MS Monarch Duchess
Former name: Avalon Luminary
MS Monarch Duchess current position
MS Monarch Duchess current location is at Europe Inland (coordinates 51.89733 N / 5.60370 E) cruising en route to ARNHEM. The AIS position was reported 4 minutes ago.
Current PositionSpecifications of MS Monarch Duchess
Year of build | 2010 / Age: 13 |
Flag state | Germany |
Builder | Scheepswerf Den Breejen Shipyard (Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Holland) |
Speed | 12 kn / 22 km/h / 14 mph |
Length (LOA) | 110 m / 361 ft |
Beam (width) | 12 m / 39 ft |
Gross Tonnage | 2022 gt |
Passengers | 65 - 138 |
Crew | 39 |
Decks | 4 |
Cabins | 65 |
Decks with cabins | 3 |
Sister-ships | Avalon Affinity, Avalon Felicity |
Former names | Avalon Luminary |
Christened by | Kristi Jones |
Owner | MS Saar GmbH & Co KG Hamburg |
Operator | Gate 1 Travel (Europe) |
MS Monarch Duchess Review
Review of MS Monarch Duchess
MS Monarch Duchess (fka Avalon Luminary) ship cruises mainly on Danube River departing from homeports Amsterdam (fly-cruise), Vienna, Prague, Nurnberg, Budapest, Istanbul (fly-cruise) and Bucharest. The ship riverboat offers flight-inclusive "Black Sea River Cruise" deals with departures from Amsterdam, Vienna and Istanbul.
On March 9, 2018, Avalon Waterways announced that fleet's three 138-passenger sisterships (Felicity, Affinity, Luminary) will leave the fleet (end their charters with Avalon) in 2019. The three riverboats are currently chartered by the tour company "Gate 1 Travel" under the names Monarch Countess (Felicity), Monarch Governess (Affinity) and Monarch Duchess (Luminary). Gate1Travel's river cruise fleet also includes Monarch Princess (Avalon Creativity).
Cabins
Avalon Luminary has a total number of 65 cabins (of which 28 Avalon Suite, 30 French Balcony, 11 with non-opening windows) in 5 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.
- Suites - 4x "Avalon Suites" (JR) - deck 3, size 258 ft2 / 24 m2.
- Deluxe Staterooms (category, number) - P (x24, deck 3), A (x18, deck 2), B (x12, deck 2), E (x11, deck 1) - sizes 172 ft2 / 16 m2.
Shipboard facilities
Shipboard restaurants are two - Dining Room (with Buffet station) and Sky Bistro (al-fresco). The boat also has Bar Lounge (indoor observation venue with floor-ceiling windows and terrace / outside viewing deck), Club Lounge, Library/Internet Corner, Atrium Lobby (glass-walled and covered by SkyLight), Hair Salon, Gym/Fitness Center, Sun Deck (Sky Lounge & Bistro, Whirlpool (outdoor jacuzzi), sunbathing area with loungers, shaded seating area (retractables awnings, deckchairs, tables), deckgames area (Giant Chess Set). One elevator (glass-walled lift) connects all cabin decks. Free Wi-Fi access and complimentary Internet are provided throughout the ship.
Gate1Travel river cruise deals are inclusive of Wi-Fi Internet, room-service, all Rhine cruise tours and excursions (by certified local tour guides), motorcoach transfers, live evening entertainment (local performers), daily enrichment lectures, Afternoon Tea, Night Fare, Luminary cruise ship tour ("behind-the-scenes"), food and wine tastings, 24-hour premium coffee/tea/hot chocolate, replenished daily bottled water.
River Cruise Itineraries
Follows the list of Avalon Luminary itineraries operated for Avalon Waterways.
- (22-nights cruising) "North Sea-Black Sea Cruise" is 24-days river cruises 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-days cruise from Amsterdam to Istanbul (code WOAE), with a 2-night luxury Istanbul hotel package included in the Avalon deals.
- (13-nights cruising) "Grand Danube Cruise" are 18-days river cruises 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).
- (10-nights cruising) "Blue Danube to the Black Sea" is 14-days river cruises 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).
- (7-nights cruising) "The Blue Danube Discovery" are 13-days river cruises from Budapest to Prague (Nuremberg disembarkation, Westbound, code WBN). The reverse route is themed "The Legendary Danube": (7-days sailing) 11-days river cruises from Prague to Budapest (Eastbound, code WNB, Nuremberg embarkation).
- (6-nights cruising) "Balkan Discovery" are 10-days river cruises 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 WOBO, non-inclusive of Bucharest-Budapest hotel packages).
- (12-nights cruising) "European Splendor" are 13-days river cruises from Amsterdam to Vienna (Eastbound, code WAV), and the reverse from Vienna to Amsterdam (Westbound, code WVA).
MS Monarch Duchess - user reviews and comments
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MS Monarch Duchess Wiki
The riverboat is in the same vessel class with the Avalon ships Affinity (Monarch Governess), Felicity (Monarch Countess), Creativity (Monarch Princess) and Scenery (Leonora). On each of these vessels, almost half of all staterooms are "French Balcony" categories, and over 1/3 are Suites (French Balcony plus a large panoramic window). Each of these vessels is equipped with two Caterpillar Marine diesel engines (type "C32 ACERT", total power output 1420 kW / 1930 HP). Ship's propulsion is diesel-electric, with an azimuth thruster and an SDS ("Silent Drive System" separating the ship's engines from passenger staterooms).
The cruise ship Avalon Luminary was christened July 30, 2010, in Hoorn (Holland) by godmother Kristi Jones - president of "Virtuoso" (organization of luxury vacation travel agencies operating in the Caribbean, Australia/New Zealand, and North and South America).
Note: You can see the 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.