Avalon River Cruises

Yes you can, or you can book directly with Global Journeys, and save on the retail price with our online exclusive discounts, as well as receiving the best advice on all of your travel plans from your dedicated award winning travel advisor!

Travel documents, including your paper tickets or e-ticket itineraries and other information, are posted by Global Journeys approximately two to three weeks prior to departure from Australia, provided full payment has been received.

Avalon Waterways is an international company. As such, you will be travelling with like-minded cruise enthusiasts from countries as diverse as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, as well as Europe and Asia regions.

Any disability requiring special attention should be reported to Global Journeys at the time the reservation is made. Avalon Waterways will make reasonable efforts to accommodate the special needs of disabled tour participants, but is not responsible in the event it is unable to do so, nor is it responsible for any denial of services by carriers, hotels, restaurants, or other independent suppliers. We regret that we cannot provide individual assistance to a tour member for walking, dining, and getting on and off motorcoaches and other transportation vehicles, or other personal needs. A qualified companion must accompany travellers who need such assistance.

On river cruises we do not have elevators that go to every level of the ship. Most doors to cabins, staterooms and restrooms are not wide enough to allow access by standard wheelchairs and other doorways may be fitted with coamings. For safety reasons travellers in wheelchairs cannot be carried on ramps in ports.

An adult must accompany travellers who are less than 18 years old on the tour departure date. We do not accept children under the age of 8.

Avalon Waterways is dedicated to ensuring your trip is worry and hassle free, even when booking. Should you be uncertain what your commitments will be leading up to your departure, Avalon Waterways offer an optional SafetyNet Protection policy for an additional fee. Read more here.

Porterage for one suitcase on tour is included in the tour price. Due to limited coach capacity and keeping within the guidelines of Occupation Health and safety, we strongly recommend that this single bag should have dimensions not exceeding 76x53x28cm (30"x 21"x 11") and weight not exceeding 22 kg (50 lbs). We do understand that slight variations to these dimensions will occur and provided the variations are only slight, luggage will be accepted.

Due to limited space on luggage racks in the coach, carry-on bags should not exceed the dimensions of 30x28x14cm (12"x11"x6"). For safety reasons, wheeled carry-on bags are not suitable as hand luggage on motorcoaches and minibuses as these bags can cause damage to persons and property if it falls from the overhead compartments for any reason. A carry-on bag and a handbag will be suitable inside the coach

You can pre purchase selected optional excursions for your river cruise between 90 and 10 days prior to departure, on departures which have been placed onto a 'Definite Departure' status. Details will be provided by your Global JOurneys Travel Advisor.

European vessels can be configured as either one bed or two separate beds. Unless specified, the default will be two separate beds pushed together with separate bedding. If your preference is for one bed or two separate beds apart, please request this at time of enquiry. Triple bedding is not available.

Gratuities to the Cruise Director and crew on board are included in the cruise price. Tips to your Local Guides on optional excursions are not inlcuded in the cruise price. Tipping is a way to show your satisfaction for good service and is always appreciated but not expected. If you were to tip your Local Guides it is recommended that tips be paid in cash.

Electricity on board our Avalon Waterways ships is 220v which requires a European Adaptor. You will need an adaptor or converter to use in your stateroom.

A cashless system operates on the ships so all purchases and shipboard services are credited to your account. At the end of the cruise you will receive your account which can be paid with cash, credit cards or paid in traveller's cheques (there is a processing fee). Traveller's cheques are not accepted on the Nile, on Lake Nasser nor in Southeast Asia. Personal cheques are not accepted. On the Mekong only cash, Visa and Mastercard are accepted for payment.

Wine, beer and soft drinks are included with dinner & lunch on Avalon Europe river cruises, as well as on the Mekong and Ganges rivers. At other times, such beverages are available for an additional charge. Coffee and tea are available free of charge throughout the day from the self service coffee stations.

All meals on board are prepared by accomplished chefs and consist of local food adjusted to suit the tastes of international passengers. There is a full buffet breakfast, and in Europe a buffet lunch including choice of soups and main courses with appetizer, salad or sandwich, and dessert. On the Yangtze, Mekong and Irrawaddy, a mix of Western and local dishes are offered; in the Galápagos, you'll be able to taste some Ecuadorian specialties.

Laundry service is available on board for a modest fee. Price lists will be available in your stateroom. Please note that clothes cannot be dry cleaned on board. For safety reasons, we ask that you do not iron clothing in your cabin. For a small fee, the on board laundry service is available to iron clothing. Laundry facilities are not available on the Galapagos cruise.

Dress aboard and on shore is casual. Please bring comfortable walking shoes for sightseeing. Dinner attire is casual - open-neck shirts, pants, dresses. Coats and ties may be worn. The Captain's Welcome and Farewell Dinners are dressy, but not formal. On the Mekong and Irrawaddy coats and ties are not recommended due to the warm humid climate.

You can add pre/post tour accommodation to your reservation inconjunction with Avalon. This price will include breakfast. Please note that hotels are subject to change but by booking your pre accommodation with Avalon this ensures that if the meeting location changes Avalon we will try to change your pre accommodation to the same hotel. On the rare occasion that there is no availability then alternative accommodation will be reserved at a hotel of equivalent standard. If this does occur than the transfer between the hotels will be at Avalon's expense.

Transfers from the meeting location to the ship on embarkation day is included in the river cruise price. Airport transfers can be added your reservation as long as they link in with the start/end dates of your tour or with pre/post tour accommodation booked with us. Avalon's Airport transfer service is from $49 per person one way.