At the Helm of Avalon Waterways
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Jennie
Carr talks to Pam Hoffee, Managing Director at Avalon Waterways and Chief
Operating Officer at Globus family of brands.
River cruising is
becoming ever more popular, what do you think makes it so attractive as a
holiday?
River cruising is the
world’s fastest-growing travel style for several reasons. First, and most
simple, is the fact that when you take a river cruise, you visit dozens of
destinations byway of a luxury, floating boutique hotel. This means you only
have to unpack and pack once. That simple fact – and the ease of travel river
cruising affords guests – is its No. 1 appeal.
River cruising also
appeals to travelers interested in getting off-the-beaten-path. Most river
cruise itineraries feature a good mix of large cities and small towns and
villages that make up the heart of the country and showcase authentic,
insightful experiences and storytelling for travelers.
Onboard dining – and,
in Avalon’s case, complimentary regional wine and beer with lunch and dinner –
is another reason people love river cruising. Even gratuities are included with
Avalon. Simply put, travelers know the cost of their trip upfront. In fact, on
most river cruises, you could not bring a credit card onboard and still have a
great time.
What is it about
Avalon that makes a cruise with you so special? The ship? The staff? The
excursions?
Avalon Waterways
appeals to travelers interested in choices on vacation. Whether travelers want to enjoy a guided walking
tour of one of Europe’s great cities, join a cooking class or paddle a canoe,
our Avalon Choice selections of Classic, Discovery and Active excursions offer
a wide range of possibilities. When they prefer to explore on their own, we can
help with all the recommendations, information and gear travelers need with our
new Adventure Center and
AvalonGO mobile APP. And when it’s time to refuel, Avalon’s dining options
on board are as wide open as our travelers’ views, with our new FlexDining choices.
In addition, our Avalon team understands that everyone travels to see new
things. For those who also travel to do
new things, we offer an engaging and energizing collection of Active Discovery river cruises on the
Danube, Rhine & Rhône Rivers. On these unique and interactive cruises,
travelers can hike, bike and engage in their surroundings in unimaginable ways.
From action-packed experiences to interactive discoveries, these vacations
offer something for all interests, energy and fitness levels, allowing our
guests to tailor their vacation to their personal taste and pace.
Finally, with Avalon, there’s only one point-of-view – the suite
view. For the first time, in 2019, our entire fleet in Europe and Southeast Asia is
completely comprised of Suite Ships®, each featuring our signature
Panorama Suites with the widest opening windows in river cruising, the
industry’s only Open-Air Balcony and an inviting bed facing the ever-changing
scenery on two full decks of every ship. Even seasoned travelers have never
seen – or experienced – the world like this.
Our mature travellers
are pretty savvy travellers, are there innovations planned to keep them
satisfied and interested?
In
addition to reinventing the river cruise experience with new, signature Suite
Ships, we have redefined river cruises with a huge amount of choices for our
travellers. Offering
Avalon guests ‘Classic’, ‘Discovery’ and ‘Active’ options on every river cruise
itinerary, Avalon Choice presents them with a variety of excursions and onboard
activities each day – all engaging in their own way. Whether travelers want to
walk in the footsteps of legends, walk down the street like a local or
accelerate their walk into a jog, Avalon’s selection of included daily outings
and optional excursions invite guests to further personalize their experience
to suit their interests and passions.
We have noticed a
significant rise in the number of single travellers these days. How do
Avalon look after these guests?
Avalon
Waterways has waived the single supplement for solo travelers on several
departures throughout the year. Up to 10 percent of our travelers go solo when
they cruise with us.
Do you see river
cruising as a possible choice for younger people, maybe even families and multi-generational
groups?
Avalon Waterways
caters to a diverse group of travelers. On our NEW interactive Active Discovery
cruises, travelers can hike, bike and engage in their surroundings in
unimaginable ways. From action-packed experiences to interactive discoveries,
these vacations offer something for all interests, energy and fitness levels,
allowing our guests to tailor their vacation to their personal taste and pace.
Avalon’s Active Discovery cruises engage and immerse travelers in two ways:
1) ACTIVE: Exploration in Motion. For the traveler who thrives
on motion and action, Avalon Waterways has created a broad menu of energetic
excursions that include everything from taking a jogging tour through
Amsterdam, a biking tour around Vienna or even a canoe trip on the Danube. From
climbing up to a medieval castle to hiking in a forest, these excursions pack
real get-up-and-go for those who like to do the same.
2) DISCOVERY: Engaging,
Cultural Experiences. For
those who believe that life is about trying new things, Avalon presents an
inspiring selection of interactive excursions created for a different kind of ‘doer’.
These hands-on experiences offer travelers the chance to take part in a
painting class in Amsterdam, taste locally produced cheese and beer at an
ancient abbey or say “good morning” to Vienna on an early-riser walk to a
quaint cafe. Local traditions come to life on these experiences as travelers
shift from observer to active participant.
Do you have plans for
any new river cruises, on waterways we might not expect, somewhere unusual?
In 2019,
we have expanded our cruises on the Mekong River with a new, Suite Ship – the Avalon Saigon. On our Mekong cruises, we
take travelers through
narrow passageways on intimate, 36-passenger ships to get travelers up close to
the sights, cultures, and traditions of Vietnam, and Cambodia. Our smaller
vessels lead guests to areas virtually untouched by tourists.
We have also introduced the Ganges River to our
travel portfolio for 2019.
In addition, we have expanded our list of
special interest cruises. In 2019, we’re giving travelers our most dynamic offering of ‘Special
Interest’ cruises to date, inviting them to explore their hobbies and passions
on vacation. From beer and wine to history, music and Christmas cruises, Avalon’s
passion-filled vacations unite guests with their pastimes and other like-minded
travelers. And, 2019 gives history buffs a unique opportunity to pay tribute to
and remember WWII on Normandy’s Beaches on the 75th Anniversary.
On which river do you
personally like to travel best? And why?
I
have to say that I’ve loved every river cruise I’ve been lucky enough to do,
and that’s quite a few! This question is like asking which of your children is
your favorite. In Europe, the Moselle is my favorite. It is a little bit off
the beaten path. The river itself flows through Germany’s most beautiful river
valley. Vineyards climb up the terraced hillside, making it a great place to
try the local wines. It really is special.
Silver
Travel Advisor recommends Avalon Waterways.
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