AmaWaterways Christens AmaKristina In Germany

AmaWaterways welcomed its newest vessel and the namesake of its co-owner and executive vice president Kristin Karst, AmaKristina, during a ceremony in Lahstein, Germany on Wednesday.

AmaKristina is the company’s 20^th ship, welcomed on its 15^th anniversary. The ceremony was attended by Karst, president and co-owner Rudi Schreiner, vice president of sales and co-owner Gary Murphy and others.

The 156-guest AmaKristina, a sister ship to AmaViola and AmaStella, will sail the Rhine between Amsterdam and Basel.

It sports AmaWaterways’ signature twin-balconies and three separate dining rooms including The Chef’s Table. There’s also a running track wrapped along the sundeck, a heated pool and swim-up bar, enhanced access to the lower deck via elevator, a hair salon and an expanded fitness center.

Guests will also enjoy free WiFi throughout the ship along with on-demand entertainment in each stateroom.

AmaKristina Chef’s Table.

“I never dreamed that as a young girl growing up in Dresden on the banks of the Elbe River that I would one day have a ship named after me,” Karst told attendees. “The last 15 years have been a remarkable journey and today, I am so proud to christen our newest ship.”

TMR reported last month that Karst was supposed to get her first godmother designation when AmaLyra was christened in 2009. Instead, that honor went to the then president and CEO of Signature Travel Network, Michelle Morgan.

Karst told TMR that at the time she was happy to let a woman “who really made a difference in the industry” take the spotlight. Morgan, a member of the CLIA Hall Fame, passed away from cancer not long after.

It was fate that Karst would get a chance to christen a ship that was not only her namesake, but that would sail the Elbe River through Germany, her native country. But that, too, was not to be. A big drought in the area caused the company to move the itinerary to the Rhine.