Latest news with #AmaWaterways
Travel Daily News
3 days ago
- Business
- Travel Daily News
AmaWaterways announces new CEO
AmaWaterways appoints Catherine Powell as CEO, with co-founder Rudi Schreiner transitioning to Chairman, marking a leadership shift for future growth. CALABASAS, CA – AmaWaterways, a leading luxury river cruise line, announced that the current CEO and co-founder Rudi Schreiner is transitioning to a new role as Chairman of the Board. President Catherine Powell will step up as the company's Chief Executive Officer from July 1st with Mr. Schreiner continuing to support her in this new role. Company co-founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst will remain on the AmaWaterways board and Ms. Karst will continue in her role as Global Brand Ambassador. 'We are so excited about what we have been building – internationally with new markets, new passengers and, frankly, a whole new generation of river cruisers. I am delighted that we are investing in the kind of leadership Catherine brings to the company. It's a real inflection point, and I couldn't be prouder,' said Mr. Schreiner. 'Rudi and I poured our hearts into building AmaWaterways – a company shaped by passion, innovation and strong personal connections. As we take this next step forward, we're thrilled to welcome Catherine as CEO. Her global experience and leadership style reflect the values that have guided us from the beginning. I'm excited for the future and grateful to keep focusing on what I love most – nurturing the relationships with our travel partners, our guests and the local communities we visit, cultivating the shared success that comes from growing together,' said Ms. Karst 'This is a dynamic moment of both growth and transformation for AmaWaterways and for the river cruising industry writ large,' said Ms. Powell. 'Rudi is an icon in the industry, whose pioneering vision has shaped river cruising. From the design of the ships to every detail of the experience on board and on shore, Rudi has touched the lives of all the guests who have sailed with us. I am honored to be taking the mantle from Rudi and steering this incredible company into its next exciting chapter building on his legacy.' Ms. Powell was appointed President early this year, and brings an expansive view to the company, one that will continue to build on the evolution of AmaWaterways as a category pioneer and leader in this industry. AmaWaterways is widely recognized for its outstanding service both onboard and onshore. 'We extend our deepest appreciation for the remarkable vision and leadership that Rudi and Kristin have demonstrated in building AmaWaterways. Since the company's inception in 2002, they have established AmaWaterways as a beloved and highly coveted brand within the river cruising industry. Looking ahead, we foresee significant growth opportunities. The company is strategically expanding into new destinations and markets while making substantial investments in technology, digital platforms, and elevated customer experiences. These initiatives will ensure that AmaWaterways remains well-positioned for long-term success in the evolving landscape of travel,' said Jennifer Reid, Director of AmaWaterways and Partner at L Catterton. Director of AmaWaterways and Managing Partner at L Catterton, Marc Magliacano went on to say 'We are confident that Catherine's deep experience in the travel industry and track-record of growth and success from her roles at both Disney and Airbnb make her uniquely suited to guide the company forward into the next phase of its journey. She understands the changing customer landscape and shifting consumer demand regarding how people want to travel and to experience luxury in a way that will drive the company forward, and that will meet growing expectations and the market's demand for high-end travel experiences.'
Travel Weekly
3 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
No slowing down for river cruising: 2026 looks even better than 2025
River cruise lines say that despite economic uncertainty in the U.S., 2025 bookings remain strong and 2026 is already outpacing this year. Their success, the companies say, is a result of not just demand but smart marketing and adjusting to trends. Viking, which dominates the river industry and captures the market majority, saw $897.1 million in total revenue for the first quarter of 2025, a nearly 25% jump year over year. The line said it has effectively sold out its river capacity for this year, at 95%, and reported 28% of capacity already sold for 2026. With a fleet of about 80 river cruise ships, Viking is off to a "remarkable start" for the year, said chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen during the company's Q1 earnings call on May 20. As the largest river cruise company, and the only public one, Viking's earnings may not be representative of the entire sector. But several smaller, privately held lines said they are also thriving in 2025 and are expecting even better results next year. Tauck said 2026 bookings are pacing nearly 30% ahead of 2025 bookings, Riviera Travel said 2026 river cruise bookings are 42% higher than 2025 bookings were at this time last year, and CroisiEurope said 35% of 2026 capacity is sold out. Also, AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways and Amadeus River Cruises all said that 2026 bookings were outpacing 2025, which is on track to be their strongest year ever. And while some lines, including Viking, have reported that much of their 2025 capacity was already booked before this year's economic turbulence, Cleveland Research found that bookings for river and luxury ocean cruises had picked up steam in late April and early May. Travel advisor Lisa Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald Travel, an agency that specializes in river and ocean cruising, said river cruise success is due in part to the lines adjusting to uncertainty in the U.S. economy, which is causing her clients not to pull back on bookings but is leading them to more thoughtful spending. Lisa Fitzgerald "The economy isn't stopping travelers from going on vacation, it's simply changing how they spend," Fitzgerald said. "River cruise lines are tuned into this and are adjusting with thoughtful promotions to attract both repeat guests and first-timers." She also credited lines for reacting to trends and "not standing still" by adding new itineraries and enhancing experiences, both on and off the ship. For example, she said, clients have inquired about shoulder season departures as they watch "where every dollar goes." Observing this trend and seeing a boom in demand, Avalon Waterways added more Christmas market sailings and harvest-time cruises for the offseason, said president Pam Hoffee. Avalon is on pace for a record-breaking 2025, and 2026 is "off to an exceptionally strong start," with bookings trending ahead of this time last year, according to Hoffee. AmaWaterways says 2026 sales are pacing double digits ahead of 2025. Pictured, the new AmaSintra in Portugal. Photo Credit: AmaWaterways Riviera is generating success by focusing on niche markets, such as amplifying its efforts to attract solo cruisers by waiving single supplement fees. This segment has grown "significantly," said Stuart Milan, Riviera's North America president, even outpacing traditional bookings. Amadeus is on track for this year to be its strongest yet, a spokesperson said, and early signs point to 2026 "being a banner year" and outpacing 2025. Amadeus' gains are in part tied to intentional efforts by the line to bring in industry veterans, invest in the travel advisor channel and amp up its marketing efforts, the spokesperson said. AmaWaterways chief sales officer Alex Pinelo said at the 2025 ASTA Travel Advisor Conference in Salt Lake City that the market is "at an all-time high." Last year marked the brand's best year on record, he added, and by the second week of 2025, the company's sales had already passed 2024 year over year. Looking ahead, 2026 sales are pacing "double digits" ahead of 2025, he said, and future demand will be met with 10 new ships being added to its fleet by 2027. Pinelo touted traveler desire to visit rivers outside of Europe -- like the Nile in Egypt, the Mekong in Vietnam and, most recently, the Magdalena in Colombia -- as one of the ways AmaWaterways has found success. Cleveland Research said these three rivers "are key itineraries to watch." Tauck reported "enjoying a very, very strong year across our entire river cruising portfolio," a spokesperson said. Tauck said it is "virtually sold out" for this year, with 2026 bookings pacing nearly 30% ahead of 2025 bookings year over year. CroisiEurope said it has seen similar numbers to Viking, with 90% of its 2025 capacity sold out and 35% of 2026 capacity booked.
Travel Weekly
4 days ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Rudi Schreiner is relinquishing the CEO role at AmaWaterways
After 23 years at the helm of AmaWaterways, co-founder and CEO Rudi Schreiner will give up that title and move to chairman of the board on July 1. Current president Kathleen Powell will assume the CEO title. Co-founder Kristin Karst will remain as brand ambassador and will continue reporting to the board. Powell was hired as president in February, when Karst was named brand ambassador. Schreiner, 73, said he had been looking at succession for the past several years. "I've had a fantastic time in the river cruise business for 33 years," he said. "It's time to find younger blood." Before Schreiner, Karst and the late Jimmy Murphy founded AmaWaterways in 2002, Schreiner already had 20 years experience as a tour operator, founding and running two companies that ran student tours in Europe and then joining Love Holidays, which focused on tours to Eastern Europe. That company had a heavy presence in former Yugoslavia, and he was hired to start new products after the civil war broke out there. He launched everything from Norwegian coastal cruises to ice breakers to the North Pole. But the product that really took off was a river cruise line, which operated under the name UniWorld. UniWorld had been chartering ships from Viking River Cruises, and Viking lured him away to open an office for them in the U.S. He did so and stayed with the company for two years before launching his own line with Karst and Murphy. It was originally called Amadeus Waterways (a different line than Amadeus River Cruises) but was challenged by the reservation system with the same name, so it was shortened to Ama. Schreiner said he'll still be involved to some extent as AmaWaterways' chairman. "I'll still be there advising at board meetings, but overall I feel very, very good about stepping aside a little bit. Maybe I'll travel a little less. I have two grandkids and want to spend more time with them."
The Advertiser
26-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Can't decide between a hot and a cold cruise? We're here to help
Cruise lines are offering more options to sail in the Northern Hemisphere's cooler months. European river cruising started a month earlier this year, with Viking and AmaWaterways launching February departures on the Danube. Off-peak ocean cruising is set to soar in the 2026-27 winter season. From December to March, consider Seabourn in Asia, Cunard in the Canary Islands, Windstar in the Mediterranean, NCL in Mexico, MSC in the Bahamas, or Celebrity Cruises in the Galapagos. By contrast, Australia and New Zealand will have quieter winters for the next two years, as the number of ships has declined.
Travel Weekly
14-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Lindblad, Trafalgar, Waldorf: More travel brands are attracted to river cruising
Brinley Hineman I was considering the topic of this insight and digging through my story ideas folder when Lindblad Expeditions announced its partnership with Transcend Cruises. Minutes later, Trafalgar unveiled its foray into river cruising. That's on top of Waldorf Astoria planning to sail the Nile. It seems everyone wants to dive into river cruising. It's no surprise. The river cruise market has grown at an annual rate of 10% to 15% in the last decade, according to CLIA. The industry is poised to continue to grow, it said. The business has been attracting other major brand names, such as Celebrity Cruises, which is debuting on Europe's waterways in 2027. Some established lines have welcomed the competition, such as Rudi Schreiner, the CEO of longtime river operator AmaWaterways, who said at the ASTA River Cruise Expo in March that there's room on the water for expansion. More brands equal more innovation, he said. National Geographic-Lindblad's Transcend partnership The Lindblad Expeditions partnership with Transcend Cruises involves a multiyear charter through at least 2028 (though executives told me this is likely just the beginning) and will turn river cruising into river exploration, featuring Lindblad's expertise in expedition cruises. "We all know that river cruising is a large and exploding area where people are really seeking to get into it," Transcend chief revenue officer Kimberly Daley told me. The two Rhine itineraries will operate under the National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions co-brand: Rhine River: Castles, Culture and Culinary Delights and Holland and Belgium: Medieval History and Scenic Waterways, both eight days long. The sailings will feature National Geographic experts and focus on exploring the region rather than just observing it. To accomplish this, Lindblad CEO Natalya Leahy told me the company would apply its expertise in expedition cruising to the Rhine, with a focus on soaking up the region and including cultural experiences on the ship, not just while on excursions. "We don't just take people to places," she told me. "We show them how to see it. That differentiates us." Trafalgar to lean into Uniworld's river cruise expertise Then there's land tour operator Trafalgar, part of The Travel Corp., which will charter two ships from sister brand Uniworld Boutique River Cruises. But Trafalgar has signaled that it plans to invest and grow its river cruise portfolio after the 2026 launch, with plans to add a third Uniworld ship to its fleet in 2027. Eventually, it might build its own ships. Trafalgar's entry into river cruising will better serve clients who don't want to take repeat tours, deputy CEO Melissa DaSilva told me. "Some of our guests, they don't want to take a tour every year, and so we were definitely missing out on an opportunity to have our travelers come back and travel with us," DaSilva said. River cruising, she said, "seemed like a natural extension." Trafalgar will rely on its expertise in land tours for cruise excursions and lean on Uniworld for its experience in river cruising. The Trafalgar sailings will not impact Uniworld, since the company was rotating out its older ships as it builds new vessels. One of the key differences between Trafalgar and Uniworld is that Trafalgar will not operate on an all-inclusive model. The price will also be lower than that of Uniworld. For instance, Trafalgar's Best of the Danube itinerary starts at $2,999, while Uniworld's Enchanting Danube itinerary goes for $3,999. Growth with Waldorf and other lines And if you thought growth for 2026 was over, think again. Waldorf Astoria is also getting in the game with Nile River cruises between Luxor and Aswan on four- and six-night itineraries. That's not to mention new ships coming next year from Viking, Emerald Cruises, Tauck, Uniworld, Riviera Travel and AmaWaterways.
