AmaWaterways
 AmaStella on the Rhine | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | River cruise company, cruise line |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Headquarters | , 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.[1][2] Its price range is considered "luxury" among river cruises.[2] It had a fleet of 29 ships as of 2025.[3]
History
[edit]AmaWaterways was co-founded in 2002 by Rudi Schreiner, Jimmy Murphy, and Kristin Karst.[1][2] Schreiner had been one of the pioneers of the river cruise industry after the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal opened in 1992.[4] Schreiner was still the president and co-owner of the company as of 2018.[5]
Present day
[edit]
AmaWaterways cruise ships ply a number of rivers in Europe, including the Danube, Rhine, Seine, Douro,[2] Moselle, Main,[6] Garonne,[7] and Rhône.[8] Outside Europe, their ships cruise the Magdalena[9], Mekong, and Chobe rivers.[2]
At each port of call, there are guided excursions that are graded according to the difficulty level of the walking.[2] The company also caters to bicyclists, golfers,[5] and other active passengers. Starting in 2016, it offered "cruise and bike trips on the Rhine, Seine and Douro".[2]
Cruises are full-board and include wine and beer with meals as well as a cocktail hour.[10] AmaWaterways is reportedly the only river cruise line to belong to the gourmet chain La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.[2]
Unusual for river cruises, there are hair salons on AmaWaterways ships,[2] as well as spas, gyms, and libraries.[10]
Special interest cruises
[edit]To attract multi-generational families, 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.[11][2][12]
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.[13]
Fleet
[edit]As of 2025, AmaWaterways had a fleet of 29 ships.[3] One of these, the AmaMagna, is the largest cruise ship on the Danube.[2] Roughly twice as wide as other cruise ships on the Danube,[14] the AmaMagna is meant to offer passengers more roomy accommodations and more dining options than would be possible on a narrower river cruise ship.[5]
| Ship | Entered service | Length | Width | Staterooms | Passengers | Flag | Register No. | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AmaBella | 2010 | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 80 | 160 |  |
ENI 02332082 |  |
| AmaCello | 2008 | 360 ft (110 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 71 | 140 | |
ENI 02329809 |  |
| AmaCerto | 2012 | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 81 | 162 | |
ENI 07001949 |  |
| AmaDahlia | 2021 | 236 ft (72 m) | 42.6 ft (13 m) | 36 | 72 |  |
 | |
| AmaDante | 2008 | 360 ft (110 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 71 | 140 | |
ENI 02329183 |  |
| AmaDara | 2015 | 302 ft (92 m) | 46 ft (14 m) | 62 | 124 |  |
 | |
| AmaDolce | 2009 | 360 ft (110 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 71 | 140 | |
ENI 02331267 |  |
| AmaDouro | 2019 | 260 ft (79 m) | 37 ft (11 m) | 51 | 102 | 
|
 | |
| AmaKristina[13] | 2017 | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 76 | 152 | |
 | |
| AmaLea[13] | 2018 | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 78 | 156 | |
 | |
| AmaLilia | 236 ft (72 m) | 47.6 ft (15 m) | 41 | 82 |
|
 | ||
| AmaLucia[6] | 2021[6] | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 78 | 156 | |
ENI 07002142 |  |
| AmaLyra[13] | 2009 | 360 ft (110 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 71 | 140 | |
 | |
| AmaMagdalena | 223 ft (68 m) | 43 ft (13 m) | 30 | 60 |  |
 | ||
| AmaMagna[5] | 2019[5] | 443 ft (135 m) | 72 ft (22 m) | 98 | 196 | |
 | |
| AmaMelodia | 223 ft (68 m) | 43 ft (13 m) | 32 | 64 |
|
 | ||
| AmaMora[6] | 2019 | 443 ft (135 m)m | 38 ft (12 m) | 78 | 156 | |
 | |
| AmaPrima | 2013 | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 81 | 162 | |
ENI 07001958 |  |
| AmaReina | 2014 | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 162 | |
ENI 02335818 |  | |
| AmaSerena[6] | 2015 | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 81 | 162 | |
ENI 07002014 |  |
| AmaSiena | 2021 | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 78 | 156 | |
 | |
| AmaSintra | 260 ft (79 m) | 37 ft (11 m) | 51 | 102 |
|
 | ||
| AmaSonata | 2014 | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 81 | 162 | |
ENI 07001981 |  |
| AmaStella | 2016 | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 78 | 156 | |
 | |
| AmaVenita | 2014 | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 81 | 162 | |
ENI 07002005 |  |
| AmaVerde | 2011 | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 80 | 160 | |
 | |
| AmaVida | 2013 | 260 ft (79 m) | 37 ft (11 m) | 51 | 102 | |
 | |
| AmaViola | 2016 | 443 ft (135 m) | 38 ft (12 m) | 78 | 156 | |
 | |
| Zambezi Queen | 2009 | 150 ft (46 m) | 25.6 ft (8 m) | 14 | 28 | 
|
 | |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "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.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Jeannine Williamson. "AmaWaterways vs. Emerald Waterways". www.cruisecritic.com. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ a b "AmaWaterways Ships and Fleet". Calabasas, CA: AmaWaterways. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ "Our Story". AmaWaterways. 2015–2019. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Daniel McCarthy. "AmaWaterways Unveils Details of Newest Ship, AmaMagna". travelmarket report. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ a b c d e 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.
- ^ "AmaWaterways Launches First River Cruise Ship on Colombia's Magdalena River". Cruise Industry News. 18 April 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b c d "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.
External links
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