AmaWaterways Eyes 50-Plus Ships by 2032, With Double-Width AmaRudi as 2027 Centerpiece
If you want the AmaRudi, look at Danube itineraries in 2027, since she is dedicated to that river. Mekong fans should watch the AmaMaya (60 staterooms) in 2027, and Rhine sailors the AmaFiora (76 staterooms). Nile, Danube and Douro travelers can look ahead to the AmaNubia, AmaMaria and AmaGaia. For winter or holiday trips, check the new February Rhine and Danube departures and the Portugal sailings extended into December.
My read is that AmaWaterways is spreading its bets: more than 50 ships by 2032 across five rivers, rather than one big push on a single waterway. The AmaRudi is the headline, but the detail I find telling is that Powell put the extra beam into public spaces instead of squeezing in more staterooms. The ship carries 196 guests in 98 staterooms, so the pitch is room to move, not volume. Naming the first ship after a man, chairman Rudi Schreiner, is a nice touch for a fleet of AmaMaria and AmaCleo. The exotic rivers matter too: Powell says the Nile, Mekong, Chobe and Magdalena are performing especially well, even though Europe stays the heart of the business. North America is still the largest market, with growth from the U.K. and Australia. I would watch the 2028 end of the orderbook, since the public list stops there. If I were booking, I would pick the Danube for the AmaRudi.