AmaMagdalena

AmaMagdalena at a glance

AmaMagdalena is a purpose-built river vessel launched in 2024 to sail Colombia's Magdalena River, carrying no more than 60 guests at a time. That deliberate intimacy shapes everything on board: the atmosphere is unhurried, the service personalised, and the ships feels genuinely suited to the rivers and ports it visits. Here are the quick facts a traveller sizes a ship up by:

• Cabins: 30
• Cruise line: AmaWaterways
• Region: South America — Colombia's Magdalena River

Sailings depart from Cartagena, Colombia and Barranquilla, Colombia. Every itinerary currently on sale runs up to seven nights, and because all departures are in Colombia, this cruise sits naturally in the middle of a longer trip — which is exactly where our expertise comes in (more on that below).

Dining on AmaMagdalena

AmaMagdalena offers two distinct dining venues, both included in your cruise fare and open to all guests.

The Main Restaurant is the culinary heart of the ship. Open seating means you eat when it suits you, and the kitchen draws on regional cuisine — the flavours of Colombia and the Magdalena River valley — while river views frame every meal. The atmosphere is relaxed and social, designed for unhurried conversation rather than formal ritual.

For something more theatrical, The Chef's Table is an intimate space where a dedicated chef crafts a multi-course tasting menu in front of you. It is included in your fare rather than charged as an upgrade, so every guest can experience it without budgeting separately. Personalised attention and culinary craft in equal measure.

Beyond the dining rooms, a Specialty Coffee & Tea Station is available on a self-service, complimentary basis — useful from the first morning coffee to an afternoon tea between ports.

On-deck life and activities

The Sun Deck is the natural gathering place on a river ship, and on AmaMagdalena it is unobstructed — open sky, open river, and the landscape drifting past at a pace that rewards attention. You can relax here, take meals in the open air, or simply watch the Magdalena unfold. The Heated Sun-Deck Pool sits on the same level, with an integrated swim-up bar so you needn't leave the water to order a drink. A Walking Track runs around the Sun Deck for guests who want to keep moving.

Active guests are also well served below deck. The Fitness Centre carries modern cardio and strength equipment and is complimentary to use (specialist fitness classes carry a separate charge). Ashore, the ship's Complimentary Bicycle Fleet lets you explore ports on your own terms — no guided tour required, no extra charge. For a more relaxed approach to wellness, the Massage & Hair Salon is on board; the space itself is free to enter, though treatments and services are priced separately.

When you want to slow down entirely, the Library offers books and games in a quiet setting. The Main Lounge is the social alternative: a fully stocked bar, informative talks about upcoming ports, and live entertainment in the evenings. Drinks and food in the lounge are charged separately unless you have a beverage package. A Gift Shop rounds out the on-board offering with souvenirs and essentials.

Cabins on AmaMagdalena

AmaMagdalena carries 30 cabins across two grades, and the full cabin layouts and deck plans are available if you want to compare positions and outlooks before booking.

Balcony Cabin A (22 m²) sleeps up to three guests and gives you a private balcony with unobstructed river views — your own outdoor space to watch the scenery change, something an inside cabin simply cannot offer. On a river itinerary where the landscape is part of the experience, that distinction matters.

Grand Suite GS (47.9 m²) is the most spacious cabin on board, sleeping up to four guests. At nearly twice the floor space of a standard balcony cabin, it offers genuinely roomy living quarters — a rarity on any river ship. It includes a balcony, and the extra space makes it the natural choice for families or two couples travelling together.

Both grades are open to all guests; there are no exclusive enclaves or restricted areas on this ship.

Booking AmaMagdalena with CruiseAway

All five sailings currently on sale depart from Colombia — Barranquilla or Cartagena — which means flying to the region is part of the journey for Australian travellers. CruiseAway treats that as an opportunity rather than a complication: the cruise is the centrepiece of a longer trip, and we book the flights, the hotel either side and the transfers as a single holiday under our DreamAway Packages. You deal with one booking, one point of contact, and one itinerary that covers everything from your front door to the gangway and back.

Our cruise experts know these AmaWaterways itineraries well — the cabin grades, the fare inclusions, which departures suit which travellers — and our Best Price Guarantee means you book with confidence. Whatever cabin grade or sailing date you choose, we help you find the right match and put it together cleanly.

Sailings from A$5,156pp* are available now, departing from late September 2026.

Other ships in the AmaWaterways fleet

If you are weighing up your options across the AmaWaterways fleet, CruiseAway also features AmaBella, AmaCello, AmaVida, AmaReina and AmaVerde — each another ship in the same fleet that may suit a different itinerary or travel style.

Common questions about AmaMagdalena

Where does AmaMagdalena sail?

AmaMagdalena sails Colombia's Magdalena River in South America. Current sailings on CruiseAway depart from Barranquilla and Cartagena, Colombia, on itineraries of up to seven nights. Browse all South America river cruises to see the full range of departure dates and routes.

Is dining included in the cruise fare?

Yes. Both the Main Restaurant and The Chef's Table are included in your cruise fare, as are the Specialty Coffee & Tea Station and access to all public areas of the ship. Drinks in the Main Lounge are charged separately unless you hold a beverage package, and spa treatments carry their own fees.

Do I need to book flights separately?

All current sailings depart from Colombia, so Australian travellers will need to fly to the region. CruiseAway's DreamAway Packages bundle the cruise with your flights, hotel stays either side and transfers into one booking — no need to coordinate separate suppliers.

Which cabin is right for me on AmaMagdalena?

If a private outdoor space and river views are your priority, a Balcony Cabin A (22 m²) delivers that at a manageable size, sleeping up to three. If you want the most space on the ship — or you are travelling as a family or two couples — the Grand Suite GS at 47.9 m² sleeps four and offers genuinely generous living quarters for a river vessel. The cabins and deck plans page shows exact layouts and positions to help you decide.

How many guests sail on AmaMagdalena?

AmaMagdalena carries a maximum of 60 guests across 30 cabins. That scale keeps the on-board atmosphere intimate and the service personal — a deliberate characteristic of the ship and a key reason many travellers choose river cruising over larger ocean vessels.