RIVER CRUISING SALES SURGE;
AVALON WATERWAYS NAVIGATES NEW WATERS IN 2010
LITTLETON, Colorado – February 9, 2010 – Fed, in part, by a big ship traveler base and the fact that cruisers are looking for new, in-depth experiences, river and small ship cruising is dominating the market in 2010 as the hottest, “must-experience” travel style. In fact, since 2004, international river cruise bookings have grown by more than 200 percent and 2010 is shaping up to be the best year yet for small ship cruising.
According to Patrick Clark, managing director of award-winning Avalon Waterways, this dramatic surge in bookings is being fueled by the new generation of river cruise operators, led by Avalon. “Our approach of deploying new fleets, complete with the next generation of design and amenities, has not just added capacity in Europe and around the world, it’s energized the small ship cruise category.”
On the heels of christening two new ships in 2009 (Avalon Creativity and Avalon Affinity), in 2010, Avalon Waterways is unveiling two additional vessels in Europe – the Avalon Luminary and Avalon Felicity – bringing the cruise operator’s total ships sailing the Danube, Rhine, Rhône, Seine and Main rivers to 10. Avalon also operates ships on the Yangtze and Nile rivers and throughout the Galápagos Islands.
In addition to Avalon’s dedication to offering cruisers the newest ships, the company is also providing the widest selection of cruise itineraries available. For instance, this year, Avalon is giving apprehensive and time-starved travelers the chance to get a “taste” of the river cruise waters, testing out this burgeoning travel style, with a first-of-its-kind, four-day Taste of the Danube itinerary (Budapest, Bratislava, Melk and Vienna) priced at less than $1,000.
Avalon’s most popular cruises for 2010 are:
· NEW Paris to Normandy's Landing Beaches
While the company is focused on growth to meet increased consumer demand, Steve Born, vice president of marketing for the Globus family of brands, says the team at Avalon Waterways is also dedicated to exceeding traveler expectations. “With nearly 100 percent of our Avalon Waterways passengers stating that we’ve met or exceeded their expectations, it’s clear that we care about the little things that make a big difference. We serve passengers unlimited complimentary local wine, beer or soda with all on-board dinners and feature regional entertainment, as well as provide the most impressive land programs available, coupled with a ‘best in class’ English-speaking staff that caters to our clients’ desires. Our travelers also benefit from all-inclusive pricing – expenses that can be both planned and paid in advance of travel.”
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ABOUT AVALON WATERWAYS
Avalon Waterways is an award-winning small ship cruise company. In addition to countless trade accolades, Avalon Waterways has garnered some of the industry's most prestigious honors: Among them, Avalon Waterways was voted the No. 2 Best Small-Ship Cruise Line in Travel + Leisure’s 2009 World’s Best Awards, featured in Condé Nast Traveler's 2009 Gold List and voted a Top 10 Small Ship Cruise Line in the publication's 2008 Reader's Choice. The fastest growing cruise company in the industry, Avalon Waterways offers travelers the newest, most luxurious ships in Europe, China, Egypt and the Galápagos. The company's ships feature state-of-the-art design and technology and house the largest staterooms, boasting floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic sliding glass doors. Avalon Waterways is part of the Globus family of brands, a travel industry leader with 80 years of international travel expertise. The Globus family of brands is a member of Sustainable Travel International (STI).
Consumers can book an Avalon Waterways vacation or request brochures by visiting a preferred travel agent or by calling the following toll free number: 1.877.380.1535. For more information, please visit www.avalonwaterways.com. Travel agents can request Avalon Waterways brochures by calling toll free 1.800.221.0090 or visiting www.globusfamilypartner.com.