AmaWaterways will have two brand new ships sailing in 2026, AmaSofia will be exploring the Rhine and Danube Rivers in Europe and AmaKaia will be sailing on the Mekong river.
This announcement comes at an interesting time for Australia. AmaWaterways sailings have previously been accessible only through APT. With AmaWaterways now operating out of a new Sydney head office, keen Australian river cruisers will be able to book direct.
The new ships not only means extra sailings and itineraries in Europe, but for Australians there will be more options to travel closer to home, with AmaKaia to be sailing on the Mekong.
River cruising’s popularity has been on the rise, making it no surprise that a major line like AmaWaterways is bulking up its fleet.
Managing Director Australia and New Zealand, Steve Richards, said: “We’re excited about the announcement of these two new ships. They’ll be sailing on rivers and itineraries that are proving popular with our local market since our launch a few months ago, so we’ll be in a position to meet the increasing demand of Australian and New Zealand travellers on the Rhine, Main, Danube and Mekong Rivers.”`
AmaSofia
AmaSofia will mark AmaWaterway’s 24th ship to sail in Europe.
She’ll have 31 departures throughout 2026. This will include many highlights on the Danube, such as the very popular ‘Christmas Markets on the Danube‘ itinerary and also the seven-night Romantic Danube and the music focused, Melodies of the Danube.
For a peek into what a sailing will be like on AmaSofia, you only need to look as far as its inaugural ‘Magnificent Europe‘ sailing.
Through two weeks of sailing between Amsterdam and Budapest guests will get to three rivers throughout four countries. Excursions will look like cycling through vineyards, sampling local food at a pretzel bakery, multiple visits to castles and palaces, immersion dives into culinary history and much more.
AmaKaia
AmaWaterways currently only has the AmaDara sailing on the Mekong, with the addition of AmaKaia signalling their intent to increase their presence in the region.
The new ship will start sailing on August 3, 2026, with a series of itineraries through Vietnam and Cambodia. The itineraries will rotate between Charms of the Mekong and Riches of the Mekong, with 22 sailings scheduled for 2026 and 38 for 2027, with more set to scheduled for 2027.
Sailings will include visits to local monasteries, local Buddhist Blessing ceremonies, historic excursions and plenty more. There are also a range of land extensions possible, in cities such as Siem Reap, which offers a gateway to visiting the famous Angkor Wat.
AmaWaterways
When you sail with AmaWaterways you have access to fine dining across multiple venues onboard, including the luxury of The Chef’s Table specialty. Also included is unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks with your daily dinner and lunch, as well as special sip & sail hour cocktail hour.
Daily excursions are included which range between hiking, biking, special interest excursions, culinary days and much more.
Also included in your fare is high-speed WiFi, a dedicate wellness program with a wide range of fitness classes, transfers to and from the airport and plenty more.
For more information, visit AmaWaterways
