2018:
Honoring Rudi Schreiner & Kristin Karst
TravelAge
West’s Excellence in Leadership Award honors individuals who, in the course of
their career in
travel, have consistently demonstrated leadership and insight, effected change
or innovation and made extraordinary
contributions to both organizations and the industry at large. For 2018,
TravelAge West is honored
to present this award to Rudi Schreiner, president and co-owner of
AmaWaterways, and Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-owner of
AmaWaterways.
AmaWaterways
offers travelers memorable experiences around the world onboard award-winning
river cruise ships inspired by luxury yachts. Schreiner, who was born in
Vienna, had a love for design and architecture, but a desire to travel drew him
to places across the globe. After the completion of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal
in 1992, Schreiner was able to combine his passions to become a driving force
for the expansion and modernization of the river cruise industry. Karst, who is
originally from Dresden, Germany, got her experience in the economics of
tourism and business management, as well as luxury travel sales. In 2000, her
path crossed with Schreiner’s in the U.S., and two years later, they founded
Amadeus Waterways (now AmaWaterways) with the help of travel entrepreneur Jimmy
Murphy.
AmaWaterways
was created to be a river cruise line that the founders themselves would enjoy.
Their aim was to showcase exceptional food and wine, comfortable and tasteful
decor and plenty of room to relax, along with engaging, active excursions. It
was also of utmost importance to have a staff who was invested in the guest
experience. Recruiting and training employees who are passionate about service
and sharing their culture with passengers is at the core of AmaWaterways’
growth strategy; each crew member is an expertly trained professional with a
commitment to go above and beyond to ensure that clients have an excellent
experience.
Under
Schreiner and Karst’s leadership, AmaWaterways has grown into a dynamic and
innovative river cruise company with a head office in Calabasas, Calif., and
sales and operations support offices in the U.K. and Switzerland. The line’s
20th ship was christened in May, and three more ships will launch in 2019.
Personal
relationships are at the heart of Schreiner and Karst’s business philosophy,
and they attribute a large part of their continuing success to the incredible
support they have received from the travel agent community.
“Rudi
and Kristin were there at the beginning of what has become a major part of the
cruise industry, and we should all thank them for their foresight,” said
Kenneth Shapiro, Editor-in-Chief of TravelAge West. “I’ve always appreciated
Rudi and Kristin’s passion for the travel experience on their ships. They truly
care about what they’re doing, and it shows. Plus, they are huge supporters of
agents and have developed a deep relationship with the community.”
