On 14th March, AmaWaterways celebrated the christening of its newest river ship, AmaSofia, during a special ceremony on the Rhine alongside members of the travel advisor community attending the ASTA River Cruise Expo in Amsterdam. 

More than 1,200 advisors attending the event were invited to take part in the celebration hosted on three of the river cruise line's ships - AmaPrima, AmaVenita and, of course, AmaSofia. The new ship's godmother, Sarah Little, Senior Vice President of Business Development at ASTA and a respected leader and advocate within the travel advisor community, officially christened the ship during the ceremony. The evening concluded with a spectacular 300-drone light show over the Rhine, bringing the celebration - and the ASTA River Cruise Expo - to a memorable close.

“Ships come to life through people, from the crew who pour pride into every detail, the guests who celebrate life's moments on board to the travel advisors who inspire those journeys in the first place,” said Catherine Powell, CEO of AmaWaterways. “We are especially honoured to have Sarah Little serve as godmother of AmaSofia. Her leadership and advocacy for travel advisors represent everything we value as a company, and it feels incredibly meaningful to have her guide AmaSofia into her future surrounded by so many members of the advisor community.”

AmaSofia is the first AmaWaterways ship to showcase the company's refreshed branding and colours in Europe. The ship accommodates up to 154 guests in 76 staterooms, with suites ranging up to 32 square metres. Guests will enjoy the signature amenities AmaWaterways is known for, including its twin balcony design and the Chef's Table specialty dining experience.

“It is a tremendous honour to serve as godmother of AmaSofia,” said Little. “My very first river cruise was with AmaWaterways, which makes this moment especially meaningful. Christening AmaSofia here at the ASTA River Cruise Expo, surrounded by the advisor community that supports and shapes our industry every day, makes it even more special.”

AmaSofia began the 2026 season early on the Rhine, allowing AmaWaterways to celebrate the milestone alongside its travel advisor partners. In April and May, the ship will sail on Rhine itineraries including the popular Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps itinerary.

In June, AmaSofia will reposition to the Danube, with her first Danube departure scheduled for 7 June. She will operate several popular itineraries throughout the year including Romantic Danube, Melodies of the Danube and Christmas Markets on the Danube, primarily sailing between Budapest and Vilshofen. Some lucky Australian and New Zealand travel advisors will cruise on AmaSofia during the August Mega Famil full-ship takeover.

“As we continue to grow, our commitment remains the same – to our guests and to our travel partners,” said Powell. “Today's christening is not just about welcoming a beautiful new ship to the rivers of Europe, but also about celebrating the shared journey we are on together.”

For more information or to reserve an AmaWaterways river cruise and land package, contact AmaWaterways on 1800 867 126 (AU) or 0800 005 636 (NZ) or visit amawaterways.com/au or amawaterways.com/nz.