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In 2023, AmaWaterways debuted its first Soulful Experiences cruise, the 10-night Colors of Provence river cruise and land journey celebrating the Black and African diaspora in Paris and along the Rhône, a departure which still holds a particular place in the company's history.
It was the first of its kind for AmaWaterways. After more than a year of planning, this cruise sold out almost immediately. Two of the guests who were there, mother-daughter duo Karen and Monique from Texas, still talk about it as one of the most meaningful trips of their lives.
"When Monique first told me about this journey with AmaWaterways, I said, 'Sign me up!'" Karen recalled. "I wanted to be with other cruisers that looked like me." Even before boarding AmaKristina in Arles for the 7-night cruise to Lyon, Monique found herself surrounded by other Black travelers at the airport in Marseille, strangers who became fast companions within moments. "That first day in France was very surreal," she said.
That sense of instant community set the tone for an itinerary built around more than the usual sightseeing. Alongside the onshore experiences typically included on Colors of Provence cruises, a visit to Avignon's Papal Palace, a steam train ride in Tournon, AmaWaterways layered in programming that traced the Black and African diaspora specifically, including a walk through Paris in the footsteps of Joséphine Baker during the land portion of the journey.
"Growing up as a little girl, I was a jazz and tap dancer and would remember our dance teacher celebrating Josephine Baker especially during Black History Month," Monique said. "Being in the same locations where she performed was an amazing experience for me." She was equally struck by Paris's "Little Africa" village, its beauty supply stores and hair salons a familiar sight an ocean from home. "It reminded me of home," she said.
Evenings became a highlight for the 122 guests on board, filled with music, dancing and soul train lines that formed nightly in the lounge after dinner. "We even thought we were singers at times," Karen laughed. "I never once spent the evening in our room. And I never got anywhere on the ship fast because everyone was so nice and always wanted to chat!"
Live jazz played both on board and on shore throughout the sailing, a deliberate choice for this specialty departure, but it was the ship's onboard musician, David, who guests remembered most. "He brought tears to our eyes," Karen said. "He was very appreciative of all the love we gave him and for the chance to play for an entire ship of Black guests, just like him."
Guiding this departure was AmaWaterways' South African Cruise Manager, Crystal, whose steady presence became central to how guests remember the trip. "There are no words to explain how amazing Crystal was," Karen said. "If I could rate her on a scale of one to ten with ten being the best, I would give her a hundred. She and the crew on board AmaKristina treated us like kings and queens." For Monique, the sailing carried an added layer of meaning beyond its cultural programming: rare, uninterrupted time with her mother. "We've never really gotten the chance to spend so much time together," she said. "It really meant the most to me to create these memories with my mom."
"I could say so much about the journey to our Soulful Experience, but the one word that immediately comes to mind is 'support,'" said Jazzmine Douse, AmaWaterways' Senior Director, National Accounts. "It takes a lot for a company to look inward and be honest about where change or improvements are needed. The proposal, execution and support for this venture was a true testimony to the open and transparent nature you find at AmaWaterways. A company committed to growth, inclusivity and a welcoming environment for all, AmaWaterways truly leads by example and not just intention."
That first sailing has since become the foundation for a program that now spans three continents. Soulful Experiences departures are currently offered on Secrets of Egypt & the Nile, an 11-night journey combining three nights in Cairo with a seven-night Nile cruise, and on Enticing Douro in Portugal, beginning with three nights in Lisbon, a city with its own documented history as home to one of Europe's earliest free African communities.
In 2025, the program reached a new continent entirely with Magic of Colombia, which cruises along the Magdalena River. The itinerary centers on Colombia's own Black history, particularly in Palenque, the first free town in the Americas. A tour of Cartagena's Getsemaní neighborhood, known for its street art, and an exclusive Carnaval celebration in Barranquilla further highlight this nation's African roots.
Across every departure, the throughline that defined that first Colors of Provence sailing remains the same: onboard evenings built around live music and genuine community, and specially curated onshore experiences designed to connect guests with the Black and African history along the rivers that has gone overlooked in the past.
What began as a single, sold-out sailing in 2023 has become one of AmaWaterways' most consistently in-demand collections, expanding by guest demand year over year rather than by plan alone. Reflecting on that first departure, Jazzmine Douse called it "one of the most unforgettable experiences in both my personal life and professional career." Three continents later, that sentiment has only multiplied.
Learn more about AmaWaterways' Soulful Experiences departures and reserve your next journey.
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