Perfect cruise for me, a solo traveler. Everything about this cruise and Avalon Waterways was the best I've ever experienced. The staff on board, the food, my stateroom was more than I expected. The ports and shore excursions were handled in the most professional manner, on time, no rushing, etc. The local guides did a great job. A nice and well needed touch were the moist towels and punch when returning to the ship. It was quite hot and that was most refreshing. One of my special things to do was to stay on board and relax. I never felt I had to do anything. Cruising the beautiful River Danube was such a delight. Since this was a culinary cruise, I thoroughly enjoyed the special wine pairings with a renowned specialist in that field. Also the chocolate making demonstration on board. That went very well with a lovely Austrian white wine. Cruise again with Avalon? Absolutely. And hopefully soon. Read Less

My wife and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary on board in Paris. We made friends with fellow cruisers as river boats provide a more intimate setting and promote these connections. It was great to be in good company even though we were travelling alone. Our room was amazing with the panoramic balcony! Imagine lying in bed with open curtains watching picturesque scene after scene pass by as the ship slowly navigates the Seine. We only did that one day but it was worth it! Neither of us had ever been to France and were very pleased with the service and assistance from the entire crew! Dietary preferences were stated during the first day and we had to ask for "Cheating" to be allowed due the genuine care of the dining staff. We followed dinner with dancing to live music almost every night too. The entire cruise was simply wonderful! Read Less

We thought this would be a slow-paced itinerary, since geographically it doesn't cover much ground, but it ended up being quite busy. The included tours were very well organized and had great guides. We had the same one; Estelle for 4 cities and she was fantastic. Really knew her stuff and was easy to understand even though English was not her first language. The ship itself was gorgeous, very clean and well laid out. Our favourite part was the stateroom. Best shower I've ever had on a ship and the Panorama window was awesome. I wouldn't trade that for a tiny balcony, thats for sure. Food was consistently good. Nothing overly adventurous, but good options that felt relatively healthy (not much deep fried or greasy food) and we liked that it had a taste of the region. The cheese plates at breakfast/lunch & dinner were always terrific. We also enjoyed the savory and sweet crepes in the lounge on a few days of the trip. Overall not much to complain about... a few times they ran out of things, which I didn't really understand since we're in port almost the entire trip, but it happened. Ran out of beer, Coke and that sort of thing periodically. Also, if you're a smoker, the back lower smoking area can have a really bad diesel smell when the ship is moving. That wasn't very pleasant, but easy to avoid. Terrific tour director that was always available and answered all our questions. We were very happy with this cruise and would recommend it to anyone looking to see Normandy in-depth. Read Less

We had a fabulous time. This was my first river cruise and I realy enjoyed the experience. We spent 4 days in Paris before the cruise and that would of been vacation enough. By the time we boarded the ship I did so much in Paris that I felt I had already been there a week. Embarkation was a breeze, I checked out of the hotel eiffel siene (really cute and great location) and took a short taxi ride to the Pullman hotel. As soon as I entered the hotel, the staff took my bags to the Avalon piles. Then I had time for a quick jaunt to the Luxembourg gardens which were beautiful! At around 3:30 the busses took us over to the pier to our beautiful ship! The service, crew, food, and room were all fabulous! There is really a difference in the level of service between a big ship and a small ship like the tranquillity II. The excursions on the cruise were educational and wonderful. All the guides were great and the busses and the organization were top notch. The towns along then seine were all beautiful. Be sure to climb the hill at Les andelyes, half of my family didn't go and regretted it when I said how easy the climb was. We did two optional excursions to Versailles and honfleur. It was a busy week but I was thrilled with everything. If you want a less busy week, don't get any extra excursions. Disembarkation was easy too, all you need is a color sticker on your bag, and we waited in the lounge till our group was called. I would definately take another Avalon cruise, in fact I have 2 more planned! Read Less

We always wanted to see Normandy and the site of the D-Day Invasion. Chose Avalon because it was recommended to us. We were more than satisfied with the whole experience. The food was amazing. There were always enough choices. The service was impeccable. The entire crew couldn't do enough for you. The Concierge Desk was full of information. If they didn't have an answer for you at the moment, they would research it and come up with suggestions/solutions. The shore excursions were top notch. The guides were knowledgeable and fluent in English. The ship was very clean. We went on a galley tour one afternoon and were amazed at how sparkling clean the kitchen was. We are planning another Avalon River Cruise for next year. We will look forward to working with an Avalon Representative. Our last experience gives us confidence that we will again achieve the same enjoyable result. Read Less

food was fantastic, almost felt like being fattened up for Christmas,so too bad if diet conscience, The river itself didn't do much for me, but it still was interesting & there was various opportunities to get off & look around. Phenom Penh had plenty to do. Royal Palace, National & Genocide Museums, The guides gave plenty of information regarding the history of Vietnam & Cambodia, the killing fields, Silk making loom set up in Cambodia was very interesting as was the village silversmith all tour guides had very clear English so language was never a problem. It can be any type of cruise you want, relaxing, cultural, historical be continually pampered or just read a book. The rooms were very well appointed, the staff were genuinely pleasant & so helpful a real pleasure to meet. I don't think it matters which floor one takes, but a stair case is the only way to get up & down. River crossing entry into Cambodia Do not do visa for Cambodia on line as it will not be accepted. Read Less

I chose this ship originally for the itinerary -- mainly Normandy and Giverney. The Seine River caused a few problems from all the rain it was quite high. We needed to be transported to Rouen to board the ship. From start to finish the tour director Jean Lund did an absolutely fabulous job during the entire cruise. Faced with adversity he managed to reroute the cruise and still keep everyone more than satisfied. The staterooms were wonderful. This is my 3rd Avalon River cruise and I love them. The dining, entertainment and shore excursions were great. Also, to note what a 'class act' Avalon is --- They gave passengers an opportunity to not sail and for those that chose to stay on the ship gave all 1/2 off their fare!! They also included all shore excursions (while most are included) they included ones that had charges. When we couldn't return to Paris by ship they put us on the motor coaches back to the hotel. They gave us money for lunch both days and included a fabulous dinner both evenings with free flowing wine. Wonderful cruise and exceptional cruise line!!! Read Less

We sailed from the black sea (Romania) to Bratislava (Slovakia) and travelled from there by bus to Vienna and had the most superb experience.The ship is brand new, in beautiful shape and is very nicely appointed. There is plenty of opportunities for relaxation and/or conversation in the boat's many public areas. The ship's intimate atmosphere, with only 150 passengers, is one of its best selling points. The crew was knowledgable, well trained and very helpful. They clearly enjoyed their jobs as they were always friendly and professional. As for the onboard programs/activities, there was a variety to inform and amuse anyone. The food was delicious, the state room was very clean and well equiped.The shore excursions were well planned and timed, local guides were well informed and very friendly. The whole trip was so wonderful and so easy to travel through so many countries in a few days, I would highly recommend it to everyone! Read Less