CALABASAS, CA — AmaWaterways has opened its 2024 Europe season early, and with a new milestone.
The river cruise line saw its highest-ever single month of reservations, surpassing the previous record set in January 2023 by 27%. Call volume also hit record levels in January 2024 with an increase of 18% over the same month last year with average wait times at 11 seconds.
AmaWaterways’ Wave Season Complimentary Land Package offer contributed to the record-breaking sales, with travellers having the opportunity to receive a complimentary two-, three- or four-night land package on select Europe sailings for new reservations made before March 31, 2024. During pre- or post-cruise land packages, guests stay at world-class four- and five-star hotels and get transfers and portage service between hotels and the ship, as well as included excursions and the services of their AmaWaterways Cruise Manager throughout the journey.
“2024 is off to an amazing start as January marks our most successful month of bookings in our 22 years of history,” said Kristin Karst, co-founder and executive vice president of AmaWaterways. “We have been able to handle this surge in demand and provide excellent service to our travel advisors partners by hiring and training additional river cruise specialists for the call center and doubling the size of our dedicated AmaAir team.”
Tools for travel advisors include digital marketing toolkits and a quick payment process on the river cruise line’s Travel Advisor Portal. Also new for travel partners is the launch of a client-facing online booking engine that facilitates convenient 24/7 reservation capability integrated into travel advisors’ co-branded AmaWaterways websites.
AmaWaterways’ two new ships are AmaMagdalena and AmaLilia, coming November 2024. Sister ship AmaMelodia joins the fleet in June 2025.
“As an entrepreneurial, family-owned and operated company committed to innovation and guest satisfaction, we are proud to offer our travel partners and their clients new itineraries to discover, new ships to enjoy and new tools and support services to get them started on their river cruise journeys even more quickly,” added Karst. “With the Complimentary Land Package offer, our ships are filling up quickly and our wonderful Cruise Managers and crew are eager to welcome our guests on board for a most memorable vacation experience.”
