To book your stateroom, you will be required to submit the Booking Form AND your non-refundable deposit (use PAY NOW button).  A booking will not be confirmed until both have been received.

All applications will be time stamped and processed in the order they are received.  Due to the expected high demand, please allow upto  3 business days to confirm your reservation.

We apologise if the retreat sells out before we are able to get to your application. In the event we are unabe to confirm your booking, we will place you on the waitlist in case of any cancellations.

All pricing is in CAD.

Pricing is per person based on two people in each stateroom except for the 4 single rooms on offer.

All staterooms are priced based on two guests per stateroom.  A non-refundable deposit of $1000CAD per person is required to secure your stateroom.

EXCEPTION:  We have 4 single rooms on offer - a $2000CAD non-refundable deposit is required to book these staterooms.

We accept VISA, Mastercard and American Express credit cards. 

Couples who book a stateroom will share a Queen Bed unless they specifically request two Twin Beds.

Friends who book a stateroom to share will each have their own Twin Bed.

Solo travellers who share a stateroom with another solo traveller will each have their own Twin Bed.

Yes, absolutely.  We expect to receive booking requests to share a room with another solo traveller.  We will do our best to pair you with another solo traveller - subject to availability.

If you wish to book a SINGLE occupancy stateroom, please note that except for the (4) single rooms on offer, all other staterooms are priced based on two guests in each stateroom.  Once the (4) single rooms are sold out, the  single occupancy room will cost 2 x the per person rate.

Absolutely. This retreat is a private sailing exclusive to this group.  Normal shore excursions in each port city will still be offered to all guests.  Knitting workshops will only run when when the vessel is sailing down the river.

When there is a class/lecture on, the lounge, Chef's Table Restaurant and Wine Tasting Rooms in the Main Dining Room will be limited to knitters participating in the classes/workshops.   However,  the upper deck, fitness room and outdoor spa will always be accessible to all guests.

Cancellation prior to 02 January,  2025 - Loss of Deposit ($1000CAD per person for twin share rooms and $2000CAD for single share rooms)

Cancellation 03 January, 2025 or later - 100% non-refundable

For river cruises in 2023, 2024, and 2025 AmaWaterways is not requiring proof of Covid-19 vaccination to board our ships. All guests traveling with AmaWaterways remain responsible for ensuring they meet the travel entry requirements for each country they plan to visit before, during or after their river cruise. These requirements, as mandated by airlines and individual countries or regions, may change without notice.

South Pacific Journeys (an Affiliate of Vision Travel a Direct Travel Company) highly recommends that all travellers purchase adequate Out of Country Emergency Insurance and Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Insurance.

South Pacific Journeys is able to provide a quote for Allianz Insurance for Ontario residents.

If you reside outside of Ontario, please obtain a quote from your local travel insurance provider.

All travellers will require a passport to participate in this Knit Retreat.  Your passport will need to be valid until at least 12 February 2026.

Canadian, American and Australian passport holders do not require a visa for any of the countries visited on this Knit Retreat.

If you are traelling on a passport from another country, please check with Embassies/High Commission for Germany, Austria and Hungary.

It is the sole responsibilty of the traveller to ensure they meet all entry requirements for the country(ies) they visit.

Below is a useful link with useful entry requirements for global destinations.  South Pacific Journeys assumes no responsibility in the accuracy of information obtained from this site.

Sherpa Link

We have included gratuities for room stewards and dining room staff.  

The Cruise Director does not receive any tips from the pre-paid gratuities.  We encourage all participants to tip the Cruise Director on the last night of the retreat.  A tip box will be on display in the main lobby. (suggested tip is 25 Euros per person for duration of cruise)

The Tour Guides do not receive any tips from the pre-paid gratuities.  If you've enjoyed your shore excursion, we encourage you to tip the guide at the conclusion of each tour (suggested tip is 5 Euros per person).

All meals, including breakfast, are “a la carte” with full table service and offer a wonderful choice. Select items will be available at chef's stations, such as our new breakfast bowls. 

We will be hosting a Charity Fundraiser Dinner with our Special Guests in the Chef’s Table specialty restaurant throughout the cruise.

Please advise us if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies prior to embarkation. It is a required question on our Booking Form.   In most cases, we will do our best to accommodate special dietary requests and food allergies, but with one exception: Kosher. This diet has specific rules regarding food and its preparation and the shipboard environment does have limitations that prevent us from being able to adequately cater to this dietary need. Please note, though we can provide options to accommodate food allergies and sensitivities, we cannot guarantee there will not be any cross-contamination

We have designed this knit retreat so that everyone who wants to participate in a class/talk will be able to.  No one will miss out.

Classes will be announced in 2024.

Comfortable, layered clothing adaptable to changing weather conditions is always advisable for daytime excursions. For the evening, “Casually elegant” attire is recommend and you may want to pack something a little dressier for the Captain’s night/Farewell Dinner – similar to how one would dress to dine at a 5-star restaurant. Comfortable shoes are recommended for excursions and workout clothing if you plan to take part in any wellness activities, active tours or use the onboard gym. Depending on the time of year, clothing that can be layered is highly recommended

High-speed Internet service is available free of charge as part of the in-stateroom "Entertainment-On-Demand." Additionally, AmaWaterways offers complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the ship.

Official embarkation time is 3 p.m. for all ships. This allows the staff to prepare your stateroom and have the ship ready for the next departure. If you arrive earlier, you may check your luggage on board, and then explore the embarkation port city. Please refer to your travel documents for specific instructions on where to embark and your official embarkation time.

Official disembarkation time is 9 a.m. You may disembark earlier if the ship is moored in the location you are disembarking in.

We may offer a transfer service to/from the airport.  Details to be provided at a later date.  Additional cost will apply.

Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside any of the ships. Smoking is only permitted on the Aft of the Sun Deck. For the safety and comfort of all passengers on board, your cooperation in observing the no-smoking policy is greatly appreciated.

All staterooms in Europe, Africa, Vietnam and Cambodia are equipped with individual climate control. If you have any questions regarding your stateroom's temperature control, please refer to the instructions or check with the reception desk.

Wheelchair accessibility is very limited on our European ships. We do have an elevator between the two main decks; however, it does not reach the Sun Deck or Piano Deck. Guests would be able to move around the dining room and lounge in their chair; however, the staterooms are not able to accommodate a wheelchair, so while in their stateroom they would need to be able to move around on their own. Their chair would also need to be stored in their stateroom due to limited storage on board. Getting on and off the ship could be a challenge, as the planks are narrow and cannot accommodate a wheelchair or scooter's width. Guests would have to be able to get on and off the ship without their wheelchair and the wheelchair would have to be light enough to be lifted off and on the ramps. It is common to tie up to other river ships in port. When this happens we would sometimes need to travel through another ship to disembark, with many ships requiring we do so from the Sun Deck, where there is only stair access

River ships all share docking ports in Europe. Throughout your river cruise it is likely the ship will be docked next to one or two other river ships. During this time, your view from your stateroom may temporarily be obscured by a neighboring ship. It is important to note that in these cases, disembarkation/embarkation may include walking through the adjacent ship(s) lobby or Sun Deck to reach the shore.

For the safety and security of all guests on board and to ensure you have a seamless travel experience, we are now requiring details for all independent pre/post-cruise travel arrangements. At your earliest convenience, please log into our Your Cruise Check-in portal to update all required fields prior to departing for your trip.

Should there be a cancellation implemented by the carrier, any guests who have purchased air through AmaWaterways will be protected on alternative flights, whenever possible. Guests who have purchased their air independently should immediately contact their respective airline  regarding alternative arrangements. 

SPJ Retreats can provide you with an airfare quote to suit your travel arrangements.

We can also quote and arrange pre-post retreat accommodation if you wish to extend your holiday.  

We will be packaging up a 2 Night Post-Cruise Package for our disembarkation in Budapest.  This package will include transfers, 2 nights accommodation,  tours and an exclusive experience.

Space will be limited and will be announced in the Fall of 2024. Pre-Cruise Package is not incuded in Knit Retreat price - additional cost will apply.