Looking to sail on a European river cruise and not sure which line is best? Here at rivercruisecomparison.com we've brought you an Avalon vs Uniworld head-to-head matchup. Does either of these river cruise lines get your knock out vote? Let us know in the comments below.
Round 1: Pricing & Booking Policies
Avalon offers limited time sales throughout the year that range from a reduced cruise fare, free cabin upgrades, prepaid gratuities, and airfare promotions. Uniworld offers limited time sales throughout the year that focus more on cruise fare savings or reduced single supplements. But comparing these two lines solely on their cruise fare rates is deceptive. Uniworld pricing is all-inclusive, while Avalon is not.
Avalon offers free beer and wine at lunch and dinner, but also provides an extra one-hour pre-dinner window where guests can choose from a drink menu of select complimentary mixed drinks, wines, and beers. With Uniworld, alcoholic drinks (with some premium brand exceptions) are included in your cruise fare, so you can drink at any time with no added cost.
Avalon does not include gratuities of any type in their cruise fare, so they will come out of pocket to the traveler. Though Avalon tends to offer more promotions throughout the year that could get you pre-paid gratuities included at no extra charge. Uniworld’s all-inclusive fares include gratuities for staff onboard the ship, as well as for tour guides and drivers.
Deposits for both cruise lines have limited refundable timelines, which eventually become fully non-refundable. Avalon typically requires a $500 deposit per cabin, while Uniworld requires 10% down. The deadline for making final payment with Avalon is 90 days prior to your sail date, while with Uniworld it is at 120 days.
Traveling solo? If so, Avalon offers solo travelers with options that reduce the supplement to as little as 0% (at least a few cabins per sailing have no single supplement – typically the entry level cabins on the bottom deck). They also have promotions throughout the year that might expand the number of cabins available, and even extend it into higher priced cabins. Uniworld charges 50% single supplement on their entry level cabins on the bottom deck, though they also often run pricing specials where they might drop the supplement altogether.
Looking to travel with kids under 18? Avalon allows children 8 years and older onboard, while Uniworld allows children 4 years and older. Those under the age of 18 must be accompanied by, and share a cabin with, a parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult over the age of 21.
Both Avalon and Uniworld offer a discount for returning guests.
Verdict for this round of Avalon vs Uniworld:
Both lines are well matched in this round, with the likely outcome a draw. The winning edge might depend on which line is pricing better (with all pricing differences factored in). Avalon’s deposit and final payment policies are slightly better. Solo travelers would be wise to review each line to see who has the lowest supplement. For those traveling with children, the allowed age for each might make the difference and provide a clear winner.
Round 2: Cabins & Onboard Amenities
If design aesthetic is important to you, then you have some potentially significant differences between both cruise lines to consider. Avalon presents a clean, contemporary interior with a neutral color palette, stylish lighting, and artistic accents. Uniworld presents an often over-the-top traditional interior design inspired by the destination each ship sails - with antiques, custom fabrics, and original works of art – making each of their ships uniquely different from each other.
Cabin sizes offered by each line can vary quite a bit, but the most common cabins on each line are very similar in square footage – 200 square feet for Avalon and 196 square feet for Uniworld.
Avalon cabins on the middle and top deck offer bed placement that faces you towards the balcony, while Uniworld has the standard bed placement with the balcony on the side.
All of Avalon’s ships have elevator access to all cabin decks, while many (not all) of Uniworld’s do the same. If you find yourself on a Uniworld ship that does not, you would be required to navigate a set of stairs for any cabins on the lowest deck. Avalon does not offer connecting rooms, while Uniworld has at least a few ships where you will be able to find limited connecting room options.
There are a few differences with onboard amenities offered by each of these river cruise lines. Both include free Wi-Fi (though Avalon has a personal hotspot that works through their headset system – a welcome enhancement that provides free Wi-Fi when onshore, and improved connection when in your cabin), onboard bicycles, fitness room, and a whirlpool/pool. One difference between the lines is that Uniworld offers massage services, while Avalon does not.
Both Avalon and Uniworld offer a Wellness Program on each of its ships, where a Wellness Host will lead morning and afternoon yoga, stretches, etc. The host will also lead any hiking and biking excursions.
Verdict for this round of Avalon vs Uniworld:
The winner for this round for many might be a narrow victory for Avalon, with subtle differences like the personal hotspot and balcony-facing beds being the difference. But for those who require massage services, the edge would have to go to Uniworld.
Round 3: Excursions
Both cruise lines offer one free excursion per port, and typically give you multiple options to choose from – maybe a city walking tour or panoramic bus tour, a hike or bike ride, or a more culturally immersive option such as a visit to a local landmark, museum, or concert. Avalon offers ‘classic’ and ‘active and discovery’ cruise itineraries, with the ‘classic’ option having a little less of the active and more walking/bus options.
Verdict for this round of Avalon vs Uniworld:
The winner for this round is Uniworld. While on paper both cruise lines offer similar types of excursions, Uniworld’s excursions tend to be slightly more elevated, and often offer at least one truly one-of-a-kind immersive experience during each sailing.
Round 4: Dining Experience
Food is probably one of the most talked about comparisons when selecting a river cruise. The problem with this is that dining experiences are subjective, and mostly dependent on the execution by onboard staff (both front and back of the house). For every traveler that says they absolutely loved their food on either of these lines, you will find another who complains about the experience. So, comparisons are really about an overall impression on the consistency of service across each cruise line’s fleet.
Avalon and Uniworld both offer buffet-style dining for breakfast and lunch, as well as some limited full-service ordering during both meals. Dinners on both lines are multi-course affairs with at least two or three options to choose from for each course. Special diet requests can be accommodated on either cruise line. Both lines market themselves as offering locally sourced ingredients, with dishes inspired by the places visited during the cruise. Avalon provides continental breakfast and dinner through room service, with Uniworld providing limited options as well.
What do critics and travelers say? Uniworld has received culinary awards in the past, but those are more than a few years old at this point. Avalon has no record of culinary awards. Traveler reviews are split, with Uniworld getting more praise for their dining experience overall.
Verdict for this round of Avalon vs Uniworld:
The winner for this round is Uniworld, though by another slim margin.
The Verdict: Who Wins this Head-to-Head Matchup?
With each of the rounds ending in very close decisions, the overall winner could be swayed by your personal preferences. Based on how we have scored the rounds, we have to give the overall match to...Uniworld!
Want to learn more about river cruising? Visit us at rivercruisecomparison.com where you can review our comparisons of the best river cruise lines that sail throughout Europe, learn more about the European rivers you can sail on, and browse our special offers to save a little money on your next sailing. And don't forget to take our one-of-a-kind quiz that will match you to the cruise line best suited to you and your preferences!
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