River Cruising · Premium
AmaWaterways
Still family-run, and it shows in the wine program.
Overview
Sailing with AmaWaterways
AmaWaterways is still family-owned rather than part of a larger cruise conglomerate. One of the co-founders is a genuine wine enthusiast, and it carries through the whole onboard experience.
Good to know
- Family-owned
- Popular for wine-focused sailings
- Bikes available on most ships
What Makes Them Different
What sets AmaWaterways apart
Twin balconies
Most staterooms have both a full step-out veranda and a French balcony in the same room, a layout AmaWaterways helped popularize on the river.
An actual wine program
Dedicated wine hosts and a program built by people who care about it, not just a stocked bar.
Bike tours built into itineraries
Many sailings include guided bike excursions along the riverbank, a more active option than the standard walking tour.
The Fleet
AmaWaterways ship classes
AmaMagna
The flagship, and in a class of its own, roughly double the width of a standard river ship. That extra width means bigger staterooms, some with full balconies, and public spaces like a real fireside library that a normal river ship cannot fit.
- 72 feet wide, double the beam of a standard river ship, carrying just 196 guests, so there is dramatically more space per person
- Four separate dining venues, including Jimmy’s Wine Bar and an Al Fresco restaurant with retractable windows
- The flagship experience if you want AmaWaterways at its most spacious
Twin-Balcony Ships
The bulk of the modern fleet, including AmaLea, AmaKristina, AmaMora, and AmaLucia. Built around the twin-balcony stateroom AmaWaterways introduced in 2010, pairing a step-out veranda with a separate French balcony in the same room.
- The Twin Balcony stateroom pairs a French balcony with a separate step-out veranda in the same room, found on roughly 45 to 49 cabins per ship
- The bulk of the modern fleet, so there is strong availability across river routes and dates
- A dependable, well-reviewed choice if you are new to AmaWaterways
Earlier Ships
Older vessels like AmaDolce and AmaVerde, built before the twin-balcony layout became standard. Smaller and simpler, with French balconies rather than full step-out verandas, but still run to the same onboard standard.
- Smaller and simpler, with mostly French balconies, appealing if you prefer a more intimate river ship
- Run to the same onboard standard as the newer ships, so you are not giving up service quality
- Often a better value while still delivering the AmaWaterways experience
Next Step
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