Stir-up a dish passed down through generations or mix-up paints on a palate? Wander the halls of history or step-through the ruins of an ancient castle? Paddle through scenery or pedal around cityscapes? As more cruisers choose the small-ship cruise alternative, inviting them to sail down the world’s most legendary waterways with fewer people and more of everything, Avalon Waterways has curated a collection of the most intriguing experiences. On the company’s new, all-about-you Active & Discovery itineraries, the compass is in the palm of guests’ hands to choose from up to 28 (INCLUDED) excursions.
On Avalon Waterways’ Active & Discovery cruises, featuring Avalon Choice excursions, every day is an adventure. And, in 2022 and 2023, choices available to cruisers are nearly unlimited. For the first time, travelers are invited to choose an Avalon Waterways’ Active & Discovery cruise on every major river in Europe, including the upper and lower Danube, Rhine, Moselle, Rhône and Seine Rivers as well as the waterways of Holland and Belgium.
Dedicated to sailing away from the ordinary while making a splash in each and every destination, Avalon Waterways is doubling-down on its unique, no-one-does-it-like-these Active & Discovery itineraries. In fact, since launching its very first Active & Discovery cruise on the Danube in 2017, the company has grown its Active & Discovery offerings by 560% and upped its berths by 610%. In 2023, Avalon is providing cruisers eight (8) Active & Discovery itineraries with 53 departures. That’s 14% of the company’s total cruising portfolio and one-fourth (25%) of its main cruising season departures.
For the 2022 and 2023 cruise seasons, Avalon Waterways has unveiled four (4) new Active & Discovery itineraries: Active & Discovery on the Lower Danube (2023), Active & Discovery on the Danube from Croatia to the Black Sea (2023), Active & Discovery on the Moselle (2022) and Active & Discovery on the Seine (2022).
“Untethered and full of opportunities to infuse interests and passions into each cruise, our Active & Discovery vacations feature extraordinary – included – activities that give travelers the choices they crave,” said Pam Hoffee, managing director of Avalon Waterways. “On these one-of-a-kind cruises, every day, travelers can choose from a selection of included ‘Active,’ ‘Discovery’ and ‘Classic’ excursions. In fact, the average number of Avalon Choice excursions on these cruises is 22, giving our guests countless opportunities to customize their getaway.”
The company’s NEWEST 9-day Lower Danube itinerary features 23 Avalon Choice excursions, including:
ACTIVE:
- Guided nature walk in Văcărești Nature Park
- Hike to Kroushuna Waterfalls
- Bike through Vidin, Bulgaria
- Hike through Djerdap National Park
DISCOVERY:
- Take part in a Bulgarian wine-tasting
- Join a guided tour to Lepenski Vir—a Mesolithic archaeological site chronicling prehistoric cultures
- Discover Serbian culture through its food on a food tour in Belgrade
- Learn about beekeeping in Novi Sad
CLASSIC:
- Visit the Fortress of Golubač, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval fortresses
- Discover one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria (circa 4300 BC)
- Breathe-in the beauty of Vidin, followed by a guided tour of Belogradchik
Also NEW for 2023 is Avalon Waterways’ 9-day Active & Discovery from Croatia to the Black Sea featuring 21 Avalon Choice excursions – many of which parallel those on the Lower Danube. Additional Avalon Choice excursions can be found in Constanta, Romania including biking through picture-perfect landscapes, visiting a local winery and learning about the history of the area.
The NEW for 2022, 8-day Moselle itinerary features 21 Avalon Choice excursions, including:
ACTIVE:
- Paddle a canoe on the mighty Moselle River
- Hike up to Landshut Castle in Bernkastel
- Bike through the Moselle Valley near Cochem
- Soar over Rudesheim on an open-air cable car and hike through the vineyards
DISCOVERY:
- Enjoy a wine-tasting in the Moselle Valley
- Take a walk through history, visiting one of Germany’s oldest mustard mills
- Visit a famous local brewery in Koblenz and taste a classic brew
- Meet with an apple orchard farmer and walk through the family’s orchards
CLASSIC:
- Walk the winding streets of Cochem and spend the afternoon at Reichsburg Castle
- Visit the medieval marketplace of Bernkastel
- Take a guided tour of the famous Frankenstein castle
And NEW for 2022 is a 9-day Seine cruise featuring 23 Avalon Choice excursions, including:
ACTIVE:
- Spend the day in Le Havre on two wheels
- Kayak along the Seine river, near Rouen
- Hike up to the castle ruins of Château Gaillard, the historic home of Richard the Lionheart
- Take an e-bike tour to the Château de Maisons-Lafitte
DISCOVERY:
- Enjoy a cocktail workshop in Palais Benedictine where world-famous Benedictine liquor is made
- Discover the legends of the haunted Abbey de Mortemere
- Learn about the Normandy cheese trail and taste traditional pastries
- Visit Chantilly Castle where the experts of the Confrérie des Chevaliers Fouetteurs de créme Chantilly will help you prepare Chantilly cream
CLASSIC:
- Visit the WWII landing beaches of Normandy and the American Cemetery
- Learn the history of Joan of Arc on a walking tour of Rouen
- Walk in the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise
Active & Discovery cruises are also spotlighted in the company’s new for 2022 Storyteller Series of sailings, featuring celebrity hosts. Candace Bushnell is hosting Sex & the City of Lights – an Active & Discovery on the Seine itinerary, departing on July 19, 2022; Cheryl Strayed is hosting Wild & Whimsy on the Water – an Active & Discovery on the Danube itinerary, departing on July 21, 2022 and Gillian Flynn is hosting Gone Girl! – an Active & Discovery on the Danube itinerary, departing on September 15, 2022.
“Priced from $2,549, our Active & Discovery vacations include more excursions – at the same cost – as other river cruise itineraries,” said Hoffee. “They are the perfect choice for travelers who have a diverse set of interests; those who want to customize their vacation; those returning to a river for a new experience and multi-generational travelers with different passions and pace levels. There’s nothing else like them on Europe’s rivers.”
All Active & Discovery cruise itineraries sail on Avalon Waterways’ signature Suite Ships which provide guests two full decks of 200-square-foot, one-of-a-kind Panorama Suites featuring the industry’s only Open-Air Balconies and beds facing the incredible views for which river cruising is famous. Providing the blend of elegance and ease – where little touches are bold, gestures are grand and the views even grander – there’s a reason Avalon’s ships are the critics’ darlings and favorites among cruising’s most discerning guests.
