Add Avalon Waterways to the checklist of journey firms working journeys by the famed Bordeaux wine area.
The well-known river cruise operator this week will start its first sailings on France’s Garonne and Dordogne rivers, which reduce by the vineyard-filled area identified for a few of the world’s best-known purple wines.
Happening on Avalon’s 128-passenger Avalon Artistry 2, the seven-night voyages will start and finish within the riverfront metropolis of Bordeaux, the area’s capital, beginning on Tuesday.
Stops on the sailings will embrace the river cities of Cadillac-Sur-Garonne, Libourne, Bourg and Blaye, which is able to function leaping off factors for visits to the numerous wineries within the area but in addition different sights together with historic websites.
“Clearly individuals take into consideration Bordeaux and take into consideration the wine, and that is a giant a part of the expertise. [But] we wished to create one thing that had greater than that,” Avalon president Pam Hoffee mentioned Sunday throughout a press convention on board Avalon Artistry 2.
The press convention got here throughout an abbreviated, four-night preview of the brand new itinerary for media and journey brokers that included a style of a few of the experiences in retailer for passengers.
As TPG noticed first hand in the course of the preview, these included plenty of excursions that concerned visits to wineries and wine tastings, from a wine-blending class at a vineyard with professional vintners to a wine and chocolate tasting at a chateau within the famed Margaux part of the Bordeaux area. However additionally they included non-wine-related excursions to such historic websites as the large seventeenth century Citadel of Blaye, a UNESCO World Heritage Web site.
As is typical for Avalon journeys, the tour selections additionally included lively choices corresponding to a prolonged hike by the vineyards of the Margaux space (beginning on the entrance gate of Chateaux Margaux, one of many world’s greatest identified wineries) and a motorbike tour by the vineyards across the historic and wine-focused city of St. Emilion.
Through the press convention on board, Hoffee mentioned Avalon was attempting to do the area in a different way than a few of its rivals by providing excursions to uncommon spots such because the seaside city of Arcachon, identified for its Victorian villas and oyster farms. Vineyard excursions and tasting have been designed to be extra intimate and off-the-beaten-path, she instructed.
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“We will small family-owned wineries and actually having an immersive expertise,” she mentioned.
As is at all times the case with Avalon journeys, all of the excursions together with the vineyard excursions and tastings are included within the value of the cruise.
Initially constructed to sail the Rhine River, the place it has been based mostly since 2013, Avalon Artistry 2 underwent a serious overhaul earlier than being moved to the Bordeaux area. The makeover introduced contemporary decor in public areas, from flooring to furnishings; a revamped sky deck with all-new furnishings; and upgraded web service in addition to different enhancements.
Like all vessels at present within the Avalon fleet, Avalon Artistry 2 is a part of Avalon’s Suite Class of ships, which started debuting in 2011.
The vessels within the sequence are identified for his or her giant numbers of extra-wide cabins known as Panorama Suites that supply a extra panoramic view of passing surroundings than the usual rooms you will discover on many different river ships.
Associated: Why I believe Avalon Waterways has the very best cabins in river cruising
Avalon Artistry 2 has 52 of those Panorama Suites, which provide 200 sq. ft of residing area. That is about 30% extra sq. footage than the usual river ship cabin.
Avalon has lengthy touted the Panorama Suites as a key differentiator between its vessels and people of different river traces in Europe that cater to North Individuals. The suites make up almost 80% of the cabins on Avalon’s ships and have a number of uncommon options. Amongst them: floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall panoramic home windows that stretch 11 ft broad and open up 7 ft broad.
Based in 2004, 21-year-old Avalon is understood for a younger fleet of ships with a trendy, modern design, and Avalon Artistry 2 isn’t any exception. Public areas characteristic trendy furnishings, clear traces and plenty of glass partitions that flood the areas with gentle.
At 361 ft in size, Avalon Artistry 2 is smaller than most of Avalon’s ships, which usually measure about 443 ft in size and maintain as much as 166 passengers. That offers it a very intimate really feel.
Avalon is simply the newest main river line so as to add river cruises by the Bordeaux area. A number of of its largest rivals together with AmaWaterways, Viking and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises have been working within the area for a few decade.
Like different river cruise traces that cater to North Individuals, Avalon has grown notably over the previous twenty years. With a number of additions in recent times, it now has 15 ships in Europe. It additionally operates one ship in Asia on the Mekong River and sells journeys on the Nile in Egypt and the Amazon in South America, too.
Fares for the brand new seven-night Bordeaux area sailings begin at $2,830 per individual.
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