When AmaWaterways was created in 2002, passionate founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst, both with a long history in the river cruise market, had a vision which has served them well, and established them as one of the most appealing of the many river cruise companies we work with.
Both Kristin and Rudi, when speaking about their company, refer
constantly to 'family' - and this family feeling is evident in
their management style, the atmosphere of the ships, and the warmth
of their relationships. You may think that as a client, this makes
no difference to you. But a company that recognises its clients as
valued customers, rather than a dollar amount on a spreadsheet,
translates into a warm, welcoming and generous onboard product, and
back office organisation that focuses on what is right, rather than
simply on what makes money. And as the only river cruise company
with hands-on management from the owners themselves, the ethos
is
constantly reinforced.
In 2016, Rudi and Kristin opened their UK office in Guildford. (I know the family word is over-worked, but this really is family. Staff members include both former Mundy Sales and Marketing Director Jamie Loizou and Mr Lonsdale junior). Rudi Schreiner is widely known in the industry as the 'Godfather of River Cruising', a visionary hands-on ship designer with great ambitions. He has been working on a new ship design for the Danube, the same length but twice the width of a standard river cruise ship.
The AmaMagna will carry 194 passengers, with extra space for large, luxurious, ocean-type staterooms averaging over 300 square feet, lots of dining options, and expansive spa and fitness areas. There will also be something totally new - a retractable watersports platform. The vessel will operate on the Danube (lock restrictions prevent it going further afield).
When we saw Rudi in London last month, he was en route to see how the build was progressing in Eastern Europe. Once complete, the vessel will be sailed to the Black Sea, loaded onto a barge and brought to the Ama workshops near Amsterdam for fitting out prior to launch in 2019.
Meanwhile the huge success of AmaVida in Portugal means that a second vessel, AmaDouro, will join her on the Douro in 2019. Carrying 102 passengers, this comfortable little vessel will include spa and fitness room, Sun Deck swimming pool and of course the exquisite, locally inspired cuisine, paired with unlimited wine, that you have come to expect on an AmaWaterways vessel.
The itinerary includes: Lamego, home to one of the most important pilgrimage sites in all of Portugal, the Nossa Senhora dos Remédios; Régua; beautiful Douro river cruising; Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, a small fortified village perched high on a hilltop; UNESCO World Heritage Site Salamanca in Spain's Castilla y León region; wine tasting and lunch at Quinta da Roeda; the Baroque-style Palacio de Mateus; a traditional home-cooked Portuguese meal at Casa de Vila Verde; and a full day in beautiful Porto, the capital of northern Portugal - with port tasting of course!
Can't wait until 2019? Call us now for pockets of space remaining in 2018...
