AmaWaterways has lined up British chef Theo Randall for a special edition of its Romantic Danube river cruise, running 17-24 July 2027 on board the AmaLea. The trip sails from Vilshofen in Germany to Budapest, calling at Passau, Linz, Weissenkirchen, Vienna and Bratislava along the way.
The headline attraction for food lovers: two intimate Chef's Table dinners prepared and hosted by Randall himself. He'll curate a bespoke multi-course menu built around locally sourced ingredients that reflect the regions the ship passes through, then talk guests through the inspiration and stories behind each dish during the meal. A Q&A session on board rounds out his appearances.
Randall has serious form. He earned a Michelin Star as Head Chef and Partner at The River Café, opened the multi-award-winning Theo Randall at The InterContinental in 2006, and won the BBC series Yes Chef against other Michelin-starred chefs. British TV viewers will know him from Saturday Kitchen, Sunday Brunch and Celebrity MasterChef.
AmaWaterways' chief creative and marketing officer Toni Stoeckl framed the partnership around the idea that dining is central to understanding a destination — and Randall echoed that, describing a river journey as a series of stories told through food and place. It's a fair pitch for this route in particular: the Danube links Bavarian beer halls, Austrian coffee-house culture and Hungarian paprika-rich cooking within a single week of sailing.
Beyond the dinners, the itinerary includes a choice of shore excursions at each stop — walking and cycling tours, historic landmarks and UNESCO sites — so the week isn't solely restaurant-focused. The ship itself, the AmaLea, is one of AmaWaterways' sleeker contemporary vessels.
Pricing and deals: the seven-night fly-cruise starts from £4,050 per person in Category D, with return flights and overseas transfers from London or Manchester included. From 1 October, bookers can save £375 per person, plus a complimentary cabin upgrade on Category CB or above.
Who it's for: travellers who care as much about what's on the plate as what's outside the window. If a standard river cruise buffet doesn't move you but a chef-narrated tasting menu does, this sailing is designed with you in mind. Spaces at a Chef's Table with a named chef will be limited by the size of the ship's restaurant, so early booking makes sense — especially with the October discount on the table.
