Luxury River Cruise Line Invites Travel Advisors and Guests to Discover Their Family Story During Unforgettable Rhine River Cruises, Adding New Dimension to Heritage Travel on the Rivers
CALABASAS, CA – (June 24, 2021) – Luxury river cruise innovator AmaWaterways today announced a new partnership with the global leader in family history and consumer genomics, Ancestry®. The groundbreaking collaboration provides a unique opportunity for guests to discover details pertaining to their specific family history while enjoying the incomparable river cruise experience that AmaWaterways is known for. With an uptick in consumers embracing heritage travel, the special Ancestry® Experiencepackage allows travelers to further personalize and enrich their river cruise experience through pre-cruise private consultation and family history research, onboard presentations and curated excursions accompanied by an expert genealogist throughout the cruise.
“Having grown up along the legendary Elbe River in Germany, I am personally overjoyed by this new collaboration that provides our guests with a unique opportunity to connect with their European roots, through personalized research and specially curated experiences,” said Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-founder of AmaWaterways. “Maintaining or creating cherished family connections is more important than ever, and this partnership with the industry-leading team at Ancestry® provides the perfect setting to bring our guests’ treasured family stories to life.”
The first cruise in the guests’ series, Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry® Experience, will depart July 30, 2022, on board the 156-guest AmaStella. Guests will embark in Amsterdam on an unforgettable seven-night river cruise along the Rhine River, visiting Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland while tracing their roots and following along in their ancestors’ footsteps.
“At its core, Ancestry is a family history company, and we are constantly looking for new ways to help others uncover their own personal stories and to bring deeper meaning to their findings through genealogical research and heritage travel,” said Jon Lambert, director of global client relations for Ancestry. “We found this same passion for creating enriching life-changing experiences with AmaWaterways Co-founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst. Their European heritage and appreciation of cultural diversity fit perfectly with Ancestry’s mission to empower journeys of self-discovery to change lives.”
This enriching Ancestry experience begins as soon as the river cruise reservation is made with AmaWaterways. Each guest who signs up will be matched with an expert from AncestryProGenealogists®, Ancestry’s professional research division, who will conduct a one-hour welcome call to discuss aspects of their family that are of particular interest. From there, the genealogist will conduct a five-hour consultation and research phase delving into family background and identifying places of interest that the guest may visit or pass by during their river cruise.
Once on board, an expert genealogist will offer presentations to provide insight into what life was like for guests’ ancestors and highlight the types of records that are available for them to learn more. As guests travel through different regions where their ancestors lived, the genealogist will explain the history behind those areas, providing an unparalleled understanding of the past and a glimpse of their ancestors’ everyday lives.
Rounding out this enriching experience, each guest will also receive a private onboard consultation with the expert genealogist to review their own family tree. They will also have the opportunity to enjoy an Ancestry-specific group excursion with their expert genealogist. In certain cases, travelers can delve even deeper with an optional add-on of an Ancestral Home Visit accompanied by an expert genealogist.
Taking guests into the heart of Europe, the elegantly appointed AmaStella, with her exceptional crew, offers the opportunity for guests to be pampered in spacious staterooms; indulge in delicious cuisine from a choice of dining venues including the intimate Chef’s Table Restaurant; and when not participating in one of the 23 included shore excursion choices, relax on an expansive sun deck, featuring a walking track and swimming pool with a swim-up bar. Active travelers will enjoy the onboard Wellness Program, which includes expertly guided fitness classes, as well as hiking and biking tours.
Reservations for the July 30, 2022, Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry® Experience are now open, with prices starting from $5,399*. A four-night, post-river cruise land package is also available in Switzerland, including two nights in Zurich and two nights in Lucerne with convenient transfers, daily breakfast and city tours, as well as the services of AmaWaterways’ professionally trained Cruise Manager.
>As part of the official launch of the partnership, travel advisors are being invited to join an exclusive Ancestry® Heritage River Cruise FAM on August 12th, 2021 on board AmaMora traveling the Rhine River from Basel to Amsterdam. Advisors will be hosted by AmaWaterways Vice President of Operations Jon Burrows with intriguing onboard sessions led by AncestryProGenealogists Kyle Betit, senior genealogist and travel program operations manager and Angie Bush, one of the most sought after genetic genealogists and internationally recognized educators in the field. Besides enjoying scenic Rhine Gorge cruising, delightful wine tasting and enjoyable hiking and biking, travel advisors will also discover how new trends in genetic genealogy can help generate new travel business leads.
*Per person prices (air and port charges not included) see website for full details.
To learn more about the Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry® Experience or to reserve for your clients, visit AmaWaterways.com/ancestry.
To reserve your August 12, 2021 Heritage FAM Cruise, with special “Sail with Me” Bonus Offer, submit your FAM application online via Travel Advisor Portal.
Follow AmaWaterways on Facebook at Facebook.com/AmaWaterways, Instagram @AmaWaterways, Twitter @AmaWaterways, and YouTube at YouTube.com/AmaWaterways.
About AmaWaterways
A family-owned company celebrating 18 years on the river, AmaWaterways offers unforgettable river cruises with 25 ships sailing Europe’s Danube, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Rhône, Saône (2021), Seine, Garonne, Dordogne, Dutch and Belgian Waterways and Douro Rivers, Southeast Asia’s Mekong, Africa’s Chobe River and Egypt’s Nile River (2021). Led by experienced river cruise co-founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst, the company is renowned for its innovative stateroom design featuring unique “twin balconies;” its wellness activities including a wide choice of included shore excursions featuring biking and hiking options for the active traveler; and its award-winning dining—including The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant as well as complimentary fine wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. Modern, spacious and tastefully decorated, each ship features onboard amenities such as hair and massage salons and a fitness room, and many have heated outdoor swimming pools with swim-up bars. AmaWaterways leads the river cruise industry in innovation highlighted with the launch of AmaMagna, which at twice the width of traditional river ships, offers a new dimension in luxury river cruising. The company also offers a variety of themed sailings and brand relationships, with sailings geared towards active travelers and families as well as group and charter options.
With the highest-rated ships in Europe according to the third edition of Berlitz: River Cruising in Europe & the USA, AmaWaterways has received countless honors and accolades including Cruise Critic’s 2019 Editor’s Pick Award for “Best River Cruise Line” and “Best for Active Cruisers,” 2018 AFAR Reader’s Choice Award for “Best River Cruise Line” and inclusion of AmaMagna in 2019 TIME “World’s Greatest Places.”
About AncestryProGenealogists®
AncestryProGenealogists is a division of Ancestry and serves as Ancestry’s professional research arm, bringing together a team of expert researchers and professional genealogists to conduct research around the world, trace family trees, and help clients connect with their past. For more information visitprogenealogists.com.
About Ancestry®
Ancestry®, the global leader in family history and consumer genomics, empowers journeys of personal discovery to enrich lives. With our unparalleled collection of 30 billion records and over 20 million people in our growing DNA network, customers can discover their family story and gain actionable insights about their health and wellness. For over 30 years, we’ve built trusted relationships with millions of people who have chosen us as the platform for discovering, preserving and sharing the most important information about themselves and their families.