Angie Avalos

Special Accounts Manager

Years at AmaWaterways
18

Origin:
Romania

How My Role Has Changed Over the Years:
I worked for two years as a Receptionist on board Amadeus Symphony, the first ship Ama operated in Europe, and came to California in 2004. If someone called to request a brochure or flyer or make a reservation, we handled it all together. Now I’m a part of the reservations team nurturing relationships with special accounts, many of which were created from the beginning of the company. I am also involved in the training of new staff members. We still feel the same small family atmosphere even though we’ve grown so much.

What Gives Me the Most Satisfaction:
The relationships I’ve created with our travel partners and the friendships I’ve made that have gotten stronger throughout the years. I love being able to share my knowledge about the world of river cruising, the wonderful ships and beautiful places we visit.

What Inspired Me to Stay with Ama:
Meeting our Co-Founders Rudi, Kristin and the late Mr. Murphy [Jimmy] at the Christening Ceremony of the Amadeus Symphony and hearing Rudi share his stories and dreams of the ships he one day wanted to build and fill with happy guests. Kristin stole everyone’s heart with her charm, and everyone was a big fan of Mr. Murphy. I did not plan to come to California, but Cupid threw an arrow my way. After meeting Steve, AmaWaterways’ first Sales Manager, on board in 2003, we got married the following year. Does “Ama” mean love? For me it means love and family.

What Makes AmaWaterways Special:
The love and passion everyone has for our product, our ships and our guests. And the family atmosphere. Our leaders and owners are always among us and they always keep an open door. They care, they listen to each and every one of us, no matter what our title or role, and they truly love their AmaFamily.

Favorite AmaWaterways Memory:
On our Co-Founder Mr. Murphy’s last Valentine’s Day, he brought a rose for every woman in the office. All of us working at that time hold this very special memory in our hearts.

Favorite River Cruise Itinerary:
Our Gems of Southeast Europe cruise on the “lower” portion of the Danube River. The history, culture and people come alive in this region. It’s off the beaten path, a lesser visited region of Europe and has become very popular in the last few years. Because this itinerary includes my home country, I love to be an ambassador to Romania and to this part of the world. It’s very special to me.

Joemar Dacanay

Vice President, Information Technology

Years at AmaWaterways:
19

Origin:
Philippines

How My Role Has Evolved:
At the beginning, I helped to overhaul AmaWaterways’ website. In time, my role expanded to building servers, networks and phone systems. I was a one-man show up until my 10th year. The demand for IT needs expanded, and I now have more than 50 people on my team.

What Makes AmaWaterways Special:
Our leaders. The people we have here are great and it starts from the top. I love working with Rudi. He’s a very innovative person and he’s always given me the flexibility and freedom to innovate in my own IT world. It makes coming to work enjoyable.

What Gives Me the Most Satisfaction:
We don’t sell travel; we sell experiences – and the customer always comes first. I have never heard of any other companies where the owner still reads the guest surveys at the end of every single cruise. Rudi takes action immediately when he sees any issues because he truly cares. He also cares about his employees. He wants us to be really comfortable, so we want to come in and work, rather than feeling obligated. It’s not a normal corporate environment – it’s a family. You wake up in the morning and are ready to spend your time with the family.

Favorite River Cruise Itinerary:
I loved my Africa Safari and Wildlife Cruise. There is nothing that compares to watching wild animals out in the open in their natural habitat. I loved learning about the history of the region, the lodge I stayed in and experiencing Victoria Falls.

Whether you’re a loyal guest or a first-time river cruiser, we would love to welcome you on board as part of our AmaWaterways family soon! Learn more about where you can sail and what’s new in 2023 and 2024 here.