CEO Catherine Powell said the unnamed vessel would be a sister ship to the line’s existing African ship, the Zambezi Queen, marking a further push into what the company calls its "exotics" portfolio outside Europe.
The announcement forms part of a larger expansion project that includes two new ships in Egypt, a second Mekong vessel launching in January 2027 and continued investment in Colombia, where AmaWaterways recently debuted two new ships, AmaMagdalena and AmaMelodia.
While Europe remains central to the line’s growth plans, Powell said investment in long-haul and culturally immersive itineraries was becoming increasingly important, particularly for the UK market.
"Colombia is really resonating with that kind of immersive, discovery travel," she said. "The connection you make there with the communities is very different."
She added the company had historically 'underpromised and overdelivered', which was no longer compatible with the sector's rapid growth (Credit: AmaWaterways)
The chief executive said the UK had become AmaWaterways' third-largest source market outside the US and Canada, with 2025 representing the company’s strongest-ever year for British sales.
This year also saw the line’s biggest January on record in the UK, while bookings between January and April were up 28% year on year despite wider geopolitical uncertainty.
Alongside fleet growth, Powell used the media event in London to discuss the company’s recent rebrand, which replaced AmaWaterways’ long-standing blue-and-gold identity with a warmer visual style designed to differentiate the brand.
In an earlier, exclusive interview with TTG, Powell explained the brand's fresh new look was not "change for the sake of change", but a needed response to an increasingly crowded market.
She added the company had historically "underpromised and overdelivered", but explained the sector's rapid growth meant AmaWaterways now needed to communicate its premium inclusions and onboard experience more clearly. "There is more and more competition and more noise," she said. "We want Ama to cut through from the offset."
The line is also extending its shoulder-season programme as river cruising demand extends into off-peak travel periods. AmaWaterways has increased its February capacity by 150% year on year and introduced "City Escapes" itineraries on the Rhine, Danube and Seine in a bid to capture this growing market.
The adapted sailings focus more heavily on major cities such as Paris, Vienna and Amsterdam during quieter months, with longer stays designed to appeal to travellers seeking fewer crowds and a more local experience.
