Poetry in Motion

Waltz Along the Danube: A Storyteller Cruise with Christopher Moore

Promising all prose, no cons, this special Storyteller Cruise with Christopher Moore sails through the legends and legendary settings of the Danube River: A river that’s inspired empires, dynasties, winemakers, waltzes – and Moore’s newest novel debuting in 2025! Explore some of the most dramatic chapters in time while uncovering scenic ports, riveting plots and the richest banks of history. As the river, Rieslings and pilsners flow, we invite you to try to compose yourself as you experience the settings that set the stage for unrivaled music and art – and the coffee houses – where creative geniuses converged. Offering you unparalleled facts, fiction and fun, your cruising vacation with celebrity storyteller host Christopher Moore also promises special meet-and-greets and a book-signing on a cruise that will take you beyond words! 

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Set Sail on the Rhine with Graham McTavish

Set sail on a cruise that paints a thousand words with celebrity host and storyteller Graham McTavish! This 8-day, Active & Discovery itinerary – part of our special Storyteller Series of cruises – will transport you through craggy cliffs and under storied medieval castles, along quaint, cobblestone villages and through the lofty landscapes of Switzerland, France, Germany and Holland on the Rhine River, where every hour is story time!

Cheers to 50 Years!

Here’s a cruise to write home about! Join Jen Hatmaker on an 8-day, Active & Discovery in Holland & Belgium sailing for her 50th birthday! That’s right! Jen is embarking on the first page of her 50th chapter while sailing the waters of Holland and Belgium and you – and just 150 fellow friends – are invited to sail along and celebrate away with her! On this trip of a lifetime, you’ll spend your days gliding through the canals of Amsterdam, biking past Holland’s postcard-perfect windmills, walking through Rotterdam’s modern architecture; sampling sweet treats in Brussels and tagging the streets of Ghent along with your favorite Storyteller, Jen Hatmaker. This intimate vacation takes the idea of  "Me Camp" to a whole new level!

Sister Hazel’s Euro-Hang II: A Cruise Celebrating Sister Hazel‘s 30th Anniversary

Calling all “Hazelnuts!” You’re invited on a cruise that promises a “Champagne High!” Set sail on an Avalon Suite Ship® with Sister Hazel from Budapest, Hungary to Vilshofen, Germany. Giving you “Something to Believe In,” this 30th anniversary celebratory cruise will transport you through time and tales along the craggy cliffs, terraced vineyards and tradition-rich villages of the Danube River. Enjoy some “Vacation Rain,” as you actively discover the Old World in new ways and find yourself “In the Moment” with your favorite band. This exclusive, European river cruise, available for a limited number of guests, promises at least two, private performances by Sister Hazel – is “All for You!” Come on board and “Stay Awhile!”  

During your cruise, your celebrity storyteller hosts will be with you, interacting during meals, happy hours and excursions while also providing special meet-and-greets, gatherings, and performances. 

Disappear on a Magical Sailing with Diana Gabaldon

A NOVEL VACATION… Bound to be one of the most memorable trips of 2024 (or a lifetime), author of the No. 1 New York Times-bestselling OUTLANDER series, Diana Gabaldon, personally hosted a Storyteller cruise with Avalon Waterways on the Danube River in 2024. It was a  once-in-a-lifetime chance to sail with a small group of fellow fans and get exclusive OUTLANDER insights, with your favorite author… for a whole week of page-turning time travel! 

The Storied Seine River with Candace Bushnell

In 2022, fans of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda sailed the Seine River from Paris to Le Havre with stylish storyteller Candace Bushnell. This celebrated author dished the secrets of the 'Lipstick Jungle', 'Rules of Being a Girl', and 'Sex in the City' in style, while sharing a love affair with the storybook scenery of France on an Avalon Suite Ship®. 

Suite Sailing Down the Legendary Danube with Cheryl Strayed

Avalon guests recently accepted the invitation to pin, plot and plan a sweet, Suite Ship sailing from Budapest to Deggendorf with best-selling author and hit podcaster, Cheryl Strayed. Her gracious smile and generous sharing of the writer’s process was a delight to fans who joined her on the Danube River through Slovakia, Austria, and Germany, with the encouragement to stay “Wild” while enjoying the “Tiny Beautiful Things” we’re “Brave Enough” to explore!

Gone Sailing with Gillian Flynn

Mystery lovers followed the clues to cruise with best-selling author Gillian Flynn – known for her runaway hits – Gone Girl, Sharp Objects, and Dark Places. Avalon guests were privy to the art of mystery with inside secrets to crafting chilling tales and twisted characters that keep the pages turning and eyes glued to the screen from the edge of our seats. Indeed, we were spellbound by the stories shared by Gillian Flynn as we sailed past the Danube’s dramatic cliffs and storied landscapes on a “Killer Queen” cruise! 

A Riot on the Rhine with Christopher Moore

We jest you not when we say that a recent Avalon Waterways cruise on the Rhine River was filled with jocularity and joy, thanks to our special guest storyteller, Christopher Moore. Cruising enthusiasts and enthusiasts of his satirical wit within the pages of “Lamb: the Gospel According to Biff” cruised along the legendary Rhine from Basel to Amsterdam for the laugh-inducing and thought-provoking humor of the renowned satirist and comic author.