Board your Avalon Suite Ship® in Budapest, called the “Pearl of the Danube.” Sail on your European river cruise to visit Vienna, picturesque Krems, and through beautiful views of the rich wine-growing region of Austria’s Wachau Valley.
Your Danube River cruise continues to Melk, where you’ll see its magnificent Benedictine Abbey, with fantastic frescoes, statures, library, and ornate pipe organ.
Your Germany river cruise continues with an excursion to Nuremberg.
While sailing, you’ll hear an onboard lecture about Christmas traditions in Europe, and choose from two guided excursions—a classic sightseeing tour of Nuremberg, or a tour of the historic Nuremberg Rally Grounds of WWII notoriety.
Continue your Festive European vacation to enjoy Christmas in the Heart of Germany with a guided sightseeing tour of the glowing Christkindlesmarkt of Bamberg—complete with dozens of nativity scenes of every size.
Würzburg is the next stop on your Christmas cruise through Germany.
Savor the sights, sounds, and confections of Würzburg’s warm Christmas markets before sailing to visit a picturesque Main River Village.
You’ll continue your scenic river cruise on the Rhine River to see the shining Christmas markets of Germany, France, and Switzerland.
Enjoy Heidelberg’s sparkling Christmas markets during your stay, before sailing for Strasbourg, France.
City sightseeing includes Strasbourg’s stained-glass, gothic cathedral, astronomical clock, and La Petite France district.
On to Breisach and the Black Forest of Bavaria to experience generations of warm and festive Christmas traditions.
Your Christmastime river cruise will conclude in Basel, Switzerland.
With Christmas celebration and special traditions large and small, and panoramic views, you’ll keep the visions of your scenic European river cruise in your memory for many Christmases to come.
Your Avalon river cruise will bring new tranquility to your traveler's soul, but you'll also find plenty of ways to excite your adventurous spirit to cruise your way! While on board, enjoy the intimate setting of the Avalon Tranquility II with two full decks of Panorama Suites with wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows that create river cruising's only Open-Air Balcony. Spanning 200 square feet, the Passion's Panorama Suites are 30% larger than the industry standard. It's the perfect place to stretch out on your window-facing Comfort Collection bed with the world at your feet. Host a private cocktail party in the spacious sitting area-comfortably accommodating six guests. On board, passengers enjoy free Wi-Fi access, complimentary computer use in public areas, a Fitness Center with state-of-the-art equipment, an elevator, and an expansive Sky Deck with shade system, premium lounge chairs, whirlpool, deck games, and the delightful Sky Bistro for al fresco lunches of light grill fare. Relaxed luxury and new discoveries await from ship to shore on the Avalon Tranquility II.
From the first bite to the last "Mmmmm," Avalon frees your tastebuds from the ordinary. At breakfast, lunch, and dinner, try mouthwatering∘ recipes from the region through which you're traveling-or more familiar Western∘ dishes, if that's your preference. With Avalon, they make every meal part of the journey.
Avalon Waterways want your experience with them to be as rich as possible and have included everything that they know will be important∘ to your cruise enjoyment.
With so many amenities on board, whether you are making the most of happy hour∘ by enjoying a glass of wine or a gin and tonic∘ in the lounge, or having a quiet moment in the Lounge∘ with a cappuccino, there is plenty of space to stretch out and relax on an Avalon ship.
They've designed a cruise experience that includes all the right things...but still leaves room for your own preferences.
Avalon Waterways know that no two travellers are alike so they don't assume all their guests will like the same activities and excursions. With more expertly led discovery options than any other river cruise line they make it possible for you to explore each port of call according to what intrigues you most.
Cruise into total body wellness. Start your mornings with an exercise program∘ on the Sky Deck (weather permitting) featuring stretching∘ and yoga, attend helpful lectures on healthy lifestyles, and enjoy healthy but delicious dining options, crafted daily on board.
Passengers must report any disability to Avalon before any reservation is made so that Avalon may advise whether they and/or their suppliers for any particular holiday are able to accommodate the passengers. Avalon may rely on the information provided to them by the passengers regarding the details of any disability∘ in order to make a decision as to whether the passengers can be accommodated. Avalon will make reasonable attempts to accommodate the special needs of disabled passengers, in accordance with the applicable laws.Not all sightseeing stops/sites accommodate wheelchairs and some locations∘ and sightseeing activities require extensive standing, sitting or walking. Avalon is not responsible for any missed activities due to a participant’s inability∘ to participate within a group. All of the ships have lifts, however they do not service the SkyDeck. Additionally most stateroom doors and bathrooms are not wide enough to allow access by standard wheelchairs, and bathrooms and other doorways may be fitted with coamings. For safety reasons passengers cannot be carried on ramps in ports when the ship is docked. In certain circumstances, they may ask that a disabled person or person with reduced mobility be accompanied∘ by another person capable of providing any assistance required.
In our many years of cruising experience, we have found that children under the age of eight typically are too young to fully enjoy a cruise vacation. Because of this and for the safety and enjoyment of all passengers, we do not accept children under eight years of age. In addition, please note that there are no special arrangements or activities for children on our ships.
All ships have non-smoking interiors. Smoking is permitted only in a designated outdoor area of each ship.
Here, There & Every-WEAR … What to Wear on an Avalon Cruise?
Aboard Avalon Waterways, our job is to make you feel Home “Suite” Home as you wind and bend your way through the world’s most beautiful landscapes. Here, we trade formality for friendly; white gloves for welcomes and suits and gowns for suites and get-up-and-go! Comfort is the only code we go by for cruise attire.
With Avalon, your days are filled with exciting excursions and soaking up picture-perfect landscapes, so dress for enjoyment and practicality. Because weather can be unpredictable, layers are always recommended when out and about. Consider packing a small backpack or handbag for jackets and sweaters. And, of course, bring your favourite, most comfortable, walking or athletic shoes to keep your feet happy and your heart pumping.
Dinner attire on board is casual with typical guests donning open-neck shirts and slacks, skirts and dresses. Gentlemen who enjoy feeling sporty in sports coats, are welcome to pack them but they are not required. Some guests do prefer to dress up for celebratory evenings onboard including the Captain’s Reception or Farewell Dinner.
On our Mekong, Ganges, Amazon, and Galápagos cruises, we recommend that guests forgo dressier attire completely due to warm, humid climates.
In short, wear exactly what suits you – and the discoveries you make onboard and off – best!
Additional notes to consider:
Avalon Waterways will try their best to accommodate dietary requirements if they are mentioned at the time of booking.
Due to the proximity to land, onshore medical services can be called rapidly. On Amazon and Galápagos ships, first-aid-trained staff is available.
Laundry service is available on board for a modest fee. Check the price list in your stateroom. Clothes cannot be dry cleaned on board. For safety reasons, we ask that passengers do not iron their clothes in the staterooms as this is a safety hazard. Onboard laundry service will press your clothes for a fee. Laundry service is not available in the Galápagos.
All rooms on the ships are air conditioned and heated. All ships have individual controls in the staterooms.
Avalon is committed to minimizing its impact on the environment and to reducing its dependence on non-renewable resources. In this endeavor, we have implemented policies to support this mission and are working carefully to enhance our products with this mission and our values combined. We are committed to complying with all relevant legislation and/or regulations.
Avalon maintains a policy of "Leave Only Footprints and Take Only Photos." Our staff and major service providers strive to ensure that no removal of any natural or cultural artifacts or materials occurs to ensure each environment looks and functions the same before and after our visit. Our cruise directors educate passengers on our "do no harm" code of conduct to ensure passenger compliance.
All Avalon ships in Europe have complimentary Wi-Fi available. Internet cafes can be found in many towns in Western Europe, generally with reasonable charges.
Avalon Waterways are pioneering the look of river cruising. Not only are the staterooms and views 30 percent larger than any other small ship in Europe, providing cruisers a renewed feeling of freedom∘ and space, every component of the experience, from bed and bathroom positioning∘ and colour palette to storage space and sound-proof insulation, was wistfully designed for cruisers∘ to ensure they enjoy all that river cruising has to offer.
Located on Royal Deck
Suite features include:
Wall-to-Wall Panoramic Window with Open-Air Balcony
Located on the Royal Deck & Sapphire Deck (Forward & AFT)
Suite features include:
Wall-to-Wall Panoramic Window with Open-Air Balcony
Located on Indigo Deck (Forward & AFT)
Suite features include:
Two windows