AmaWaterways held a christening ceremony for its newest river ship, AmaSofia, on March 14.
More than 1,200 advisors attending the ASTA River Cruise Expo in Amsterdam were invited to attend the celebration hosted on three of the river cruise line’s ships on the Rhine – the AmaPrima, AmaVenita and AmaSofia.
The ship’s godmother is Sarah Little, senior vice president of business development at ASTA, the company said in a statement.
“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.
Powel noted that the company is especially honored to have Sarah Little serve as godmother of the AmaSofia.
“It is a tremendous honor to serve as godmother of AmaSofia,” commented 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.”
The ship can accommodate up to 154 guests in 76 staterooms, with suites ranging up to 350 square feet.
Guests will get to experience the company’s signature amenities, including its twin balcony design and the chef’s table specialty dining experience.
The ship started the 2026 season early on the Rhine, with itineraries including the Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps itinerary to follow in April and May.
After that, the ship will reposition to the Danube, with the first departure scheduled for June 7, according to the statement.
She will operate several itineraries throughout the year, including “Romantic Danube,” “Melodies of the Danube” and “Christmas Markets on the Danube,” primarily sailing between Budapest and Vilshofen.
More than 100 travel advisors are scheduled to sail onboard the AmaSofia and experience the ship during the post-expo FAM cruise following the conference.
The company also invited travel advisor partners from around the world to come onboard the AmaSofia throughout the year for additional FAM sailings.
