What it's like on board one of Europe's newest river cruises in Bordeaux

What's the first thing you think of when I say "river cruising"?

Well, ditch the "old" and "tired" stereotypes and start painting a new picture off the back of the adventures of this first time river cruiser.

Exploring Bordeaux in France on the ship Artistry II as part of Avalon Waterways' newest route, I was stunned by the number of e-bike tours and six-kilometre walks on offer as part of their active and discovery excursion offerings.

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But perhaps what stunned me most as we went down the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers is the unique design point of the fleet - a sliding door that essentially turns your room into your very own balcony.

The glass sliding door opens a total of 7ft (or 2.13 metres) meaning you can take in the views as if you're on a private balcony from the comfort of your sofa, chair, or bed.

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Yes, bed. The 2013 ship, which was recently refurbished, has beds in their Panorama Suites facing the view.

It seems like such a no-brainer but actually, it's a novel concept, with most cruises - big and small - putting their beds against a wall in the direction of travel.

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When you return back on board from those aforementioned daily excursions there are often a range of delectable treats like profiteroles and eclairs greeting you on your arrival.

Take one of those to your balcony/room, make yourself a cup of tea in the Club Lounge and hey, presto - an afternoon treat for all the senses... the sweet suite life, if you will.

Across three levels on the ship, two of them (the Royal and Sapphire decks) boast Panorama Suites.

That means 80 per cent of the rooms on board have this genius concept bringing the outdoors in, while the remaining 20 per cent on the lower level (or Indigo Deck) have a window.

But even those entry level suites, or Deluxe Staterooms as they're called, have larger windows than most - no portholes to be seen here.

Instead, it's a sleek rectangular window across the length of the room, which allows for an added shelf space to store your things.

There are also two Royal Suites on board for those who want to splash out a little more.

While the Panorama Suites, featuring bathrooms decked out with L'Occitane products, are as large as many hotel rooms at 200sq ft, it almost doesn't matter because there's also the Panorama Lounge and Sky Deck to while away your time in.

The Sky Deck is on top of the four-level ship and offers a whirlpool, Sky Grill restaurant, giant chess game, a walking track and a row of bicycles and e-bikes, available for guests to borrow during the cruise.

The Panorama Lounge is located at the front of the 110m-long ship and is where you can enjoy a light lunch, afternoon tea, Happy Hour (where the drinks flow for free before dinner) or lounge around after dinner, with live music playing some nights of the week.

In fact, Avalon have launched a new "After Dark" concept on their river cruises, which will see local entertainment being brought onboard for guests and also give passengers details of the best bars or nightlife to explore while in port - for those who want to see how the locals do it.

Wine not

Zero alcohol options are available across the Avalon fleet. Even in Bordeaux, which is a wine cruise of sorts, there are a raft of non-alcoholic options available, with locals keen for tourists to see the region beyond the vineyards.

But of course, the wineries are what the area is famous for and there are plenty of options to choose from to immerse yourself in the wine making experience.

From the interactive Cite du Vin museum (a great way to spend a few hours!) in Bordeaux to trialling your hand at being a wine blender at Château de La Dauphine in Fronsac.

There's cheese, wine and chocolate tasting excursions in the Medoc region, where you can see Château Margaux - which is known for its €5000 ($8800) bottles of wine - and you'll learn plenty about the 1855 classifications of Bordeaux wine and what makes them special.

You'll also see vineyards up close as you traipse through certain chateaus with expert guides.

All without having to think ahead, because many of these wineries are booked out as much as six months in advance for tastings and tours.

Food fit for a King

While much of the regions fortunes were once fated on royals endorsing their wines - Louis XV single handedly made Château de La Dauphine, which still today has a special relationship with Versailles Palace - the food on board is fit for a King (or this "Queen K" as I became known to some on board, on account of my royal reporting on 9honey).

The breakfast buffet in the main dining room had the usual range of fruits, cereals, yoghurts and even a fresh omelette bar but there was also a massive tower filled with a variety of breads and baked goods to choose from - it is France after all!

And for those who get a bit homesick, don't fret, there is Vegemite on offer each morning.

Breakfast is available in your room if you should so desire, with room service dining included in the price for all guests.

Then, the main lunch is also served buffet-style in the dining room (as mentioned a lighter lunch is available upstairs in the lounge).

Dishes range from minute steaks to roast chicken to a divine eggplant and potato baked dish, a DIY salad bar and there's even a fresh 'make your own ramen' selection one day.

Wine is served with lunch for those who would like to partake and it's included. As is the wine with dinner (more on that later) and as mentioned previously, the hour before dinner there are free cocktails, wines, beers and soft drinks in the Panorama Lounge.

Now, back to the food.

Dinner is a standard four-course meal each night with a starter followed by a soup course, mains and dessert.

It sounds like a lot to get through but the portion size seems just right.

There are also a range of healthier choices, dubbed Avalon Fresh, through the menu to give people a few options, for say a salad starter or lighter main, to balance out their meal.

If any of the multiple options on the mains menu somehow doesn't scream "eat me!" to you, the team can whip up a selection of grilled chicken breast, steak or salmon with a side for you.

While the dining room can seat all 128 passengers at the same time, their flexible dining options mean guests can choose anytime between 7pm and 8.30pm to sit down to dinner.

Then come the nights on board when it's a decadent five-course extravaganza (no, I'm not kidding).

During the Bordeaux cruise - and any of Avalon's wine-themed cruises - they do a wine pairing evening, bringing a local sommelier onboard to introduce the selection for each course and they add an Intermezzo course to the daily fair.

There's also a five-course meal on the last night of the cruise for a special send off that will make you feel like you'll disembark rolling off the gangway... but with a big smile on your face and, if you're lucky, an extra chocolate éclair in your hand (they were chef's kiss!).

Pricing

You can head to Bordeaux directly to board Artistry II or you can combine the trip with Avalon Waterways two other river cruises in France - on the Siene and Rhône - to make a 21-day trip in total.

They also offers a two-day extension in Paris for those taking the eight-day Bordeaux cruise, which is perfect for people travelling from Australia or New Zealand, giving a couple of days to get over jet lag before getting onboard the ship.

Prices start at $4,229 per person for the Deluxe Stateroom, $6,128 per person for the Panorama Suite and $7,828 per person for the Royal Suite.

This writer travelled a guest of Avalon Waterways.