TORONTO — Despite ongoing travel advisories for cruise travel in both Canada and the United States, and recent reports of COVID-19 outbreaks onboard ocean-going ships, Avalon Waterways is reminding travel agent and their clients that river cruising remains a safe option for cruisers.

The river cruise line, which operated more than 100 cruises in summer and fall 2021 across Europe, Egypt and the Galapagos Islands, reported zero COVID-19 cases onboard its ships. After testing every single cruise passenger, not one of its guests or crew members tested positive for COVID-19 in 2021.

“Not all cruises are created equal. While questions loom for large, ocean-going ships, there’s confidence and clarity around river cruising as the safe alternative for all cruisers,” says the company in an official release. 

Citing the Conference Board of Canada’s Canadian Cruise Market Report, river cruising ranks in the top two most popular ways to cruise for Canadians, while Tourism & Hospitality in BC also found that in the last decade, the number of Canadians taking river cruises has doubled. 

In addition, Avalon’s award-winning Suite Ships features two full decks and 200-square-foot Panorama Suites, each equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows that open seven feet wide, the widest-opening windows in cruising.

“There’s no better time than the present to turn the cruise tide and focus on river cruises as the way to cruise in 2022,” adds the company.

Avalon Waterways is kicking off the new year with brand new itineraries for 2022 that include the following:

• ‘Active & Discovery on the Seine’: On this new cruise that starts and ends in Paris, guests can pick from 23 included ‘Active’, ‘Discovery’ and ‘Classic’ excursions.
• ‘Sex & the City of Lights’: This cruise sails on the Seine River from Paris to Paris with celebrity host Candace Bushnell, bestselling author of ‘Sex and the City.’
• ‘Active & Discovery on the Moselle’: This cruise winds along the Moselle River, from Remich to Frankfurt, and includes 21 ‘Active’, ‘Discovery’ and ‘Classic’ excursions.
• ‘Springtime in Holland & Belgium’: Blooming just once a decade, this special sailing invites guess to take in the many sights and smells of FLORIADE in 2022.
• ‘Danube Dreams with Oberammergau’: This 12-day journey provides a once-in-a-decade opportunity to experience Oberammergau’s world-famous Passion Play.
• ‘Active & Discover on the Rhone’: Guests will sail through the South of France and can choose from 28 included ‘Active’, ‘Discovery’ and ‘Classic’ excursions.
• Any Christmastime Cruise: More than a dozen different Christmastime cruises show off Europe’s famous Christmas markets.