Welcome to our special in-depth guide, where we’ll explore Avalon Waterways’ staterooms and dining options.
If you’ve read our main planning guide, you’ll know that Avalon introduced the idea of Panorama Suites, which are considered some of the best in the entire industry. So, if you care about having a great room and beautiful views above everything else, you should definitely be excited about this guide. We’ll also cover dining options, dietary needs, and much more.
Before we move on, remember that you can always reach out to Famvia by clicking the Request a Quote button. It’s completely free to contact us, and booking through us never costs you a penny more. In fact, our travel advisors often have access to exclusive offers and special promotions you won’t find elsewhere. As river cruise specialists with years of experience working alongside brands like AmaWaterways, American Cruise Lines, Viking, and more, we’d be delighted to guide you in planning your journey with Avalon Waterways.
Avalon Waterways Room Options
If we had to name the single coolest thing about Avalon Waterways, it would definitely be the rooms.
Avalon Waterways is well known for its Panorama Suites, but the line also offers entry-level Deluxe Staterooms and luxurious Royal Suites. In theory, it’s easy to browse stateroom options on Avalon’s ships, considering there are only three categories… and you know what? I love that. It also helps that each stateroom type is very distinct, so Avalon avoids what many cruise lines do: offering dozens of nearly identical room options that make choosing one unnecessarily hard.
Every stateroom includes:
- Adjustable tables
- Spa-inspired bathrooms with marble countertops and glass-enclosed showers
- Plush towels, robes, slippers, and L’Occitane products
- Closets plus space under the bed
- Pillow menus and four mattress firmness options (and choice of bed configuration)
- Starlink Wi-Fi
- Flatscreen TVs with over 50 free movie options
- In-room safes, minibars, and AC
- Complimentary glass bottled water, replenished daily
- Twice-daily housekeeping with nightly turndown service
- Writing desk & chair
- Direct-dial telephone
- Hairdryer
- Vanity and lighted makeup mirror
Let’s check the three stateroom types in detail.
Deluxe Staterooms
- Good for: guests who want to save on their cruise; if you don’t plan on spending much time inside your stateroom; if you prefer enjoying river views from the top deck instead of your room.
Deluxe Staterooms are similar to oceanview staterooms on ocean cruise lines. You don’t get a balcony, but you do have a small window that lets in natural light. These rooms are the most affordable option on Avalon and are usually 40–50% cheaper than the Panorama Suites. They’re compact, measuring about 172 square feet, and are a great choice for those who mainly use their stateroom to sleep. Deluxe Staterooms aren’t the standard on Avalon’s ships and make up less than 20% of all staterooms onboard. So, if you want to book one, it’s a good idea to do it early.
Panorama Suites
- Good for: if you want a huge French balcony; if you love lots of natural light; if you want the kind of room Avalon Waterways is famous for (and later want to compare it to other cruises!)
Here we are! The Panorama Suites are a hallmark of excellence and probably the single feature Avalon Waterways is best known for. These suites are boutique-hotel-inspired rooms that span two decks on every ship and make up about 80% of all staterooms onboard. They feature wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows that open up to create a French balcony that’s just an arm’s reach from your bed. Speaking of your bed—it’s perfectly positioned right in front of those windows, so you can wake up to gorgeous river views or enjoy your morning coffee as the sun sets over the water.
Panorama Suites measure about 200 square feet, and their French balconies are similar to the infinity verandas you’ll find on Celebrity Cruises. If you care about great views and stylish, light-filled rooms, these suites are for you.
Royal Suites
- Good for: you want nothing but luxury; you care about lots of space.
Royal Suites are rare on Avalon cruises, and there are only a few of them on each ship. This makes sense, since we are talking about river cruises where space and layout are extremely important. These suites measure about 300 square feet and include a living room, a separate toilet area, Nespresso machine, surprise welcome gifts and the same balcony the Panorama Suites are known for, only much larger. If you want the best of the best and plenty of space, these are the suites to go for. You get a huge room, but no extra special perks.
Avalon Waterways Dining Options
Avalon Waterways ships usually have three main places where you can enjoy a meal. There’s the Main Dining Room, known as the Panorama Dining Room, the Sky Grill located on the pool deck, and the Panorama Bistro for light snacks and quick lunches.
There isn’t what we’d call a specialty restaurant onboard, but there are plenty of opportunities for happy hours, and you can even grab a complimentary picnic basket to take on your shore excursions!
Here are the main dining options you can find onboard Avalon Waterways:
- Panorama Dining Room: The main dining room onboard Avalon Waterways, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It offers open seating and is enclosed by glass walls, giving guests amazing views. As the default dining option onboard, it’s also the most elegant one.
- Sky Grill: A BBQ-style venue on the top deck, open depending on the weather. The cool thing about this place is that they offer complimentary picnic baskets that you can take to your room or on shore excursions.
- Panorama Bistro: A casual spot if you want a quick sandwich or a light meal. Designed to feel like a relaxed lounge, it’s a good choice if you’re looking for something different from the Panorama Dining Room.
- Club Lounge: Looking for a quick coffee or snack? This is the place to go and the only option onboard that’s open 24/7.
Reservations
Generally, you won’t need a reservation on Avalon Waterways, but you may need to book in advance if you’d like a specific table.
Dietary Needs
Avalon’s kitchens are designed to accommodate a variety of dietary sensitivities. You’re encouraged to share any restrictions or preferences with the staff (or let Famvia handle it) on day one, so Avalon can make your dining experience worry-free. Options available onboard include gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, and other special dishes prepared upon request.
Menus also include allergen labels, indicating which dishes contain ingredients such as gluten, milk products, eggs, peanuts, fish, crustaceans, lupines, nuts, sulfur dioxide and sulfites, celery, mustard, sesame seeds, soy, and mollusks.
Drinks Onboard
Avalon Waterways includes a lot in your base fare, but it’s not fully all-inclusive. Wine, beer, and soft drinks are always included with lunch and dinner. There’s also a Happy Hour every night (except the first) featuring wine, beer, and specialty cocktails. Drinks purchased outside of meal times incur additional fees.
Complimentary specialty coffees, tea, and filtered water refill stations are available 24 hours a day.
Room Service
Continental breakfast is typically included for all rooms on Avalon Waterways. Room service is usually complimentary for lunch and dinner for guests staying in any suite, though some guests report that this can vary depending on the sailing. In addition, all rooms have a room service menu with items that may incur an extra fee.
Flex Dining
There are no set dining times, as Avalon Waterways offers flex dining. This means that as long as the dining rooms are open, you can head to the restaurant, pick a table, and sit down to enjoy a meal.
Do I need to pay for any restaurant onboard Avalon Waterways?
No, you do not. All restaurants onboard Avalon Waterways are included in your base fare.
Are restaurants open 24/7 on Avalon Waterways?
The Main Dining Room and Sky Grill are not open around the clock, but expect to see them open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you’re looking for a quick bite outside of meal times, or want a coffee or snack in the middle of the night, you can visit the Club Lounge, which is open 24/7.
Why book Avalon Waterways with us?
At Famvia, we’re true experts when it comes to river cruising. Our team has crafted detailed guides and reviews covering a wide range of cruise lines, from Viking and A-Rosa to American Cruise Lines, AmaWaterways and more. We're also one of the few sources with an early guide ready for Celebrity River Cruises, set to debut in 2027.
Our expertise extends well beyond river cruising. We’ve worked closely for years with some of the world’s most prestigious luxury cruise lines, including Silversea, Seabourn, Explora Journeys, and others. This deep knowledge of luxury travel makes us especially well-equipped to help you plan the perfect Avalon Waterways experience.
Ready to get started? Just click the Request a Quote button and send us a message. It’s completely free to reach out, and booking through us doesn’t cost a thing. In fact, you may even unlock exclusive deals available only through our travel advisors. Let us help you choose the right itinerary, ship, and sailing so you can enjoy the river cruise of a lifetime with Avalon Waterways.
