The line has pledged over the next two years to increase the size of its current two-ship fleet 150% and move into new destinations with fresh investment from Bison Capital.
Aqua chief executive, Francesco Galli Zugaro, will remain the line’s majority shareholder, with full control of the company’s “destiny and growth”, it has been announced.
“I’m thrilled after a decade of changing the face of river cruising on both the Amazon and the Mekong rivers, we will extend our footprint to coastal cruising in additional soft adventure destinations,” he said.
“It is a tribute to the confidence in our brand shown by our guests and travel agency partners we are able to make this significant move.”
The Singapore-based line says the changes will be phased in over the next two years with details of its three new ships and new itineraries coming “later this month”.
The expansion, it says, is a sign of US investor Bison’s “confidence” in Zugaro’s vision for the company.
Aqua was founded in 2008 and has built a reputation for bringing five-star luxury to river cruising in some of the world’s more remote locations.
Zugaro has pledged to maintain this ethos across its new ships and routes.
“We succeeded in bringing an unprecedented improvement to experiencing both the Peruvian Amazon and the Mekong by introducing intimate and luxurious boats from which travellers take safari-like excursions led by expert guides to discover jungles, wildlife and local cultures,” he said.
“While back on board, there is not only a staff-guest ratio of 1:1, but also ground-breaking cuisine overseen by internationally renowned celebrity chefs.”
Doug Trussler, partner at Bison Capital, added: “We are impressed by the brand and product Francesco has built and have a high degree of confidence in him and his team to deliver on the vision and goals of global expansion while maintaining dedication to quality and innovation.”
