AmaWaterways has unveiled a first look at AmaRudi, its new river cruise ship debuting on the Danube in early 2027, and the first it has named after a man, honouring co-founder Rudi Schreiner.
AmaRudi will carry just 196 guests across 98 staterooms and suites, the same low-density double-width format that AmaMagna introduced in 2019.
The ship is the first in the company’s history named after a man, honouring co-founder and chairman Rudi Schreiner, who grew up near the Danube in Austria and “helped shape the modern river cruise industry”.
“AmaMagna changed what travellers believed was possible on a river cruise ship,” says AmaWaterways co-founder and chairman Rudi Schreiner.
“We knew there would be a right time to revisit that concept, and with river cruising continuing to grow, that time is now.
“More travellers are making the transition from ocean cruising to rivers, and many are looking for a sense of space and choice.”
Dining, wellness and a new social hub
Dining spans multiple venues, from the main Journey’s Restaurant and The Chef’s Table to al fresco options and Rudi’s Wine Bar, a nod to Schreiner’s interest in wine and European culture. A built-in barbecue on the Sun Deck adds another open-air option.
The wellness area includes massage treatment rooms, hair and nail services and a fitness centre, with a full-sized pickleball court on the Sun Deck. A new entertainment venue created for the ship combines a cinema, karaoke, billiards and a jukebox.
Design references draw on the cities and cultures along the Danube. As with recent AmaWaterways new builds, the ship has solar panels and is built from lightweight construction materials to reduce its environmental footprint.
“From the moment AmaMagna launched, travellers and travel advisors have been asking if we would ever build another ship like her,” says AmaWaterways CEO Catherine Powell, “with AmaRudi, we’re taking that concept even further”.
AmaRudi is scheduled to begin sailing some of AmaWaterways’ most popular Danube itineraries in early 2027, part of an ambitious push to have more than 50 ships sailing worldwide within six years.
By 2032, AmaWaterways plans to expand its global fleet with 15 new ships in Europe and invest in 60 per cent capacity growth in other regions, including Africa and Asia, asserting its position as a leader in river cruising amid surging demand.
The latest investment builds on the company’s current fleet of 31 river ships, with three new vessels announced for the Rhine, Danube and Mekong in 2027.
For more information, visit AmaWaterways.
KARRYON UNPACKS: Seven years after AmaMagna proved there was appetite for a wider, lower-density river ship, AmaWaterways is doubling down on the format at the very moment ocean cruisers are migrating to the rivers. For advisors, a second double-width Danube ship gives a clear answer to the clients who want space and choice without leaving the intimacy of river cruising behind.
