AmaWaterways
AmaWaterways: the back story
The back story
About AmaWaterways: the back story
AmaWaterways was founded in 2002 by Rudi Schreiner, Kristin Karst and Jimmy Murphy. It still does one thing only, river cruising, and its ideas, from twin balconies to a ship twice the usual width, have shaped how many travellers now expect a river ship to feel.
Three founders and a raft
AmaWaterways was founded in 2002 by three river-cruise veterans: Rudi Schreiner, Kristin Karst and Jimmy Murphy. Schreiner, the line likes to recall, once built and lived on a raft on the Amazon, and that taste for rivers still runs through the company. It remains family-run and does nothing but river cruising.
The twin balcony
The idea most associated with the line is the twin balcony: a French balcony and a step-out balcony side by side in the same stateroom, so you can open the room to the river and still sit outside. You will find it across the European fleet, from the Danube and Rhine ships to the Mekong’s AmaDara, where every stateroom and suite has both.
We remain family-run and focused solely on river cruising.
AmaMagna
On the Danube, the line built something new. At 72 ft, AmaMagna is twice the width of a traditional European river ship, which gives her 98 rooms and suites from 355 to 710 sq ft, four restaurants, a Zen Wellness Studio, a pool and whirlpool on the sun deck and even a full-size pickleball court. Her successor, AmaRudi, named for the founder, makes her inaugural Danube cruise from Vilshofen on 11 April 2027.
Beyond Europe
AmaWaterways sails far from the Rhine. On the Nile, AmaLilia and AmaCleo carry 82 guests each with an Egyptologist on board, and AmaNubia joins them in November 2026. On the Mekong, the 120-guest AmaDara pairs French colonial elegance with Southeast Asian art. In Colombia, AmaMagdalena (2025) and AmaMelodia sail the Magdalena; in Botswana and Namibia, the 28-guest Zambezi Queen sails the Chobe, where elephants and hippos can be seen straight from the deck.
Active and well
Fitness is part of the routine: wellness hosts lead classes on board, bicycles are carried for exploring ashore, and many itineraries include guided bike rides and hikes. Dinner, in turn, reflects the region, with wine and beer poured at lunch and dinner and a Sip & Sail cocktail hour before dinner in Europe.
Our advice:
Our advice: if space matters most, book AmaMagna on the Danube; if you want to try the line’s signature, choose a twin-balcony stateroom on a Rhine or Danube ship. For a first journey beyond Europe, the Mekong on AmaDara and the Chobe on Zambezi Queen are two of the most memorable river voyages anywhere.
Why it's on our list
- Founded in 2002
- Family-run and river-only
- Twin-balcony staterooms
- AmaMagna, 72 ft wide
- Ships on four continents
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with AmaWaterways: the back story before you go.