Leading River Cruise Line Wins Four WAVE (Western Agents’ Vote of Excellence) Awards; Co-Owners Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst Presented with Excellence in Leadership Award
AmaWaterways announced today that it has received four prestigious 2018 TravelAge West Western Agents’ Vote of Excellence (WAVE) Awards. The annual accolades are determined by travel agents throughout the Western United States, honoring the best in travel. AmaWaterways was recognized in four categories during an awards ceremony, which was held on June 14 in Marina Del Rey, California:
- Best Onboard Dining (River Cruise)
- Best New Ship (River Cruise): AmaKristina
- Best River Cruise Line for Families
- River Cruise Line with The Highest Client Satisfaction
“We are so excited to receive this outstanding recognition in four categories, and most of all, to have the continued support of our very important West Coast travel agent partners,” said Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-owner of AmaWaterways. “The AmaWaterways team works extremely hard to provide our guests the very best river cruise experience and awards like this are a true testament to the dedication of our teams to exceed our guests’ expectations.”
In addition to winning four WAVE Awards, TravelAge West presented its Excellence in Leadership Award to Karst, along with her husband, Rudi Schreiner, president and co-owner of AmaWaterways, who is often referred to as “the godfather of river cruising.” TravelAge West’s Excellence in Leadership Award honors individuals who, during their career in travel, have consistently demonstrated leadership and insight, effected change or innovation and made extraordinary contributions to both organizations and the industry at large.
“The real proof of a good leader is the quality of the team surrounding them, and Rudi and I are very proud to accept this award on behalf of our entire team,” said Karst. “AmaWaterways could not have achieved the success we have today without their efforts, enthusiasm, positive spirit and energy. We are so proud to be leading this remarkable team of men and women in our offices, out in the field and on board our 20 ships.”
The TravelAge West WAVE Awards add to the momentum that AmaWaterways has built throughout 2018 leading into 2019 when it will debut three new ships (AmaDouro, AmaMagna and AmaMora), the most in one year since the company’s existence. Recently, AmaWaterways earned six of the top ten positions in the much-anticipated third edition of the Berlitz: River Cruising in Europe & the USA travel guide. Securing this year’s coveted number one spot, due in part to outstanding cuisine and service, is AmaKristina.