By
Jacqui Griffiths |
This article was first published in the Autumn/Winter 2018 issue of International Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
Growth in the river cruising sector continues apace, as passengers increasingly look for new, more personal ways to discover lesser-known destinations and experience old favourites. “Today’s young active ‘baby boomers’ are a driving force for this trend,” says Rudi Schreiner, president and co-owner of AmaWaterways. “Their definition of luxury has become more about time, space, service and personalisation of their travel experience, and this is driving the growth of niche cruising opportunities, including river cruising.”
By acting as floating luxury hotels, Schreiner says, river cruise vessels double the amount of leisure time guests can enjoy in each destination. “Given the small size of river cruise ships, we also have unique opportunities to personalise the onboard service and offer a choice of ways for guests to experience each area we visit,” says Schreiner. “During a seven-night cruise, AmaWaterways’ guests choose from over 20 shore excursions that offer iconic not-to-be missed experiences, food and wine-centric tours and active hiking and biking options. Guests often say they need to come back and do the same itinerary again, but with a whole different choice of tours.”
Onboard experiences will also be enhanced with the debut of AmaMagna in May 2019. “We have repeat river cruisers who have already experienced the classic Danube and are interested in spending more time enjoying onboard facilities,” says Schreiner. “With the launch of AmaMagna they’ll be able to enjoy facilities like the expansive Zen Wellness Centre or fit in a couple of rounds of golf during the week. AmaMagna will also incorporate more energy-efficient quiet engines, multiple dining venues, ultra-spacious suites and a water sports platform, to create a one-of-a-kind river cruise experience.”
AmaMagna is the latest in a series of successful innovations for AmaWaterways. “Our teams are encouraged to try new things,” says Schreiner. “At the end of the season, we bring the operations and sales people together to evaluate and fine-tune the programmes and get ideas for next season. A recent example is our wellness programme that was championed by co-founder Kristin Karst in 2017 and will be rolled out across our fleet in 2019. Introducing bicycles onboard in 2006, starting hosted Wine Cruises in 2011 and adding connecting and triple-occupancy staterooms are all innovations that started out as small trials but have grown immensely and attracted a younger demographic to our cruises.”
Ultimately, the combination of that innovative spirit with a respect for some core principles will contribute to AmaWaterways’ continued success. “Destinations, ships, rivers and tours will change over the years, but the human connection is essential,” says Schreiner. “Selecting and training our onboard teams will always remain our top priority as we believe they are critical to creating those ‘surprise and delight’ moments that are a part of the exceptional, personalised service we’re known for. As the company and the industry grow, we want to ensure that AmaWaterways remains like a family organisation, offering the best place for our people to work and the most luxurious, personalised vacations for our guests.”
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