Continuing our adventure along the Rhône River on board Avalon Waterways Poetry II, in this blog we’re looking at the staterooms found on board. For me, what really sets Avalon apart from its competitors are the unique types of staterooms.
Avalon’s suite ships have three types of cabin – Deluxe Staterooms, Panorama Suites and finally Royal Suites. All cabins benefit from a range of luxurious amenities, including:
- Premium Egyptian bedding, with plush linens and duvets. They also have memory foam mattress toppers which really are super comfy. There is also a pillow menu to choose from.
- Rooms also feature fresh flowers and premium L’Occitane® bath products.
- There’s plenty of storage in the form of 3-door wardrobes, with lots of hanging space and shelving (which also features a larger than average safe for valuables).
- Individual climate control. I found this to be really effective, which was really handy when it was 39C outside!
- Flatscreen TVs with a variety of local and international channels. What I also like about this is how they are stored out of the way in the corner of the room, yet still easily accessible.
- Plenty of plug sockets, but more importantly USB sockets for all your gadgets and tech.
- Like many river cruise lines, Avalon includes complimentary Wi-Fi access for all guests. I think it’s so great that more and more cruise lines include Wi-Fi as part of the cruise package.
So, let’s take a look at the rooms in more detail.
Deluxe Staterooms
There are 12 deluxe staterooms found on board the Avalon Poetry II. In addition to what I’ve mentioned above, these well-appointed staterooms have a double window that looks out over the river, together with a large bed (which can be in a twin or queen configuration), a comfortably-sized bathroom and a large writing desk.
Panorama Suite
The Panorama is the most common form of cabin found on board and is what we stayed in during our river adventure.
At 200 sq. ft, you don’t feel at all cramped and the real beauty about Avalon ships is the unique design. On almost all cruise ships, the bed faces sideways to the window/balcony. Avalon reimagined the stateroom experience by orienting the bed so that it directly faces the water. In fact, the whole room is focussed on the water (and quite rightly so!), with a large sitting area that also looks out. The pièce de résistance is the genuinely huge panoramic floor-to-ceiling glass-sliding window that completely opens your room up to the world outside – in fact it’s 50% bigger than the industry standards. The overall effect is a greater connection to the river and the destination – I really loved it.
Another benefit to this design is the size of bathroom, as the redesign of the room allows for a much bigger space compared to most other ships. The shower is massive.
Like the rest of the ship, the room oozes a luxury with a true boutique hotel feel. There’s a considered use of luxury materials, with dark woods and bold colours across the room, together with marble in the bathroom. All-in-all it’s a really lovely space to spend time in.
Royal Suite
At the other end of the spectrum you’ll find two Royal Suites on board the Poetry. At 300 sq. ft, these generous spaces consist of large separate living and sleeping areas, together with not one, but two floor-to-ceiling sliding-glass door windows. There is also a separate toilet and a large bathroom with double sinks. What a space to enjoy the world go by.
What do you think of the staterooms on board Avalon Waterways? I was really blown away by the unique approach and design to the rooms, but let me know your thoughts in the comments below and on social media.
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