AmaWaterways Co-Founders Honored with Travel Weekly Lifetime Achievement Awards

Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst Recognized for Innovation in River Cruising and Contributions to Travel Industry; AmaMagna Recognized for Best River Cruise Ship

 

CALABASAS, CA – December 17, 2019 – AmaWaterways today proudly announced that Co-Founders Rudi Schreiner, president, and Kristin Karst, executive vice president, have received Travel Weekly’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards for their innovations and leadership in helping shape a thriving segment of the travel industry – river cruising. The revolutionary AmaMagna was also awarded Best in Cruise Ships, River Cruising by Travel Weeklyreaders. Schreiner and Karst accepted the awards on December 12 at Travel Weekly Readers’ Choice Awards ceremony at the Conrad New York.

 

“It is an honor to be recognized in this way by one of the most prominent voices in travel, surrounded by our colleagues, friends and valued travel partners,” said Schreiner. “Kristin and I are proud to lead a passionate, committed team who share our vision of providing unmatched cruise vacations on the world’s rivers. We will continue working tirelessly to discover new ways for travelers to personalize their experience and immerse themselves in a destination while on board our growing fleet.”

 

Travel Weekly’s annual Lifetime Achievement Awards pay tribute to those whose efforts have led to extraordinary results within an organization and who have also made significant contributions to the travel industry as a whole.

 

“Collectively, the legacy of the recipients defines the environment that the travel industry operates in today,” said Travel Weekly editor in chief Arnie Weissmann.  “Kristin and Rudi’s careers have provided exactly the model of vision and accomplishment that we believe will inspire tomorrow’s leaders.”

 

Schreiner and Karst have propelled AmaWaterways to the forefront of river cruising since founding the company in 2002 with the late Jimmy Murphy. Under their leadership, AmaWaterways has earned a reputation for transforming the river cruise industry by introducing innovative ship design, creating authentic and inspiring travel experiences and providing award-winning cuisine, fine locally sourced wine and attentive, personalized guest service.The leading river cruise company was the first to introduce active hiking and biking excursions to the rivers and has recently pioneered a comprehensive Wellness Program on board its fleet. This year, AmaWaterways launched the revolutionary AmaMagna, the first of her kind in river cruising at twice the width of traditional European river cruise ships. With generous personal space and the choice of four dining venues, AmaMagna elevates river cruising with the forward thinking and personal touch AmaWaterways is known for.

 

“A Lifetime Achievement Award is very special, but our journey is far from over,” said Karst. “Rudi is working on new projects that enhance our guest’s river cruise experience while protecting the environment and enriching the local communities where our ships visit. Personally, I’m excited to further develop the healthy cuisine, new wellness activities and of course, work closely with travel partners around the world to ensure we remain their No. 1 trusted river cruise partner.”

 

 

For full details, or to book an AmaWaterways river cruise for a client, call 1.800.626.0126 or visit the Travel Advisor Portal on AmaWaterways.com. Follow AmaWaterways on Facebook at Facebook.com/AmaWaterways, Instagram @AmaWaterways and Twitter @AmaWaterways.

 

 

About AmaWaterways

A family-owned company celebrating 17 years on the river, AmaWaterways offers unforgettable river cruises with 24 ships sailing Europe’s Danube, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Rhône, Seine, Garonne, Dordogne, Dutch and Belgian Waterways and Douro Rivers, Southeast Asia’s Mekong and Africa’s Chobe River.  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 Editor’s Pick Award for “Best for Active Cruisers”, 2018 AFAR Reader’s Choice Award for “Best River Cruise Line” and inclusion of AmaMagna in2019 TIME “World’s Greatest Places.”