elevator, the presence of which can be rare among many river cruise ships.

So where is AmaCerto spending her maiden season in operation? Next year, you can experience this magnificent ship firsthand on the following itineraries:

For more information on AmaWaterways and the forthcoming AmaCerto, be sure to view our complete AmaWaterways fleet overview right here on River Cruise Advisor!

Everyone knows about the Panama Canal that connects the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean, but it’s likely you may not know about the engineering marvel that helped connect the Main (pronounced mine) with the Danube river, and in the process united a continent.

Viking Promadonna alongside beautiful Passau, Germany; here, thanks to the Main-Danube Canal. Photo courtesy of Viking River Cruises

The Rhine-Main-Danube Canal runs between Bamburg to Kelheim via the historic city of Nuremberg, but it’s a surprisingly recent addition to the German landscape. Although an early version of the canal existed prior to World War II, heavy damage during the war years resulted in the route’s abandonment by the 1950′s. A decade later it became obvious that shipping would greatly benefit from a direct connection between the two rivers, and plans for the canal were born.

By the time the last section was completed in 1992, the canal had grown to span a distance of 171 kilometers (106 miles). But this journey is anything but a straight line between two rivers; the canal rises and falls with the surrounding landscape and because of the extreme height differences between the two rivers, a total of 16 locks had to be constructed to alternately lift and lower ships along their journey.

At their highest point along the Continental Divide, the river exists 406 meters above sea level. So while the Panama Canal may be more famous, lock-lovers will be in heaven with a near-full day (or night) of transiting these unique, remotely operated structures, some of which can hold two ships at a time, while others are so narrow as to only permit one ship at a time.

Here’s how it works: Your ship maneuvers into the lock and ties up alongside, to prevent it from moving. Enormous metal doors at either end of the lock slowly shut, and the water level in the lock is either increased or decreased in order to move the ship up or down along the river, which is essentially like a giant aquatic staircase that starts just prior to Nuremberg and ends roughly at Regensburg to the east.

Stay up and enjoy the transit of the Main-Danube canal's many locks from the comfort of your stateroom or one of the ship's public rooms. Photo courtesy of Avalon Waterways

So what does all this mean for you as a river cruiser? The transit of the Main-Danube Canal is an event you don’t want to miss. Be sure to keep your camera close at hand, particularly when your ship transits the locks and even sails over a highway! If your transit occurs at night, light sleepers beware: The ship can sometimes bump heavily against the walls of the lock, and the increase and decrease in propulsion will likely be noticeable in the aftermost staterooms.

All the more reason to stay up on deck or in a public room and enjoy this remarkable feat of engineering!

River cruising is contagious. That’s what Cruise West, a Seattle-based company specialized in small ship explorations, is realizing.

After quietly testing out a few river cruises on the Danube River this year, Cruise West is branching out with three different itineraries and three departures for 2010.

“Cruise West offering European river cruising is a natural progression as we continue to provide intimate, up-close experiences not available on larger vessels,” said Cruise West President and CEO Dietmar Wertanzl. “With the value of the euro where it is, cruises provide a cost-effective way for travelers to experience Europe.”

Next year, Cruise West will continue to charter the 148-passenger Amadeus Diamond from the Austrian firm Luftner Cruises, the same river cruise ship it used for the Danube cruises this year.

The ship is brand new, having just launched this year, and boasts modern décor with a warm color palette. In addition to a standard restaurant and panorama bar and lounge, the Diamond has a walking track, bar and small putting area on its sun deck.

Cabins range from 170 to 304 square feet with French balconies in 80% of the staterooms. Also available to guests are a fitness center, hairdresser, masseuse, doctor and Internet station.

For 2010, the three river cruises being offered include a 11-day Danube River cruise from Bucharest, Romania to Vienna, Austria, departing on Sept. 22 and ranging from $4,999 to $6,899, per person, cruise only.

Guests will be greeted at the Bucharest airport before transferring to the 5-star Marriott Hotel. The countries visited during the river cruise are Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Croatia. Excursions include wine tasting at a vineyard near Vukovar, Croatia; a classical music performance in Vienna; and a tour of the historic city of Constanta with lunch in Mamaia in Romania. Guests can add-on a two-night stay in Prague or a three-night tour through Transylvania.

An 11-day Danube, Main and Rhine Rivers cruise sails from Vienna to Cologne, Germant, departing on Oct. 2 for the same price range as the above cruise.

Guests will sail into the historical Regensburg, Germany; to Nuremberg, the capital of Franconia; and along the River Rhine to Rüdesheim, an old wine town in the upper middle Rhine Valley area.

And an 11-day Chairman’s Cruise along the Rhine and Mosel Rivers will sail from Cologne to Basel, Switzerland, departing on Oct. 12 for $5,299 to $7,199 per person, cruise only. Prices depend on the cabin category.

Dick West, chairman of Cruise West, will be hosting the cruise, which includes a midnight sailing from Cologne to view the lights of its Gothic towers; cruising through the Rhine Gorge passing a castles and the legendary Lorelei Rock; and the villages, vineyards and forest along the Mosel River to Cochem, where Riesling wines are cultivated.