For travel advisors looking to offer clients a river cruise that goes beyond traditional sightseeing, Avalon Waterways’ Active & Discovery cruises provide a compelling point of difference.
Unique to Avalon, the concept combines the relaxed comfort of river cruising with a choice of Active, Discovery and Classic excursions, allowing travellers to shape each day around their own interests, energy levels and sense of adventure.
There can be up to 28 excursions on a single itinerary, giving travellers the freedom to choose how they want to experience each destination.
It also makes the product suitable for a broader range of clients, from active couples and friends to multigenerational travellers and returning river cruisers looking for a different perspective on familiar destinations.
For advisors, that flexibility is a valuable sales tool: clients do not have to choose between an active holiday and a relaxing river cruise. They can have both.
It is an approach that has also earned industry recognition, with Avalon Waterways named ‘Best for Active Cruisers’ in Cruise Critic’s 2025 Best in Cruise Awards.
Avalon Tapestry II Panorama Suite
More ways to experience Europe
The key selling point for advisors is choice.
Rather than simply taking passengers to Europe’s major sights, Active & Discovery cruises give them opportunities to experience destinations in more immersive ways.
Avalon describes the offering as a choice between experiences for the “mover”, the “doer” and the “dreamer”, with excursions ranging from cycling, hiking and kayaking to cooking classes, creative workshops, food experiences and traditional sightseeing.
Three Active & Discovery itineraries worth knowing
The Active & Discovery on the Rhine with 2 Nights in Lucerne is a 10-day journey from Amsterdam to Lucerne travelling through four countries: The Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland.
The itinerary combines classic Rhine scenery with experiences designed to get travellers involved.
Clients can kayak through Amsterdam’s canals, take an e-bike tour through vineyards around the Rhine and Moselle, or hike Heidelberg’s Philosophers’ Way.
There are equally strong Discovery options, including a graffiti workshop in Amsterdam, a visit to a local brewery and a foodie tour through Strasbourg showcasing the cuisine of France’s Alsace region.
The two-night Lucerne hotel stay adds another dimension, with sightseeing included. The extension gives clients additional time to experience one of Europe’s most sought-after destinations. Join a Guided Walking tour to explore this beautiful city, which includes Thorvaldsen’s poignant Lion Monument and the famous Chapel Bridge.
The Active & Discovery on the Seine & Rhône with 2 Nights in Saint-Malo takes travellers on an 18-day journey from Paris to Arles, combining Normandy and Provence with a distinctly French focus.
Highlights include cycling through Paris, kayaking around Vernon and e-biking around Château de Maisons-Lafitte.
Clients can also whip up Chantilly cream at Chantilly Castle, explore Monet’s home and gardens or take part in a Benedictine cocktail workshop.
The itinerary also features a one-night Paris hotel stay and two nights in Saint-Malo, including a visit to Mont St Michel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This famous landmark is visited by more than three million people each year and is the most-visited tourist attraction in France outside of Paris.
Further south, culinary and creative experiences include cooking in Lyon, discovering essential oil production at a Provençal farmhouse and a painting workshop inspired by Van Gogh in Arles.
For clients wanting a shorter European escape, the Active & Discovery in Holland & Belgium is an eight-day round trip from Amsterdam.
The itinerary brings the Low Countries to life through cycling, walking and hands-on experiences.
Travellers can pedal through Dutch countryside past polders, dykes and historic villages, take an architectural bike tour through Rotterdam or walk through the woods and dunes around Domburg.
The Discovery options are just as distinctive, from visiting the oyster town of Yerseke to exploring Ghent’s Graffiti Street and trying a Delft tile pottery workshop or painting class.
More Choice for Every Type of Traveller
The Avalon Difference is ultimately about giving travellers more control over how they experience Europe.
For the travel advisor, that creates a simple proposition to communicate: clients can cruise in comfort while choosing experiences that match their passions, whether that means getting active, getting creative, getting closer to local food and culture, or simply taking in the classic sights.
And with current offers adding further value, there is another reason to put Avalon Active & Discovery on the shortlist.
The current promotion includes Fly Free plus savings of up to $1,400 per couple on select ‘Magnificent Europe’ and ‘Romantic Rhine’ river cruises, while savings of up to $14,100 per couple are available on select 2026 and 2027 river cruises*.
For advisors, it goes beyond simply selling a river cruise: it is about selling clients the freedom to experience Europe their way.
For sales and marketing tools, visit the Travel Agent Portal.
*Terms and conditions apply.
