by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:55 AM ET, Mon April 22, 2024
WHY IT RATES: AmaWaterways is putting its sustainability front and center as we celebrate another Earth Day. — Lacey Pfalz, Associate Writer, TravelPulse
Leading luxury river cruise line AmaWaterways proudly reaffirms its commitment to sustainability this Earth Day and beyond by sharing a short video showcasing current initiatives to eliminate single-use plastics, minimize food waste and contribute positively to the preservation of our planet's precious water resources. AmaWaterways is taking significant steps towards a greener, more sustainable future for river cruising, the environment and the communities visited.
“We are seeing a renewed interest from our travel partners and guests about sustainability, which we felt made it timely to introduce our new video on the topic,” said Kristin Karst, co-founder and executive vice-president of AmaWaterways. “Protecting the environment and enriching the communities we visit is an ever-present responsibility. It is important to provide education and support documents to help travel advisors respond to their clients’ questions and direct them to the products and suppliers that meet their requirements. We are proud of our initiatives, and we will keep building each new ship and itinerary with sustainability in mind.”
To reduce overall plastic consumption, AmaWaterways uses paper straws, refillable glass water bottles as well as refillable Pure Herbs soap and shampoo dispensers in all staterooms and provides biodegradable Tetra Pak water containers for excursions. In addition, luggage tags are made from 100% recycled plastic bottle material and are now delivered to guest staterooms on board ships in Europe, reducing the line’s carbon footprint. The usage of the innovative myAmaCruise app and electronic travel documents has also virtually eliminated paper consumption both pre-cruise and on board.
AmaKristina was the first river cruise ship in the industry to receive the prestigious Green Award, which recognizes ships in Europe for their quality, safety and environmental performance. Since then, another 19 river cruise ships in AmaWaterways’ European fleet have earned the Green Award certification. All ships are able to connect to shoreside electric power, which further reduces fuel consumption and noise levels while in port. AmaWaterways has lessened unnecessary food waste from large-scale buffets by serving a la carte lunches on board European ships.
While operating sustainable, environmentally friendly ships is fundamental to AmaWaterways, both Zambezi Queen and AmaMagna go above and beyond with eco-friendly features. Zambezi Queen, which explores the Chobe River in Africa, uses a five-stage water purification plant, employing river water in the showers and tap aboard. The ship’s water jet propulsion system replaces a conventional system, ensuring there is no damage to the riverbed. Throughout the night, the ship operates on battery power and only the low-emission generators run throughout the day.
In 2023, the innovative AmaMagna welcomed a brand-new feature: solar panels on the awnings of select staterooms, producing energy equivalent to charging 20 Teslas an hour. AmaMagna operates on a 10-engine diesel/electronic hybrid system, a first for the river cruise industry, which allows for less fuel usage and reduces noise levels. Even though the revolutionary ship is twice the width of traditional river cruise ships, this new configuration of the engines is capable of reducing fuel consumption by up to 20 percent depending on river conditions.
“Travel, when done responsibly, is a force of good in the world,’’ said Rudi Schreiner, co-founder and president of AmaWaterways. “The beautiful natural surroundings along the banks of the world’s iconic rivers like the Danube, Rhine, Nile, Mekong and Magdalena River in Colombia are precious resources, and it is up to AmaWaterways – and all river cruise lines – to do everything we can to preserve these environments for future generations to enjoy. We have taken measures to drastically reduce overall plastic consumption on our ships, and we continue to explore new ways to enhance our efforts in all other areas of sustainable tourism.”
To watch the new Sustainability On Board video and learn more on the subject, please visit AmaWaterways.com/sustainability and Kristin’s Blog: The Importance of Sustainability.
To reserve an AmaWaterways river cruise and land package for a client, call 1-800-626-0126 or access the Online Booking Engine on your Travel Advisor Portal on AmaWaterways.com.
SOURCE: AmaWaterways press release.
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