Monday, April 1, 2024

River Cruise Ships

avalon cruise line

Our floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall panoramic windows eliminate the need for a space-wasting balcony, giving you more room to stretch out with 30% more living space than the industry standard. When you retreat to your suite, you’ll never miss a moment of the ever-changing views. So dream on before you drift off in a bed with the dreamiest views in river cruising.

Wake Up to a New View

Knowledgeable, English-speaking local guides led shore excursions (at least one daily excursion was included), and the excursions were enhanced with the use of wireless headsets. On that count, Avalon's Panorama Suites, with their view-facing beds and walls of glass, have delivered mightily since they first began debuting in 2011. As I am seeing on Avalon Alegria and have seen when sailing many other Avalon vessels, the Panorama Suites typically have small seating areas next to the walls of glass.

Vacation Deals

They do it by stealing space away from the interior parts of cabins. The narrowness of the locks on European rivers means that river ships must be built to be very narrow — too narrow to have cabins that are both spacious enough to be comfortable and have balconies at their ends. One of the big differences between the Panorama Suites on Avalon's Suite Ships and the cabins on the river ships of some competitors is that they don't have balconies. That allows the entire wall facing the outside to be turned into one big glass panel.

Night Festive Season On The Legendary DanubeDetails

avalon cruise line

There’s no spa onboard the Avalon View, and the fitness center is small and tucked away in a nondescript room. An onboard adventure host teaches fitness classes though, and bikes, for on-shore cycling, are available too. Hiking is another on shore activity guests can take advantage of. Leave the jeans and T-shirts, as well as the opulent evening gowns and tuxes, at home. At dinner, understated cocktail dresses and jackets (sans ties) are appropriate. In addition to offering a full roster of special interest cruises (think Wine Appreciation, Heritage, Jewish History and the like), Avalon also has developed a reputation for hosting interesting guest speakers.

Avalon Waterways requires COVID vaccination, negative test or virus immunity

When it comes to excursions, Avalon offers a range of options from low-intensity tours to dedicated Adventure & Discovery sailings that are geared toward active travelers. These include things like guided canoe and hiking trips and biking along the shore. New Adventure Hosts provide passengers with all the potential options for activity onboard, and they can help organize special requests. Paid choices include a pub crawl in Linz and an absinthe tasting in Vienna for those with the stamina. Here are the shortcuts to all the Avalon Waterways river cruise line ships. The company operates a young fleet of mostly European riverboats aimed at North American, Australian and New Zealand passengers in their 50s or older.

MSC Cruises Unveils Summer 2025 Sailings from U.S. Ports

The premium travel brand and river cruise line Avalon Waterways (avalonwaterways.com) offers exceptional personalized services, with experience in guided vacations and cruising itineraries of over 80 years. Avalon travel experts are constantly thinking of their passengers and always put them first. This is CruiseMapper's page that reviews and lists all Avalon Waterways river cruise ship itineraries, destinations, and ports of departure. We have all Avalon riverboat schedules (sail calendar with dates and prices PP). Another feature is the Avalon Waterways ships tracking service integrated into each page. This feature shows on a map the ship's location now (current position on the river).

Passengers can elect to hike their way up to a ruined castle in Durnstein, bike through Austria’s beautiful Wachau Valley, or go exploring like a local in Amsterdam. Available on the Danube and Rhine, these Active Discovery cruises complement the line’s policy of equipping European riverboats with bicycles that are available for use by passengers, free-of-charge. On Avalon's Suite Ships (the name it has coined for the majority of its European river fleet), most cabins have beds that face the window, not the wall. It sounds like a small change, but it's one that makes a difference. On an Avalon cruise, you can lie on your bed while still enjoying the scenery, which makes the cabins a more pleasant place to spend your time. It's an innovation that is now being copied by some competitors and has been implemented by Avalon on some of its non-European riverboats.

Consistency in Asian destinations

A few years back, Avalon teamed up with Austrian chefs Karl and Leo Wrenkh to offer a more comprehensive menu of vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Known as Avalon Fresh, the initiative focuses on local ingredients and regional dishes based around the fleet’s European itineraries. In addition to Avalon Fresh, the line makes gluten-free dishes available at meals, and the menus are marked with a handy ingredient list for people with food allergies. If some water level problems occur, or any technical problems, Avalon Waterways may operate the itinerary by motorcoach or to change the entire cruise tour program. Check the visa requirements with your travel agent - visas are the client's responsibility. Follow our social media and blog for the latest cruise and travel news, including our best vacation deals.

Avalon Waterways fleet

The reason for so many newbuilds is Avalon's parent company Globus Group. Founded in 1928, the Globus group of companies manages over 30 businesses in the fields of tourism and aviation, offering annually over departures on over 300 unique itineraries. HX, formerly Hurtigruten Expeditions, also saw a bookings boost in January and February, including within the trade. As cruising’s wave season (January – March) came to a close for 2024, cruise lines are taking stock of the quarter’s bookings.

The rooms are laid out so that you won't miss a single passing riverscape. On board, Avalon offers Local Favorites presentations to give guests a glimpse into your destination’s culture and traditions. You can opt for a wide range of activities on shore, including food and wine tastings, exhibits by local artists, walks with tour guides and performances by local entertainers. Rather than herding you around, Avalon offers more expert-led discovery options than any other cruise line, making it possible to explore each port according to what intrigues you most.

Avalon Imagery Itineraries: 2024 & 2025 Schedule (with Prices) on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic

Avalon Imagery Itineraries: 2024 & 2025 Schedule (with Prices) on Cruise Critic.

Posted: Fri, 19 Apr 2024 05:19:52 GMT [source]

Options can range from active excursions, such as canoeing the Danube or jogging through Amsterdam, to cultural experiences, like following the life of an Austrian worker or taking part in an Amsterdam painting class. Passengers who prefer to explore on their own can use the AvalonGO app loaded with a list of nearby attractions and hours of operation, historical facts, maps and directions as well as local cafes, restaurants, bars and entertainment options. There’s no theater onboard Avalon’s intimate river ships, but there is the aforementioned dance floor, where local musicians and DJs get things going on select nights.

As I've written about several times over the years at other publications, Avalon Waterways has my favorite river cruise cabins in Europe, in large part because the beds are configured to face the view in most of them. As an alternative to owning river cruise ships, Avalon leases them. The company partners with shipowner companies with operational ships in a particular destination and brand one or more boats as "Avalon Waterways". These boats are usually chartered for up to 5 years, with the option the company to refurbish them or give them back to the owner. This way Avalon easily maintains one of the youngest and most modern fleets on this market.

Staterooms come with hotel-quality beds, soundproofing, flat-screen satellite TVs, full-size showers, marble countertops, L'Occitane bath products and complimentary Lavazza coffees. You'll pay extra for gratuities, salon or spa treatments, laundry, onboard shop purchases and some special excursions. Finally, there’s a hot tub on the deck, which is a fine way to unwind after an active day. You’ll need to bring your own water bottle as the ship’s sustainability efforts means there are no single-use plastic water bottles on board. The ship is equipped with several water refilling stations that dispense still, sparkling, and flavored waters. Avalon requires guests to be able to independently move around the ship and participate in upper deck safety exercises before departure.

Plus, our experienced travel consultants have access to exclusive vacation deals to make sure you get the best value for your time and money. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. Guests under 18 are allowed to accompany adults onboard Avalon Waterways ships but must share a cabin with an adult. As new ships flood the burgeoning river-cruise market, each one-upping the other with better bells and more whistles, the what-will-they-think-of-next game is in full swing. Avalon Waterways' entry into the competition is 164-passenger Avalon Panorama, whose "Panorama Suite" innovation is brilliant in its simplicity. The focus on consistency carries into several of Avalon's Asia itineraries.

Avalon Alegria has scheduled two different itineraries - a classic 7-day roundtrip cruise from Oporto (visiting Regua, Pocinho, Aregos) and a 10-day cruisetour itinerary inclusive of three nights (hotel stay) in Lisbon. All affected Avalon river cruise and cruisetour bookings received a full (100%) monetary refund, including on prepurchased through Avalon Waterways packages and services. Born said that it was this very pace that prompted the river company to increase capacity for November sailings and add more “festive” cruises. As March came to a close, Carnival Corporation announced that reservation numbers, revenue and total customer deposits during the wave season reached an all-time high, even with significantly higher prices year-over-year. Carnival Corporation brands include AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (U.K.), Princess Cruises and Seabourn. Layers, for cool nights at sea, and comfortable shoes, for use in many of the ship’s excursions, are recommended.

Notably, some of its ships are so lithe that they can reach key destinations that other river ships can't. For instance, the ship can take on passengers in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and sail directly into Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, leaving guests more time to explore instead of dealing with local transports. Passengers can borrow free bikes from the Adventure Center or connect to the ship's Wi-Fi system without charge. Eco-friendly water bottles are provided at the beginning of the cruise. Cruisers can then refill them at water stations throughout the ship with options for still or sparkling plus vitamin-infused or flavored choices. Gratuities and drinks outside of meal times are not included, however, and passengers can choose their own amount for tips.

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