Calabasas, CA - (Dec. 20, 2022) -
Luxury River Cruise Line Co-Founders Express Gratitude to Travel Advisors and Trade Media and Invite Travel Advisors and Guests to Special Sip & Sail
CALABASAS, CA – (December 20, 2022) – Luxury river cruise line AmaWaterways is celebrating a record level of reservations received in November, high occupancy levels for its 2022 Christmas Market river cruises, and an array of prestigious awards received from the travel industry community. An innovative leader, AmaWaterways continues to earn important recognition for the quality of experiences offered to its guests and the marketing and sales support provided to its valued travel partners.
“As the year comes to a close, we are thrilled to be celebrating an almost sold out Christmas Market 2022 river cruise season and a record month for reservations taken during this past November. Both factors clearly show a growing demand for the small ship luxury experience that our fleet of 26 ships and experienced crew are able to offer,” said Kristin Karst, co-founder and executive vice president of AmaWaterways. “We are so appreciative of the show of support we have received at the many in-person conferences our sales team have attended and the recognition bestowed upon us through numerous awards voted on by our travel advisors and media partners who play an instrumental role in our success.”
Expressing her sincere gratitude to the travel advisor community, Karst shares her holiday wishes here. To celebrate the year ending on a very positive note, travel advisors and guests are invited to join Karst and special guests for a festive Sip & Sail on December 22 at 10 am PST/1pm EST. Travel Advisors may register here for the online live event and invite their clients to register via Facebook.com/AmaWaterways and YouTube.com/AmaWaterways.
“Anticipating a rebound in demand, we have increased significantly the number of river cruise specialists within our reservations team, added a time saving call back feature and enhanced payment options for our travel advisors’ online booking engine,” said Rudi Schreiner, co-founder and president of AmaWaterways. “I am very encouraged by the strength of demand we are seeing for groups and FIT business for 2023 and 2024, when we will be delivering another new ship for Egypt and an exciting program cruising the Magdalena River in Colombia.”
Demonstrating the brand’s innovation and commitment to excellence, AmaWaterways has received an array of industry accolades throughout 2022, including:
- American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) - “Cruise Line Partner of the Year”
- AAA Travel - “Best in Member Services” and “River Cruise Partner of the Year”
- Nexion Travel Group - “Partner of the Year” and “River Cruise Partner of the Year”
- Virtuoso - “Best River Cruise Line”
- GTN (Gifted Travel Network) - “River Cruise Partner of the Year”
Media Accolades and Readers’ Choice Awards
AmaWaterways is also appreciative of its travel industry media partners who have recognized the company for its continued innovation and commitment to excellence. Throughout the year, the luxury river cruise line received a number of editorial accolades and Readers’ Choice Awards including:
- Recommend – “Best Travel Advisor Support – River Cruise”; “Best Cruise Line - Overall River Cruise”; “Best River Cruise Itineraries”
- Prevue Meetings + Incentive Magazine – Visionary Gold Award “Best River Cruise Line Experience”
- TravelPulse Canada – “Top River Cruise Line of the Year”
- USA TODAY 10Best – “Best River Cruise Lines” and “Best River Cruise Ship (AmaMagna)”
- Condé Nast Traveler – “Best River Cruise Lines”
- Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine – “Best River Cruise Line”
- Travel Weekly’s Readers’ Choice Awards – “Best in River Cruise, Cuisine” and “Best in Cruise Ships: River Cruising (AmaMagna)”
- TravelPulse and AGENTatHOME Travvy Awards – Gold Award for “Best River Cruise Line Overall”; “Best River Cruise Line, Africa/Egypt”; “Best River Cruise Ship – AmaMagna”; Silver Award for “Best River Cruise Line, Europe”; “Best New River Cruise Ship – AmaLucia”
- Travel Weekly Magellan Awards – Gold Award for “Cruise Marketing – Weekly Webinar Wednesdays for Travel Advisors”; Gold Award for “Cruise Marketing – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Marketing”; Gold Award for “Overall Luxury Ship – AmaMagna”; Silver Award for “Overall-River Cruising”
- TravelAge West WAVE Awards – “River Cruise Line with the Highest Client Satisfaction”; “Best Onboard Dining”; “Best River Cruise Line for Families”
- Travel + Leisure 2022 World’s Best Award
Family-owned and operated for 20 years, AmaWaterways has a reputation for transforming the river cruise industry, introducing innovative ship design, wellness activities, creating authentic and experiential shore excursions and providing award-winning food, wine and service. In 2023, the company will set sail with the industry’s longest river cruise itineraries, the Seven River Journeys, taking guests through 14 countries over 46 days. In addition, the river cruise line will embark on new itineraries including its Celebration of Classical Music: The Danube, Majestic Capitals of the Danube and Soulful Epicurean Experience.
For more information, visit AmaWaterways.ca To book an AmaWaterways river cruise for a client, visit AmaWaterways.com or call 1.800.626.0126. Follow AmaWaterways on Facebook at Facebook.com/AmaWaterways, Instagram @AmaWaterways, Twitter @AmaWaterways, and YouTube at YouTube.com/AmaWaterways.
MEDIA NOTE: Hi-res images can be found on Dropbox HERE.
About AmaWaterways
Family-owned and operated for 20 years, AmaWaterways offers unparalleled river cruise experiences with 26 custom-designed ships sailing Europe’s Danube, Douro, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Rhône, Saône, Seine, Garonne and Dordogne Rivers, and Dutch and Belgian Waterways; Southeast Asia’s Mekong River; Africa’s Chobe River; Egypt’s Nile River and Colombia’s Magdalena River (2024). Co-founded and led by pioneering river cruise executives Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst, the company is renowned for its warm and welcoming crew; innovative and sustainable ship design; wellness activities (including a wide choice of included small group shore excursions featuring biking and hiking options); and award-winning, locally sourced cuisine paired with complimentary fine wine. Modern, spacious and tastefully decorated, most AmaWaterways ships welcome an average of just 150 guests and feature onboard amenities such as a stunning Main Lounge, specialty Chef’s Table restaurant, hair and massage salons, Sun Deck walking track, and heated outdoor swimming pools with swim-up bars. AmaWaterways leads the river cruise industry in innovation, highlighted by the launch of the revolutionary AmaMagna, and the introduction of the history-making Seven River Journey itineraries. 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 Insight Guide: River Cruising in Europe & the USA, AmaWaterways has received countless honors and accolades including Virtuoso’s 2022 Luminaries, Legends and Leaders Award for “Best River Cruise Line” and the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) 2022 “River Cruise Line Partner of the Year” (seven years running). In addition, 20 ships in AmaWaterways’ European fleet have received the prestigious Green Award certification for industry-leading safety, quality and environmental performance.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Hemsworth Communications
(203) 807-3450 or AmaPR@HemsworthCommunications.com