Twenty-two metres of beam, and what it rules out
AmaMagna is 135 metres long, like the line's other European ships. Its beam,
though, is close to twenty-two metres, against eleven or twelve for the standard
hulls. The length is identical; the width is practically doubled.
The commercial consequence is visible: 196 guests in 98 cabins on a hull of the
same length, with markedly larger cabins and four dining venues instead of two.
An open-air sports court fits on the deck, which exists nowhere else on a
European river.
The navigational consequence is more interesting. That beam rules out the Rhine
and the Main: the ship does not fit their locks. It therefore sails only the
Danube, and nothing will move it to another basin. A ship that gains volume loses
geography, and nobody says so in the brochures.
What the beam changes aboard
Space per guest rises sharply. The corridors are wider, the lounges less dense,
and the main dining room no longer needs two sittings. Over a two-week cruise
that is the difference between a ship where you look for a seat and a ship where
you find one.
The trade-off fits in one sentence: you will not see the Rhine from this ship.
If your dream voyage runs through the middle Rhine valley and its castles, it is
another hull you need.
The calendar
Our count on 26 August 2026 found 122 departure dates, all on the Danube. The
line has announced a sister ship; until it is delivered, we will not present it
as sailing.
The other ships in the fleet
AmaVerde, AmaLea and AmaBella work the same river on standard hulls, with access to the Rhine
into the bargain. AmaReina covers seven countries on its long routes.
The fare, line by line
It covers life aboard: the cabin, all meals, wine and beer at lunch and
dinner, soft drinks at any hour, a daily cocktail, and a guided excursion at
every port. Wi-Fi is included. The European ships carry bicycles, available
during port calls.
Excursions are chosen by effort level: gentle, regular or active. The active
level means walking a long way, often uphill and on cobbles. The gentle level
exists for a reason, and nobody will judge you for taking it.
Two items stay on your account: gratuities, included on no destination, and
air travel, unless bought through the line's air programme. Putting both in the
budget at the outset avoids the unpleasant surprise of the last day.
What life aboard assumes
An adult clientele, days shaped by the port calls, short evenings. No
children's club, no childcare, no youth activities. Minors share a cabin with a
responsible adult, and the minimum age depends on the destination.
The lift links the main decks without reaching the sun deck. Boarding is by a
gangway whose slope changes from quay to quay, and sometimes by crossing another
ship. These are details as long as you walk well, and real obstacles
otherwise.
What a Quebec agency protects
A licence from Quebec's Office de la protection du consommateur, a trust
account for the sums received, and the Compensation Fund for Customers of Travel
Agents. Three verifiable things, and the licence number appears on your
contract. A booking made outside Quebec gives no right to them.
To that add what the law does not provide: someone who answers when a
connection collapses on a Sunday night and the ship leaves the next morning.
