Most river ships are about the same size - viking river cruises, Avalon, Uniworld, Tauck, Scenic and many more. This is due to the locks on the rivers. Ships can only be so big to get through these locks. So all river ships, same size. Viking calls their ships Long Ships. Scenic calls theirs space-ships. But they're all the same size.
Until now.
The AmaMagna is different, it's twice the width of a normal river ship. The AmaMagna is built to cruise on the Danube where locks are twice as wide as any other rivers in Europe (up to Passau, Germany).
So, twice the size, you think twice the amount of people. That's not the case. The AmaManga only adds about 20% more guests (196 total guests). The extra space is used for larger staterooms and suites, more public space, more unique dining venues, and more leisure opportunities.
Most staterooms measure 355 to 710 square feet with full balconies.
There's 4 restaurants on board.
And you can stay in shape at the Zen Wellness Studio with a fitness center, two massage rooms, and a refreshing juice bar. There’s a fleet of bikes for on board. And a watersports platform at the back of the ship.
This year the AmaMagna is sailing on 2 main itineraries. The Romantic Danube which sails from Vilshofen to Budapest and Melodies of the Danube which sails Budapest to Vilshofen. They will be doing a few Christmas Markets cruises this coming holiday season. This is quite magical and if you are still planning your holiday travel, I would highly recommend a Christmas Markets cruise.
For 2020, AmaWaterways itineraries include:

Magna on the Danube - 7 night cruises from Vilshofen to Budapest with land extension options in Prague, Munich, and Budapest.
Gems of Southeast Europe - 7 night cruises from Budapest to Giurgiu with land extensions in available in Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest, Brasov and Istanbul.
And you can do the combination of both, the Grand Danube.

Some other updates on AmsWaterways for 2020:
New land extensions being offered, in addition to Istanbul, Turkey, there’s an option in the French Riviera in Nice (as part of Colors of Provence on the Rhône River). And Bangkok, Thailand (as part of Mekong River sailings)
More Wine! Wined themed cruises are a hit and so Ama will have more opportunities for guests to experience a wine cruise. These are included in the price so they do not cost anything extra. So sniff, swirl, and sip world class wine while you’re sailing down the winding rivers.
Ama will be introducing a new ship, their 24th. The AmaSiena sets sail in July 2020 on the Rhine, Moselle, and Main rivers. AmaWaterways builds and owns their own ships. Almost all other river cruise lines lease them. Ama builders theirs to their own specifications. And they’re beautiful and some of the best on the rivers.
If you’re not familiar with AmaWaterways, they’re a family owned and operated river cruise line founded in 2002. They sail on rivers all over the world including in Europe, Asia, and Africa. They also partner with Disney to offer some great family adventures.
Ama consistently win awards for best ship, best river cruise line, best service, and best land tours. They’re one of the best in the business. This is not an AmaWaterways sponsored podcast. I just really highly recommend them!
At this time, Ama is running a promotion offering up to $2,000 off per stateroom or free air for booking early.
As always, i’m Here to help so if you have any questions, please feel free to visit our website at upclosetravel.com or call us 7 days a week.
Thanks again for listening. I had a great first week on this podcast. And I look forward to creating many more shows to help you all get up close and in depth, with the worlds greatest destinations! Don’t forget to hit subscribe and leave a review. Have a great weekend!

Get the future of podcasts.