In 2024, leading river cruise line AmaWaterways achieved record-setting results and received numerous prestigious awards from the travel industry, including Cruise Critic’s top honor, Best River Cruise. As a pioneer in river cruising, the company remains focused on delivering immersive guest experiences and providing exceptional sales and marketing support to its travel partners. In 2025, AmaWaterways is set to build on this momentum, driving innovation and growth with new ships, routes, destinations, and enhanced collaborations with its valued partners.
“River cruising is increasingly appealing to a wider audience, from younger travelers seeking new experiences to multi-generational families. 2025 sales are already tracking 31% higher than 2024 results at the same time last year,” says Rudi Schreiner, co-founder and president of AmaWaterways. “We are meeting this demand with expanded offerings, including increased capacity on European rivers, two ships debuting on Colombia’s Magdalena River, and a new ship on the popular Douro River in Portugal. These developments are part of a broader commitment to innovation – it’s not just about growing our fleet; it’s about expanding the very concept of what a river cruise can be.”
New Ships & Itineraries For 2025
In 2025, AmaWaterways will introduce a range of new itineraries and ships, providing travelers with unique opportunities to explore the world’s rivers. New offerings include:
- Best of Danube: Schreiner’s top pick for 2025, this brand-new itinerary sails roundtrip from Budapest, taking guests through iconic cities like Budapest, Bratislava, and Vienna. With 15 departures in 2025 and 14 in 2026, this itinerary includes early-season sailings – Rudi’s favorite time to see the Danube – departing February 23 and March 2, 2025 aboard the award-winning AmaMagna. Later departures will feature AmaBella, AmaReina, AmaViola, and AmaLea.
- Grand River Cruises: These 14-night journeys combine two popular seven-night itineraries, such as the Grand Seine & Rhône or Grand Danube, for an immersive experience. Guests can enjoy convenient transfers and even more opportunities to explore diverse landscapes, historic cities, and charming villages across multiple countries, giving ample time to discover and appreciate local cultures.
- AmaSintra in Portugal: This new ship will join the fleet on the popular Douro River in April, offering guests enhanced opportunities to explore the beauty, vineyards and culture of Portugal on the 7-night Enticing Douro itinerary.
- AmaMagdalena and AmaMelodia in Colombia: Two state-of-the-art, custom-designed ships will debut on Colombia’s waterways in March and June, 2025. The 64-guest AmaMelodia and 60-guest AmaMagdalena will offer luxurious accommodations on two seven-night itineraries: Magic of Colombia and Wonders of Colombia. Highlights include curated excursions such as a vibrant Carnaval celebration in Barranquilla, live jazz performances, authentic paola rides, and historical walking tours.
“We are so appreciative of the love and support we continue to receive from our valued guests and travel partners,” said Kristin Karst, co-founder and executive vice-president. “Our current success and positive outlook for 2025 wouldn’t be possible without the trust and support of our travel advisor partners. 2025 is shaping up to be our most exciting year yet. We are thrilled to offer our guests the opportunity to experience Colombia like never before, with exclusive access to remote destinations often inaccessible by other means of travel. We are proud to open the doors to hidden gems, allowing our guests to interact with indigenous communities and explore untouched natural wonders.”
The company will continue to focus on being inclusive to guests of all ages, interests and backgrounds, as 2025 dates have already been announced for the Soulful Experience cruises highlighting Black history and culture as well as for the Latin Touch cruises, catering to the Spanish speaking market, with two departures scheduled in November and December 2025.
For more information or to reserve an AmaWaterways river cruise and land package for a client, call 1.800.626.0126 or visit AmaWaterways.com.
