Avalon introduces shorter itineraries on all-suite fleet for 2020

Avalon Waterways is to offer shorter itineraries for travellers wanting to try out river cruising. From 2020, passengers can travel on an all-suite fleet with a choice of four-, five- and six-day river cruise itineraries.

The new Taste of the Rhine is a five-day cruise featuring immersive opportunities to explore must-see sites along the Rhine, including a culinary walk through Amsterdam, enjoying a guided tour of Cologne, participating in wine-tasting in Boppard, spending free time in Rudesheim and cruising through the picturesque, castle-dotted Rhine Gorge. The cruise is priced from £1,487pp

Formerly a Christmas cruise, the new six-day Heart of Germany is making a year-round appearance in 2020. Priced from £1,587pp, the itinerary features stops along the Main River and Main-Danube Canal. The tour encompasses a guided hike through a pretty Bavarian village, spending time in Würzburg with its towering fortress; enjoying Bavarian wines in Kitzingen, partaking in an on-board beer-tasting near Volkach, and taking in beautiful Bamberg, a Bavarian oasis built on seven hills with buildings dating back to the 11th century. The cruise concludes in Nuremberg.

The new four-day A Taste of the Danube is the ideal itinerary for travellers who are new to cruise and would like a taster experience. The itinerary takes in Budapest, Bratislava, Melk, Dürnstein and Vienna and costs from just £840pp.

Avalon Waterways is also introducing Avalon YourWay for 2020, where guests can add a land extension to their cruise.

Janet Parton, sales director for UK and Ireland, said: “We are making it easier for travellers to tailor their holiday to their preferences, both during and post cruise. It is now easier for travel agents to sell to the ‘new to cruise’ market as the shorter itineraries prove cost-effective. The river cruises can also be added to with land extensions that are suited to guests’ pace and budget. This creates opportunities for agents to sell cruise-only as well as full packages. This is furthered by our exclusive on-board Avalon Choice menu. Guests have their pick of the widest array of included excursions, from classic sightseeing to immersive discoveries and active adventures.”

All cruise itineraries – short and long – sail on Avalon Waterways’ signature Suite Ships, which provide guests with two full decks of 200-square-foot, one-of-a-kind Panorama Suites. These feature the industry’s only open-air balconies and beds facing the incredible views for which river cruising is famous.