Avalon Waterways had sunshine in mind when designing its newest river ship, Avalon Alegria — whose name means “happiness” in Portuguese — from Portugal’s warm weather to the welcoming spirit of its local people. The new Suite Ship was built specifically to sail the Douro River and is Avalon’s first product in Portugal.
“We’re a very customer-driven company, and I kept hearing from guests, from charter customers and from travel advisors, asking, ‘When are you going on the Douro?’” said Pam Hoffee, president of Avalon Waterways. “So, it really was something I knew we needed to do, because it’s something our guests wanted.”
And although the sun itself failed to make much of an appearance on Alegria’s recent christening cruise at the end of March, the rainy days did nothing to dampen the spirits of those onboard, including the ship’s godmother, actress and comedienne Cheri Oteri (best known for her time on Saturday Night Live) — another nod to the happiness the ship is designed to embody.
Actress and comedienne Cheri Oteri serves as Alegria’s godmother, and christened the ship during its inaugural sailing.
Credit: 2024 Avalon WaterwaysDuring the inaugural sailing, I got a preview of what clients can expect both onboard and onshore. Here’s a look at what stands out about Alegria, and the Avalon experience on the Douro River.
Unique Features of Avalon Alegria
The latest in Avalon’s line of Suite Ships, Alegria offers the signature features that Avalon is known for, including spacious Panorama Suites with floor-to-ceiling windows that open fully to create the experience of a balcony. The focus on views extends around the ship, where windows line the walls of the Dining Room and lounges to let travelers enjoy the passing landscapes no matter where they are onboard. (The cozy Club Lounge at the back of the ship and the covered, outdoor Observation Lounge at the front were two of my favorite spaces for watching the world go by.)
Where Alegria differs slightly from its sister ships, however, is in its size, carrying 102 guests instead of the usual 166 due to size restrictions on the Douro River. Personally, I loved the intimate environment this promoted onboard — the ship never felt crowded, yet it was easy to mix and mingle with other guests whenever I wanted to.
Alegria is also noteworthy for having Avalon’s first onboard pool, which resides on the top-level Sky Deck and will surely be appreciated during the warmer months of the sailing season. The Sky Deck also hosts the alfresco Sky Grill, a barbecue lunch that usually takes place twice per week during sailings.
Alegria is the first Avalon ship to have a pool.
Credit: 2024 Avalon WaterwaysMost meals are served in the Dining Room: Breakfast and lunch are buffet-style, with a few a la carte options available to order, such as Eggs Benedict in the morning and burgers in the afternoon. Dinners are four-course affairs, featuring a variety of “Avalon Fresh” healthy options mixed with locally inspired items. Guests who want a quicker or lighter bite can take advantage of the Panorama Bistro, where they can dine on self-served small plates in the Panorama Lounge at dinnertime.
Hoffee says that Alegria’s menus are “very Portuguese-driven,” thanks to the ship’s Portuguese chef. During my sailing, they included offerings such as codfish cakes, traditional soups, local fish entrees and Portuguese custards for dessert.
The color scheme on the ship, including in the Club Lounge, reflects the Douro’s reputation as the “river of gold.”
Credit: 2024 Avalon WaterwaysThe Portuguese influence extends to other parts of the ship, as well. A few examples: The color scheme incorporates a palette of blues and golden yellows (the Douro is known as the “river of gold”), beds are outfitted with made-in-Portugal throws and the dining room features traditional Portuguese tiles.
Discovering the Douro
Alegria is now sailing the eight-day Vida Portugal: Vineyards and Villages Along the Douro itinerary, roundtrip from Porto. Although I sailed an abbreviated version of the cruise, it would normally travel all the way to the border of Spain, giving guests the chance to see Salamanca in addition to charming destinations around Portugal.
Avalon’s selection of Classic, Active and Discovery excursions represent a range of activity options along the way, from a guided daytrip to Braga and Guimaraes (considered the birthplace of the Portuguese nationality) to a hike through wine country, a coastal bike tour accompanied by a biologist, a visit to a Romanesque monastery and, happily, lots of chances to taste port and other wines from the Douro Valley.
For me, the most memorable experiences were those that provided local interaction and culture, such as a city walking tour with a surprise Fado concert (Fado is a traditional Portuguese musical genre). But my favorite excursion was a visit to a historical wine estate, where the aristocratic owner welcomes guests into her home and shares the incredible story of her decades-long fight to buy back her family’s ancestral estate after it was taken by the government during a period of dictatorship (everyone on the tour came back raving about the experience).
On one excursion, travelers can visit a wine estate that dates back to the 16th century.
Credit: 2024 Kelly Rosenfeld“I expected the landscapes to be beautiful, and they exceeded what I expected — but I had never really heard as much about how warm and welcoming the people are here, and I think that’s what really stands out to me,” Hoffee said. “I’ve experienced nothing but extreme hospitality.”
Hoffee also noted that cultural experiences will take place onboard, as well, such as a tile-painting workshop taught by a local couple. The line also brings local musicians on the ship to provide evening entertainment; on my sailing, we were treated to a duo of guitarists, a modern string quartet and a talented solo singer.
As with all Avalon cruises, clients will have plenty of tempting options for diving into the Portuguese experience — the toughest part is merely choosing between them.
My advice? You can’t go wrong with wine.
Avalon’s Focus on Sustainability
Over the past few years, Avalon has put significant resources into its sustainability strategy. According to Hoffee, the line has eliminated “as much single-use plastic as possible,” including plastic water bottles (which it no longer hands out onboard or for shore excursions; instead, Alegria offered refill stations), individual bottles of bathroom amenities and even plastic gloves for servers (who now wear washable ones while setting tables).
The line also uses LED lights across its fleet, and has cut 95% of its onboard paper usage by switching to a digital app and signs around the ship to communicate daily schedules with passengers (though paper is available by request). Hoffee also says Avalon is using a type of engine filter that has “eliminated the need to change oil on a regular basis, which is a huge savings to the environment.”
And Alegria takes the company’s commitment to a new level. Hoffee says the ship “was built with the most efficient engines possible that use the least amount of fuel,” noting that the line hopes for something even greener in the future, and is dedicated to using the best options currently available.
