NEWS SPECIAL REPORT
Cruise ship visit: AmaWaterways hosted almost 100 agents to see its ship AmaKristina on a three-day fam trip. Harry Kemble reports from Amsterdam
Agents on board AmaKristina with MD Stuart Perl, (front, in white shirt)
AmaWaterways hits target to double agent partners
AmaWaterways has achieved its 2018 target by doubling the number of travel partners it works with in just three months.
UK managing director Stuart
Perl said the river cruise line had made “the most unbelievable progress” and had increased its distribution to about 180 agents. Business is currently up 45%
compared with this time last year, Perl said. Speaking on board AmaKristina last week in Amsterdam, where the line hosted
Harry Kemble with agents at The Chef’s Table Restaurant
its annual fam trip for nearly 100 agents, he said: “We are working with twice the number of agents that we were working with last year. “The greatest thing about all this, in achieving our growth, is we are increasing our yield and that is what it is all about.” Perl said AmaWaterways’
success was “a combination of everything” but admitted featuring
on Channel 5’s Cruising with Jane McDonald in February had boosted interest in the line.
McDonald sailed on AmaDara on the Mekong River in the latest series. “We have been experiencing record call volume and bookings,” Perl said, revealing 98% of AmaWaterways sailings are sold through the trade. “We know that the product will do the talking for us,” he added. AmaWaterways will officially
launch its 2019 programme, featuring new ship AmaMagna, at the end of May. The 2019 programme is already
available on the line’s website after a soft launch last year. “It is people buying it, rather
than us selling it,” Perl said. “We are still focused on where we have got pockets left to sell.” The 196-passenger AmaMagna,
which will be almost twice the width of traditional river cruise vessels, will launch in May 2019. “There is an enormous increase in the passenger-to-space ratio,” Perl said. “There will be more public space than any other river
cruise vessel.” › Fam photos:
go.travelweekly.
co.uk/AmaKristina
12
travelweekly.co.uk 29 March 2018
WHAT THE AGENTS SAID
“AmaKristina is really impressive. I am pleasantly surprised. I have never been on a river cruise
before. I like the double balconies so that you can let some air in to your cabin.” Felicity Ralfs, Butterfly Travel
“Although it launched last year it still feels very new and up to date. It is modern and not
opulent and over the top. It is very well refined and you can chill [on board]. I have not sold any Ama yet, but it is still relatively new to the UK.” Geoff Pook, Global Independent Travel
“AmaKristina is clean, fresh, inviting and warm. The waiter service is very personable. I am
quite a fussy eater but they will let you go off the menu.” Julie Collings, Thornton’s Travel
PICTURES: STEVE DUNLOP
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72
