In the brand’s 2018 European programme, one in 10 passengers travel for free on Avalon Panorama Suite Ship group bookings, and one in eight passengers on Avalon Deluxe Ship group bookings.
As well as the offer being available on a confirmed group basis, it is also available on a speculative basis too. This enables agents to hold a group booking for a maximum of 28 days to combine a number of customers and benefit from the free place. A maximum of three speculative groups with 10 cabins can be held by an agency at any one time. The offers do not include flights or transfers.
The 2018 programme also has a low deposit offer of £75pp and a no mileage restriction on the Avalon Private Home Pick Up Service for bookings by April 28.
Janet Parton, Avalon’s head of trade sales said: “For the first time, we are offering agents the opportunity to benefit from a free group place to pass on to their customers, or for the agency to benefit from a staff member being able to experience an Avalon cruise with just the flight and transfer costs to pay.”
“With such competitive pricing, it also offers agents the opportunity to promote river cruise to customers who enjoy taking city breaks together. River cruise lends itself to groups of friends travelling together with the flexibility to eat, sightsee and spend time together, without the hassle of making travel arrangements, booking restaurants or deciding who pays for drinks or meals. Tables seating eight people in the main dining room, or the more relaxed styled tapas menu in the Panorama Lounge means friends can really enjoy dining together.”
Avalon’s itineraries range from 7-23 nights on waterways including the Rhine, Danube, Moselle, Main, Seine, Saone, and Rhone rivers as well as the Dutch Waterways and festive Christmas themed cruises.
Prices for next year start from £1,299pp for the eight-day Romantic Rhine or Tulips of Northern Holland cruises.