Nicole Edenedo
Amadeus River Cruises is working to bring the latest advancements in sustainable technology for river cruising to its next generation of ships.
Construction is currently underway for the Amadeus Nova, the company's newest ship, set to join its fleet in 2024. The Nova will be the first in a new class of ships going forward that will focus heavily on incorporating environmentally sustainable features. The ship will be designed to reduce emissions and improve operational efficiency, but guests can also expect an enhanced passenger experience onboard.
Amadeus said the 79-cabin, 158-passenger ship will feature a hybrid, diesel-electric drive -- a first for any of the company's ships -- plus a powerful battery to ensure maximum engine power. In-house developed filters and catalysts will reduce engine emissions and "almost completely eliminate the emission of pollutants," it said.
Solar panels will help provide electric energy to the ship, while heat recovery systems and insulated glass aim to enhance energy efficiency. On the bridge, autonomous control and positioning systems will improve safety and fuel efficiency.
Many of these features are new to the market, said Marcus Leskovar, executive vice president of Amadeus River Cruises. He said the company has been keen to introduce cutting-edge technology to further its mission to cruise more sustainably.
"Our owners have really made a big investment in this new vessel, applying and including all these innovations and new technologies that are available to cruise ships," Leskovar said of the river line's parent company, Austria-based Lueftner Cruises. "That's what makes the Nova really different. We're excited to be one of the very first cruise lines to install this new technology."
A new generation of Amadeus ships
The Amadeus Nova will be the line's third ship to debut since the pandemic began. The Amadeus Cara, which launched last June, was the first to introduce features that broke away from the design of the company's classic builds, such as its Amadeus Silver series. The Amadeus Riva, which launched in May, followed suit.
On the new ships, Leskovar said, "there's only two decks up front, which enables us to have an actual alfresco area on top of the front of the ship." There are also two-deck atriums.
While the company retained its three-deck levels for cabins and suites, the Amadeus Cara and Riva also reduced the number of cabins to allow more public spaces; the feature will be added to the Nova.
The Amadeus Cara also kicked off the river line's modernized approach to incorporating sustainability measures by adding newer, energy-efficient engines to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Air filtration systems with two-stage purification were installed on the Amadeus Riva.
A cleaner, quieter Nova
Now, with the Amadeus Nova, the line will be building on its sustainable efforts.
And guests will also be able to benefit from the ecofriendly features that Amadeus is incorporating. For example, the Nova will be quieter and have less vibration due to an upgraded propeller system.
Amadeus calls the design of its more recent newbuilds a "great evolution" for the company.
"We've always tried to improve the ships, to improve passenger comfort, to improve environmental sustainability - all of that has always been very important to us, and I think you can see that with these last three ships," Leskovar said. "That focus is still very much there."