Avalon Waterways
Avalon Poetry II
- Cruises
- 25
- From
- $4,030
Ship comparison
Avalon Poetry II vs Lumière
Tauck River Cruises
Lumière
- Cruises
- 7
- From
- —
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Avalon Poetry II is an intimate Avalon Waterways ship carrying 128 passengers, in service since 2013. Lumière is an intimate Tauck River Cruises ship carrying 130 passengers, in service since 2026. Lumière has no specs yet, so the verdict rests on the figures we do hold.
Choose Avalon Poetry II if you want more adventure and nature, more of a party or a more romantic trip: it outscores Lumière for adventure & nature (7.0 vs 5.0), party (5.0 vs 3.0) and romantic (10.0 vs 9.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Lumière if you want a newer ship, better-rated staterooms or more crew per passenger: it outscores Avalon Poetry II for staterooms (8.5 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores, its maiden voyage was in 2026 (vs 2013) and it has a crew member for every 2.6 passengers (vs 3.5).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Avalon Poetry II | Lumière | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Avalon Waterways | Tauck River Cruises |
| Ship size | Intimate | Intimate |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2013 | 2026 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 2,022 | — |
| Passengers | 128 | 130 |
| Crew | 37 | 50 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 3.5 | 2.6 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 15.8 | — |
| Cabins | — | 68 |
| Decks | 4 | 4 |
| Length | 361 ft | 443 ft |
| Beam | 39 ft | 38 ft |
| Speed | 14 mph | — |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 9 / 10 | — |
| Cruises on sale | 25 | 7 |
| Upcoming sailings | 371 | 33 |
| Cruise lengths | 7–19 nights | 7–13 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $4,030 | — |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Avalon Poetry II leads on 5 of the ten, Lumière on 2, with 3 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Avalon Waterways
Avalon Poetry II
There’s both serenity and a measure of adventure when cruising Europe’s famed waterways aboard Avalon Poetry II. Sailing chiefly the Rhône and Saône in France, Avalon Poetry II can glide by centuries-old castles and beautiful landscapes in the afternoon, then make an overnight port call at one of Europe’s overlooked gems.
Highlights
- Wall-to-wall panoramic windows
- Sky Deck with premium lounge chairs
- Panorama bistro
- Expanded fitness center
Sailing now
25 cruises on sale, from $4,030.
Tauck River Cruises
Lumière
Sailing now
7 cruises on sale.
Questions
Avalon Poetry II or Lumière?
Which ship is newer, Avalon Poetry II or Lumière?
Lumière is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2026 against 2013 for Avalon Poetry II.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Lumière, with one crew member for every 2.6 passengers against one for every 3.5 on Avalon Poetry II.
Which is better for families?
They score the same for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 6.0 out of 10.
Still deciding?
Tell us what matters and we will match the sailing
Send your dates, budget and who is travelling, and our partner travel agency will come back to you about Avalon Poetry II, Lumière or a ship that suits you better.