We have always wanted to river cruise. We chose Avalon because our travel agent preferred it to Viking, mainly because of the cabins.

While the cruise was fun and informative there were some issues. The hotel in Budapest was terrific. It was centrally located and the breakfasts were delicious and plentiful. We totally enjoyed our stay there. We were informed the night before we were ready to get on the ship that it wouldn't be picking us up because of an accident in one of the locks. That meant a four hour bus ride to Vienna where we were able to board the ship. We missed a very pretty section of the river that apparently was filled with things to see. It was a double edged sword though because we got to spend some extra time in Vienna.

Dinners on the ship were okay but seemed to always include lamb, veal, or other esoteric food. That limited us to the standard choices of beef or chicken. The chicken was very dry. The waiters were good and they certainly kept the beer and especially the wine coming. I sincerely believe there should be a discount for people who do not drink at all. The cruise line certainly saved a bundle on two of us because they are not drinkers. The other meals were okay. After dinner there was not much to do other than drink in the lounge and listen to the piano player. Read more