Avalon has sage insights on age
IAN STALKER
(Photo above: The Danube is among European rivers Avalon offers cruises on.)
Avalon Waterways is taking on the mythbusters role when it comes to groundless beliefs about waterborne travel.
Stéphanie Bishop, director of Canadian marketing for the Globus brand company, and her marketing colleague Chris Jones used a recent Toronto gathering to dispel some of the notions that people might hold about Avalon’s river cruises.
Foremost among those “misconceived ideas” is a belief that the sailings are basically designed for elderly people “who love statues and classical music,” Bishop said.
Jones, in turn, noted that every Avalon port has “multiple excursions,” with those opting for an Avalon cruise in France possibly able to “hike deep into a cave” and sample wine aged in barrels in that subterranean setting.
Other available European excursions include canoeing on the Danube River and cooking and painting classes.
“It’s not about age anymore,” Bishop said of who river cruising is suited for. “It’s about what you like to do.”
Bishop also dismissed suggestions that the “authentic experiences” offered to cruise passengers is nothing more than a “buzzword,” with no company having unique activities. “The days of cookie-cutter travel are gone,” she said, citing her company’s clients being offered the likes of tango lessons in Argentina and Spain.
Also unfounded is the belief that “most river cruises are the same,” so those wanting to book one should use price or the best deals as the overriding decider, Bishop continued.
“In today’s world, it’s about the experience,” Bishop stated, adding those who base their choice on price alone run the risk of selling themselves short.
Bishop said would-be passengers will pay more to have memorable experiences on their sailings. “They just want to make sure they have good value for what they’re getting.”
Avalon has a host of European sailings that include journeys on such prominent rivers as the Danube, Rhine and Moselle. Those wanting to see more than one country on their vacation can combine countries, demonstrated by the likes of Tulip Time in Holland & Belgium and Grand Tulip Cruise of Holland & Belgium.
Globus and Cosmos – another Globus brand – together offer sailings in Russia and the Mediterranean.