ONBOARD THE AMASOFIA -- AmaWaterways is in the process of disembarking passengers from the inaugural sailing of its newest ship, the AmaSofia, after ongoing mechanical issues disrupted its maiden voyage from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland.
After two of the three ship engines lost power Wednesday morning, the AmaSofia was towed by a cargo ship to Koblenz, Germany, where guests spent the night and participated in shore excursions.
Some passengers will be transferred to the AmaViola or AmaPrima, which are sailing nearby on the Rhine River. For those who wish to return home directly, AmaWaterways is waiving change fees for flights, up to $1,500 per person. Additionally, all passengers will receive a free cruise.
The AmaSofia will head back to the shipyard in the Netherlands to undergo repairs. It was unclear how future sailings would be impacted.
Most guests are travel advisors sailing on a post-fam trip following the ASTA River Cruise Expo. After the mid-morning disembarkation announcement was made, Sarah Little, senior vice president of business development for ASTA and the godmother of the AmaSofia, addressed the advisors onboard.
"It's really easy to tell a lot about a partner that you're entrusting your shared clients with when everything is going perfectly," she said. "And while I know this isn't what we had planned, I think it's even more important for you, as travel professionals, to see what would happen with your clients when something doesn't go as planned.
"Most of the [AmaWaterways] team has not slept all night, and they're doing everything in their power to take fantastic care of you... and I think that's what's most important in the end."