The Avalon Waterways trade lunch was held in Bang Restaurant in Dublin. Lesley Taylor (MD) and Phil Shipman (Head of Sales) from Globus Family of Brands UK, which includes Avalon Waterways, hosted the event, alongside Alan Sparling and Jo-Ann Raleigh of ASM Ireland, which represents Avalon Waterways in Ireland.
Highlighting the elevated river cruise offering and celebrating the successful launch of the seasoned brand, the team was able to boast that their sales targets have already been far exceeded for 2025.
While new to the Irish market, these are seasoned & award-winning cruise operators. Avalon Waterways offers almost a century of water travel experience. Starting from a rowboat across Lake Lugano, a glacial lake between southern Switzerland and northern Italy, Avalon has grown into the luxury cruise company today.
The word Avalon symbolises a paradise or utopia and the company aims to deliver this to guests onboard the Swiss-family owned business.
“We’ve been committed to unveiling the world to those seeking greater meaning and memories – all while protecting its people, places, and traditions for generations to come.”
Alan Sparling welcomed and thanked guests for their support. He introduced Lesley Taylor (Managing Director of Avalon Waterways and Phil Shipman (Head of Sales).
Lesley Taylor – Managing Director – Avalon Waterways UK
Lesley Taylor shared that “…it’s been a long-held wish to sell our Avalon products to the Irish market and when I became managing director, it became the real priority.”
She explained the strategy was for a soft launch into Ireland with an optimistic target. After a few short months, they have “smashed the full year target already. It’s just been phenomenal”. She highly praised ASM Ireland’s Alan & Jo-Ann for engaging the Irish market.
The Avalon Waterways Ships
Avalon Waterways typically have between 128-166 guests onboard. These are the same-sized ships that competitors would have an average of 190 customers on board. Lesley explains this is key as Avalon has “deliberately invested in making sure that there’s room on the ships for everyone”. This means guests benefit from definitely having a seat on the Panorama Lounge or Sky Deck.
Lesley shares, “They will definitely appreciate that they can do what they want, whatever they are, because there will be room throughout the ship.”
Panorama Suites
Lesley highlighted the Panorama Suites, which expand over 200 sq ft., 30% larger than the industry average. River cruise ships are restricted by the widths of the rivers and locks themselves. Offering balconies results in confined cabins. What Avalon offers is Open Air Baconies – these are floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall open windows. It stretches seven feet from side to side of the suite, so “you’re really bringing the whole view into the room and it’s just absolutely gorgeous… so your whole cabin effectively becomes a balcony when you decide, and it’s going to be that way.”
Avalon’s boutique-hotel-inspired Panorama SuitesSM are available on two full decks of every Suite Ship and feature the industry’s only Open-Air Balcony® with the widest-opening windows in cruising. These wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows open 7ft wide in Europe and 11ft wide in Southeast Asia – wider than any other balconies in the industry. Open-Air Balconies do not sacrifice room space. In contrast, they enable guests to enjoy the entirety of their Panorama Suite, 100% of the time.
Beds the Way They Should Be
The beds face the window, so when guests wake, they are soaking up the stunning views. It’s a unique and wonderful design. In fact, in my view, all beds should be built this way, looking at the view rather than, typically, a television screen.
Lesley explains, this is “On two decks on every single one of our ships, it is precisely the same experience, and then you’ve got your gorgeous Comfort collection bed. So you can sit there with your coffee in the morning and enjoy the whole energy.”
What Sets Avalon Apart from the Rest – Choice
“Something else that you think really sets us apart is choice. We think about that all the time. What do people want to do, and let them change their minds and experience the product however they want to.”, shares Lesley.
Globus Family of Brands
She continues, “We are part of a bigger family of brands, the Globus Family Brands. You may have heard of Cosmos on the touring side. And the only reason I mentioned that is because we’ve been in business for nearly a hundred years and creating other packages to do better than anyone. And that’s a wonderful fit for the Avalon experience too.”
The Globus Family of Brands consists of Globus, Cosmos and Avalon Waterways. These brands offer legendary landmarks, off-the-beaten-path discoveries, iconic rivers or vibrant cities. Customers can explore hundreds of getaways across six continents – from guided tours and independent escapes to small group discoveries and river cruises
Classic, Active or Discovery Excursions Onboard Avalon Waterways
Onboard, guests are offered a Classic, an Active or a Discovery excursion every day while on the ship. Lesley details that a Classic excursion might be a walking tour, a Discovery might be becoming a pastry chef, a painting class or something a bit different. Active excursions could include trying kayaking.
Lesley explains, “We bring the excursions to life when you’re on the ship. Then, if the customer thinks I wasn’t courageous enough to book that before now, and I like the sound of it, so you can change your mind when you’re on there.”
It’s a great idea, that flexibility. It allows people to be spontaneous and not have to plan or pick every aspect of their adventure weeks in advance.
Guests have as many as 28 included excursions on their cruising itinerary. And, should guests prefer to explore on their own, they have access to all the recommendations, information and gear they need with Avalon Waterways’ Adventure Center and AvalonGO mobile app, making it easy to take a complimentary bike or e-bike out for a spin or wander around the area.
Dining Options Onboard Avalon
The Panorama M Restaurant is one of the dining options onboard. Customers aren’t told when to come to eat, guests can come between 7 and 8 pm at their leisure. They can opt for a seating plan that suits them 2, 4, 6 or 8-seat tables. There is no forced socialising onboard, however, as cruise sailings progress, guests tend towards larger groups as they mingle and interact with other guests.
For a lighter meal, there is the Panoramic Bistro and at least once a week the Sky Grill opens for that “al fresco” experience, located on the Sky Deck.
Beyond these options, guests can avail of room service, at no additional cost. Guests can order breakfast, lunch and dinner, so it is completely flexible. The tables in the suites even have adjustable heights to make it the most comfortable for the guests.
Whether guests choose an al fresco lunch at the Sky Grill, an elegant four-course dinner in the glasswalled dining room, a petite plate at the Panorama Bistro or even breakfast in bed, FlexDining offers guests the opportunity to enjoy their meals in a multitude of venues as well as open dining times, more two-top tables for couples and bar service on the Sky Deck. Avalon Waterways even provides complimentary picnic lunches to those interested in taking their dining experience off the ship.
Inclusions
On each and every cruise, Avalon Waterways provides immersive inclusions on board and on shore. Regional wine and beer with lunch and dinner, on board enrichment activities and entertainment, on shore excursions with local guides and a customised mobile app loaded with navigation and suggestions to fuel free time. The company also gives complimentary Wi-Fi and around-the-clock cappuccinos, BeWell water stations which also gives vitamin-infused options like “Green Hope +15,” “Body Guard +15” and “Pink Positive +15” to keep energy up.
Menus Even for Mattresses & Pillows
Guest can decide the firmness of their mattress and the level of support they want from their pillows. You can even have a different level of firmness for your other half.
Accredited by the Institute of Customer Service
It’s easy to see why the Avalon Waterways UK Team is officially accredited by The Institute of Customer Service. In fact, it is the only travel company in the UK to have achieved a distinction which is based on both team and customer scores.
Fixed Pricing for 2025
Lesley explained that the strategy for Avalon Waterways is to have fixed pricing for the Irish market for 2025. This makes it easy to advertise the fully inclusive package price. This pricing includes flights from Dublin, transfers, the cruise, the excursions, drinks (beer & wine with dinner), happy hour (if the cocktails from the lunch are an indication of the quality onboard, they are excellent).
Lesley also pointed out that if customers have travelled on an Avalon Waterways cruise, they benefit from “Welcome Back” credit, and they have a price point for 2026 that matches 2025, which may offer encouragement for them to book sooner rather than later.
Worldwide Fleet & Even Special Interest Itineraries
There is a worldwide fleet of 16 Suite Ships, 15 are in Europe and one in Southeast Asia. Phil Shipman explained in 2026, Avalon Waterways will have a fully refurbished fleet. He shared that their slogan is “Better by Design”. If the beds and the windows are anything to go by, it’s evident they know what they are doing.
Guests can sail itineraries on the Rhine, Danube, Rhône, Seine, Saône, Main, Moselle, Douro, Garonne, Dordogne, Amazon, Mekong and Nile Rivers. With flight inclusive prices for the Irish market from €2,379, in Phil’s own words, “It’s an absolute winner”. In addition, those that have sailed with Avalon Waterways before, their “Welcome Back” credit means they get a further discount on those prices.
Avalon Waterways’ engaging and energising collection of Active & Discovery river cruises takes place in Holland and Belgium and offers itineraries that sail on the Upper & Lower Danube, Rhine & Rhône, Seine and Moselle Rivers. Phil highlighted that Avalon Waterways also offers “Special Interest” cruises, from beer and wine to history, music, culinary and Christmas cruises plus an exclusive series of Storyteller cruises featuring celebrity hosts.
Avalon After Dark
In addition, Phil revealed that Avalon is launching “Avalon After Dark”. From dedicated entertainment, pre-dinner cocktails to more after-dark port adventures and Sky Grill dinners under the stars. Whether sipping a perfectly crafted new cocktail on the Sky Deck, swaying to live music in the Panorama Lounge or stepping ashore for a moonlit city escape, Avalon After Dark ensures that every moment, day or night, is one to remember.
They seem to have thought of everything from fast (complimentary) wifi, powerful hair dryers, plug sockets next to the mirrors – it’s the little details that elevate the experience. And with ASM Ireland and their attention to detail, Avalon Waterways & ASM Ireland are idyllic bedfellows (Alan – I still remember the liquorice & model plane).
