MS Anesha

The 2015-built MS Anesha cruise ship operates European itineraries on the Danube River (roundtrips from homeport Passau, Germany) and on the Moselle and Rhine rivers, with roundtrip departures from Cologne (Köln) and Bonn. The vessel is owned by the Swiss company Scylla AG (based in Basel) and operated under charter by Phoenix Reisen Flusskreuzfahrten (“river cruises”).

Anesha’s sisterships are the same-designed riverboats and fleetmates Anna Katharina (2019), Annabelle (2020), and Annika (2020). Traditionally, all Phoenix Reisen ships have names beginning with the letter “A.”

The German cruise tour company Phoenix Reisen was founded in 1973 and began passenger cruise operations in 1988 with the charter of MV Maxim Gorky (a 1969-built Russian ocean liner, scrapped in 2009). In 1993, Phoenix Reisen launched its European river cruise program under the brand “Phoenix Reisen Flusskreuzfahrten.”

The vessel (ENI number 07002113) is currently Switzerland-flagged (MMSI 269057697) and registered in Basel.

Decks and Cabins

MS Anesha staterooms (90 total, in 9 categories) accommodate 180 passengers on three decks (of four). All cabins are outside-facing (including 74 with French balconies), tastefully decorated, and furnished in a modern, comfortable style. Standard amenities include hotel twin beds (convertible to double/Queen-size), wall-mounted reading lamps, LED ceiling lighting, en-suite bathroom (WC, shower, single-sink vanity, large backlit LED mirror, towels, bath toiletries), 40-inch smart HDTV (satellite reception, infotainment system, and live bow camera feed), mini-bar/refrigerator, Nespresso coffee machine, round glass-top table with two armchairs, mirrored dressing table (writing desk with armchair), wardrobe, electronic safe (in the closet), hairdryer, direct-dial phone, radio, individual air-conditioning, and evening turndown service.

Cabins on the Orion and Saturn decks have French balconies (sliding floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening to a railing). All cabins on the Neptun Deck (deck 1) feature two fixed, non-opening windows near the ceiling (at water level). Most cabins are double-occupancy and equally sized (17 m² / 185 ft²), while the Suites are larger (19 m² / 200 ft²) and can accommodate up to three passengers.

Cabin categories include:

• Twin Outside Single (Category H, Neptun Deck)
• Twin Outside (Category B, Neptun Deck aft)
• Twin Outside (Category C, Neptun Deck)
• Triple Outside with French Balcony (Category A, Saturn Deck)
• Twin Outside with French Balcony (Category D, Saturn Deck)
• Twin Outside with French Balcony (Category E, Orion Deck)
• Twin Suite with French Balcony (Category F, Saturn Deck)
• Twin Suite with French Balcony (Category G, Orion Deck)
• Twin Outside Single with French Balcony (single-occupancy, Category I, Saturn Deck)

Shipboard Facilities

MS Anesha features four passenger decks, a Panorama Restaurant “Vier Jahreszeiten” (“Four Seasons” Dining Room), and the Lido Specialty Restaurant (Orion Deck). Additional venues include a Barbecue Restaurant (à la carte Steakhouse/Bistro & Bar with an outdoor Lido Terrace), Panorama Lounge with Bar, Foyer (Lobby with Reception Desk and Tour Desk/Cruise Director’s Office), small Boutique Shop, Library, and Lift (passenger elevator connecting all cabin decks). The wellness complex includes a Spa (massage room, indoor Jacuzzi/whirlpool hot tub), Steam Room, Sauna Room, and Gym Room (with modern fitness equipment). The spacious Sun Deck offers a games area (shuffleboard, mini-golf putting green), shaded seating (five retractable awnings), sunbathing areas with loungers and tables, and an outdoor swimming pool.

Entertainment options include card and board games, bingo, trivia quizzes, dancing and live music performances (at the Bar Lounge), themed quiz and dance nights, daily lectures with multimedia presentations (based on the itinerary), port talks, language lessons, and cooking demonstrations. Laundry service is available at an additional cost. Wi-Fi (WLAN) is also offered for a fee. The onboard language is German (some crew speak English), and the onboard currency is EUR. Girocard, VISA, and MasterCard are accepted for onboard payments. Smoking is permitted only in the designated area on the Sun Deck (deck 4).

Phoenix Reisen MS Anesha cruise fares include all onboard meals. Breakfast is buffet-style, while lunch and dinner are multi-course and waiter-served, featuring traditional European and vegetarian cuisine. Afternoon tea, coffee, and midnight snacks are complimentary. Beers, house wines (by the glass), soft drinks (mineral water, juices, sodas, lemonade), tea, and coffee are included daily (8 a.m.–12 midnight). The traditional Captain’s Cocktail Reception and Captain’s Gala Dinner are held once per voyage in the Bar Lounge and the main Dining Room, respectively. Upon request, vegan and special dietary dishes (gluten-free, lactose-free, fat-free, diabetic, etc.) are provided free of charge.

River Cruise Itineraries

On MS Anesha, Phoenix Reisen offers the following cruise itineraries, most of which are roundtrips from Cologne (Köln), Bonn, and Passau:

• 4-day “Schnupperreise Straßburg” (Intro Cruise to Strasbourg) roundtrip from Cologne, visiting Bonn, Worms, Mannheim, Kehl-Strasbourg, Mainz, and Koblenz (overnight).
• 7-day “Donauharmonie” (Danube Harmony) roundtrip from Passau, visiting Vienna and Budapest.
• 7-day “Weinzauber entlang der Mosel” (Wine Magic along the Moselle) roundtrip from Bonn, visiting Königswinter, Braubach, Rüdesheim, Frankfurt, Koblenz, Cochem, Traben-Trarbach, Trier, Bernkastel-Kues, Winningen, and Bonn.
• 9-day “Rheinvergnügen” (Rhine Pleasure) roundtrip from Cologne, visiting Königswinter, Braubach, Rüdesheim, Mannheim, Speyer, Kehl-Strasbourg, Breisach, Basel, Worms, Bingen, Sankt Goarshausen, and Andernach.
• 10-day “Höhepunkte am Main-Donau-Kanal” (Highlights on the Main–Danube Canal) repositioning cruise from Cologne to Passau, visiting Koblenz, Braubach, Rüdesheim, Frankfurt, Miltenberg, Wertheim, Würzburg, Schweinfurt, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Kelheim, Regensburg, and Linz.
• 10-day “Höhepunkte am Main-Donau-Kanal” (Highlights on the Main–Danube Canal) repositioning cruise from Passau to Cologne, visiting Linz, Vilshofen, Regensburg, Kelheim, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Schweinfurt, Würzburg, Wertheim, Aschaffenburg, Frankfurt, and Rüsselsheim.

The vessel’s construction (hull and superstructure, ENI number 07002024) was completed at Vahali Shipyard in Zasavica (Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia). The Dutch shipbuilding company Scheepswerf en Machinefabriek Vahali BV, founded in 1923, owns and operates shipyards in Serbia (Belgrade and Zasavica) and the Netherlands (Gendt). Vahali Shipyard Zasavica officially opened in 2013. After the hull construction in Serbia, the cruise ship was towed to the Netherlands for final outfitting at Scheepswerf Vahali in Gendt.

Note: You can view CruiseMapper’s complete list of river cruise ships and riverboats in the “Itinerary” section of our River Cruises hub, where all companies and their fleets are listed.