Raising the bar – a philosophy of change
In 2004, Avalon Waterways set out to revolutionise luxury river cruising. Backed by over 50 years’ experience from our parent company Globus Travel, we had the resources and inspiration to create a new and different kind of river cruise experience – one that would embrace and celebrate the best this unique mode of travel has to offer and take it to new levels of luxury and service. Our vision was clear – to visit the choicest destinations, cruising through the most magnificent of scenery, exploring history, heritage and culture, all delivered with the ultimate of luxury 5* hotel standard accommodation on board the most modern of ships.
Now, with the youngest, most contemporary fleet of award-winning ships in Europe, Avalon Waterways brings you river cruising at its supreme best. We have taken everything special about river cruising and made it even better – down to the very last detail. Luxurious comfort, an uncompromising level of service, sleek and spacious staterooms, fine cuisine and carefully-crafted itineraries along some of the world’s most beautiful waterways are just some of the reasons why our guests have awarded us a 97% satisfaction rating, and why they choose to return, time after time.
Pushing the boundaries of river cruising
Avalon Waterways places innovation at the heart of everything it does, starting with the ships themselves. We are the only river cruise operator actively involved with every aspect of the ship’s design, taking the ultimate comfort of our guests as our guiding principle. With the launch of our very first ship, Avalon Waterways' inspired design innovations became the new standard, including the introduction of floor-to-ceiling windows and French balconies on two decks of every Avalon Waterways vessel. We developed a Silent Drive System (SDS) for the stern of each ship to guarantee our travellers the most quiet cruise experience possible. We were also the first to bring a larger stateroom with deluxe hotel-style amenities to an entire fleet. And we elevated interior design from classic and traditional to contemporary and bright, using top quality materials and craftsmanship throughout.
In our drive to exceed our guests’ expectations, we are pushing the boundaries of river cruising still further, with the launch of our Suite Ships - a completely new class of vessel that redefines the concept of space and style. With two full decks of spacious suites and floor-to-ceiling windows that, when opened, transform your suite into an open-air balcony, and with sweeping views from every public area, our Suite Ships reward all our guests with an unequalled sense of freedom, space and comfort. These splendid vessels deliver a host of innovative on board amenities and services, and an experience like no other. A Panorama Suite on Avalon Waterways Suite Ships comes fully appointed and ready to deliver the very best of river cruising. You will find yourself mesmerised by the amazing views outside your wall-to-wall Panoramic Window – the delightful scenery seems close enough to touch. You will appreciate how the unique Open-Air Balcony doesn't detract from your indoor square footage the way an exterior balcony does. You will discover that you can really ‘live’ in the remarkably large living space – a full 30% larger than the industry standard. Even the placement of the bed is innovative, so that the last thing you see at night and the first thing you see in the morning are the magnificent passing riverscapes.
Continuing to refine the art of river cruising
Perhaps it is our Swiss heritage of meticulous planning and attention to detail that drives us to continue to re-engineer luxury river cruising. Since 2004, Avalon Waterways has developed and christened more new ships in Europe than any other cruise company in the world. Every year we continue to grow and to introduce more new state-of-the-art ships, built to exacting specifications unmatched by any other operator. 2013 sees the launch of two brand-new Suite Ships, the gorgeous Avalon Artistry II and the Avalon Expression, which will grace the waters of the Rhine and Danube rivers respectively. This brings the total number of these revolutionary vessels to five, including Avalon Visionary, Avalon Vista and Avalon Panorama. In addition, the fleet encompasses Avalon Luminary, Avalon Felicity, Avalon Affinity, Avalon Scenery, Avalon Creativity, Avalon Tranquillity, Avalon Imagery and Avalon Tapestry.
Exciting new itineraries are continuously being added and existing journeys adapted, and amenities and services enhanced and refined as we listen to and learn from guest feedback. Avalon Waterways is always moving forward, combining the most up-to-date approaches with traditional values to make us not only the most contemporary cruise line on Europe’s waters, but also the most consistent.
Join our Journeys Club
As we expand our travel horizons, come along with us and take advantage of Journeys Club, our benefits programme created exclusively for our frequent travellers. Members are eligible for special offers, discounts and on board treats and extras, as well as a range of offers from selected partners, including Cruise International magazine and Gray & Osbourne.
