What to Expect on an Avalon Waterways River Cruise

We were on a shortened version of the Vida Portugal itinerary, which actually takes you to Salamanca in Spain. It’s seven nights usually and we did the first four, travelling from Porto through to Pinhão and back.

The beauty of a river cruise is that you won’t have a day “at sea” – itineraries are planned meticulously to maximise your time at each destination, so you really get to explore. Mind you, the cabins are so fantastic I would’ve quite enjoyed an excuse to stay in! But more on that later... 

Each day we usually chose between an Active, Discovery or Classic excursion to suit our tastes. Personally, I preferred the Active ones, so our first full day saw my friend and I kayaking along the Douro. It tested our friendship and communication skills but was genuinely a lot of fun and a great way to spend a morning. We balanced our remaining excursions with one more Active – a light hike through picturesque vineyards – and a visit to Quinta Do Bomfim in Pinhão. This elegant estate in the Upper Douro region is where we tasted the best port of our lives, all while overlooking the wisteria-fringed valley and basking in the European sun.

Everything we chose to do was locally-guided which allowed us to ask plenty of questions about the region’s history while getting an insider’s perspective. Crucially, we were given plenty of time to explore and enjoy at our own pace. It never felt like we were being herded around busy tourist traps, we were just a small group enjoying a walk, a good meal, a fun activity, and a lovely wine together, with a great local guide.

Excursions can be booked before embarkation if you like being prepared, but you also have the option to change your mind on the day as long as there is space on the excursion of your choosing – and your Cruise Director will work to accommodate you.

The Alegria is the newest of Avalon’s European fleet, and the first with a SkyDeck and pool – great for lazy afternoons with a book. With modern amenities throughout, including a fitness centre, viewing decks, a Panorama Bar & Lounge, and even a library with cards and board games, it’s easy to see why Avalon’s fleet of Suite Ships are award-winning.

Unlike ocean cruising where the ships seem to just get bigger and bigger, European river cruise ships remain small and boutique. Why? I learned a fair bit about the European “lock” system, which – much like in Britain's canals – is how the rivers are controlled to enable ships to navigate them easily. Seeing a lock in action was fascinating, and you can stand on deck to watch the expert crew in action; squeezing a 262-foot ship through a lock with only inches(!) to spare was really, really cool.

I can’t speak more highly of the crew onboard. They made every guest feel so special – in particular our Cruise Director. He was knowledgeable, helpful, utterly hilarious, and made sure each guest felt at home onboard. There's also quite a high crew-to-guest ratio onboard, which meant the service was unparalleled and felt more luxurious than ocean cruising; we were remembered by name, drink order, dietary requirement and had inside jokes with the crew by the end of the trip.

Avalon also made sure to add some special touches which were a lovely surprise – each afternoon when we returned from our excursions, we’d find small gifts in our rooms (usually something local to the region we were in). We even had a one-off cooking demonstration onboard from the Head Chef, who made a local delicacy using an old family recipe.

I’ve since been on an ocean cruise, and while I knew it would be a completely different experience, I think the best way to describe it is that an Avalon river cruise felt more “boutique”, thanks – in large part – to the fantastic service onboard and those special touches.

I could talk about the food on this trip for DAYS, it was incredible. The meals onboard are seasonal, using locally sourced produce, and prepared by chefs. This includes the daily buffet breakfasts and lunches, and four-course dinners. That’s right: four courses! At dinner, wine pairing recommendations are made too, and I couldn’t fault a single one.

Dining times were flexible, and there were less formal dining venues if we didn’t want a proper “sit-down” meal. Best of all, there was always a huge variety to choose from. We also befriended a lovely couple on our cruise, one of whom was a coeliac. No meal was an issue, with the staff ensuring she was always catered for – so those with dietary requirements need not worry.

The highlights had to be either the pastel de nata (a Portuguese egg tart), freshly made onboard by the pastry chef, or the salmon ravioli.

And, if we dined on-shore, Avalon’s restaurant recommendations were top-tier, promising mouth-watering local cuisine.

If you want to be impressed when you open that cabin door for the first time, the Avalon ships will have you covered. 

The Alegria has 37 Panorama Suites and 14 Deluxe Staterooms. We were lucky enough to stay in one of the award-winning Panorama Suites… and my favourite part was hands-down the view from bed! Avalon prides itself on always having window-facing beds, which is a beautiful set-up for relaxing with a glass of port and watching the rolling hills go by. Deluxe Staterooms have smaller windows, so if you want the floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall experience (with a sliding door for fresh air), then the Panorama Suites are the way to go.

With a total capacity of just 102 passengers, the rooms were far larger than I expected (the Panorama Suites are 30% larger than the industry standard!) which made our four nights that much more enjoyable. Not only that, but the beds were extremely comfortable – likely because you can choose your mattress firmness – and you can enjoy little luxuries like L’Occitane bathroom products, a large TV, bathrobes, slippers, and plenty of storage.

There’s absolutely no shortage of food on an Avalon Waterways journey; your chef-prepared meals are included within your cruise, along with complimentary room service for breakfast, lunch and dinner so you can really soak up those views from bed for a little longer! Wine, beer and soft drinks are complimentary with lunch and dinner, but outside of these meals you will need to pay. I highly recommend the daily happy hour if you like a cocktail! If you get peckish throughout the day (or night), you can head to the Club Lounge which offers complimentary coffee, tea, hot chocolates, and sweet treats.

Complimentary Wi-Fi is also included and I found it to work very well regardless of where I was on the ship. Tipping is at your discretion and not included. The daily excursions are included within your cruise package, however you can also take additional excursions to enhance your trip at extra cost.

Essentially everything is included except tipping, some drinks, and any additional excursions.

Flight Centre always has access to the best deals, so not only can a Travel Expert find you the best option for your trip, they can also package it with flights, pre or post-cruise accommodation, activities, transfers, and more, meaning you’ll also receive Flight Centre's Package Protection. It makes sense to keep your booking in one place, so, on the off chance anything goes pear-shaped, you’ve got 24/7 assistance for every aspect of your trip!

I recommend flying in at least a day – ideally two days – earlier than your river cruise embarkation day. Not only will you get time to explore the departure city and adjust to time zones, but if there are any flight delays, you won’t need to stress about missing the departure. If you want to see more of Lisbon, Avalon offers an extended journey which includes three nights pre-cruise in the city, where you get organised excursion options as well, to really take the hassle out of planning.

Your Flight Centre Travel Expert will be able to line up your flight options for whichever river cruise journey you choose!

If you’ve ever considered a river cruise but hesitated because of any pre-conceptions, I highly encourage you to chat to a Travel Expert to find the right one for you. I’m quite active, so I found Avalon Waterways to be fantastic thanks to the various excursions on offer each day, allowing me flexibility and freedom – and there are many other wonderful river cruise companies with unique points of difference, so you’ll be sure to find one that suits you.

Inspired by Sara’s first-hand account? Check out our latest cruising deals here, or chat with one of our Travel Experts to turn river dreaming into planning.