In 2002, three seasoned travel experts -- Rudi Schreiner, Kristin Karst and Jimmy Murphy -- founded AmaWaterways, then called Amadeus Waterways. “Ama” derives from the Latin word for “love,” and AmaWaterways’ mission is to give guests a superb river cruising experience, from ship designs that include multiple dining venues and staterooms with double balconies to enriching itineraries and attentive service. The ships of AmaWaterways operate along rivers in Europe, Africa and Asia.
AmaWaterways was the first river cruise line to be inducted into La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, the oldest and largest culinary society in the world. Onboard chefs create traditional Western dishes as well as local specialties; vegetarian and gluten-free options are available, too. The intimate Chef’s Table allows passengers to watch their multicourse meal being prepared and chat with the chef along the way. AmaWaterways, which schedules a variety of wine-themed cruises, also was welcomed into the Connetablie de Guyenne, a prestigious wine brotherhood in France’s Bordeaux region. The line extends its immersive culinary experiences ashore; guests can sample macarons and chocolates at Les Halles market in Lyon, France, or visit a candy-making workshop in a Vietnamese village, for example.
Guests can customize their activities and choose their own pace with gentle, regular, active and in some cases, late-riser options. AmaWaterways was the first river cruise company to include bicycles aboard its European fleet; today, each ship carries 25 complimentary bikes for those who want to pedal along riverside paths or through historic city centers. On Special Interest Tours, passengers go off the beaten path -- perhaps discover the hidden gems of Vienna or learn about the tradition of German beer making at an old Nuremberg brewery. While you’re cruising, there are lectures, theme dinners, cooking demonstrations and regional performances that provide insight into the destination’s history, traditions and culture.

Viking was founded in 1997 with the vision that travel could be more destination focused and culturally immersive. In 2000, the company purchased Europe’s KD River Cruises in order to grow its fleet, to leverage 40 years of river cruising experience and to acquire rights to prime docking locations in key European cities. The company expanded into the American market in 2000, establishing a sales and marketing office in Los Angeles, California. Since then, Viking has grown to be the leading small ship travel company, offering river, ocean and expedition voyages on all seven continents. With an operational office in Basel, Switzerland, Viking provides destination-focused itineraries for curious travelers. Each journey includes a shore excursion in every port and an onboard and onshore enrichment program that provides deep immersion in the destination through performances of music and art, cooking demonstrations, informative port talks and carefully selected guest lecturers. With 250 awards to its name, the company currently operates a fleet of state-of-the-art ships that have received numerous accolades since their launch from industry experts and travelers alike. Viking was voted the #1 River Cruise Line in 2020 and 2021 and the #1 Ocean Cruise Line in 2021 by Condé Nast Traveler in the 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards. In addition, Viking has consistently been named the #1 Ocean Cruise Line* by Travel + Leisure readers in the World’s Best Awards. Viking marks its 25th anniversary in 2022; by the end of the year, Viking will have welcomed a second identical expedition ship, as well as two new identical ocean ships, new Viking Longships® in Europe and new purpose-built vessels for the Nile, Mekong and Mississippi rivers.

Cruise the Rhine River with AmaWaterways

Viking Grand European River Cruise