AmaWaterways Christens Second Magdalena River Ship in Colombia
AmaWaterways’ growing Magdalena program signals a broader revival of Colombian river tourism, linking cruise demand with local culture and communities long off the global map.
AmaWaterways has christened AmaMelodia at Barranquilla. The 64-guest ship is the line's second on Colombia's Magdalena River, joining sister vessel AmaMagdalena in regular service between Cartagena and Barranquilla. Elisabeth Mercado Herrera serves as both godmother and captain.
AmaWaterways resumed passenger cruising on Colombia's largest river after a gap of more than 60 years. The Magdalena program followed several seasons of planning and coordination with local authorities, partners and river communities.
Local partners and a first female Magdalena captain
"This milestone means so much to us, not only as we expand our presence in Colombia," said Kristin Karst, chief brand ambassador at AmaWaterways. Karst said the company is also continuing to build on relationships formed in the country.
The Barranquilla ceremony brought together ProColombia, the government agency responsible for promoting tourism, along with government officials and community leaders. Attendees included Eduardo Verano de la Rosa, governor of the Department of Atlántico; Barranquilla Mayor Alejandro Char Chaljub; Colombia's Minister of Transport, Maria Fernanda Rojas Mantilla; and Carmen Caballero Villa.
A mamo, a spiritual leader from the Indigenous Tayrona culture of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, delivered the vessel blessing. The ceremony also included remarks from AmaWaterways co-founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst, as well as Herrera, and was preceded by a 30-minute performance inspired by Barranquilla's Carnaval traditions.
Herrera, a native of El Guamo, is the first woman to become a river cruise captain on Colombia's Magdalena River and one of two female captains in AmaWaterways' fleet. "Bringing river cruising to the Magdalena opens new opportunities for the communities along the riverbanks," Herrera said. She also said she hopes her career path "inspires more women to see a future for themselves in this industry."
A compact ship built for the Magdalena program
Designed in collaboration with Colombian architect Camilo Restrepo, AmaMelodia is a three-deck, 223-foot river ship with 32 double-occupancy staterooms and a crew of 30. All cabins have a French balcony and small step-out veranda, with the largest suites measuring 325 square feet.
AmaMelodia sails the line's Magic of Colombia and Wonders of Colombia itineraries, which include destinations along the Magdalena such as Mompox and Palenque. The program includes cultural performances tied to Barranquilla, as well as programming in Palenque, described in itinerary material as the first free town in the Americas founded by formerly enslaved people.
The Magdalena River flows north from the Andes to the Caribbean Sea and remains Colombia's principal navigable river. Its lower and middle reaches support shallow-draft navigation, but conditions can vary because of current, sedimentation, changing depth and sandbars near the river mouth at Barranquilla, where dredging is needed to maintain access.
