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Ship comparison

Avalon Tranquility II vs Inspire

Tauck River Cruises

Inspire

Cruises
15
From
—

The verdict

Which should you choose?

Avalon Tranquility II is an intimate Avalon Waterways ship carrying 128 passengers, in service since 2015. Inspire is an intimate Tauck River Cruises ship carrying 130 passengers, in service since 2014.

Choose Avalon Tranquility II if you want more space per passenger, a better-rated spa and gym or more cruises to choose from: it outscores Inspire for spa & fitness (7.0 vs 4.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores, it has 39.1 gross tons per passenger (vs 7.7) and it has 73 cruises on sale (vs 15).

Choose Inspire if you want a more family-friendly ship, more adventure and nature or a more romantic trip: it outscores Avalon Tranquility II for family friendly (6.5 vs 4.0), adventure & nature (5.0 vs 3.0) and romantic (8.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.

Side by side

Specifications

marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.

Avalon Tranquility IIInspire
Cruise line Avalon Waterways Tauck River Cruises
Ship size Intimate Intimate
Maiden voyagenewer highlighted 2015 (better) 2014
Gross tonnage 5,000 1,000
Passengers 128 130
Crew 37 39
Passengers per crew memberfewer is better 3.5 3.3 (better)
Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier 39.1 (better) 7.7
Decks 4 4
Length 361 ft 443 ft
Beam 37 ft 39 ft
Speed 9 mph —
Cruiseable ratingout of 10 9 / 10 (better) 8 / 10
Cruises on sale 73 15
Upcoming sailings 192 39
Cruise lengths 4–19 nights 7–14 nights
Fares fromlower highlighted $3,251 —

Bliss scores

How they rate, out of 10

Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Avalon Tranquility II leads on 1 of the ten, Inspire on 5, with 4 level.

  • Active Avalon Tranquility II: 7.0 Inspire: 7.0
  • Adventure & nature Avalon Tranquility II: 3.0 Inspire: 5.0
  • Cultural Avalon Tranquility II: 8.0 Inspire: 9.0
  • Dining Avalon Tranquility II: 7.0 Inspire: 8.0
  • Entertainment Avalon Tranquility II: 5.0 Inspire: 5.0
  • Family friendly Avalon Tranquility II: 4.0 Inspire: 6.5
  • Party Avalon Tranquility II: 3.0 Inspire: 3.0
  • Romantic Avalon Tranquility II: 7.0 Inspire: 8.0
  • Spa & fitness Avalon Tranquility II: 7.0 Inspire: 4.0
  • Staterooms Avalon Tranquility II: 8.0 Inspire: 8.0

Avalon Waterways

Avalon Tranquility II

There’s both serenity and a measure of adventure when cruising Europe’s famed waterways aboard Avalon Tranquility II. You 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

73 cruises on sale, from $3,251.

Tauck River Cruises

Inspire

Cruising exclusively along the riverscapes of the Rhine and Moselle, ms Inspire lends its name to the new Inspiration class riverboats from Tauck River Cruises. Carrying a maximum of 130 guests, Inspire explores medieval cities from Köln to Strasbourg and wine-growing regions from Cochem to the Alsace.

Highlights

  • Brand new ship launched in 2014
  • 22 suites and 8 loft cabins
  • Open seating & flexible dining times

Sailing now

15 cruises on sale.

Questions

Avalon Tranquility II or Inspire?

Which is bigger, Avalon Tranquility II or Inspire?

Avalon Tranquility II is bigger at 5,000 gross tons, against 1,000 gross tons for Inspire. Avalon Tranquility II carries 128 passengers and Inspire carries 130.

Which ship is newer, Avalon Tranquility II or Inspire?

Avalon Tranquility II is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2015 against 2014 for Inspire.

Which has more space per passenger?

Avalon Tranquility II, with 39.1 gross tons per passenger against 7.7 on Inspire. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.

Which has more crew per passenger?

Inspire, with one crew member for every 3.3 passengers against one for every 3.5 on Avalon Tranquility II.

Which is better for families?

Inspire scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 6.5 out of 10, against 4.0 for Avalon Tranquility II.

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