Journey One Step Further With AmaWaterways in 2019
Written By: Kristin Karst, Executive Vice President & Co-Owner, AmaWaterways
Modern luxury travelers aren’t content to simply sit back and watch the world go idly by. A fierce desire for adventure drives savvy consumers who seek richness, not from their bank accounts, but in the memory of transformative experiences—like an AmaWaterways river cruise.
When your clients travel with AmaWaterways to Europe, Southeast Asia or Africa, they’ll climb higher, venture deeper and pedal further than they ever imagined into grand cities and OldWorld villages alike. They’ll also get more than just service with a smile. They’ll be welcomed with a flute of sparkling champagne and a red rose from the Captain. Their favorite cocktail will be prepared at the bar the moment they walk in without having to ask; a much-enjoyed dessert may suddenly appear. Because when your clients sail with AmaWaterways, they’re immediately embraced as members of our extended family.
Award-Winning Ships
After hiking to hilltop castles and biking through unspoiled landscapes, guests return each night to our award-winning ships. We are both honored and humbled to be recognized by Berlitz as having the highest rated river cruise ships in Europe, and we continue, each year, to examine how we can raise the bar. In fact, in 2019, we are launching three new ships in Europe. The AmaMora, sister ship to the AmaLea, which launched in 2018, will sail on the Rhine River, while the AmaDouro will cruise down her namesake river through Portugal and Spain. And in May 2019, our extraordinary AmaMagna makes her home on the legendary Danube River.
Pushing Boundaries
Nearly twice the width of traditional European river cruise ships, the AmaMagna has more than 50% suite accommodations that measure 355 sq. ft. to 710 sq. ft.—with full balconies, glassenclosed walk-in showers and double sinks, allowing guests to rejuvenate without limitations.
There are also five bars on board—including an innovative popup sky bar on the Sun Deck—as well as four unique dining venues, two soothing massage rooms in the expansive Zen Wellness Studio, and the one and only Water Sports Platform on the river, where a Sundowner boat departs for intimate excursions at no extra charge. Learn more here.
Epicurean Adventures
Whether your clients are wine novices or self-described oenophiles, this is the perfect chance to indulge in one of the world’s most perfect trifectas: travel, wine and elegant cuisine with one of AmaWaterways’ more than 60 dedicated Wine Cruises throughout Europe.
They’ll discover timeless winemaking traditions in villages that have been growing grapes for centuries, from Austria’s UNESCO-designated Wachau Valley to France’s renowned Bordeaux region and the Douro Valley throughout Portugal and Spain, among others.
On the Danube, guests will descend to the candlelit Cellar Panajotović where they will sip Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Śeherezada among the very casks in which they matured. They’ll travel up a winding path to Alpendurada Monastery for an authentic Portuguese meal paired with Port and accompanied by live music as they overlook the Douro River. In France, they’ll search for truffles in Avignon. And on every Wine Cruise, they’ll enjoy the wine tasting and pairing guidance of a dedicated Wine Host along the way.
Keeping in Ship-Shape
AmaWaterways understands that a growing number of vacationers wish to participate in health and fitness activities. Active guided hikes and biking tours allow your clients to venture deeper into villages and cities throughout Europe. They’ll climb the storied paths to Dürnstein Castle, where Richard the Lionheart was held captive, and pedal past sunkissed vineyards to Schloss Johnnisberg, a centuries-old castle and winery where they’ll taste the renowned Rieslings of the Rhine.
In addition to well-equipped fitness rooms, AmaWaterways offers the guidance of professionally trained Wellness Hosts, on board fleetwide in Europe in 2019, who lead group classes like stretching, core strengthening and circuit training, as well as engaging discussions on health and nutrition.
The sun deck pools and walking tracks allow guests to get their blood flowing while massage services melt away any stress-reducing tension on board. Detoxifying fruit- and herb-infused water is also available to guests throughout the day, as are healthy choices for meals prepared with fresh, locally sourced and seasonal ingredients, including glutenfree options.
Holiday Magic
Timeless traditions spring to life at European Christmas markets, where thousands of twinkling lights, immense tinsel-clad trees, and charming booths brimming with regional handicrafts adorn historic town squares. With four unique itineraries along the Rhine and Danube rivers in 2019, AmaWaterways sails to the best of these holiday fairs. Guests will delight in Strasbourg’s Marchés de Noël, where sizzling crepes and adorable stuffed animal storks—a cherished icon of the city—are part of the festivities. Or they’ll relive their childhoods at Nuremberg’s 400-year-old market, where anostalgic carousel and steam train spark joy in the young—as well as the young at heart.
On board, decks are filled with boughs of holly, our staff with good cheer, as guests indulge in exquisite feasts, toast the new year, and playfully engage in customs—such as tree-trimming contests and leaving their shoes out for St. Nicholas—that rekindle memories long since passed. There’s no more memorable type of itinerary for guests to enjoy with their families, and as a family-owned and operated company, we welcome yours on board!
Enriching New Land Extensions
For travelers who wish to experience more iconic sights and local culture before or after their cruise, AmaWaterways offers three new land extensions for 2019. Guests may discover the flavor of Spain’s food and culture-rich Basque Country before sailing a Taste of Bordeaux cruise on a 4-night land extension that includes Bilbao, home to the world-renowned Guggenheim Museum, and the stunning seaside resort of San Sebastián.
Or, they can experience three nights in breathtaking Iceland, with included excursions to the awe-inspiring Blue Lagoon, Reykjavik, and the geysers and waterfalls of the Golden Circle, offered on select departures of Paris & Normandy , Tulip Time and many of our Rhine River cruises.
For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, travelers may also trek among the rare mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. This transformative 4-night post-cruise extension can be added to any of AmaWaterways’ five Africa itineraries.
Founders’ Cruises
I would like to personally invite you and your clients to join me on my very first Founder’s Cruise on November 18, 2018, aboard the AmaSonata! Or, you can join my counterpart, AmaWaterways’ President & Co-owner Rudi Schreiner, on November 17, 2018, aboard the AmaCerto.
During these exclusive Danube Serenade Founders’ Cruises, you will have the chance to hear more about the history of river cruising, and get the inside scoop on what’s coming up next for AmaWaterways. Each cruise will include one night with both of us on board. In addition, both departures will be on the river during Thanksgiving, giving you the chance to enjoy a traditional holiday feast with our AmaWaterways family —and none of the stress of planning, cooking or cleaning!
Seminars on the River
Ready to learn even more—and boost your sales? Join AmaWaterways on board for a Seminar on the River, an immersive experience designed exclusively for travel agents. This gives you a chance to sail one of the signature itineraries at a reduced rate while indulging in all our onboard amenities, from the exquisite multi-course cuisine at The Chef’s Table, to the Sip & Sail cocktail hour to active guided biking and hiking excursions ashore.
Plus, you’ll travel with one of AmaWaterways’ skilled sales executives or team members, who make themselves available to you all day to answer any questions you may have. Attend two onboard training seminars during which you’ll be briefed on the product and gain valuable sales tips to increase your agency revenue. You’ll also have opportunities to speak to the Cruise Manager and Hotel Manager on a consistent basis.
For an up-to-date list of Seminar on the River dates and our easy-to-use FAM application form, please visit AmaWaterways’ Travel Agent Portal at AmaWaterways. com, where you’ll also find a wealth of valuable information to boost your business.
Why Choose?
A transformative one-week stay at a tranquil health spa or a cruise along the legendary Danube River? Wine tasting in the south of France or strolling through the streets of Paris? Gorilla trekking in Rwanda or an authentic African safari? Iceland or Amsterdam? Any one of these match-ups presents an impossible choice. Each is the journey of a lifetime—yet extra vacation time can be hard to spare. So, why choose
at all?
Aboard AmaWaterways’ river cruise ships, your clients can enjoy spa services, fitness classes and the guidance of
a Wellness Host while gliding down the Danube River or combine Amsterdam and Iceland into one extraordinary adventure. Because when your clients sail with AmaWaterways, they can do it all: finish their bucket list in this lifetime—and still have time to journey one step further.
To become an AmaWaterways Specialist, or for more information, visit our Travel Agent Portal or contact us at 1.800.626.0126.