It comes after the line announced last month that it was extending Active Discovery, which offers experiences “beyond the scenery”. The programme will now be available on Rhone sailings in 2019, as well as existing Rhine and Danube itineraries.
Pam Hoffee, managing director of Avalon, told TTG Active Discovery was attracting guests up to five years younger, bringing the average age of passengers to 54 on these itineraries.
Also on the line’s new European all-suite fleet is Avalon Choice, which is designed to give guests more flexibility by offering daily excursions divided into three classifications: Active, Discovery and Classic.
Hoffee said Discovery would help guests “delve into the culture of a destination” with excursions including painting and cookery classes.
Active will include trips such as jogging, hiking or canoeing tours, while Classic excursions will feature guided visits to must-see spots.
The sailings will cover shorter distances, but Hoffee said they would enable guests to experience the destinations in greater depth.
Meanwhile, adventure centres have been added to the line’s ships, featuring 16 bikes, yoga mats, picnic blankets, Fitbits and binoculars, as well as “adventure hosts”, which Hoffee said would “help guests lead more active lifestyles”.
Giles Hawke, chief executive of Cosmos, said the new programme reflected the “changing lifestyles” of consumers and offered Avalon a USP compared with other river lines.
“We do stand out against our competitors – also because of our less formal approach,” he said.
Hoffee added: “Some luxury lines are going very formal with things like butlers, but we wanted to take our luxury offering a different way. It’s about feeling at home, and not having a dress code. We’re more unobtrusive – people want the relaxed approach.”
Elsewhere, Hoffee revealed the line, which is part of the Globus group, was reviewing sustainability as part of a company-wide plan to improve the group’s environmental impact.
“We already have a sustainability policy onboard and we are looking at options moving forward regarding plastic,” she said. “It’s really important to us as a company.”
