Phoenix Reisen is a family-owned German tour operator best known for traditional, German-language ocean and river cruises. Based in Bonn, the company combines a small fleet of characterful ocean ships with one of the broadest river-cruise programmes marketed in the German-speaking market.
The business was founded by Johannes Zurnieden in 1973 and remains privately held. Phoenix began as a general tour operator before entering ocean cruising in 1988 with a long-term charter of Maxim Gorkiy.
Its continuing ocean programme centres on Amadea, Artania and Amera. Deutschland is also sailing a final seasonal programme for Phoenix during 2026, after which its summer charter is due to end.
From city breaks to ocean cruising
Johannes Zurnieden founded Phoenix Reisen in Bonn on 26 November 1973, when he was 23 years old. The company began operating short air holidays to Prague, Budapest and Istanbul in 1974 before expanding to destinations including Mallorca, Gran Canaria, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and the United States.
A major change came in 1988 when Phoenix chartered Maxim Gorkiy, the former German liner Hamburg. The agreement established Phoenix as an ocean-cruise operator and began a long association with older, medium-sized ships offering a more intimate alternative to the rapidly growing resort vessels of the period.
Phoenix subsequently operated ships including Albatros, Alexander von Humboldt and Maxim Gorkiy. Although those vessels have left the fleet, the company has retained its emphasis on classic ships, long itineraries, personal service and a familiar onboard atmosphere.
Ownership and operating model
Phoenix Reisen GmbH remains family-owned and is registered in Bonn. The company’s current managing directors are Johannes Zurnieden, Julian Knittel and Benjamin Krumpen.
Phoenix is principally a tour operator and charterer rather than the registered owner of every vessel carrying its brand. Ocean-ship management, crewing, hotel services and technical operations involve specialist partner companies, while individual river ships are supplied by several different shipping companies.
This distinction is particularly important for the river fleet. Phoenix sells and organises the voyages, sets much of the guest product and provides cruise-management teams, but the vessels themselves may be owned and nautically operated by companies such as Scylla and other regional partners.
Phoenix Reisen ocean fleet
Phoenix’s ocean ships are deliberately smaller than the newest mass-market vessels and are designed around destination-led cruising rather than water parks, rollercoasters or large resort attractions.
| Ship | Built | Approximate guests | Phoenix status in August 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amadea | 1991 | Up to 600 | Continuing fleet; flagship |
| Artania | 1984 | About 1,200 | Continuing fleet |
| Amera | 1988 | About 835 | Continuing fleet |
| Deutschland | 1998 | About 550 | Final seasonal Phoenix programme in 2026 |
Capacities are rounded from Phoenix and operating-partner information. Published limits may differ according to itinerary and cabin use.
Amadea
Amadea is Phoenix’s flagship and accommodates no more than approximately 600 passengers. Built in Japan as Asuka, the ship joined Phoenix in 2006 and is distinguished by spacious public rooms, extensive open decks and a comparatively high level of personal service.
The vessel has also become familiar to German television audiences as the principal filming location for ZDF’s long-running series Das Traumschiff. That association is commercially valuable to Phoenix but does not change the ship’s regular role as a working cruise vessel.
Artania
Artania is the largest ship in the Phoenix ocean fleet. It entered service in 1984 as Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess and was named by Diana, Princess of Wales. After later careers as Artemis, the vessel began operating for Phoenix in 2011.
The ship is known for having predominantly outside accommodation and for undertaking extended voyages, including world cruises and destination-intensive programmes. Regular refurbishments have updated its interiors and technical systems while retaining the layout and character of a traditional ocean liner.
Amera
Amera joined Phoenix in 2019 following a long career that began as Royal Viking Line’s Royal Viking Sun and later included service for Holland America Line as Prinsendam.
Carrying around 835 passengers, the ship occupies the middle ground between Amadea and Artania. Its generous passenger-space ratio, large number of outside cabins and long-range capability make it suitable for both regional cruises and extended international voyages.
Deutschland
Deutschland has operated seasonally for Phoenix since 2016, normally returning to the educational Semester at Sea programme under the name World Odyssey outside the Phoenix season.
Phoenix announced in November 2025 that the extended summer charter would conclude after the 2026 programme. The ship should therefore be treated as an active but departing Phoenix vessel in August 2026, rather than part of the continuing three-ship fleet beyond the end of the season.
Extensive river-cruise operation
Phoenix advertises voyages aboard approximately 50 river vessels across Europe and farther afield. Its published ship directory includes familiar European names such as Alena, Alisa, Andrea, Anesha, Anna Katharina, Annika, Antonia, Asara, Rhein Prinzessin and Swiss Crystal.
The programme covers the Rhine, Main, Moselle, Danube, Rhône, Saône, Seine, Douro and other European waterways. Longer-distance products can include the Nile, Mekong, Ganges, Brahmaputra and Amazon systems, using locally appropriate ships and operating partners.
River-ship sizes and inclusions vary considerably. Some vessels offer full board, others provide enhanced full-board packages or all-inclusive arrangements, and the onboard facilities depend on the destination and ship design.
Onboard experience
The Phoenix product is designed primarily for German-speaking passengers. German is the principal onboard language, announcements and excursion information are generally delivered in German, and entertainment is tailored to the company’s core market.
Ocean cruises typically include full-board dining, afternoon refreshments, live music, theatre entertainment, lectures, organised activities and destination information. The atmosphere is traditional and sociable, with fixed or allocated dining arrangements used on some ships and itineraries.
Phoenix emphasises a friendly, familiar style rather than formal luxury. Its ocean vessels have pools, lounges, bars, restaurants, libraries, fitness and wellness areas, but their principal appeal lies in their manageable size, promenade decks, itinerary range and experienced German cruise-management teams.
Precise inclusions vary between ocean and river products. Guests should check the individual fare because drinks packages, gratuities, flights, transfers and excursions are not handled identically across the full programme.
Destinations and deployments
Phoenix’s ocean itineraries range from short European cruises to full world voyages. Bremerhaven is a particularly important homeport, while programmes also use other embarkation points according to the ship and season.
Northern Europe, the Norwegian fjords, Iceland, Greenland, the Baltic, the British Isles and the Mediterranean feature regularly. Longer voyages extend to Africa, Asia, Australia, the South Pacific, North and South America, Antarctica and remote Atlantic islands.
The ships’ relatively modest dimensions allow Phoenix to combine major cruise ports with smaller destinations that cannot routinely accommodate the world’s largest vessels. Long calls, scenic cruising and multi-week voyages form an important part of the company’s positioning.
Phoenix Reisen today
More than five decades after its foundation, Phoenix Reisen remains unusual in the European cruise industry: a sizeable, independent and family-owned tour operator competing with much larger corporate cruise groups.
The company’s identity is built around continuity. Several ships have long service histories, repeat passengers form an important part of the customer base, and familiar presenters, captains and cruise-team members feature prominently in its communications.
At the same time, Phoenix continues to refurbish its ocean ships and introduce newer chartered river vessels. Its response to low water in August 2026—continuous operational reviews and limited free-rebooking flexibility for selected long Danube cruises—also demonstrates the practical role it plays as tour operator across a large and operationally diverse river programme.