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It wasn't that the cruise was bad, but that it just could have been better. There were two problems-- one, what I suspect is corporate penny pitching, and two, too much was at extra charge. First, what was good about the trip. River cruising is a wonderful way to see and enjoy travel. No packing and unpacking, landing inside fascinating towns with the drama of an ocean cruise port of call, and some wonderful scenery. The Danube was beautiful and Budapest was a great town. The after part of the cruise in Prague was another level entirely. I believe Prague is probably the most beautiful city on earth. Now for the problems, comparing Avalon to a Rhine cruise we took with Viking last year. The food was uninspired. One fellow passenger who had expected better (as had I) asked the head of the dining room and was told that the corporation had downgraded the food. The waitstaff was hard working but too few to serve all of the needs at meals. As a result dinners took 2 hours and we often had to pour our own coffee, etc. Not what you expect on a cruise.
There were few included land tours. Many things that Viking would have included were extra charge on Avalon. Furthermore, two of the optional trips really weren't as described, and not in a good way.There didn't seem to be enough time in various ports and we often docked far from the destination neighborhoods. That may have been beyond Avalon's control, but we saw some other boats with better positioning. The boat itself was fine except for an exceptionally noisy dining room. The cruise director was excellent. Finally, I didn't find the Danube as fascinating as the Rhine, but that's just a matter of taste. The Rhine is a bustling artery of commerce with some beautiful scenery thrown in. The Danube is quieter and more rural. All the locks were very interesting to me I think if I'd not had a better experience with Viking I'd have been happier with with this trip. -- and it got me to Prague!
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