Luxury river cruise line AmaWaterways has opened reservations for its 2028 season, giving Australian and New Zealand travellers the opportunity to plan ahead and secure their preferred ships, journeys, departure dates and staterooms.
The 2028 season marks another significant step in AmaWaterways’ continued growth, with two new ships joining the fleet across two distinct rivers: AmaMaria on the Rhine and AmaGaia on Portugal’s Douro River. Their arrival will take AmaWaterways’ global fleet to 38 ships in 2028.
The expansion continues a strong period of fleet growth for AmaWaterways, with AmaNubia joining the fleet later this year, followed by AmaMaya, AmaFiora, AmaRudi and AmaCleo in 2027.
“2028 is another exciting step forward for AmaWaterways, not simply because we are growing, but because of where and how we are growing,” said Steve Richards, Managing Director Australia and New Zealand, AmaWaterways.
“Across the Rhine and Douro, we’re continuing to invest in the destinations our guests want to experience, while creating more choice in how they experience them. For Australian and New Zealand travellers who tend to plan a big international holiday well ahead, having that choice available now is a real advantage.”
Two new ships and more time to discover in 2028
AmaMaria will debut on the ever-popular Rhine River, following the design and layout of AmaFiora and featuring 76 staterooms.
In Portugal, AmaGaia will join AmaVida, AmaDouro and AmaSintra on the Douro, expanding AmaWaterways’ presence in the region in response to strong and growing demand for river cruising in Portugal.
Guests will have a new way to experience France in 2028 with the introduction of Elegance of Burgundy & Provence, a new 10- and 11-night itinerary during July and August.
Sailing the Rhône and Saône rivers, the new itinerary will offer more time in port, allowing guests to slow the pace and spend longer experiencing the destinations along the way.
AmaWaterways is also expanding its collection of pre- and post-cruise land packages across Europe, giving guests more opportunities to turn their river cruise into a longer journey. New options include stays in Krakow, Nuremberg, Basel, Luxembourg, Brussels, Lyon, Aix-en-Provence, Dijon and Porto.
Among the additions is a three-night Krakow extension following the Best of the Danube itinerary, including a Krakow city tour with Schindler’s Factory and a full-day Auschwitz excursion. New two-night stays in Lyon, Aix-en-Provence and Dijon will offer more ways to extend a journey through France, while a new Porto package complements AmaWaterways’ growing presence on the Douro.
“For Australians and New Zealanders, a river cruise is often part of a much bigger international holiday, so planning ahead makes sense,” Richards said. “Opening 2028 now means guests can really build the trip they want, with more choice around where they go, when they travel and the stateroom they choose.
“And there’s a lot for our travel advisor partners to work with. We’ve got new ships, new ways to explore destinations and more opportunities to extend a river cruise with time on land. It gives advisors some genuinely fresh reasons to talk to clients about Ama and start planning that next trip together.”
Plan ahead with early booking savings
To mark the opening of the 2028 season, AmaWaterways is offering limited-time early booking savings for guests who secure their journey by 30 September 2026. Australian guests can save up to AU$3,750 per stateroom, while New Zealand guests can save up to NZ$4,000 per stateroom.
Booking early also provides access to the widest selection of itineraries, departure dates and staterooms, allowing guests to secure their preferred journey while taking advantage of the limited-time savings. As always with AmaWaterways, final payment is not due until 90 days before the start of the journey.
