Amadeus Waterways Forks Over $100 Million to Build Four New Ships

In 2006, Amadeus Waterways built its first river ship from the keel up. One year later, it built a second vessel. Now, the Chatsworth, Calif.-based river cruise company is investing $100 million to triple its fleet size.

Amadeus is launching two new ships this year, and two more will launch in 2009, which will bring the company’s fleet size to six (not including the Swiss Pearl and Tolstoy, which Amadeus charters).

Amadeus Waterways was founded by Brendan Tours Chairman Jimmy Murphy in 2002, when the river cruise company started running seven-day tulip cruises through the Netherlands and Belgium.

All the ships are being built in the Netherlands and have the same dimensions as Amadeus’ existing ships: the Amadagio, which launched in 2006, and the Amalegro, which launched last year.

They are all 360 feet in length and 38 feet wide with four decks, including a sun deck. They all have 71 cabins at 170 square feet and four junior suites at 255 square feet. And all ships will have the capacity to carry a crew of 41.