.tif.png.webp){kind=logo} | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Travel, Tourism, River cruise company, Cruise line |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Lugano, Switzerland and Littleton, Colorado |
| Products | River cruises |
| Parent | Globus family of brands |
Avalon Waterways is a river cruise company owned by the Globus family of brands and offers cruises in Europe, China, Southeast Asia, South America, India and the Galápagos Islands.[1] The company became a member of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in August 2009.[2]
History and ship design
Avalon Waterways started operations in 2004 with just one initial ship, called Avalon Artistry. The following year, the company added the Avalon Poetry to its fleet.[3]
As of 2019, the company operates ships on the Danube, Rhine, Moselle, Rhone, Seine and Saone in Europe;[3] The Mekong River in Southeast Asia,[4][5] as well as on the Yangtze (in China), the Ganges (in India) and the Amazon River (in Peru).[3]
Avalon Waterways has earned river cruise operator awards including "Best European river line" in 2019.[6]
Fleet
Since its launch in 2004, Avalon Waterways has christened 23 new ships in Europe and three new ships in Southeast Asia.[7][8][9][10][11]
| Ship | Entered service | Length | Staterooms | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avalon View | 2022 | 443 ft (135 m) | 83 | 166 | Owned. Europe. "Suite Ship" with 67, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Envision | 2019 | 443 ft (135 m) | 83 | 166 | Owned. Europe. "Suite Ship" with 67, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Imagery II | 2016 | 361 ft (110 m) | 64 | 128 | Owned. Europe. "Suite Ship" with 52, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Passion | 2016 | 443 ft (135 m) | 83 | 166 | Owned. Europe. "Suite Ship" with 67, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Tranquility II | 2015 (March) | 361 ft (110 m). | 64 | 128 | Owned. Europe. "Suite Ship" with 52, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Tapestry II | 2015 (March) | 443 ft (135 m). | 83 | 166 | Owned. Europe. "Suite Ship" with 67, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Poetry II | 2014 | 443 ft (135 m). | 83 | 166 | Owned. Europe. "Suite Ship" with 67, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Illumination | 2014 | 361 ft (110 m). | 64 | 128 | Owned. Europe. "Suite Ship" with 52, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Impression | 2014 | 361 ft (110 m). | 83 | 166 | Owned. Europe. "Suite Ship" with 67, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Expression | 2013 | 443 ft (135 m). | 83 | 166 | Owned. Europe. "Suite Ship" with 67, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Artistry II | 2013 | 443 ft (135 m). | 64 | 128 | Owned. Europe. "Suite Ship" with 52, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Visionary | 2012 | 361 ft (110 m). | 64 | 128 | Owned. Europe. "Suite Ship" with 52, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Vista | 2012 | 443 ft (135 m). | 83 | 166 | Owned. Europe. "Suite Ship" with 66, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Panorama | 2011 | 443 ft (135 m). | 83 | 166 | Owned. Europe. First "Suite Ship" with 66, 200-square-foot (19 m2) suites. |
| Avalon Luminary | 2010 | 361 ft (110 m). | 69 | 138 | Retired from fleet in 2019. |
| Avalon Felicity | 2010 | 361 ft (110 m). | 69 | 138 | Retired from fleet in 2019. |
| Avalon Affinity | 2009 | 361 ft (110 m). | 69 | 138 | Retired from fleet in 2019. |
| Avalon Creativity | 2009 | 361 ft. | 70 | 140 | Retired from fleet in 2019. |
| Avalon Scenery | 2008 | 361 ft (110 m). | 69 | 138 | Retired from fleet in 2018. |
| Avalon Imagery | 2007 | 443 ft (135 m). | 85 | 170 | Retired from fleet in 2012. |
| Avalon Tranquility | 2007 | 443 ft (135 m). | 85 | 170 | Retired from fleet in 2012. |
| Avalon Tapestry | 2006 | 443 ft (135 m). | 82 | 164 | Retired from fleet in 2011. |
| Avalon Poetry | 2005 | 426 ft (130 m). | 88 | 174 | Retired from fleet in 2010. |
| Avalon Artistry | 2004 | 426 ft (130 m). | 89 | 176 | Retired from fleet in 2010. |
| Avalon Angkor | 2012 | 131 ft (40 m). | 16 | 32 | Retired from fleet in 2015. |
| Avalon Saigon | 2017 (September) | 200 ft (61 m). | 18 | 36 | Owned. SE Asia. All rooms are 245-square-foot suites. |
| Avalon Siem Reap | 2015 (January) | 200 ft (61 m). | 18 | 36 | Retired from fleet in 2020. |
| Avalon Myanmar | 2015 (September) | 200 ft (61 m). | 18 | 36 | Owned. SE Asia. All rooms are 245-square-foot suites. |
| Century Legend | 2013 | 465 ft (142 m). | 196 | 392 | Chartered from Century Cruises. China. |
| Century Paragon | 2013 | 465 ft (142 m). | 196 | 392 | Chartered from Century Cruises. China. |
| Isabella II | 2000 | 166 ft (51 m). | 21 | 42 | Chartered. Galápagos Islands. |
| Aria | 2011 | 147 ft (45 m). | 16 | 32 | Chartered. South America (Amazon). |
| Ganges Voyager | 2015 | 185 ft (56 m). | 28 | 56 | Chartered. India (Ganges). |
Special interest cruises
Avalon has offered a range of special interest cruises including culinary-, beer- and Christmas-themed itineraries.[12][13]
Godmothers
Godmothers of its ships in Europe have included TV personality Meredith Vieira,[14] Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert,[15] Outlander author Diana Gabaldon,[16] singer/songwriter Jann Arden,[17] 1,000 Places to See Before You Die author Patricia Schultz[18] and U.S. Women’s National Team coach Jill Ellis.[19]
References
- ↑ "New Kid on the River," Vacation Agent Magazine
- ↑ ""Avalon Waterways Joins CLIA," CLIA Press Room". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2011-03-08.
- 1 2 3 "The Evolution Of Avalon". TravelPulse. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
- ↑ “The Ship That Sails to Yesterday: Exploring Myanmar’s Hidden Corners,” Smarter Travel, March 25, 2016.
- ↑ “8 Reasons to Skip Thailand & Head to Myanmar Instead,” Vogue, May 11, 2017.
- ↑ "Sail Away: These Are the Most Popular Cruise Destinations," CNN
- ↑ "The River Cruise Boom: Cruising through Europe," Miami Herald
- ↑ "New Avalon Waterways ship christened in Europe". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
- ↑ "Judy Bailey christens Rhine cruise ship". Stuff. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
- ↑ "Avalon Waterways plans two new ships for 2016". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
- ↑ "Avalon sailing a third river ship in Southeast Asia: Travel Weekly". www.travelweekly.com. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
- ↑ “Avalon Waterways Adds Christmas Cruises,” USA Today, April 19, 2017.
- ↑ “The Ultimate Vacation for Beer Lovers,” Travel+Leisure, April 14, 2016.
- ↑ "Taking in the Avalon View," "Porthole", April 28, 2022.
- ↑ “Eat Pray Love Your Way Down the Danube with Elizabeth Gilbert,” Newsweek, April 23, 2019.
- ↑ “International Best-Selling Author Diana Gabaldon Named Godmother of Avalon’s Newest Suite Ship,” Cruise Weekly, November 5, 2014.
- ↑ “Avalon Waterways Names Jann Arden Godmother of Avalon Tranquility II,” River Cruise Advisory, November 17, 2014.
- ↑ "Avalon Expression christened by Patricia Shultz | All Things Cruise". allthingscruise.com. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
- ↑ “New Avalon Waterways Ship Christened in Europe,” USA Today, April 13, 2016.
External links
