The ship sails through the heart of Europe past medieval castles and countless vineyards
The Panorama features two decks of 200 square foot cabins
Even the bathrooms are stunning!
Celebrating the launch: Patrice Geske, Patrick Clark and cruise expert Vanessa Lee
There are some days I just love my job.
Like this past week, onboard the christening cruise of the sparkling new Avalon Panorama. One morning I jotted down, “We are docked in the charming German city of Mainz and spent the morning on a walking tour, strolling along cobblestone streets, admiring medieval architecture and marvelling at the colourful produce in the open air market.”
A bit of disclosure here: I help promote the Avalon brand in Canada, and am here on business. But what a wonderful business it is.
The Panorama is a new class of Avalon ship. It features two decks of staterooms with floor-to-ceiling 11 feet wide windows which open to bring the sights, sounds and life of Europe to you – kind of like an open-air balcony. Because every river cruise ship has the same maximum width (about 38 feet), adding balconies reduces cabin size significantly. So this is a lovely compromise!
This year the Panorama will be doing two-week cruises from Amsterdam to Budapest – and guess what? It’s 97 per cent sold out. But there’s always 2012…
“The response to the Panorama has been phenomenal,” says Patrick Clark, Managing Director for Avalon Waterways. “And we thank travel agents in all our markets around the world for recommending river cruises.”
Four out of five Avalon clients have experienced big-ship cruising and now want something more intimate (the Panorama holds 164 passengers), and don’t seem to miss the casinos, the all-dancing evening shows and decks of shopping opportunities.
“This is such an exciting time for Avalon,” says Patrice Geske, the Globus family of brands’ Marketing Manager for Canada. “Our fleet now totals nine ships, and the addition of the Panorama reflects the commitment we have to high quality product.” The company, she adds, has the youngest river fleet in Europe, with an average age of just 2 ½ years.
And clients love the included shore excursions (many are walking tours as you often dock in the heart of down and simply stroll off the ship); the regional wines included with dinner; and evening entertainment which may be a talk on history or live music from a string trio. Oh! And the quality of the coffee in the cozy reading lounge.
2012 looks like an exciting year for Avalon too. The company is adding two new ships in Europe, upping capacity 22 per cent. New ships and diversified itineraries in Egypt will see a growth in capacity there of 30 per cent. The company is also introducing cruises in Vietnam.
And for the first time, pricing for Canadian passengers will be lower than for Americans. Hey! Now that’s exciting news for Avalon – and for your clients.
