AmaWaterways has christened its new ship, AmaMagna, in Grein, Austria.

The ceremony, which took place on 11 July, saw guests on board join AmaWaterways co-founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst along with godmother Samantha Brown, a respected travel expert and Emmy Award-winning television host.

AmaMagna is the 23^rd ship in the AmaWaterways fleet and is twice the width of traditional river cruise ships. It features four restaurants, an on-board cinema, wellness studio, a juice bar and a sun deck with a large heated pool.

Schreiner said: “I have had this unique ship on my mind for years and today we are thrilled to officially welcome her to the AmaWaterways family.

“We are grateful to have so many of our friends and travel partners here with us as we celebrate this exciting time for our company.”

Karst added that Brown was the “perfect fit” for godmother “for this very special ship that is also challenging ideas of what river cruising can offer people in search of personalised travel experiences”.

Brown explained: “I am proud to be godmother to this incredibly innovative ship. I have always been impressed by the warmth and attentive care that the crew have shown to me and my family during our previous AmaWaterways cruise, but while travelling on board AmaMagna this week, the ship and the service have exceeded all my expectations of what a cruise experience can be.”

AmaMagna’s itineraries include Romantic Danube, Melodies of the Danube and Christmas Markets on the Danube voyages.