Luxury River Cruise Line Allows Travellers to Discover Their Family Story During Unforgettable Rhine River Cruise, Adding New Dimension to Heritage Travel on the Rivers
CALABASAS, CA – (June 24, 2021) – Luxury river cruise innovator AmaWaterways today announced a new partnership with the global leader in family history and consumer genomics, Ancestry®. The groundbreaking collaboration provides a unique opportunity for guests to discover details pertaining to their specific family history while enjoying the incomparable river cruise experience that AmaWaterways is known for. With an uptick in consumers embracing heritage travel, the special Ancestry® Experience package allows travellers to further personalise and enrich their river cruise experience through pre-cruise private consultation and family history research, onboard presentations and curated excursions accompanied by an expert genealogist throughout the cruise.
“Having grown up along the legendary Elbe River in Germany, I am personally overjoyed by this new collaboration that provides our guests with a unique opportunity to connect with their European roots, through personalised research and specially curated experiences,” said Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-founder of AmaWaterways. “Maintaining or creating cherished family connections is more important than ever, and this partnership with the industry-leading team at Ancestry® provides the perfect setting to bring our guests’ treasured family stories to life.”
The first cruise in the series, Heritage on the River: Your Personalised Ancestry® Experience, will depart July 30, 2022, on board the 156-guest AmaStella. Guests will embark in Amsterdam on an unforgettable seven-night river cruise along the Rhine River, visiting Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland while tracing their roots and following along in their ancestors’ footsteps.
“At its core, Ancestry is a family history company, and we are constantly looking for new ways to help others uncover their own personal stories and to bring deeper meaning to their findings through genealogical research and heritage travel,” said Jon Lambert, director of global client relations for Ancestry. “We found this same passion for creating enriching life-changing experiences with AmaWaterways Co-founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst. Their European heritage and appreciation of cultural diversity fit perfectly with Ancestry’s mission to empower journeys of self-discovery to change lives.”
This enriching Ancestry experience begins as soon as the river cruise reservation is made with AmaWaterways. Each guest who signs up will be matched with an expert from AncestryProGenealogists®, Ancestry’s professional research division, who will conduct a one-hour welcome call to discuss aspects of their family that are of particular interest. From there, the genealogist will conduct a five-hour consultation and research phase delving into family background and identifying places of interest that the guest may visit or pass by during their river cruise.
Once on board, an expert genealogist will offer presentations to provide insight into what life was like for guests’ ancestors and highlight the types of records that are available for them to learn more. As guests travel through different regions where their ancestors lived, the genealogist will explain the history behind those areas, providing an unparalleled understanding of the past and a glimpse of their ancestors’ everyday lives.
Rounding out this enriching experience, each guest will also receive a private onboard consultation with the expert genealogist to review their own family tree. They will also have the opportunity to enjoy an Ancestry-specific group excursion with their expert genealogist. In certain cases, travellers can delve even deeper with an optional add-on of an Ancestral Home Visit accompanied by an expert genealogist.
Taking guests into the heart of Europe, the elegantly appointed AmaStella, with her exceptional crew, offers the opportunity for guests to be pampered in spacious staterooms; indulge in delicious cuisine from a choice of dining venues including the intimate Chef’s Table Restaurant; and when not participating in one of the 23 included shore excursion choices, relax on an expansive sun deck, featuring a walking track and swimming pool with a swim-up bar. Active travellers will enjoy the onboard Wellness Programme, which includes expertly guided fitness classes, as well as hiking and biking tours.
Reservations for the July 30, 2022, Heritage on the River: Your Personalised Ancestry® Experience are now open, with prices starting from £4,315* per person. Reserve any AmaWaterways river cruise through Europe and customise your personalised heritage experience with Ancestry, from a pre-journey consultation with your expert genealogist to an Ancestral Home Visit for an additional fee.
*Per person prices (air not included). Visit AmaWaterways.co.uk/ancestry for full details.
MEDIA NOTE: Hi-res versions of the images in this release can be found HERE.
For more information or to book an AmaWaterways river cruise for a client, visit the Travel Agent Portal on AmaWaterways.co.uk or call 0800 520 2250. Follow AmaWaterways on Facebook, Instagram @AmaWaterways, Twitter @AmaWaterways, and YouTube.
About AmaWaterways
A family-owned company celebrating 18 years on the river, AmaWaterways offers unforgettable river cruises with 25 ships sailing Europe’s Danube, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Rhône, Saône (2021), Seine, Garonne, Dordogne, Dutch and Belgian Waterways and Douro Rivers, Asia’s Mekong and Africa’s Chobe and Nile Rivers (2021). Led by experienced river cruise co-founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst, the company is renowned for its innovative stateroom design featuring unique “twin balconies;” its wellness activities including a wide choice of included shore excursions featuring biking and hiking options for the active traveller; and its award-winning dining—including The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant as well as complimentary fine wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. Modern, spacious and tastefully decorated, each ship features onboard amenities such as hair and massage salons and a fitness room, and many have heated outdoor swimming pools with swim-up bars. AmaWaterways leads the river cruise industry in innovation highlighted with the launch of AmaMagna, which at twice the width of traditional river ships, offers a new dimension in luxury river cruising. The company also offers a variety of themed sailings and brand relationships, with sailings geared towards active travellers and families as well as group and charter options.
With the highest-rated ships in Europe according to the third edition of Berlitz: River Cruising in Europe & the USA, AmaWaterways has received countless honours and accolades including Cruise Critic’s 2019 Editor’s Pick Award for “Best River Cruise Line” and “Best for Active Cruisers,” 2018 AFAR Reader’s Choice Award for “Best River Cruise Line” and inclusion of AmaMagna in 2019 TIME “World’s Greatest Places.” In addition, 18 river cruise ships in its European fleet have earned the Green Award certification, recognised for industry-leading safety, quality and environmental performance.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Augustus Lonsdale
pr@amawaterways.com