ABOARD AVALON ALEGRIA -- The resort vibe is strong on the Avalon Alegria, the newest ship to join Avalon Waterways' fleet and its first to sail Portugal's Douro River.
The Alegria was designed specifically for the Douro, and as such it is different from Avalon's other ships. For starters, the Alegria is smaller than other Avalon vessels, measuring 262 feet long compared with an average length of 443 feet.
A Panorama Suite on the Avalon Alegria. Photo Credit: Nicole Edenedo
The Alegria will also never leave Portugal, said Pamela Hoffee, president of Avalon Waterways.
"Unlike our other Suite Ships that were built to be able to move throughout Europe, Alegria was purpose-built exclusively for the Douro River," she said.
During the inaugural sailing on the 102-passenger ship, which has 34 of the line's signature Panorama Suites and 14 standard cabins, I was often reminded of the resorts I've stayed at in Mexico's Riviera Maya. Some of the paneling onboard is covered in a textured, intertwining light wood, similar to design touches I've seen at luxury properties there. The same light-wood paneling appears in the cabins and other areas throughout the ship.
The Alegria also has stone textures on several walls, including in the main staircase area and the deck lobbies where the ice dispensers and water bottle refill stations are located. There are stone sculptures adorning the dining room, the Panorama Lounge and others areas that continue that theme of organic, natural materials.
I also felt a resort vibe on the outer decks, such as the observation deck off the Panorama Lounge and the sun deck. The observation deck has a number of plush outdoor chairs and a very noticeable swinging chair. Hoffee said it's the first such chair they've put on an Avalon ship, because despite being smaller, the Alegria's design gives it more open deck space to work with.
Outdoor seating on the observation deck, including a swinging chair. Photo Credit: Nicole Edenedo
The chair is a perfect spot to curl up with a book or an Aperol spritz in the summertime, especially when sailing, as it offers unobstructed forward views. As an additional treat, Hoffee said, the observation deck employs a misting system to keep guests cool.
The Alegria also has another resort-like feature on its sun deck that is a first in Avalon's European fleet: a pool.
Typically, Avalon's ships have a circular hot tub on their sun decks. The Alegria's pool, which is heated, is square and larger than the hot tubs. Due to the rain that came down during most of my time onboard, I didn't get a chance to test the waters, but knowing how hot Portuguese summers can get, I imagine this will be a welcome addition.
"The weather in Portugal seemed fitting to add a pool," Hoffee said. "The season here for using a pool is a bit longer, and the summers a bit warmer, so this was the perfect ship to add this feature."
Even with all of the new, lighter-color design features onboard the ship, which Avalon said were chosen to reflect the destination and embody the ship's name -- Alegria means happiness in Portuguese -- there were still plenty of familiar features onboard.
The Club Lounge on the Avalon Alegria. Photo Credit: Nicole Edenedo
Guests will find that the Panorama Suites are largely the same on this vessel, with spacious 200-square-foot cabins and beds facing French balcony windows. There are plenty of water refill stations that offer a variety of mineral water in the lobby areas and the aft Club Lounge, along with espresso machines.
The Club Lounge also has Avalon's famous snack selection, and travelers can expect the same types of treats -- apple turnovers, chocolate chip cookies and mixed nuts -- on the line's ships across Europe.