- Headquarters
- Calabasas, California
- Founded
- 2002
- Fleet
- 26 ships across Europe, Africa, Asia and South America
- Loyalty
- AmaClub
AmaWaterways built its position on two things river cruising had historically ignored: physical activity and serious food. Every European sailing carries a fleet of bicycles and a dedicated cruise manager running guided rides and hikes alongside the standard walking tours.
About AmaWaterways
The European fleet is large and largely uniform — a run of sister ships carrying roughly 150 to 160 guests with the same twin-balcony cabin signature, where a French balcony and an outside balcony sit in the same stateroom. As with Viking's Longships, these sisters are grouped as a class here rather than given a page each.
AmaMagna is the exception and the reason the brand gets attention. Built at roughly twice the beam of a conventional Danube vessel, she carries only 196 guests in far larger suites, with four dining venues, a proper gym, a water-sports platform and a sun-deck pool.
Dining is the other differentiator. AmaWaterways is a member of La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, runs a Chef's Table venue on every European ship at no extra cost, and pours regional wines with lunch and dinner as standard.
The guest mix skews North American and slightly younger than Viking, helped by long-running partnerships with Adventures by Disney for multigenerational sailings and Backroads for cycling charters.
Fleet
9 published ship profiles — more coverage rolling out.
Launched 2019
AmaMagna
The twin-width Danube ship — four restaurants, a full gym, a sun-deck pool and a stern water-sports platform.
Launched 2021
AmaLucia
A current-generation European sister — twin-balcony staterooms, a complimentary Chef's Table and a heated sun-deck pool.
Launched 2014
AmaSonata
A Danube sister running the Melodies of the Danube route, with the class's twin balconies and Chef's Table.
Launched 2021
AmaSiena
A Rhine sister with the newest interior specification in the European class and a full wellness programme.
Launched 2017
AmaKristina
A Rhine and Moselle sister with a heated pool, twin balconies and the class's guided cycling programme.
Launched 2022
AmaDahlia
The Nile ship — 72 guests, unusually large suites and private Egyptologist-led access at every site.
Launched 2015
AmaDara
The Mekong ship — 124 guests, a colonial-style interior and a shore programme built around village life.
Launched 2024
AmaMagdalena
The Colombian ship — 60 guests on the Magdalena, the first purpose-built river cruise vessel on the river.
Launched 2009
Zambezi Queen
The Chobe safari vessel — 28 guests, twice-daily game drives and boat safaris on the Botswana-Namibia border.
Ship Classes
Compare the AmaWaterways fleet at a glance — classes, ship highlights, and who each is best suited to.
Showing 3 of 3 classes
| Class | Introduced | Tonnage | Capacity | Ships | Highlight | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AmaMagna Class | 2019 | ~4,800 GT | 196 guests | AmaMagna | The twin-width Danube ship — roughly double the beam of a conventional river vessel, with four restaurants, a gym and a water-sports platform. | — |
| AmaWaterways Exotics Class | 2015 | Varies by river | 16–124 guests | AmaDahlia, AmaDara, AmaMagdalena, Zambezi Queen | Nile, Mekong, Chobe and Magdalena vessels — small, purpose-built ships for itineraries Europe's fleet cannot serve. | — |
| AmaWaterways European Class | 2010 | ~3,000 GT | 144–164 guests | AmaLucia, AmaSonata, AmaSiena, AmaKristina | The core run of European sister ships — twin-balcony staterooms, a complimentary Chef's Table and a full bicycle fleet aboard. | — |
Ship class · 2019
AmaMagna Class
The twin-width Danube ship — roughly double the beam of a conventional river vessel, with four restaurants, a gym and a water-sports platform.
View classShip class · 2010
AmaWaterways European Class
The core run of European sister ships — twin-balcony staterooms, a complimentary Chef's Table and a full bicycle fleet aboard.
View classShip class · 2015
AmaWaterways Exotics Class
Nile, Mekong, Chobe and Magdalena vessels — small, purpose-built ships for itineraries Europe's fleet cannot serve.
View classOnboard Experiences
Suite enclaves, fare tiers, and signature onboard products.
Loyalty Programme — AmaClub
AmaClub is the repeat-guest programme, with savings that step up by number of completed cruises rather than nights sailed.
Members receive a booking discount, a shipboard credit on milestone voyages and early access to new itineraries. Referral credits are unusually generous by river standards and stack with the standard member discount.
Destinations
Europe covers the Rhine, Main, Danube, Moselle, Seine, Rhône, Garonne, Douro and the Dutch and Belgian waterways in tulip season.
Further afield the line sails the Nile from Luxor, the Mekong between Vietnam and Cambodia, the Chobe in Southern Africa on a purpose-built safari vessel, and the Magdalena in Colombia.
Book direct
Ready to check AmaWaterways itineraries?
Opens the official AmaWaterways site in a new tab.