 AmaStella on the Rhine | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | River cruise company, cruise line |
| Founded | 2002; 23 years ago (2002) |
| Headquarters | Calabasas, California, United States |
| Services | River cruises |
| Website | www |
AmaWaterways is a Calabasas, California based river cruise company that offers cruises in Europe, Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, South America, and Egypt. Its price range is considered "luxury" among river cruises. It had a fleet of 26 ships as of 2022.
History
AmaWaterways was co-founded in 2002 by Rudi Schreiner, Jimmy Murphy, and Kristin Karst. Schreiner had been one of the pioneers of the river cruise industry after the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal opened in 1992. Schreiner was still the president and co-owner of the company as of 2018.
Present day
AmaWaterways cruise ships ply a number of rivers in Europe, including the Danube, Rhine, Seine, Douro, Moselle, Main, Garonne, and Rhône. Outside Europe, their ships cruise the Mekong and Chobe rivers.
At each port of call, there are guided excursions that are graded according to the difficulty level of the walking. The company also caters to bicyclists, golfers, and other active passengers. Starting in 2016, it offered "cruise and bike trips on the Rhine, Seine and Douro".
Cruises are full-board and include wine and beer with meals as well as a cocktail hour. AmaWaterways is reportedly the only river cruise line to belong to the gourmet chain La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.
Unusually for river cruises, there are hair salons on AmaWaterways ships, as well as spas, gyms, and libraries.
Special interest cruises
To attract families with younger children, AmaWaterways partnered with Adventures by Disney to create Disney-themed cruises that feature the Christmas markets in cities on the Danube and Rhine rivers, among others.
The company has also offered promotions for solo travellers. On four ships (the AmaDolce, AmaLyra, AmaCello, and AmaDante), single cabins are available without a supplemental fee.
Fleet
As of 2022, AmaWaterways had a fleet of 26 ships. One of these, the AmaMagna, is the largest cruise ship on the Danube. Roughly twice as wide as other cruise ships on the Danube, the AmaMagna is meant to offer passengers more roomy accommodations and more dining options than would be possible on a narrower river cruise ship.
| Ship | Entered service | Length | Passengers | Class | Port of registry | Flag | Register No. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AmaBella | 2010 | 135.0 m (443 ft) | 162 | Basel |  |
ENI 02332082 | ||
| AmaCello | 2008 | 110.0 m (361 ft) | 150 | Basel | |
ENI 02329809 | ||
| AmaCerto | 2012 | 135.0 m (443 ft) | 164 | Basel | |
ENI 07001949 | ||
| AmaDahlia | 2021 | 72 m (236 ft) | 72 |  |
||||
| AmaDante | 2008 | 110.0 m (361 ft) | 150 | Basel | |
ENI 02329183 | ||
| AmaDara | 2015 | 92 m (302 ft) | 124 |  |
||||
| AmaDolce | 2009 | 110.0 m (361 ft) | 148 | Basel | |
ENI 02331267 | ||
| AmaDouro | 2019 | 79.3 m | 102 | Douro | 
|
|||
| AmaKristina | 2017 | 135.0 m | 156 | Basel | |
|||
| AmaLea | 2018 | 135.0 m | 156 | Basel | |
|||
| AmaLucia | 2021 | 135.0 m | 156 | Basel | |
ENI 07002142 | ||
| AmaLyra | 2009 | 109.8 m | 144 | Basel | |
|||
| AmaMagdalena | ||||||||
| AmaMagna | 2019 | 135.0 m | 196 | Basel | |
|||
| AmaMora | 2019 | 135.0 m | 156 | Basel | |
|||
| AmaPrima | 2013 | 135.0 m (443 ft) | 164 | Basel | |
ENI 07001958 | ||
| AmaReina | 2014 | 135.0 m (443 ft) | 162 | Basel | |
ENI 02335818 | ||
| AmaSerena | 2015 | 135.0 m (443 ft) | 164 | Basel | |
ENI 07002014 | ||
| AmaSiena | 2021 | 135.0 m | 162 | Basel | |
|||
| AmaSonata | 2014 | 135.0 m (443 ft) | 164 | Basel | |
ENI 07001981 | ||
| AmaStella | 2016 | 135.0 m | 156 | Basel | |
|||
| AmaVenita | 2014 | 135.0 m (443 ft) | 162 | Basel | |
ENI 07002005 | built as AmaVista | |
| AmaVerde | 2011 | 135.0 m | 161 | Basel | |
|||
| AmaVida | 2013 | 79.0 m (259 ft) | 108 | Douro | |
unknown | ||
| AmaViola | 2016 | 135.0 m | 156 | Basel | |
|||
| Zambezi Queen | 2009 | 45.7 m (150 ft) | 28 | Kasane | 
|
renovated in 2019 |
References
- ^ "AmaWaterways Announces Retirement of Gary Murphy, Senior Vice President of Sales, Promotes Alex Pinelo" (Press release). Calabasas, CA: AmaWaterways. Hemsworth Communications. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
- ^ Jeannine Williamson. "AmaWaterways vs. Emerald Waterways". www.cruisecritic.com. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- "Our Story". AmaWaterways. 2015–2019. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ Daniel McCarthy. "AmaWaterways Unveils Details of Newest Ship, AmaMagna". travelmarket report. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ Jeri Clausing (15 January 2020). "AmaWaterways to debut new ship, new itineraries in 2021". Travel Weekly.
- "Taste of Bordeaux". AmaWaterways. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- "Colors of Provence". AmaWaterways. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ Kathy Armstrong (25 January 2020). "Down the Danube: What would a 20-something make of a river cruise?". Irish Independent. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- Maryn Liles (7 February 2020). "Vacationing With Kids? Here Are 15 of the Best New Family-Friendly Cruises to Take in 2020". Parade.com. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- Orlando Sentinel (5 February 2020). "Disney amps up European river cruise options". Texarkana Gazette. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ "AmaWaterways to Offer Solo Traveler Promotion". Luxury Travel Advisor. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- "Cruise New February: AmaMagna". The Business Travel News. 3 February 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
