Avalon Illumination

The 2014-built MS Avalon Illumination ship cruises on the Main, Danube and Rhine Rivers departing from homeports Amsterdam, Vienna, Prague, Passau, Istanbul, Bucharest, and Budapest. The boat also offers flight-inclusive Black Sea river cruises with departures from Amsterdam, Vienna, and Istanbul.

Avalon Illumination debuted in 2014 as a part of Avalon's Suite Ship fleet.

In 2024, Avalon Waterways started its Suite Ship fleet renovation/refurbishment project. The upgrades included interiors (decor updates and renovations in all public spaces/flooring, furniture), faster Starlink Internet connectivity (a second antenna added on each boat), Sky Deck (redesign, new furniture), Observation Lounge (more seating), Gym (new Kinesis One machines, more free weights), onboard bicycles (added 15x new conventional plus 4 e-bikes per boat).  The refurbishments were phased for three years - 2024 (Passion, Imagery 2, Poetry 2, Panorama, Vista), 2025 (Artistry 2, Impression, Illumination, Tapestry 2, Tranquility 2) and 2026 (Expression, Visionary).

Cabins

This beautiful vessel features two decks of Panorama Suites, all with panoramic Wall-to-Wall Windows which transform the space into Open-Air Balcony. MS Avalon Illumination ship's Panorama Suites with their vast 200 ft2 free space, are more than 30 percent larger than the industry's standard suites, affording guests the opportunity to wake up facing the beautiful passing scenery.

Avalon Illumination has a total of 84 staterooms (of which 2 Royal Suites, 66 Panorama Suites, 16 with non-opening windows) in 6 grades.

Cabins Types, Sizes, Categories (high to low) 

• Amenities in all types of staterooms - 2 twin beds converting to queen-sized, 3-door closets with shelves, private bathroom (glass-door shower, hairdryer, bathrobes, slippers), sofa, coffee table, flat TV, vanity/writing desk, private French balcony (floor-to-ceiling sliding door), individual climate control, phone, minibar, safe, deluxe pillow menu, complimentary bottled water. Cabin occupancy - 2 guests in a room.
• 2x "Royal Suites" (RS) - deck 3, size 300 ft2 / 28 m2
• Panorama Suites - P (x33, deck 3), A (x23, deck 2), B (x9, deck 2) - size 200 ft2 / 18,6 m2.
• Deluxe Staterooms (category, number) - D (x10, deck 1), E (6, deck 1) - size 172 ft2 / 16 m2).

Shipboard facilities

Some of the various onboard amenities include the alternative dining option in Panorama Bistro, light al fresco lunch at the Sky Bistro, expanded Fitness Center, spacious Sky Deck with a whirlpool and premium loungers, complimentary Wi-Fi access.

Avalon Illumination restaurants include Illumination (dining room), Panorama Bistro, Sky Bistro (al-fresco). Avalon Illumination also has Panorama Lounge & Bar (observation, with an outside viewing deck), Club Lounge, Library/Internet Corner, Illumination Atrium Lobby, Hair Salon, Fitness, Sun Deck (Sky Lounge & Bar, Sky Bistro, Whirlpool, shaded seating, deck games area).

Avalon Illumination cruise deals are inclusive of Wi-Fi Internet, room service, all land tours and excursions (by certified local tour guides), port taxes, flights, motorcoach transfers, live evening entertainment (local performers), daily enrichment lectures, Illumination cruise ship tour ("behind-the-scenes"), food and wine tastings, 24-hour premium coffee/tea/hot chocolate, replenished daily bottled water.

Avalon Illumination river cruise prices are per person and based on double occupancy. These are only indicative Avalon river cruise rates. They might be different when you book your Avalon Waterways cruise tour deals, influenced by travel agency promotions, special offers, and discounts, group travel booking or last-minute deals rates. On Avalon Illumination cruises, Avalon Waterways offers USA flights-inclusive deals with discount airfare and complimentary airport transfers.

River Cruise Itineraries

Follows the list of Avalon Illumination itineraries as themes officially announced by the Avalon Waterways line:

(7-nights cruising) "Magnificent Europe" are 15-day voyages from Amsterdam to Budapest (Eastbound, code WAB), and the reverse from Budapest to Amsterdam (Westbound, code WBA).

(7-nights cruising) “The Blue Danube Discovery” are 13-day voyages from Budapest to Prague (Nuremberg disembarkation, Westbound, code WBN). The reverse route is themed “The Legendary Danube”: (7-days sailing) 11-day voyages from Prague to Budapest (Eastbound, code WNB, Nuremberg embarkation)."Cruising-Only" deals are from Nuremberg to Budapest (code WNBO) and the reverse from Budapest to Nuremberg (code WBNO).

(7-nights cruising) "Capitals of Central Europe" are 10-day Danube cruises from Prague to Budapest (Eastbound, code WPB), and the reverse from Budapest to Prague (Westbound, code WBP). Both itineraries include bus transfer Prague-Passau (embarkation/disembarkation) and visiting Bratislava."Cruising-Only" deals are from Passau to Budapest (code WPBO, non-inclusive of Prague hotel package).

(3-nights cruising) "A Taste of the Danube" are 8-day voyages from Vienna to Budapest (Eastbound, code WVB), and the reverse from Budapest to Vienna (Westbound, code WBV). "Cruising-Only" deals are from Budapest to Nuremberg (code WBVO, non-inclusive of Budapest hotel package).

(13-nights cruising) "Grand Danube Cruise" are 18-day voyages from Prague to Bucharest (Eastbound, code WNO), and the reverse from Bucharest to Prague (Westbound, code WON). Other booking options are with added Bucharest luxury hotel package (Westbound code WONE, Eastbound code WNOE) and the "Cruising-Only" deals from Nuremberg to Bucharest (code WONO).

(22-nights cruising) "North Sea-Black Sea Cruise" are 24-day voyages from Amsterdam to Bucharest (Eastbound, code WA)), and the reverse from Bucharest to Amsterdam (Westbound, code WOA). The Eastbound route is also operated as 26-day cruise from Amsterdam to Istanbul (code WOAE), with a 2-night luxury Istanbul hotel package included in the Avalon deals.

(10-nights cruising) "Blue Danube to the Black Sea" are 14-day voyages from Bucharest to Vienna (Westbound, code WOV), and the reverse from Vienna to Bucharest (Eastbound, code WVO). There are also 16-days deals on cruises from Istanbul to Vienna (Westbound code WOVE) and from Vienna to Istanbul (Eastbound code WVOE), with a 3-night Istanbul luxury hotel package included in the fares. "Cruising-Only" deals are without the Bucharest-Vienna hotel packages (code WOVO).

(6-nights cruising) "Balkan Discovery" are 10-day voyages from Budapest to Bucharest (Eastbound, code WBO), and the reverse from Bucharest to Budapest (Eastbound, code WOB). Other booking options are with added Bucharest luxury hotel package (Westbound code WOBE, Eastbound code WBOE) and the "Cruising-Only" deals (code WOB0, non-inclusive of Bucharest-Budapest hotel packages).

Illumination is the 7th boat from Avalon's "Suite Ship" class. Among ship's best features are 2 full decks of Suite cabins (each with wall-to-wall sliding windows and French Balcony) and spacious and diverse public venues (each with full-length floor-ceiling windows).

Each Avalon "Suite Ship" is powered by two Caterpillar Marine diesel engines (model C32 ACERT, total power output 1420 kW / 1930 HP), plus an emergency diesel generator. The ship's propulsion is diesel-electric, with one azimuth thruster (at the bow) and a "Silent Drive System" (separating the ship's engines from passenger staterooms).

The Illumination riverboat was launched on June 3, 2014. It was christened in Vienna (Austria) by Mrs. Deborah Hutton, a famous Australian media personality - TV series hostess, magazine editor ("Darwin Life"), homewares designer ("Kmart Australia"), also a former ambassador for "Qantas Airways" and "MYER" (department store chain).

Note: You can see CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.