For many of us, the time is long overdue to venture back out in the world and happily get back to doing the things that bring us the most joy in life. Although health and safety continue to stay top of mind, the recent announcement of the CDC to remove Covid testing requirements for travelers returning to the US will further encourage people to more freely participate in activities, such as international travel. These activities bring a much-needed sense of relief and rejuvenation by allowing people to reunite with loved ones and embrace new experiences. There is a huge pent-up demand in the United States for international travel, and we expect to welcome even more guests on board our ships for the remainder of 2022 following this recent announcement.
The growing demand for river cruising has been driven by the increased desire for intimate and immersive travel experiences. With our 20th anniversary approaching this July 1st, we are reminded of all the innovations that have gone into the design of our 25 ships and have enhanced the onboard and onshore experiences we proudly offer our guests.
Here are just a few of my favorite innovations that are helping our guests get the most out of their river cruise vacations:
Twin-balcony staterooms: These staterooms are featured on 11 of our 443-ft ships. We also added connecting triple occupancy staterooms to our seven most recent ships, and these are very popular with our multi-generational family groups.
Wellness classes lead by our Wellness Hosts: These popular classes, often held on the Sun Deck, have encouraged many guests to start down a new path of healthy living.
Hiking and biking escorted tours: With our bicycles on board, travelers can now experience destinations in a new, more sustainable way, and offering these active tours as included choices have attracted younger guests who may not have previously considered river cruising.
Spacious double-width design of AmaMagna: This revolutionary design made it possible to introduce two additional dining venues and an expansive Zen Wellness Studio, and to enlarge most staterooms to 355 sq ft.
Sip & Sail complimentary cocktail hour: Our guests love this tradition of gathering together before dinner to exchange stories of their daily outings, and we love to host them. To celebrate our 20 years on the rivers, we’ve created our own AmaTwenty specialty cocktail to add to the mix.
More pre- and post-cruise land packages and longer itineraries: Guests can choose to join one of our Seven River Journeys, the longest river cruise itineraries ever offered (45 or 46 nights), or combine back-to-back river cruises with new land packages and create their own personalized journey through Europe. Maybe your dream is to cruise the Nile or the Mekong, and those journeys will be even more memorable when combined with a visit to Jordan or Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Specialty cruises like our Latin Touch, Celebration of Wine, Celebration of Classical Music: The Danube, Heritage on the Rivers, and Soulful Epicurean Experience: Our teams are curating special excursions that add to guests’ knowledge or just let them enjoy a passionate interest they may have.
These, and many more wonderful features, were discussed during our virtual 20th Anniversary Sip & Sail Cocktail. If you weren't able to join us live, you can still watch the event via our AmaWaterways YouTube channel here.