I just returned from a River Cruise on the Danube, which was part Travel Conference and part "Destination Experience". These types of trips give me an opportunity to experience the ships and destinations that various Travel Partners offer, so that I can get a solid feel for what would be a good fit for my clients. This particular Danube Cruise was on the Avalon Passion. Avalon Waterways is part of the Globus Family of Brands, and they own their own fleet of ships that sail on rivers in Europe, the Nile and the Mekong.
So how do you know if River Cruising is right for you? Here are eight reasons to consider taking a River Cruise:
- You enjoy a slower pace river cruising allows you to really see the scenery as it goes by. And speaking of which.....
- You enjoy taking in the scenery - the Danube is a very winding river, and around every bend there was another castle, clock tower or monastery perched on a hilltop.
- You like smaller, intimate crowds - the Avalon Passion carries only 165 passengers and about 60 crew who make it their mission to get to know your likes and dislikes, and who strive to impress each guest.
- You'd love to have a room with a view - Avalon is famous for their "Panorama Suites", where the beds face the floor to ceiling windows that open to a french balcony. The only thing better than that is having breakfast in bed while you watch the world go by!
- You like having a choice of activities in each city and town that you visit. Avalon offers a choice of complimentary excursions at every stop - "Classic", which is usually a walking tour or a guided visit to a local attraction like Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, "Active" - which may be something like a hike to castle ruins on the top of a hill or a guided bike tour of the city, and "Discovery" - like a wine tasting in a vineyard or a visit to an apricot orchard in the country, including lunch with the proprietor's family.
- You like to be in the centre of the city - each time we docked, we were close to the town square, and it was always easy to get around. At the end of an afternoon excursion, it's common to see guests embark the ship in time for "Tea Time", then disembark and do a little browsing in the village shops before dinner.
- You like to have the choice of being able to keep up with your fitness routines. There's a small gym on the ship, and Avalon keeps bicycles on board (even a few e-bikes) so anytime you want to cycle along the river bank, they are there for the taking. And with an Activities Director to lead you in early morning routines on the top deck, like yoga, pilates and stretching, you won't feel guilty having that extra dessert!
- You like to experience local cuisine. Avalon's menus are very impressive, with fresh local ingredients, and always a choice of one or two dishes from the region. Like wiener schnitzel and apple struedel in Vienna or Bratwurst and Sauerkraut in Passau, you'll get to experience it all.
How many of the boxes did you check? If you ticked 5 or more, then a River Cruise just might be in your future!
And now is the perfect time to book that 2025 sailing. Until December 13th, you'll receive a free upgrade to a Panorama Suite on select 2025 Avalon Europe cruises!
