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Onboard the Avalon View, guests can choose between casual buffets or four-course dinners with wine before dancing the night away to live music from a local band or DJ. Onboard fitness classes and bikes make it easier to keep fitness routines going, and every meal offers a range of healthy and vegetarian meal options. Excursion options include active adventures like bike rides and hikes. In 2019, Avalon Waterways added 6 new options, including the company's first "Ganges River Cruise" in India.
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Public gathering spaces have also been maxed out on the 443-foot-long, 37.4-foot-wide ship with four decks. In addition to the shiplong sky deck, there's a large indoor lounge, a smaller indoor club lounge and an outdoor covered seating area in the front of the ship, perfect for open-air sightseeing on rainy days. Each Panorama Suite features an 11-foot-wide, seven-foot-tall wall of glass that can slide to reveal a gaping, almost magical open-air expanse. When the doors are opened, take my word, you'll feel as if the entire cabin was outdoors. The majority of passengers are American, Canadian, British and Australian, although the mix can vary. The average age on most sailings is 68, but on the line's Adventure & Discovery sailings (where the excursions lean toward more active opportunities), the average age drops to 62.
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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.
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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.
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The expansive sun decks, modern fitness equipment, and beauty salons are another extra. “Avalon Waterways is enjoying record sales overall for 2024,” said Steve Born, chief marketing officer for the Globus family of brands, which includes Avalon. “Our record pace accelerated during this wave season, as more and more advisors look to Avalon as an alternative to more traditional luxury cruises."
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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).
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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Gratuities are not included for tour and cruise directors, local guides, drivers and crew members like cabin attendants. Avalon Waterways is unbundling its cruise fares so that people choose if they want to add on pre- or post-tours plus hotel stays. Previously, hotels before a sailing (when necessary) were included. Avalon Envision marks the first new-generation ship for Avalon Waterways, with a shallower draft enabling it to sail in lower and higher water level conditions. Built in the Netherlands, Avalon Envision joins the line's 12 other Suite-class ships with unique features, such as roomy Panorama Suites, with floor-to-ceiling windows that open the length of the room and beds that face the window.
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.
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.
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At dinner you'll see mostly open-neck shirts and slacks for men; slacks, skirts or dresses for women. Some people op to dress up a bit nicer, though still relatively casual, for the welcome and farewell dinners (only on Europe river cruises). An expansive bar and lounge—complete with a dance floor—is where to get the party started, but drinks here aren’t included in the cruise price. At meals, beverage offerings vary by region; in Europe, for example, wine, beer, and soft drinks are included with lunch and dinner, but on a cruise in the Galápagos Islands, wine is only included with dinner. The main dining room serves a full breakfast buffet each morning and four-course dinners every evening. Guests can choose from several options at each meal, including a creative selection of vegetarian dishes.
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.
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.
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.
Whichever table setting you choose, you’ll savor local flavors as well as the familiar favorites you love. Avalon Waterways cruise prices also Include city tours and excursions (with a local guide), but these visits and their features are subject to change (a substitute will be offered). All Avalon cruise rates in our articles are per passenger (double occupancy, airfare not included). On some of the Avalon cruises, mid-vacation flights are required. No two travelers are alike—so Avalon would never expect you to enjoy the same cruise experiences as everyone else.
Innovation and technology - in 2011, Avalon introduced the Panorama ship - industry's first Suite-class riverboat. On Avalon's "suite ships", ~80% of all staterooms are in Suite categories, sized 1/3 larger than the industry's average, with slide-opening wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling windows, window-facing beds for a unique river cruising experience. We’ve transformed ordinary cruise cabins into our one-of-a-kind Open-Air Balcony featuring the only bed with a view in river cruising.
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