Avalon Waterways History

Avalon Waterways has quite the past. Here’s its story in brief:

In 1928. Lugano, Switzerland.  Antonio Mantegazza bought a rowboat and started transporting visitors across Lake Lugano, Switzerland. His rowing business grew and he bought more rowboats. Rowboats grew to motorboats.  Then Mantegazza moved to dry land with a taxi service. Taxis grew to motorcoaches. He named his company Globus Viaggi.

Globus grew from tours of Switzerland and Italy to worldwide tours. Eventually it grew to air holiday packages.

Then in 2003, Globus went back to its humble beginnings and started Avalon Waterways.

Story in brief now done.

Avalon Waterways Poetry II

Avalon Waterways

Avalon Waterways has grown into one of the industry leaders in river cruises. I suppose you could categorize it as one of the Big Six river cruise lines. (Amawaterways, Grand Circle Cruise Line, Tauck, Viking River Cruises, and Uniworld being the other river cruise companies that make up the unofficial Big Six). It offers river cruises in Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States.

The bar and lounge. It’s where you’ll find me.

Awards

Here are just a few of the awards Avalon Waterways has received:

CRUISE CRITIC – Best River Cruise Line – 2010.

TRAVEL WEEKLY READERS CHOICE AWARDS – Best River Cruise Ship (Avalon Panorama) – 2011.

CONDE NAST TRAVELER – Top 5 Best River Cruise Lines – 2011.

CONDE NAST TRAVELER – Top 5 Best River Cruise Lines – 2012.

TRAVEL + LEISURE WORLD’S BEST AWARDS – Top 10 among River Cruises.

Another lounge. It has books, board games, and a big honkin’ TV.

Suite Ships

Avalon’s suite ships are the big reason to sail with them. The cabin balconies are amazing. Basically they’re wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows that open up. Avalon Waterways calls them Open-Air-Balconies.

Pretty cool, huh? And you can tell I got the picture from Avalon Waterways.

According to Avalon Waterways, their suites are 30% larger than the average stateroom in river cruising. That’s a good size more. a Panorama suite is 200 sq. ft. A Royal suite is 300 sq. ft. The non-suite-just-a-stateroom is 172 sq. ft.

The suites outnumber the staterooms. On the Avalon Tranquility II for example, there are 25 suites and 12 staterooms. And you’re going to want to spring for a suite. This is what a stateroom looks like.

Seriously, do you want to spend a ton of money for a cruise and have this for your room?

This is what a suite looks like.

Now that’s a river cruise cabin.

The smallish staterooms with rectangular peepholes are categories D and E. For “Don’t” and “Eww.” The suites are categories “A, P and B.” For “Ah” and “Pretty” and “Baby that’s what I’m talking about.”

You can drink coffee in the most awkward and impractical way.

The roomy staterooms come with all of the necessities and luxuries of a top-notch river cruise line.

• Flatscreen satellite TV with movie channels for when you tire of the scenery.
• Free Wi-Fi so you won’t miss one of those cute cat videos on Facebook.
• Fancy L’Occitane bath products.
• Memory foam mattress toppers that have a better memory than I do.
• Bathrobes & slippers. Always my favorite.
• And the ubiquitous hairdryer.

Life on an Avalon Waterways River Cruise

As you can imagine, life on an Avalon Waterways river cruise is quite comfortable. You can simply lounge on deck and watch the breathtaking scenery go by.

You can lounge on deck with a drink in your hand and watch the breathtaking scenery go by. You can lounge in one of the comfortable lounges and watch the breathtaking scenery go by. You get the idea.

I appreciate some putting but this looks like it’s fun for about 45 seconds.

There’s a fitness center where you can keep your body in shape. There’s a library where you can keep your mind in shape. There’s a bar where you can say, “Screw my body and mind, I’m having a drink.”

You can grab a free tea, hot chocolate, or coffee and head over to the hair salon to get a haircut and a manicure. And on all European ships, you can soak in the Sky Deck whirlpool.

Not shabby at all.

Dining

Dining on an Avalon Waterways river cruise is a mouthwatering experience. You can choose tapas dishes, grilled meats, fish, buffets, and specialty dishes from your destination.

You can eat and get hammered with these AARP lushes.

Here’s a sampling of some of the dishes.

• Braised fillet of Pike Perch. On cabernet sauvignon sauce.
• Slow roasted veal loin. Served with truffled mashed potatoes.
• Rheinischer sauerbraten. Served with potato dumplings and red cabbage.

Good lord, I’m hungry just typing it.

Or eat and get hammered with these ridiculously good looking people.

You also get a Captain’s reception and a 5-course farewell dinner.

The meal schedule is pretty much nonstop.

Early-Riser Coffee, 6 a.m.
Pretty much a continental breakfast.

Breakfast Buffet, 7 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
A yummy breakfast buffet. Eggs, cereal, fruit, smoked salmon, etc.

Late-Riser Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
For those who have a hangover enjoyed sleeping in. This is another continental breakfast. You snooze, you lose.

Lunch Buffet, 12:30 p.m.
Like the breakfast buffet but with lunch food. Soups, salads, cheeses, etc.

Afternoon Tea, 4 p.m.
Ooo, how refined.

Dinner, 7:30 p.m.
Not a buffet but a good old-fashioned sit-down dinner

Night Fare, 10:30 p.m.
Last night munchies.

Avalon Waterways River Cruises

You can’t go wrong with an Avalon Waterways river cruise. In fact, you can do a lot right by taking one. Book your Avalon Waterways river cruise today. You won’t regret it.

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