Ama cruises 2026–2027: AmaWaterways rivers, ships and fares

Ama cruise line at a glance

AmaWaterways is the company’s full name. Many travelers shorten it to Ama, and it is also written Ama Waterways. It is a river cruise line, so nothing here sails the open sea.

Fleet

31 ships in operation in April 2026, by the line's count, with more than 50 planned by 2032

Price tier

River, at the upper end, with most extras in the fare

Ship size

Fewer than 200 guests on every ship. Most carry 102 to 162, and the largest, AmaMagna, carries 196

Rivers

Danube, Rhine, Main, Moselle, Seine, Rhône, Saône, Dordogne and Garonne, Douro, the Dutch and Belgian waterways, Nile, Chobe, Mekong and Magdalena

Included in the fare

All meals on board, wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, guided shore excursions, Wi-Fi and a cruise manager

Not included

Premium drinks and imported wines, and some excursions on select sailings. Ask about gratuities and flights when you book

Head office

Calabasas, California

AmaWaterways ships

Ama ships are low, narrow river vessels built to fit under bridges and into locks. The standard European ship is 135 meters long and carries about 150 to 160 guests. Shorter ships work the Douro, the Nile, the Mekong and the Magdalena, where the rivers demand it.

• AmaMagnaDanube, 196 guests, 98 staterooms, in service since 2019About twice the width of the other Danube ships at the same 135-meter length, and the largest ship in the fleet.
• AmaRudiDanube, due spring 2027, 196 guests, 98 stateroomsSister to AmaMagna and the line's second double-width ship. It has a pickleball court on the sun deck and is named for co-founder Rudi Schreiner.
• AmaSofia and AmaFioraEurope, 76 staterooms eachAmaSofia is the newest of the standard European ships, listed for 2026 with 152 guests. AmaFiora follows the same design on the Rhine in 2027.
• AmaVida, AmaDouro and AmaSintraDouro, 102 guests eachThe three ships in Portugal. A fourth, AmaGaia, is planned for 2028.
• AmaDahlia, AmaLilia and AmaNubiaNile, 72 to 82 guests on the first twoThe Egypt ships. AmaNubia has 38 staterooms, and its first season was set to start in September 2026.
• AmaDara and AmaMayaMekong, about 60 staterooms eachAmaDara carries 124 guests. AmaMaya joins it on the Mekong in 2027.
• AmaMagdalena and AmaMelodiaMagdalena, 60 and 64 guestsThe two ships in Colombia. AmaMagdalena started in April 2025.
• Zambezi QueenChobe, 28 guestsA 14-stateroom safari boat on the Chobe River in southern Africa, and the smallest ship in the fleet.

Guest and stateroom counts for ships already in service come from the fleet table on Wikipedia. Counts for the new ships come from AmaWaterways and from trade press.

New Ama ships for 2027 and after

Three ships are announced for 2027: AmaRudi on the Danube, AmaFiora on the Rhine and AmaMaya on the Mekong. For 2028 the line has named AmaClara on the Rhône, AmaGaia on the Douro and AmaCleo on the Nile.

The larger plan, announced in April 2026, is to operate more than 50 ships by 2032. It includes 15 new ships in Europe and more in Africa and Asia.

What an AmaWaterways cruise fare includes

AmaWaterways lists these as part of every cruise fare.

• Meals: all meals on board.
• Drinks: wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. Coffee, tea and bottled water are available around the clock.
• Sip & Sail: on European cruises, a cocktail hour before dinner.
• Excursions: guided shore excursions led by local experts. On select sailings some excursions cost extra.
• Wi-Fi: in the fare.
• A cruise manager on board for the whole trip.

Premium beverages and imported wines cost extra. The line’s list of inclusions doesn’t mention gratuities or flights, so ask about both when you book.

Dress is casual. AmaWaterways calls it comfortable and casually elegant, and suggests something dressier for the welcome and farewell dinners.

An ocean line with a similar approach is Viking, which includes wine with meals and one excursion in each port. Our all-inclusive cruise guide explains how far each kind of fare goes.

Where Ama cruises sail in 2026 and 2027

Ama cruises in Europe

Europe is the core of the business. AmaWaterways sails the Danube, the Rhine, the Main and the Moselle, the Seine, the Rhône and the Saône, the Dordogne and the Garonne around Bordeaux, the Douro in Portugal, and the Dutch and Belgian waterways. The itineraries the line features are seven nights long: Best of the Danube, Enchanting Rhine and Impressions of the Seine and Paris.

Two itineraries have been named for AmaRudi when it arrives in spring 2027: Magna on the Danube and Gems of Southeast Europe.

A river cruise and an ocean cruise in Europe are different trips. River ships tie up in or near the center of towns, with no tenders and no long transfers, and they can’t reach the islands and coastal ports that ocean ships visit. Our Europe cruise guide covers the ocean side.

AmaWaterways wine cruises

AmaWaterways runs dedicated wine cruises under the name Celebration of Wine. Each one brings a winemaker, a winery owner or a sommelier on board to lead tastings and pairings, and regional wines are served with local dishes.

The seven-night itineraries the line lists include Taste of Bordeaux on the Dordogne and Garonne, Enchanting Rhine, and Colors of Provence on the Rhône. More are offered, so check the list for the year you want to travel.

The Nile, the Mekong, the Chobe and the Magdalena

Outside Europe, Ama sails four rivers.

• Nile: three ships in Egypt, with a fourth, AmaCleo, planned for 2028.
• Mekong: AmaDara, joined by AmaMaya in 2027.
• Chobe: Zambezi Queen in southern Africa. The line is working on a second ship there.
• Magdalena: AmaMagdalena and AmaMelodia in Colombia.

How Ama compares with ocean cruise lines

• Ship size: an Ama ship carries fewer than 200 guests. The smallest ocean ships in our luxury and small-ship ranking start at around 150 and most are far larger.
• Days: a river cruise calls somewhere almost every day. If you want days at sea, look at an ocean line.
• Fare: wine and beer with meals, excursions and Wi-Fi are included. On most big ocean lines those are extras.
• Another river line: Avalon Waterways sails many of the same European rivers on ships of about 150 guests, with a 200-square-foot suite as its main room type.
• Other river options from ocean brands: Viking runs river ships as well as ocean ships, and Celebrity plans its first river sailings on the Rhine and Danube for August 2027.
• Families: Adventures by Disney sells guided family river cruises in Europe on AmaWaterways ships. Our Disney Cruise Line review explains how that differs from a Disney ocean cruise.

Ama cruise prices

Our monthly price snapshot covers ocean sailings, so this page shows no from-price for AmaWaterways. Three checks help when you compare river fares.

• Count what is included. Add drinks, excursions and Wi-Fi to an ocean fare before you compare it with a river fare.
• Check the ship. AmaMagna and AmaRudi are about twice the width of the standard ships, so compare stateroom sizes as well as fares.
• Add flights. Ama cruises start in Europe, Egypt, southern Africa, Southeast Asia or Colombia.

Ama cruises FAQ

Is Ama cruises the same as AmaWaterways?

Yes. AmaWaterways is the company’s name, and Ama cruises, Ama Waterways and Ama cruise line are the ways people search for it. It started as Amadeus Waterways in 2002 and took its current name in 2008.

Who founded AmaWaterways and who runs it?

Rudi Schreiner, Kristin Karst and Jimmy Murphy founded it in 2002. Catherine Powell has been chief executive since July 1, 2025. Schreiner is chairman and Karst is global brand ambassador. The head office is in Calabasas, California.

How many ships does AmaWaterways have?

It had 31 in operation in April 2026, by its own count. Three more are announced for 2027, and the line plans to operate more than 50 by 2032.

Are drinks included on Ama cruises?

Wine, beer and soft drinks are included with lunch and dinner, and European cruises have a Sip & Sail cocktail hour before dinner. Coffee, tea and bottled water are available all day. Premium beverages and imported wines cost extra.

What is new for Ama cruises in 2027?

Three ships: AmaRudi on the Danube in spring 2027, AmaFiora on the Rhine and AmaMaya on the Mekong. AmaRudi is the sister of AmaMagna and carries 196 guests.

What are AmaWaterways wine cruises?

They are themed sailings called Celebration of Wine, hosted by a winemaker, winery owner or sommelier. The listed itineraries include Bordeaux, the Rhine and Provence on the Rhône.