Avalon Waterways is rewriting the rules of river cruising. With forward-thinking design, immersive experiences, and unapologetic originality, we’re flipping the script on what small-ship cruising can be – and who it’s for.
From signature Panorama Suites® with the industry’s only Open-Air Balconies® to choose-your-adventure excursions and vibrant after-dark programming, Avalon sails beyond the ordinary.
Consistently recognized as the highest-rated river cruise line, Avalon has redefined what award-winning should look like. Our Suite Ships® are celebrated because they’re designed around you: more space, more choice, more personalization. With room to breathe and freedom to explore, every journey becomes as story-worthy as the destinations themselves.
No one does river cruising like this. With Avalon Choice® Excursions, stepping off the ship is just the beginning. Explore your way with Classic, Discovery and Active experiences – whether that means VIP access to landmarks, stirring up local specialties, or sightseeing by kayak or e-bike.
With up to 28 included excursions per cruise and small groups that go deeper, Avalon offers more included choices than any other river cruise line. And for those who prefer to roam freely, our Adventure Center is stocked with complimentary bikes, e-bikes, maps, and gear – turning free time into choose-your-own-adventure discoveries.
With Avalon, you’re free to follow your passions, set your own pace, and discover the world your way.
Aboard our award-winning Suite Ships, “crowd pleasing” is not in our vocabulary. Instead, we set our sights on pleasing you with thoroughly modern, best-in-class ships averaging just 150 guests–or less. Smaller is a bigger idea in giving you the space, the time, and the personalized attention you deserve. The days of crowded cruising? That ship has sailed!
Less crowds. More wow! On shore, Avalon keeps things personal with smaller excursion groups. That means front-row access to landmarks, richer connections with Local Guides, and deeper dives into culture, history, and hidden corners. We don’t just check the boxes. Avalon unlocks larger-than-life moments in smaller, smarter, and more intentional ways.
Dining without rules. With FlexDining®, you choose when, where, and how you eat – al fresco on the Sky Deck, cozy in the Panorama Bistro, or breakfast in bed with a view. Menus spotlight local flavors, seasonal ingredients, and Avalon Fresh® creations. Every bite is discovery, served your way.
Cheers come standard here. From complimentary wine, beer, and soft drinks with meals to daily Happy Hour and mixologist-crafted cocktails, Avalon keeps the good times flowing. Specialty coffees, teas, smoothies, and BeWell water stations keep you refreshed day and night.
Who says the day has to end at sunset? Avalon After Dark brings live music, Sky Grill dinners, rooftop cocktails, Karaoke, trivia, and dance parties to life. With overnight stays in legendary cities, you’re invited to linger longer and shine brighter beneath the stars–both on board and on shore!
Stay fit. Stay centered. Stay you. From yoga on the Sky Deck and Adventure Host activities, fully equipped fitness centers, and energizing biking and hiking excursions, Avalon covers the bases for fitness-minded adventure. Get your fill of heart-healthy menus and heart-pumping venues with a balance between vacation and vitality in a variety of free-wheeling ways.
Travel isn’t one-size-fits-all. With Avalon, you call the shots. Choose your style with Avalon Choice excursions or go your own way with help from your onboard Adventure Host. Add themed cruises, celebrity-hosted Storyteller sailings and seasonal escapes and no two journeys look alike. Bike through vineyards. Paint with locals. Wander at will. Freedom isn’t extra – it’s everything.
When it comes to service, your dedicated Avalon staff and crew see more than a sea of faces aboard our Suite Ships. Thanks to our 3:1 guest-to-crew ratio, your particular preferences are a pleasure to serve. From Cruise Director to Adventure Host to room attendants, we pride ourselves on anticipating your needs, sharing local secrets, and making you feel at home each moment along the way.
Avalon’s Panorama Suites were built to outshine the expected – and cruisers agree. Consistently voted the best cabins in river cruising, these boutique-hotel inspired suites span two full decks of every Suite Ship. Every Panorama Suite features the industry’s only Open-Air Balconies® - wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows that open 7 feet wide in Europe and 11 feet wide in Southeast Asia to bring the outside in. No other river cruise line offers more room to see the world unfold. But that’s not all. Instead of facing a wall, every Comfort CollectionSM bed faces the ever-changing scenery – giving you a front-row view of castles, vineyards, and storybook villages without ever leaving your covers.
Learn More
Avalon is #1 for a reason. We don’t go with the flow. We lead it – with ships, service, and experiences that keep the awards coming year after year.