A hotel that moves overnight and moors in the middle of town

River ships moor in the middle of things, often within sight of the cathedral or the old bridge. There is no tender, no coach transfer and no queue. If you want to walk back into town after dinner for a drink, you can, and the ship will still be there when you have finished.

Most staterooms across the fleet have the signature Twin Balcony: a full outside balcony and a French balcony that opens the room to the river when you would rather stay inside. On a river, where the view changes hour by hour, it matters more than it sounds.

Every ship carries a fleet of bicycles, free to take out at any stop. Walking tours run at more than one speed, from gentle strolls to something more demanding, and there are wellness classes on the sun deck for the mornings in between. Nobody is herded anywhere.

The Chef’s Table is a separate restaurant with its own tasting menu and an open kitchen, and it costs nothing extra. Add the Al Fresco terrace, the Sip and Sail cocktail hour before dinner, and wines from the region you are sailing through, poured at lunch and dinner.

The ship that broke the mould. AmaMagna is twice the width of a standard European river vessel, which buys space nothing else on the Danube can match, in the staterooms and everywhere else.

Four restaurants including The Chef’s Table, Al Fresco and Jimmy’s Wine Bar, all at no extra cost. A large sun deck with a heated pool and a walking track, the Zen Wellness Studio for classes, and bicycles for every stop.

One of the newer European ships, and a good example of what AmaWaterways does best. Signature Twin Balcony staterooms throughout, with both a French and an outside balcony.

The Chef’s Table sits alongside the Main Restaurant, the sun deck has a walking track and a heated pool with a swim up bar, and there is a fitness room, a salon and a bicycle for anyone who wants one.

Sister to AmaLucia and identical in spec, so the choice between them comes down to where each is sailing in the season you want.

Twin Balcony staterooms, The Chef’s Table included in the fare, the Sip and Sail hour before dinner, wellness classes in the morning and bicycles on the quay.

A well established favourite on the European rivers, and often the ship people name when they come back for a second cruise.

The same Twin Balcony staterooms and included Chef’s Table as her newer sisters, with the Al Fresco terrace for lunch and a heated pool on the sun deck. Familiar, comfortable and easy to settle into.

Purpose built for the Douro, where the locks set the limits on how big a ship can be. Everything about her is shaped by that river.

Most staterooms have an outside balcony, the sun deck is generous for a ship this size and has a pool, and the kitchen leans hard on Portuguese produce and wine. Excursions run to the quintas and the terraced vineyards above the water.

The Mekong ship, running between Vietnam and Cambodia, and a different kind of week entirely.

Every stateroom has the signature Twin Balcony, the decor takes its cue from the region, and there is a pool on the sun deck for the afternoons. Excursions are included and local: sampan rides through the floating villages, markets and village schools.