On an Avalon Waterways river cruise, "included" is the name of the game. From spacious outside staterooms with expansive views to Wi-Fi access in your suite. From sparkling wines, regional beers and wines to unlimited lattes and premium coffees. From your choice of enriching shore excursions to VIP access to the must-see sites. It's all included!
The on board experience is superb. At every meal, you'll have the ability to choose from a multitude of dining experiences
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All meals feature the highest-quality local ingredients, hand crafted by true culinary artisans. And all are included at no extra cost - from casual Bistro style dining to the elegant Main Dining Room. From continental breakfast delivered to your own room to Afternoon Tea.
Relax and glide peacefully along Europe’s great waterways with 360-degree views of Europe. Avalon Waterways river cruisers offers the most spacious staterooms in Europe with Panorama-style Suite Ships. Most staterooms and suites have a floor-to-ceiling sliding-glass door with a French Balcony that opens right out to the vista before you.
One of the joys of river cruising in Europe is that you arrive right in the centre of some of Europe’s great cities. Unlike other cruise operators, Avalon Waterway’s preplanned discoveries are included at no extra charge. Thanks to the touring experience of sister company Globus, you are privy to the best, all-inclusive land programs available.
Plus there is great selection of optional excursions to help you further personalize your cruise. Whether it's a classical music concert in Vienna, a visit to a French winery, time at the colossal Romanian Parliament building in Bucharest, or a guided bicycle tour through town – you decide how much you want to do, and at what pace, at each stop on your journey.
With Avalon Waterways you will sail with the newest ships on the European Waterways, and each year Avalon adds more award winning vessels. In 2015, Avalon will introduce two more Suite Ships®: the Avalon Tapestry II® and the Avalon Tranquility II®.
Avalon have taken a radically different approach to stateroom design with innovation, imagination and a relentless desire to create a smart use of space. The result is their one-of-a-kind Panorama Suites.
Panorama Suites
Compare Avalon Panorama Suites to the typical river cruise cabin. Start with the windows. While others put a small window in their wall, Avalon has a floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall window – the entire outside wall of your Stateroom is made up of window. It's the largest standard window in river cruising - more than 30% larger than the others. And it opens up to some of Europe's most awe-inspiring views.
Then there’s the smallest details to ensure your views from anywhere in your stateroom are unobstructed. The chairs are low profile enough to not block your view. And the table is designed to slide down all the way when you aren't using it. Small things that make a big difference.
When it comes to balconies, other cruise companies make your room a whole lot smaller in order to give you a small outdoor space they call a "balcony." Because the floor to ceiling windows in your Avalon Panorama Suite open a full 7 feet wide – effectively your whole room can become your balcony, without losing any space, You can enjoy the feeling of sitting comfortably "outside" as the amazing views of castles and villages, rolling green hills and ancient cities pass by.
The result is that your Stateroom has around 200 sq ft more than the average - and you can enjoy that space all of the time. This extra space also allows Avalon to furnish it with a love seat and chairs, a table where you can enjoy a meal of an evening drink, and enough room for entertaining friends.
Instead of the norm where the bed faces the wall - Avalon decided to turn the bed so it faces out the giant window. And to do that they angled the wall behind the bed, which had two other benefits: it opened up the stateroom to give you more space, and it opened up the bathroom behind the wall to give you a more space and a bathroom vanity. Meanwhile – you get to look out of your window at breathtaking views of the European countryside passing by.
Dining experiences
The perfect complement to your day's journey is a choice of regional fare. Every dinner features a specialty dish from your destination as well as a choice of wine, including a special wine of the region, selected by a professional sommelier and always complimentary. Avalon use high-quality, prime-cut beef, fresh fish, and an accompaniment of hand-picked local fruits, vegetables, and garden greens.
And aboard Avalon’s Suite Ships, you can take advantage of the new Panorama Bistro - a casual atmosphere offering a variety of regional and tapas-style dishes, hand-paired with local wines.
Lunches are a reason to return to the ship. Enjoy hand carved meats and expansive buffets including fresh salads and amazing homemade soups. And on sunny days treat yourself to lunch with a view, courtesy of the open air Sky Bistro, featuring grilled meats and local favorites.
Start your day with an extensive breakfast buffet: choose a made-to-order omelette, fresh fruit, or an assortment of just-baked breads. Or try the daily breakfast special. Up early or sleeping in? No problem. The Early and Late Riser Continental breakfast ensure you're off to a great start.
Activities and excursions
Avalon select the very best guides—professionals who are certified locally in each destination and selected by the Globus family of brands. These Certified Local Guides are recognized for their expertise, enthusiasm, and knowledge of the area. They will lead you on engaging sightseeing tours that bring you genuine, behind-the-scenes destination experiences. You'll even benefit from the use of personal headsets for sightseeing, which gives you the freedom to roam through some of Europe's most famous attractions without missing a moment of fascinating commentary.
With Avalon, your onboard ship experience is as lively and captivating as your time on shore! Get behind the scenes as you tour the Galley and Bridge. Join new friends for special events or movie nights. Attend Local Favorites activities—like beer and wine tastings, demonstrations by local artisans, and talks by local experts about the areas through which you're travelling. Avalon even brings local entertainers on board so that you can gain a full appreciation for the region and its culture.
The Globus family of brands comprises Globus, Cosmos, Avalon Waterways and Monograms. Each of these companies brings its own twist to escorted travel – and together they are backed by the huge scope and strength of the Globus organization.
In business for over 85 years, with 32 offices around the world, offering you over 400 itineraries in over 70 countries – this is a giant of the tourism world. It is a company with vast experience, huge resources on the ground and everything in place to make your Globus journey special. |
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Globus seeks to achieve just the right balance of included features and free time, and along the way, tell the stories that bring your destination to life. It all comes together to give you the feeling of being a true local – not just a visitor.
Globus can take care of every aspect of your travel – flights, pre and post tour stop overs, plus an unmatched choice of destinations and touring styles. Globus and Cosmos offer you escorted tours. Avalon Waterways has 15 beautiful river cruise vessels in Europe. And Monograms offers 143 world-wide independent packages that cover all the details for you, including hotels and transportation.
Whether you have a Globus or Cosmos Tour Director or an Avalon Waterways Cruise Director – you will be in good hands with a knowledgeable guide travelling with you every step of the way. On average Globus Tours Directors have 23 years’ experience and speak four languages. And even though you are travelling independently with Monograms - your Monograms Local Host is a friend in every city.