When AmaWaterways christened its new luxury megaship, the AmaMagna, this summer, one of the first questions everyone had for the line's cofounder and ship architect Rudi Schreiner was whether there would be a second one.
That's a question that could be decided early next month at the next meeting of the company's board of directors.
While Schreiner says there has been enthusiasm for a second AmaMagna-style vessel, he's been doing some research and meeting with shipbuilders to see if there is an easier and less costly way to get another one built.
Because of her width (double that of traditional European river ships), the AmaMagna is confined to sailing the Danube. And her inability to pass through other rivers' locks also presented some construction challenges.
With the AmaMagna, Schreiner said its hull was built in Serbia with the intent of bringing his preferred Dutch shipbuilders there to do the finishing work. But that idea didn't go over so well with the shipyard, he said, so in the end they put her on a Korean freighter from the Black Sea through Turkey's Bosporus and up through the English Channel to the Netherlands.
A similar trip was required upon completion to get her back to the Danube, presenting complicated and expensive logistics Schreiner said he would like to avoid if they build a second megaship.
The company already has two ships on order and shipyard slots reserved for two more, one of which could be turned into a megaship.
Even if the board decides at its Oct. 7 meeting against building a second megavessel at this point, the lessons learned and traveler reaction to some of the features onboard the AmaMagna -- the most luxurious and spacious ship in the company's fleet -- could shape changes to their traditional-sized vessels.
For instance, Schreiner's wife and business partner Kristin Karst says she expects to see more dining and bar options across the fleet as it grows. She says the private dining rooms, or so-called wine bars, that they have added on some of their newer smaller ships have proven quite popular.
It's a trend that is increasing among river cruise lines, offering smaller and often open-air venues in addition to the main dining room, both for gourmet tasting menus with wine pairings as well as more casual tapas-style options.
The AmaMagna, while carrying about 40 or 50 more passengers than the traditional ships half its width, has a smaller main dining room than the smaller ships, which has proven to be more than big enough as guests flock to the alternatives, which include AmaWaterway's signature Chef's Table with a gourmet wine pairing and tasting menu; Jimmy's, a casual pub-style venue with communal tables; and Al Fresco, a farm-to-table restaurant with glassed in walls at the front of the ship that can be opened in nice weather.
Other unique features on the AmaMagna -- besides its many hotel-sized suites -- are its large spa and workout areas and an entertainment room for watching movies and special sporting events.
It will be interesting to see whether and how some of these unique elements might transfer or be incorporated into AmaWaterways next generation ships, regardless of their size.