Bordeaux, and why third-party databases put her on the Rhine
The Avalon Artistry II is a 110-metre hull delivered by Den Breejen in 2013.
One hundred and twenty-eight travellers, 64 staterooms. Refurbished in 2025. The
line states her ground clearly: the Bordeaux region, meaning the Garonne, the
Gironde and the Dordogne.
A cruise database nonetheless places her on the Rhine, the Main and the
Danube. That is wrong, and the error is instructive: those lists are not ship
assignments, they are search filters by cruise line. The official page and our
own departure calendar both say Bordeaux. Two instruments against one.
What the estuary imposes
The Gironde is western Europe's largest estuary, and it has a tide. The range
exceeds five metres at springs, and port-call hours are set by it rather than by
the comfort of the programme. A landing can fall early in the morning or late in
the evening because the current decided so.
Itineraries combine Bordeaux, the Medoc, Saint-Emilion, Blaye and Cadillac,
with a Paris extension on some departures. Wine holds a central place, which
makes this ship less relevant for a traveller who does not drink it.
The other ships in the fleet
The Avalon Poetry II holds the Rhone and the Saone. The Avalon Tapestry II holds the Seine. The Avalon Alegria is the
Douro ship. The Avalon Imagery II covers four central European rivers.
What is included, and what is not
The fare covers life aboard: the stateroom, three meals, wine and beer at the
two main meals, morning sparkling wine, self-service coffee, tea and snacks,
and a happy hour each evening. It also covers guided excursions, one per port,
chosen among three formats of differing effort, and access to the bicycles on
the European ships.
Three items stay outside, and one of them surprises people. Air travel is
not included. Optional excursions and spa treatments are paid aboard. And
gratuities are not included in the contract, contrary to what many third-party
pages claim: the line leaves them to your judgement. Time-limited offers cover
them on selected departures. Treat that as a possible bonus, never as a feature
of the product.
Satellite Wi-Fi is provided aboard in Europe. The line's terms guarantee
nothing about its quality, and experience agrees: the link weakens in locks and
under low bridges. A traveller who must stay reachable should carry a local
solution as well.
The stateroom, measured
The category the line is known for occupies two entire decks. Its outside
wall is a glass panel running floor to ceiling and wall to wall. It slides open
across about two thirds of the room's width. A second glazed panel rises from
the floor, with a handrail, to serve as a guardrail. The bed faces the view.
It is worth saying what this is not. It is not a balcony: no outdoor space
exists, you do not leave the room. It is a very wide opening window in the
French balcony tradition, at a larger scale. A reader comparing brochures from
competing lines needs that distinction, because the word balcony sometimes means
a real terrace there.
On the lower deck, the entry stateroom has neither sliding wall nor opening:
two fixed windows, set high, at water level. It suits someone who sleeps aboard
and lives ashore, and suits far less anyone dreaming of falling asleep to the
sound of the river.
Also worth knowing: shower without bathtub, European current at 220 volts,
and a lift that stops short of the sun deck.
What this trip asks of you from Montreal
A transatlantic flight, not included in the fare. Some embarkation cities are
reachable non-stop in high season, others need a connection. Total door-to-door
time often exceeds what the brochure suggests, and that has to be planned
for.
Arrive the day before at the very least. It is the only margin that absorbs a
delay, a lost bag or a sleepless flight. Many of our clients take two nights in
the city before embarking and have never regretted the expense.
Our advisors bring flight, cruise, hotels, transfers and insurance into a
single file protected by Quebec's compensation fund for travel agency customers.
Write to us: we will verify the real dates before anything is booked.
