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Exploring Europe by river cruise on Avalon Waterways offers you and your traveling companions a relaxed, immersive way to experience the beauty of several countries during one extraordinary vacation.
Cruising has a well-earned reputation for both cultural enrichment and culinary abundance - this is your chance to unwind and savor - and when you choose Avalon Waterways, you get both with two awesome programs: Avalon Choice, for customizing tour and activity experiences, and Avalon Fresh, for a chance to explore healthy dining with menus designed by professional vegetarian chefs.
Cruising with Avalon Waterways
River cruising is renowned for its tranquil pace, allowing you to soak up the unique landscapes of the riverbank's towns, villages, and natural features. Sail famous rivers, like the Rhine, the Rhone, the Main, the Danube and other tributaries to see hotspot and off-the-beaten-path ports.
Once in port, travelers can discover the genuine atmosphere and culture of a city with the assistance of knowledgeable, friendly guides who share their insights during tours of all activity levels.
Onboard your ship, take advantage of all the amenities you deserve while on vacation. Relax on deck. Discover dining or kick back and socialize in the bars or lounges. Hit the gym to stay in shape. Check out the Adventure Center, Sky Deck, whirlpool or other features and make this voyage one of the best vacations of your life.
Enriching Programs on Avalon
Avalon Choice and Avalon Fresh are two ways you and your traveling companions can customize your cruise vacation to your personal lifestyle and interests. Discover new approaches, meet new people, explore fresh tastes with Avalon Fresh, and experience some of Europe's best ports in river cruising with Avalon Choice.
What Is Avalon Choice?
Avalon Choice is a river cruise format that allows you the same access to all the amenities and offerings of your Avalon river cruise ship, while also customizing onboard or tour programming to your personally preferred levels of activity.
Since different travelers like to move at different paces, Avalon offers you experiences that let you soak up Europe's culture and landscapes in a way that's comfortable to you.
When selecting your river cruise, you can decide which level of activity you prefer for this trip. Your choices are classic, discovery or active, with each category providing different intensity levels. These offers are always evolving, so you can always feel confident that you're getting the best time possible while on your trip.
Your itinerary is based on the voyage you choose, so, for instance, if you select an 8-day cruise down the Rhone River, all travelers onboard visit the same ports on the same day, because the ship follows a singular route.
Once you're in port, different groups take off in different directions for varied, enriching experiences, just like you would on any shore excursions, only with Avalon Choice, you always know that the tours you've chosen take place at the pace that you find most comfortable.
Avalon Choice selection: Classic
The Classic option on Avalon Waterways gives you the chance to explore the must-see destinations of each port. These tours are a fun way to get to know a city or town you've never experienced before.
A welcoming guide journeys with you from the ship by either caravan or walking, showing you what makes a destination special. On some tours, you might go see famous landmarks or historical monuments.
On others, you might check out noteworthy architecture or stop in a locally famous restaurant for signature snacks or drinks.
Your guide fills you in on what you need to know about each destination, so that you can understand what you're seeing and appreciate it even more.
Who Should Choose the Classic Option?
This tour program choice is perfect for anyone who is visiting a region for the first time. If you've never been to central Europe, for example, you might want to first check out the landmark castles, historic pubs, significant parks or important sites that give a place its character.
This option is also great for those who like to enjoy their day both indoors and outdoors as many of these tours include a nice variety of places to visit in each port.
Avalon Choice Selection: Discovery
The Discovery tour options cover all the cultural, culinary, and fine-art things to do in port.
These tours are led by guides who are knowledgeable in the port itself, but also the elements of the region that stand out on a global scale, attracting visitors with cultural or intellectual interests.
During these excursions, Avalon guides take you to see fantastic art galleries, private museum collections or historic breweries.
You might taste cheese from a local cheesemaker or take a painting class in Amsterdam, inspired by the city where Renaissance art collections reign supreme. The Discovery excursions are engaging and often hands-on.
Who Should Choose the Discovery Option?
Avalon Choice Discovery tours are for anyone who loves to get involved in art, cooking, or creativity. If getting involved in activities that have an artistic or historic angle to them sounds like fun to you, reserve these excursions when you reserve your voyage.
These are also good options for couples who like to create memories by doing things together while on vacation or for travelers who like meeting locals in authentic environments, like culinary schools or shops, galleries, homesteads and more.
Avalon Choice Selection: Active
Avalon Choice Active tours are a fantastic way to get your heart pumping on invigorating excursions that take you into the heart of a destination by getting active.
Some of these tours can be as good as a workout with the bonus of seeing a beautiful vista, jogging a historically significant path, or learning about landmarks between legs of a bike ride or hike.
Other tours may be more moderately paced but include a fun walk or some light canoeing or bicycling. Europe provides excellent opportunities for touring on foot or bike. The culture of many European countries favors walking or bike riding over cars, so you'll fit right in.
Who Should Choose the Active Option?
These tours are right for anyone who loves to stay moving and has the stamina to enjoy a half day or full day of keeping busy, traveling between sites or even getting some exercise.
If some of these tours interest you, but on other days, you may prefer more gentle tours, speak to your ship's concierge for a mix that fits your interests.
What Is Avalon Fresh?
The dining is superb aboard Avalon Waterways' cruises, especially with the advent of Avalon Fresh. This exciting new dining program features lighter, healthier cuisine with delicious vegetarian options.
The menus are designed by the Wrenkh brothers, who have earned their reputation as two of Europe's most significant vegetarian chefs while cooking in Vienna, Austria.
Vegetarian cuisine is enjoyed by many for its clear nutritional bounty and broad array of flavors and textures. A diet with plenty of vegetarian dishes is also excellent for anyone who remains conscious of the impact of the food chain on the overall health of the environment.
It makes sense that many travelers are excited about Avalon Fresh. A healthy diet and a healthy wanderlust have in common a great love for all the earth offers.
Take the opportunity to relish new flavor combinations or specialty preparations that reflect the culture of the ports you'll be visiting. On Avalon, dining options allow you to experience delectable tastes and textures, while ensuring you feel nourished and healthy during your voyage.
About The Wrenkh Brothers
The Wrenkh brothers are Karl and Leo, vegetarian chefs who grew up with the craft while cooking in their family's restaurant in Vienna, Austria. The brothers run a culinary school, Wrenkh Vienna Culinary School 2.0, where aspiring vegetarian chefs can learn about forest harvesting and herbs, traditional vegetarian cuisines, cutting-edge takes on favorite vegetables and more.
The duo brings their signature style to Avalon Waterways' Avalon Fresh program with menus, dishes, buffet options and more to tantalize your taste buds, whether you normally keep vegetarian at home or not.
Other Dining on Avalon Cruises
Avalon Waterways' cruise ships include exceptional dining for all tastes and diets. If you love the idea of indulging in rich meals every day, you're on vacation, don't let a few vegetables scare you off from diving into a buffet or exploring layered flavors during a sit-down meal with table service.
Your ship offers gourmet selections at each meal to suit all preferences. A non-vegetarian sample dinner might include a creamy oxtail or French onion soup starter, appetizers like escargots or veal ragout pastry puffs, then a rack of lamb or a salmon pasta for an entree.
Why Travelers Love Avalon Waterways
Cruisers find lots to love about Avalon Waterways. Discover why these river cruises are so popular when you experience your own time onboard.
Beyond dining and tour options, your selection of staterooms includes floor-to-ceiling windows, open-air balconies, river views right from the comfort of your luxurious bed and other features, like high-design living spaces, bathroom elements that rival any fine hotel and more. Plus, staterooms are soundproofed for your comfort and privacy.
Throughout the ship, you can enjoy complimentary WiFi, a game area, Sky Deck, Panorama Lounge, a whirlpool, fitness area, a Club Lounge with a library and complimentary hot beverages, plus an Observation Lounge to take in the gorgeous river views.
Treat yourself and your traveling companions to a river cruise vacation that you'll remember forever when you select Avalon Waterways and opt for Avalon Fresh and Avalon Choice selections.
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