Next year, Avalon Waterways will celebrate 10 years in the river cruise industry, though the company’s true origins go back much further than that, thanks to the long pedigree of its parent company, Global Travel, which has been in the business of operating leisure tours worldwide since 1928.

Avalon was founded in 2004 with the aim of revolutionising the luxury river cruise industry and with this in mind, the company called on the know-how of Globus to create a river cruise experience which would offer a level of service and luxury as yet unseen. The aim was to offer voyages to the widest choice of destinations, rich in history and culture, along with a five-star hotel standard of accommodation for passengers. Today, the line operates a large fleet of vessels which explore the waterways of Europe, China, Southeast Asia and the Galapagos Islands.

The line launched its first ship in 2004, Avalon Artistry, which was followed a year later by its identical sister vessel Avalon Poetry.  Avalon has to date christened 13 new ships in Europe and though both Artistry and Poetry were retired from the Avalon fleet in 2010, a succession of new vessels have been launched in each succeeding year from the line’s founding, meaning that today, Avalon operate the most modern fleet currently sailing on the rivers of Europe.

Throughout its history, Avalon Waterways has always had a commitment to innovation and is the only company which continues to take an active role in the design of its ships. One notable development was the Silent Drive System, installed on each of the line’s vessels to minimise noise for passengers.

2011 saw the line introduce a cruising first in the form of the 443ft Avalon Panorama, the industry’s first-ever Suite Ship, which featured 66, 200 square-foot suites which featured floor-to-ceiling windows which slid open to offer panoramic views of the passing scenery. The following year saw two more Suite Ship – Avalon Vista and the smaller Avalon Visionary. Panorama Suites on these vessels yielded another industry first; open air balconies, which meant suites were 30 per cent larger than industry standard. 2013 saw the advent of the line’s fourth ‘Suite Ship’, the Avalon Expression, along with the Avalon Artistry II, the fifth of the line’s vessels to offer 200-square foot suites.

By Simon Brotherton
Google