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While we were busy delivering first-rate service to our guests on Avalon Waterways, it seems a few people noticed. We're humbled and happy to share kudos we've received from some of the industry's most respected experts in river cruising, including readers and editors of Cruise Critic, USA Today, Conde Nast, and TravelAge. It seems we've struck the right note with our award-winning Panorama SuitesSM, Open–Air Balconies®, Panorama Windows, exceptional shore excursions, and flexible dining options. But we're not ones to rest on our laurels. Our biggest reward is making our cruise guests feel happy — from the first throw of the bowlines to the last drop of the anchor. That’s the Avalon difference, and it doesn't get much better than that!

    Cruise Critic

    2023
    • Editors’ Pick Best Cabins in River Cruising   
    • Editors’ Pick Best River Cruises for Solo Travelers 
    2019
    • Cruisers’ Choice Award Top European River Cruise Ship Line
    • Editors’ Pick Best Shore Excursions
    • Cruisers’ Choice Award Top 10 River Cruise Ships: Avalon Imagery II®, Avalon Expression®, Avalon Poetry II®, Avalon Tapestry II®, Avalon Luminary®
    2018
    • Best Cabins in River Cruising
    2017
    • Editors’ Pick Best Cabins in River Cruising
    2016
    • Editors’ Pick Best Cabins in River Cruising
    2015
    • Editors’ Pick Best Cabins in River Cruising
    2010
    • Best River Cruise Line
    • Editors’ Pick Best Cabins in River Cruising

    Conde Nast Traveler

    2023
    • Top 16 Best River Cruise Lines
    2021
    • Top 10 Best River Cruise Lines
    2020
    • Top 10 Best River Cruise Lines
    2018
    • Top 10 Best River Cruise Lines
    • Silver Winner/Cruise Ship: Overall River Cruise Ship (Avalon PanoramaSM)
    • Silver Winner/Cruise Ship: Overall River Cruising (Avalon Waterways)
    2016
    • Finalist: Top River Cruises
    2015
    • Finalist: Top River Ships
    2014
    • Top River Cruise Lines
    2013
    • Top 40 Cruise Ships (Avalon Creativity®)
    2012
    • Top 5 Best River Cruise Lines
    2011
    • Top 5 Best River Cruise Lines
    2010
    • Top Cruise Ships
    2009
    • The Gold List, Avalon Waterways Top 90 Cruise Ships, Avalon Waterways
    2008
    • Top 10 Small-Ship Cruise Line, Reader's Choice awards

    USA Today

    2024
    • Top 5 Best River Cruise Lines
    2023
    • No. 1 Best River Cruise Line
    • No. 1 Best River Cruise Ship – Avalon Envision®
    2022
    • No. 1 Best River Cruise Line
    • No. 1 Best River Cruise Ship – Avalon Envision®
    2021
    • No. 1 Best River Cruise Ship – Avalon Envision®
    • Voted 10 Best River Cruise Ship – Avalon Tranquility II®
    • Voted 10 Best River Cruise Line – Avalon Waterways
    2019
    • Avalon Waterways ranked in the top 10 River Cruise Lines in USA Today's 10Best 2019 readers' choice awards.
    • Avalon Envision® ranked in the top 10 River Cruise Ships in USA Today's 10Best 2019 readers' choice awards.
    2018
    • Avalon Waterways ranked in the top 10 River Cruise Lines in USA Today's 10Best 2018 readers' choice awards.
    2017
    • Avalon Waterways ranked in the top 10 River Cruise Lines in USA Today's 10Best 2017 readers' choice awards.
    2015
    • Avalon Waterways ranked in the top 10 River Cruise Lines in USA Today's 10Best 2015 readers' choice awards.

    Travel + Leisure World’s Best

    2023
    • Avalon Waterways ranked in the top 10 among River Cruises in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2023 readers’ survey
    2021
    • Avalon Waterways ranked in the top 10 among River Cruises in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2021 readers’ survey
    2019
    • Avalon Waterways ranked in the top 10 among River Cruises in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2019 readers’ survey
    2013
    • Avalon Waterways ranked in the top 10 among River Cruises in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2013 readers’ survey
    2011
    • Avalon Waterways ranked in the top 5 among River Cruises in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2011 readers’ survey
    • Top River Cruising for Families
    2010
    • Avalon Waterways ranked in the top 5 among River Cruises in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2011 readers’ survey
    2009
    • Avalon Waterways ranked in the top 10 Small-Ship Cruise Line
    2007
    • Avalon Waterways ranked in the top 10 Small-Ship Cruise Line

    Travel Age West Wave Awards

    2023
    • Best New River Cruise Ship, Avalon View® 
    2021
    • Best Pandemic Community Response by a River Cruise Line, Editor’s Pick, Avalon Waterways
    • Most Creative New Virtual Programming by a River Cruise Line, Editor’s Pick, Avalon Waterways
    • Most Anticipated New River Cruise Ship, Editor’s Pick, Avalon View®, Avalon Waterways
    2020
    • Best Suites in River Cruising
    • Editor’s Pick, River Cruise Line with the Highest Client Satisfaction
    • Editor’s Pick, River Cruise Line Providing the Best Travel Advisor Support
    • Editor’s Pick, Best New Ship (River Cruise)
    • Editor’s Pick, Best Onboard Dining (River Cruise)
    • Editor’s Pick, Best River Cruise Line for Families
    2019
    • Editor’s Pick, River Cruise Line Providing the Best Travel Advisor Support, Avalon Waterways
    • Editor’s Pick, River Cruise Line with the Highest Client Satisfaction, Avalon Waterways
    • Editor’s Pick, Best New Ship (River Cruise), Avalon Saigon, Avalon Waterways
    • Editor’s Pick, Best Onboard Dining (River Cruise), Avalon Waterways
    • Editor’s Pick, Best Suites, River Cruise, Avalon Waterways
    • Editor’s Pick, Best River Cruise Line for Families, Avalon Waterways
    2011
    • Best New River Cruise Ship (Avalon LuminarySM)
    2009
    • Best New River Cruise Ship (Avalon ScenerySM)

    More Kudos & Awards

    Recommend Magazine
    • 2023—Readers’ Choice Award, Best River Cruise Overall (Bronze) Avalon Waterways
    • 2022—Readers’ Choice Award, Best River Cruise Itineraries (Bronze) Avalon Waterways
    • 2021—Readers’ Choice Award, Best River Cruise Itineraries (Silver) Avalon Waterways
    • 2020—Readers’ Choice Award, Best Overall River Cruise (Bronze) Avalon Waterways
    • 2019—Readers’ Choice Award, Best Overall River Cruise Itinerary (Silver) Avalon Waterways
    Cruise Passenger Readers’ Choice
    • 2020—Best Luxury River Cruise Line
    • 2019—Best Luxury River Cruise Line
    AFAR Travel Guide
    • 2019—Best River Cruise, Finalist, Avalon Waterways
    Big7Travel
    • 2019—Featured, 7 Intimate European Cruises for your Bucket List, Avalon, The Heart of Germany; Tulip Time Cruise
    National Geographic
    • 2017—21 Best Cruises in the World, Irrawaddy River (Avalon MyanmarSM)
    Riverboatratings.com
    • 2017-2018—Best On Europe’s Rivers Award, The Best Designed Staterooms on the Rivers
    Cruise Report
    • 2017—Best River Cruise Accommodations, Avalon VistaSM, Panorama Suite
    • 2017—Best Panorama Lounge, Avalon VistaSM
    Money Magazine
    • 2017—Best River Cruise Lines (Gold) (Avalon Waterways)
    • 2017—Best in Travel (Avalon Waterways)
    U.S. News & World Report
    • 2016—Top River Cruise (Avalon Waterways, Vietnam, Cambodia & The Mekong River)
    Sherman’s Travel (Smart Luxury Travel)
    • 2016—The 9 Best River Cruise Ships in Europe (Avalon Tapestry IISM)
    • 2011—Best River Ship Debut (Avalon PanoramaSM)
    Travel Weekly
    • 2011—Best River Cruise Ship (Avalon PanoramaSM)
    • 2010—Best River Cruise Ship (Avalon ScenerySM)

AFFILIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS

Avalon Waterways is a proud member of the following associations.

Sustainable Travel

Avalon is committed to minimizing its impact on the environment and to reducing its dependence on non-renewable resources. In this endeavor, we have implemented policies to support this mission and are working carefully to enhance our products with this mission and our values combined. We are committed to complying with all relevant legislation and/or regulations.

Avalon Traveler Icons: Cambodia Project

Kailyan Mith program Siem Reap; part of the ChildSafe Network Visiting Cambodia can be a life-changing experience. Two things that visitors remember are the amazing archaeological treasures and the Cambodian people. Their warm, friendly personalities truly leave a lasting impression-as do their touching stories. Today, there is no story more important to tell than the growing number of children living in poverty.

Siem Reap, with its proximity to the temples of Angkor, has developed into a major tourism center in Cambodia. In 2013, Cambodia saw 4.2 million tourists and over half of these visitors arrived through Siem Reap. This recent growth in tourism has brought a good deal of wealth to the city, which has led a growing number of impoverished families to move to the city from surrounding villages in hopes of a better life. Often unprepared and with few employable skills, the hope for economic opportunities has instead increased the number of children, families, and mothers with small babies begging or selling souvenirs to tourists on the streets and around the temples.

To respond to these challenges, Avalon, in partnership with Tourism Cares, is proud to help fund the ChildSafe Network. Initiated by Friends-International, this powerful, proven program enlists the tourism community, both local and international, to support the welfare, advancement, and safety of children.

In Siem Reap, the ChildSafe Network is run by the Friends-International program Kaliyan Mith, which offers a comprehensive range of services and projects. This includes outreach to children and youth living on the streets, providing a safe space for young people through drop-in centers, an educational center and school re-integration, vocational training and employment for youth and their parents, and the provision of temporary accommodation through a transitional home. The program also includes awareness-raising campaigns where child begging is especially prominent as well as a 24/7 ChildSafe Emergency Hotline.

Avalon is a firm believer in this mission. Education is the key-not only for the children but for all visitors, and we do all we can to ensure that the begging lifestyle is not promoted on our journeys that visit Siem Reap and the rest of Asia.