Karryon speaks with Pam Hoffee, President of Avalon Waterways, onboard the new Avalon Alegria to discuss the surging popularity of Douro cruises, the unique selling points of Avalon’s vessels, and the company’s real commitment to sustainability.
The locks are the key
The Douro River has a steep incline, and in the past, this made large parts of the river unnavigable. But in the 1960s and 1970s, dams with locks were built, allowing boats to go where they couldn’t before.
The locks are like water elevators for boats, helping them move between the different water levels. Since the water level changes due to the locks, cruises can only operate during times when the locks are operational. The schedule of the locks on the Douro determines the Douro cruise season, Hoffee told Karryon.
“The locks determine how long we can sail and the duration of the season because they do close some of them during the winter,” she said.
“And so the lock schedule determines when we start and end our sailing.”
Avalon Waterways were able to add “a little bit of capacity to ’24″ in November (two additional departures) after it received the finalised lock schedule, Hoffee said. At that point, they were almost sold out for the season.
“So there are very few cabins available in ’24 and ’25 is already at almost 60% sold.
“If I were to look at our overall load factor across Europe, the Douro is about twice as high as what our overall load factor is. So it’s definitely trending very strong.
A second ship on the Douro?
With the popularity of the newly christened Avalon Alegria, the market is suggesting potential for another ship, but Avalon prioritises measured growth.
“We want to grow at the right pace where we have the right amount of capacity that we’re able to fulfil what our advisor partners need in terms of their sales and that we’re not creating a situation where there’s too much discounting,” Hoffee told Karryon.
Additionally, Douro lock access requires appointments, and seeing an influx of ships to the region, Avalon wants to ensure that operations won’t be affected.
“We want more time to understand that a little bit more and be sure that that we’re in a good place before we decide to bring another ship to the river,” Hoffee said.
A quick guide to the unique selling points of Avalon
”It’s all about the views,” Hoffee told Karryon.
“Our ships are built differently and it starts with the Panorama Suite.”
Avalon’s signature Panorama Suites boast expansive windows that open wide, creating a balcony-like experience. Additionally, beds face the windows, maximising the visual connection to the scenery. This focus on panoramic vistas extends to the public areas too.
To take guests from these views, the land offering has to be good and Hoffee credits Avalon’s success of its excursion program to its belonging to the 96 year old Globus Family of Brands.
“We do land really well. And we feature choices of excursions which isn’t necessarily the norm with everyone with cruise lines. So I think for people who are looking for a more immersive experience and who enjoy doing things versus just seeing things when they’re travelling, Avalon is a really great choice for them.
“But it’s also the feeling on board,” Hoffee said.
Avalon prioritises genuine guest interaction over a formal, butlered service. And this relaxed luxury approach resonates with the Australian market, in particular, she added.
“We want a high level of service, but at the same time we want our our crew to have a genuine conversation with guests and that’s what our crew brings to life.”
Making it easy for travel advisors
Avalon’s addition of pre- and post-cruise extensions simplifies the booking process for advisors, Hoffee said.
“It’s really for advisors to give them the ability to have a very easy way to book and to create an easy package (complete with transfers) in one place because we know how hard advisors are working.”
An eye for the future
“Across the fleet in 2020, we had made the decision to eliminate single-use plastics from our ships, down to the plastic gloves the crew would put on to reset the tables,” Hoffee said.
Add to this a significant reduction in paper use (down to 5% of what was used in the past), LED lighting and advanced wastewater treatment systems minimise environmental impact throughout the ship.
“When we started talking to the ship builder about this ship, they actually had this idea of a hydrogen project and we looked at it seriously. But the reality is it just wasn’t possible. We are absolutely interested in an alternative fuel vessel, butthe technology isn’t here yet. So in the meantime, you get the most fuel efficient vessel that you can, know that you still have carbon and then you offset it. That’s why we partner with Trees for Travel and we offset everyone.
“While the river cruise industry as a whole does not have specific goals, but we’ve set our own goals.
“Unfortunately, we are not going to make the initial goal that we set and I’ll just be open with that. We had set a goal to have an all-electric ship by 2027. The technology just isn’t here. We remain committed to exploring alternative fuel options as technology advances.”
You can read more about the christening of the Avalon Alegria on the banks of beautiful Pinhao in Portugal or check check out Karryon’s review of the Avalon Alegria here.
