Both the Avalon 27 ft. Ambassador Entertainer 2013 and the Avalon 29 ft. Excalibur 2012 are pontoon designs, both built in aluminium, so the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department - Avalon 27 ft. Ambassador Entertainer 2013 at 27,0 ft versus Avalon 29 ft. Excalibur 2012 at 29,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Avalon 27 ft. Ambassador Entertainer 2013 tips the scales at 4 400 lbs - 1 550 lbs more than the Avalon 29 ft. Excalibur 2012 at 2 850 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 300 hp, the Avalon 27 ft. Ambassador Entertainer 2013 has a 100-hp advantage over the Avalon 29 ft. Excalibur 2012's 200-hp ceiling - enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Avalon 29 ft. Excalibur 2012 is rated for 16 passengers, while the Avalon 27 ft. Ambassador Entertainer 2013 caps at 14. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Avalon 29 ft. Excalibur 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Both are 3-tube and 2-tube pontoon designs respectively. Tube diameter and gauge affect stability and load capacity - more so than most buyers realize when comparing on paper.
Bottom line: Choose the Avalon 29 ft. Excalibur 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water - it handles 16 passengers and at 29,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Avalon 27 ft. Ambassador Entertainer 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 14 that costs less to run day-to-day.