It was our second evening onboard the AmaSofia, the newest ship from AmaWaterways, and I had fallen asleep in my bathrobe.
It wasn't jetlag or a too-heavy meal or one-too-many glasses of wine. The bathrobe itself -- which CEO Catherine Powell says "feels like butter" -- provided the perfect warm cocoon for an early evening snooze and was quickly becoming my stateroom uniform.
Some passengers on the ship, including travel advisor Anita Carson of Villas and Voyages, thought the robe so comfortable that they sported it outside of the cabins.
The robe is part of a lineup of new amenities onboard AmaWaterways' ships this season. AmaWaterways is calling them "elevations," and they include sheets with a higher thread count, Marie-Stella-Maris bath products and in-room Nespresso machines.
AmaSofia is AmaWaterways' 24th ship and the first to have these upgrades. And while the robe was certainly a standout upgrade, so were changes to breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Chef's Table specialty restaurant now offers Italian cuisine at lunch, with paninis, pizza and fresh-made pastas on order (Pro tip: Try the homemade penne with spicy arrabbiata sauce).
There's also been a substantial lift with the onboard wine selection, with 30 different wines now on offer during a single cruise. A new bread program for 2026 offers fresh-baked options daily.
Meanwhile, AmaWaterways' partnership with international gastronomic society La Chaine des Rotisseurs has ended.
AmaWaterways loyalists may also notice new names to familiar spaces: the main restaurant has been branded Journeys Restaurant and features a dinner by chef Robert Kellerhals, culinary director of AmaWaterways, once per sailing.
The Lark Lounge & Bar features a lineup of always-available snack jars. Photo Credit: Emma Weissmann
Additionally, the lounge at the bow of the ship is now the Lark Lounge & Bar and features an all-day menu and a lineup of always-available snack jars with chocolate-covered protein balls, marshmallows, cookies, Haribo gummies, nut mixes and dried fruit.
Each night after dinner, as I retreated (read: rolled) back to my stateroom, I found myself again slipping back into the robe. The only thing missing was a pair of equally cozy slippers, but that is coming. AmaWaterways chief sales officer Alex Pinelo said they will come with a bag that says "Take Me Home."
The only bad news? The bathrobe won't fit in the bag.