Press Releases River Cruising

AmaWaterways Celebrates 18 Years Leading the Way in River Cruising

AmaWaterways Celebrates 18 Years Leading the Way in River Cruising

Award-Winning River Cruise Line Invites Travel Advisors and Guests to Join in

Two Virtual Celebrations on Wednesday, July 1

 

CALABASAS, CA – (June 29, 2020) – Family-owned and operated river cruise line AmaWaterways today announced plans to celebrate its 18th anniversary by inviting travel advisors and their guests to join two special virtual events. Full of surprise and delight moments, the events will take place on AmaWaterways’ digital platforms on Wednesday, July 1, at 10:30 a.m. PST/1:30 p.m. EST and 4 p.m. PST/7 p.m. EST. The hour-long interactive celebrations will be hosted by the company’s industry-leading Co-Founders, Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst, along with Co-Owner and Senior Vice President of Sales, Gary Murphy.

 

“’Ama’ means love – love for our guests, our employees, our crews and our travel partners whose support has meant the world to us since we started AmaWaterways 18 years ago,” said Karst, executive vice president. “It is so rewarding to see the valuable long-term partnerships that have formed and cherished memories our guests have made thanks to the passion and sparkle everyone has brought to the company, especially our wonderful crew on board our ships. We are looking forward to celebrating this milestone with our AmaFamily and sharing exciting plans for three new ships and new destinations like Egypt.”

 

AmaWaterways was founded in 2002 by river cruise pioneers Schreiner, Karst and the late Jimmy Murphy. Since its founding, AmaWaterways’ fleet has grown to 25 custom-designed ships sailing the world’s most iconic rivers. One of the most admired luxury travel brands in the world, AmaWaterways has earned a reputation for innovation and transforming the river cruise industry by creating authentic and inspiring cruises for every kind of traveler.

 

As the desire for intimate travel experiences increases, the company continues to look for ways to invite more people to consider a magical river cruise experience with AmaWaterways. Over the past several months, the company has hosted more than 1,000 virtual events including a series of educational “Webinar Wednesdays” and virtual “Sip & Sail” cocktail hours in order to remain personally connected to travel advisors and guests and to also inspire travelers dreaming about or planning their next vacation. Additionally, the leading river cruise line recently opened its 2022 bookings six months early in response to increased demand for personalized travel experiences for which AmaWaterways is celebrated.

 

“I am incredibly proud to look back on the last 18 years and see all the innovation that our experienced teams have brought to river cruising,” added Schreiner, president. “With more than 48 years of river cruise experience combined between Kristin and me, the company has been able to remain agile and debt-free – adapting to unpredictable and challenging situations and turning them into opportunities for advancement. We are particularly grateful for the support we have received from the travel advisor community and the loyal guests they have brought us from around the world. I am looking forward to having them join in our celebration because, without them, none of this would be possible.”

 

Travel advisors are encouraged to pre-register for the event(s) by visiting the Travel Advisor Portalon AmaWaterways.com. Additionally, guests can join either session on Facebook Live at Facebook.com/AmaWaterways and on YouTube at YouTube.com/AmaWaterways.

 

To book an AmaWaterways river cruise for a client, visit the Travel Advisor Portal or call 1.800.626.0126. Follow AmaWaterways on Facebook at Facebook.com/AmaWaterways, Instagram @AmaWaterways and Twitter @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, Asia’s Mekong and Africa’s Chobe and Nile Rivers (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.” In addition, 18 river cruise ships in its European fleet have earned the Green Award certification, recognized for industry-leading safety, quality and environmental performance.