Calabasas, Ca - (Aug. 17, 2018) -
(Beth Butzlaff, vice president Cruise Sales Virtuoso; Gary Murphy, vice president of sales and co-owner AmaWaterways; David Kolner, senior vice president Global Member Partnerships Virtuoso)
Global luxury travel network Virtuoso® has unveiled the winners of its coveted Virtuoso Awards, which celebrate the network’s superlative travel advisors, agencies and preferred supplier partners. AmaWaterways was recognized as Virtuoso’s 2018 River Cruise Line of the Year during a gala dinner at Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, NV. The preferred partners honored by Virtuoso are voted on by travel agency members and the accolade is truly an honor, given that only a very small fraction of the network’s 1,700 partners were recognized at 30th annual Virtuoso Travel Week.
“We are so excited and incredibly proud that for the seventh consecutive year we have been named 2018 River Cruise Line of the Year by Virtuoso’s top luxury travel advisors,” said Kristin Karst, AmaWaterways’ executive vice president and co-owner. “This prestigious award acknowledges the passion and dedication of all our hard-working teams in our offices and on board our 20 river cruise ships.”
In addition to River Cruise Line of Year, AmaWaterways’ Vice President of Sales and Co-owner, Gary Murphy was also honored by being named “Virtuoso’s Cruise Ambassador of the Year”. This award is voted on my Virtuoso member agents and recognizes Murphy’s outstanding contributions to the luxury cruise industry and unfailing support to Virtuoso’s professional travel advisor network.
“AmaWaterways’ achievements, including their thorough knowledge and superior service, coupled with the value they place on the travel advisor relationship, have helped Virtuoso become the industry-leading network it is today,” said Albert Herrera, senior vice president, Global Product Partnerships at Virtuoso. “As one of our exclusive award winners, AmaWaterways is enhancing Virtuoso’s reputation as a trailblazer in luxury travel, providing the network with a competitive edge in the products and benefits we offer savvy travelers round the world.”
“AmaWaterways is extremely honored to be recognized again this year by Virtuoso as River Cruise Line of the Year,” said Murphy. “I was very surprised and deeply touched to have been named Virtuoso’s Cruise Ambassador of the Year. It is such a pleasure for me and so rewarding to work with Virtuoso’s travel advisors as they share so many of the same beliefs and goals as our AmaWaterways family including the commitment to deliver an exceptional, personalized luxury vacation experience that exceeds the guests’ expectations.”
For more information or to book an AmaWaterways river cruise, contact your preferred travel professional, visit AmaWaterways.com or call (800) 626-0126. Follow AmaWaterways at Facebook.com/AmaWaterways, Instagram @AmaWaterways and Twitter @AmaWaterways.