The new AmaMagdalena luxury cruise, the first of its kind on Colombia’s Magdalena River, carried out its first trip last weekend, as the ship docked in Cartagena de Indias’ bay on Saturday.
This AmaWaterways cruise has five different 7-day travel packages to sail through the Magdalena. Some key tourist destinations on the trip include Medellin, Cartagena, and Panama City.
Travel packages start at USD $3,339 per person. The luxury cruise ship AmaMagdalena has a crew of 30 people, with 30 rooms and capacity for a maximum of 60 guests.
The AmaMagdalena is the first luxury cruise to sail on the Magdalena River, Colombia
AmaWaterways has advertised this cruise trip as a luxury experience, as the ship has cutting-edge amenities that include Wi-Fi, a gym, pools, VIP lounges, and cultural activities. The cruise also includes an all-inclusive bar and guided tourist activities.
Cruise routes have already begun, with the next one being on April 26. Bookings are already open for 2026 and 2027.
Despite this trip being unprecedented due to the unique characteristics of the AmaMagdalena cruise, luxury steamboats used to sail on the Magdalena River almost 60 years ago, and offered a similarly luxurious experience for the time.
Local government officials celebrate the cruise’s arrival in the Cordoba department
The Magdalena River is one of Colombia’s most important bodies of water. It spans over 11 departments, and is key for several local industries. Local government of the Cordoba department, one of the departments that will be visited by the AmaMagdalena cruise, has celebrated the increase in tourism that cruises like the AmaMagdalena and National Geographic cruise have brought to the region.
Cordoba governor Erasmo Zuleta Bechara said in a statement, “Córdoba continues to open up to the world. The arrival of the National Geographic cruise in San Antero is a demonstration of the enormous tourism potential of our department.”