If you had asked me 10 years ago if I had enjoyed a river cruise, my answer would have been a categorical no. But a decade after, river cruises have come a long way, baby! We recently boarded the Avalon Alegria in Porto, Portugal, for a cruise in the Douro Valley. This European river cruise was more like the small boat expeditions we have done in the past than the old Standard river cruises that stopped at crowded ports and spent more time on the Bus than exploring the destination.
What about a river cruise in the Douro Valley
We boarded our all-suite ship in Porto, where we began our journey to the breathtaking hills of the Douro Valley. The Avalon Alegria has been designed to use the largest space while creating the ultimate experience of relaxation and luxury.
The Ship-Avalon Alegria
The Avalon Alegria is Avalon’s recent ship. This is a ship consisting of 37 luxury cabins or 37 panoramic suites. We have visited all the rooms, and whichever room you choose, you will be happy. All the panoramic suites have floor-to-ceiling windows that open to transform your room into a huge balcony, and all the beds overlook the water.
On-board facilities include a Bar and a dance floor, evening enjoyment, a dining room, a Club lounge and a gym. The Sky Deck has a swimming pool, an outdoor barbecue and a Bar, as well as many sun loungers and tables. If the weather permits, it is the ideal place to enjoy the magnificent views of the Douro Valley.
Avalon Alegria Suites
Let’s start with the sequels. With a maximum capacity of 102 people, each room is spacious and luxurious. We stayed in one of the fourteen 200-square-foot panoramic suites, which was perfect for our trip.
While other cruise lines we have taken place their beds against one wall facing the other wall, the Avalon Alegria ship places each bed facing the river facing the floor-to-ceiling windows. We enjoyed the afternoon nap in our room while looking at the view of the Douro River.
But that’s not all. Most people want a balcony on river cruises, but due to the size limits of the river and the locks, it is difficult to give one to everyone. Avalon solved this problem by creating floor-to-ceiling windows that open wide and turn your Suite into an outdoor balcony. By removing the outdoor balcony, they have created 30% more living space.
We enjoyed breakfast every morning in our room with the windows open to see the hills of the Douro River. With fluffy bathrobes, slippers and a breathtaking view, we never wanted to leave our room! Oh, and did I tell you that they not only have a pillow menu, but also a bed menu? There are four different settings for the bed. Just let the crew know how you like your bed and they will set it up for you.
Club Lounge
In addition to our room, the Club Lounge was our second favorite space on The Avalon Alegria. Before breakfast, we went to the living room in bathrobes and slippers for a Cappuccino, freshly baked cookies and vitamin water.
I loved filling my refillable water bottle with the water of my choice for the day. Could it be Vitamin B water? Sparkling grapefruit or ginger. The selection was excellent.
