On Location: “A fresh take”: Avalon arrives in Bordeaux with upgraded fleet features

Avalon Waterways has officially arrived in Bordeaux.

The line’s newest itinerary charts a course through the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers, blending vineyard views, châteaux visits and small-ship sophistication, for a fresh take on France’s famed wine region.

PAX was on the ground (make that on the river) for the inaugural sailing of Avalon’s latest itinerary, Bonjour Bordeaux: Châteaux, Wineries & Charming Villages, from March 21-25, aboard the newly-updated Artistry II.

The eight-day itinerary launching this month sails round-trip from Bordeaux with stops in Cadillac-sur-Garonne, Cussac-Fort-Médoc, Blaye, Bourg and Libourne.

The itinerary is part of Avalon’s growing portfolio of 79 itineraries across 13 rivers and 23 countries worldwide.

A refreshed fleet with more to come

During a press briefing aboard the Artistry II, Pam Hoffee, president of Avalon Waterways, shared updates on the line’s fleet-wide refresh, set to be completed by 2026.

Gone are the once-trendy bold patterns and geometric shapes; in their place are calm, neutral palettes with bright, open spaces and splashes of colour.

The upgrades include new carpets, tiles and mattresses, plus new furniture in the Panorama Lounge, Observation Lounge and Sky Deck.

Every ship now also features stronger Wi-Fi, powered by dual Starlink antennas and additional access points.

Fitness offerings have also expanded, with new Speediance Gym Monster II equipment and expanded bike fleets.

Behind the scenes, new dishwashers, laundry machines and a second shore power hookup help reduce Avalon’s environmental footprint.

With the Visionary and Expression ships scheduled for renovations this coming winter, only two ships remain before the transformation is complete.

The 128-guest Artistry II, like its sister ships, features Avalon’s signature Panorama Suites, which are said to be 30 per cent larger than the industry average, and feature wall-to-wall windows that open seven feet wide for an “open-air balcony” experience.

Dining on board remains both flexible and regionally focused, with complimentary room service, many locally-sourced ingredients picked up in port and new al fresco dinner service on the Sky Grill during warmer sailings.

During our sailing, regional pours were paired with French dishes like canard à l’orange and pâté en croûte.

With a guest-to-crew ratio of 3:1, Avalon delivers personalized service and a more intimate cruising experience.

“In comparison to other river ships but especially compared to an ocean cruise, our ships are smaller and the low passenger count really makes for high crew attention,” Hoffee told journalists.

“It means greater attention to detail and higher guest satisfaction.”

Beyond the fleet’s visual refresh, Avalon is also enhancing its nightlife programming.

Hoffee shared that guests can expect more live entertainment onboard rooted in local culture, a revamped cocktail menu and new resources to help travellers discover nightlife options ashore.

During the inaugural Bordeaux sailing, evenings in the Panorama Lounge came alive with post-dinner performances, ranging from soulful guitar sets and jazz ensembles to a high-energy pop rock trio.

Choose your own adventure

On this sailing, PAX sampled Avalon’s signature Active, Discovery and Classic excursion styles — all of which are included in the base fare.

In Margaux, an Active 2.5-hour vineyard walk revealed rolling vineyards and storybook châteaux.

A Discovery excursion in Libourne offered a deep dive into regional cuisine, with stops at the town’s bustling open-air market to sample cheese, chocolate and local delicacies.

Meanwhile, a Classic day trip to Arcachon Bay included an oyster tasting and a stroll through the seaside town’s villa-lined streets.

“People think about Bordeaux for the wine and that’s a big part of the experience, but we wanted to create something that had more than that,” said Hoffee.

She added that this dynamic, choose-your-own-adventure style of travel is appealing to a broader audience.

“We are that alternative to the passive style of cruise — this can be super active if you want it to be or it can be that relaxed experience where you sit in the lounge and have a drink,” said Hoffee.

It’s that balance of flexibility and meaningful experiences that Avalon aims to deliver on every itinerary.

“What makes it most special is the local connection we have with the people here,” Hoffee added.

“We’re going to a châteaux that not everybody goes to; we’re going to small, family-owned wineries and having really immersive experiences.”

Longer stays, younger guests

Speaking to PAX, Hoffee highlighted several emerging trends in river cruising — most notably a growing desire for longer trips.

“We’re seeing people wanting to combine trips,” she said. “Air fares have not really come down and so people are recognizing from a cost – and even a sustainability perspective – it makes sense to fly once and do two trips.”

To meet this demand, Avalon’s new Bordeaux itinerary can be paired with other France sailings for extended cruise experiences, such as a 15-day journey from Paris to Bordeaux or 22-day itineraries from either Arles or Basel.

Hoffee said Avalon is also seeing a generational shift. “We’re seeing a lot more Gen Xers come into the market as their kids get older,” she said.

She added that Avalon’s diverse excursions naturally lend themselves to multi-generational travel.

“You can bring your grandparents, parents and grandkids and everybody can do their own thing and then meet on the ship in the evening,” said Hoffee.

Competition on the horizon

Hoffee also addressed the announcement that Celebrity Cruises will be entering the river cruise market.

“They’ve announced a relatively reasonable pace of entry into the market, and I really appreciate it, because I think there could be a big risk to the communities and to all of the brands otherwise,” she said.

Still, she sees the move as positive for the industry overall.

"They'll be marketing river cruising as a good way to travel to a huge number of people and so I think it’ll bring more people to river cruising as a whole,” she said.  "We have something that's unique and different from what's in the market and we’re pretty happy with what we’ve got because our guests are happy with it.”

Avalon’s current strategy remains steady: one new ship per year.

“We want to make sure that we're being welcomed to the communities that we go to and that we aren't overwhelming any community,” she said.

Advisor tools & takeaways

For travel advisors, Avalon’s consistent onboard experience remains a strong selling point.

“No matter which ship guests choose, they know they’ve got two full decks of Panorama Suites, and they know where the lounge, dining room and Club Lounge are,” said Hoffee.

Hoffee encourages advisors to experience the product firsthand through Avalon’s Suite Rewards Advisor FAM program.

“You can always sell something better when you’ve experienced it yourself,” she said, adding that Avalon’s BDMs are available to help agents build their business.

“We’ve done a lot of training with our team to be true partners to the trade,” she said.

With refreshed ships, flexible experiences and a newly-launched itinerary in one of Europe’s most in-demand destinations, Avalon is continuing to carve out a distinct space in the river cruise market.

“When you walk onboard an Avalon ship, you feel at home,” said Hoffee.

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