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Avalon Tapestry II

Avalon Vista

Avalon Tranquility II

Avalon Imagery II

Avalon Panorama

Avalon Expression

Avalon Visionary

Avalon Impression

Avalon Poetry II

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Second Avalon River cruise

Jost Van Dyke

First Avalon cruise was on Danube.  We wanted to sail the Rhine. This sailing fit our plans, and we were able to work a week in France before and a week in Switzerland after.

Compared to 18 Salt Water cruises, river cruises are very busy.  Up for breakfast, the daily excursions, back for cocktail hour, cruise director itinerary for upcoming days, dinner, maybe entertainment, bed and start again mext morning.  It is all very pleasant.  I really enjoyed the travel rime after leaving Amsterdam and travel day thru the castles.  My kind of pace.

I went on all the excursions I could fit in.  A lot is included in them.  I would like a pace that allows for a little more information and to take it all in.  

I enjoy all the food offered.  The cocktail hour is appreciated.  The violin trio was special.  I bought both their CD’s.

The vessel was kept clean all the time.  I enjoyed a smaller ship as everything was easy access.  The aft lounge is quite nice.  Plus we were able to utilize the top deck with cooperating weather.

Room space is adequate with plenty of storage space.  I prefer a room closer to the center of the vessel.

I graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 1964. My sailing experience also includes being a Third Mate on the bridge of a dry cargo ship, circumnavigating the globe using a sextant, pencil, and radar.  I sailed with “old salts.”  Now I guess I am one.

This has always been on my bucket list.  A river Cruise was the ticket.  The overall cruise on the Expression was fine.  the cabins are nice and provide adequate room.  The service and staff were all very nice.  We were disappointed with the food.  The selection and the quality were a bit below expectations.  Great presentation but dinners were not to my liking.  Lunches and breakfast were fine.  On two of the stops (excursions) Sunday and Monday, in different towns the shops and stores were closed.  Bakeries were open but most other stores were closed.  We were told Monday's are extended weekends. So 2 out of 7 days the stop overs were not so great.  We still walked around the towns but no shopping.  The Rhine is a "working " river. So lots of cargo shops. More Industrial than I was aware of. Some beautiful scenery and glad we went.

Rhine Cruise

This was our first time river cruising and first visit to Europe in general and it was a great experience. Everything was well organized and our cruise director Stephano, did a great job keeping everyone engaged and informed of all the excursions. 

The food was great and the staff were all very friendly. Rooms were cleaned multiple times each day, any time we’d have a meal or excursion it seemed like the room was cleaned while we were away. 

The entertainment on board was a bit sparse (couple of nights with live music, one night playing cornhole) but this was a very minor gripe because the excursions kept us busy and we were ready for dinner, drinks, and bed most evenings. 

We would recommend the Rhine cruise for anyone looking to try river cruising for the first time. The locations have that European charm you are looking for (Castles, old market squares, etc.). 

The only stop that was underwhelming was Düsseldorf. Try to find a route that goes to Cologne instead.

Active Discovery in the Rhine

Initially I was in contact with the agent and gave her some basic general ideas of what we would like and she came up with this one which included a variety of activities to suit different needs within our small family group. 

The ship far exceeded our expectations (which I thought were high anyway!) and all the activities were very well arranged and facilitated.  The weather was not too good which meant that some of the activities had to be changed and others were a bit challenging, but that is not a reflection on the ship and the cruise at all.  

One slight thing I would mention is that the activities were not described in as much detail as perhaps they could have been.  By that I mean that it would be useful for passengers to gauge the easy/difficulty level of a hike or town walk by saying how many miles it would be, whether it's uphill/downhill, rocky, grassy etc etc. Whilst it was not an issue for me, I didn't discover till I was on the walk around Strasbourg that it was 5 miles which as I say was fine for me but may have been more than some people could have been expecting even though it was probably in the 'Active' category. 

The guides were all very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and interesting in their subject but for me (and of course it's purely personal) some of the explanations were in too much technical detail so it went right over the top of my head eg. Dusseldorf underground system . Similarly, whilst the Heidelberg beer tasting was a lovely experience and the establishments were all very hospitable, the volume of beer given to us was way more than people could drink so there was a lot of waste.  The monastery beer tasting was fine in small glasses, but the others were full half pint glasses! 

The cabins on the ship were beautiful with a gorgeous shower room, lovely hot water permanently, the food so plentiful, regular and of such a high standard and the service, politeness and hospitality shown by the Tour Coordinator (Vivien) and all crew, housekeeping, catering, bar and waiting staff was above and beyond.  The ship was immaculate and the Panorama lounge and dining room were outstanding. We could not have been looked after any better.  It really was a luxurious week.  Happy hour was an added bonus.  The hot tub was a lovely touch and the ability to use bikes which were stored on the ship was a really lovely addition. 

The only very minor things I would point out are in respect of smokers and older passengers.  Some of our party were in their 80's (but mobile) and our cabins were at the back end of the ship on the 2nd deck.  That in itself was not a problem, but as one was also a smoker, due to the fact that there was not a staircase at the back of the ship from the 3rd deck down to the 2nd deck, it was a long walk from the outdoor smoking area at the back of the ship on the 3rd deck, all the way back to the reception area and then the full length of the 2nd deck to reach their cabin.  It would have been a good idea to have had any older passengers in cabins towards the reception end of the 2nd deck rather than right down the far end. As I say that is really a minor point and whilst it is not something which was a problem to me being much younger and a non-smoker, but even just the age factor could be something worth thinking about in future when allocating cabins.

Absolutely fantastic experience!

Our second cruise with Avalon following our  Danube Cruise last July. This Rhine cruise was superb in every respect, great food, free cocktails during happy hour, friendly attentive staff. Vivien our Cruise director was exceptional, especially with organisation of daily trips and tours and our daily pre dinner trips. We especially appreciated the personal service and attention to detail. Little things like learning our names, being welcomed every time we returned to the ship, availability of tea and coffee 24/7. Our ship, the Avalon Expression travelled through 4 countries, starting in Basel in Switzerland and finishing in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Our package included Avalon transfers to/from the airports at both ends. Avalon were also very helpful and understanding when one of our incoming flights with KLM was cancelled, and alternative arrangements had to be made, which eventually resulted in us travelling a day early, and having an overnight stay in Zurich. Thoroughly recommend Avalon.

Fantastic Rhine Cruise through 4 countries 

We went on an Avalon river cruise, the Rhine and Rhone revealed for 14 days.  We were on 2 ships during the trip, the Expression on the Rhine and Poetry II on the Rhone.  We had Avalon handle everything to do with the trip including flights and transfers.  Our only extras were some minor bar tabs, special excursions and laundry service.  We have traveled many times and have always done everything ourselves but decided that due to our age that we would leave it up to the pros, especially with all the current problems with airline travel.  Did everything work to perfection, no; but all things considered we couldn't be too unhappy.  The fact that our transfer to the Marseille airport only worked out because a Viking Rep was in the airport and took us to where we needed to go.  She was a godsend.  The transfer time in the Atlanta airport was too short as we arrived late.  We did make the flight but just barely.  Now for all the good news and there was a lot of it.  Avalon did a great job with the food, on board activities and accommodations.  Their online app even worked well and was very helpful during the trip.  The boats are not super fancy, if you want glitz and white linen this is not for you.  The boats are quite comfortable in everything that we could want.  Our room on the 2nd level was the best of any cruise room that we have ever been in as to the layout and size of the bathroom.  The boat and our room was cleaned even to my wife's satisfaction which is saying a lot.  All the staff from the Captain on down were outgoing, courteous and very accommodating.  The excursions were all top notch and the guides were exceptional, some more than others.  The staff kept us well informed as to what to expect each day so that we could plan accordingly.  They also added a nice FREE happy hour before dinner each night.  Wine and beer were included with lunch and dinner.  The upshot of all this is that with all the moving parts involved in this 2 week adventure, Avalon more than exceeded our wildest expectations.  We would highly recommend Avalon and sail with them in the future.

Everything we had hoped for!

As this was to be our first ever river cruise we did our homework and read various reviews and recommendations from multiple sites. Avalon Waterways always was ranked very highly and except for a few not so positive reviews, which usually dealt with low river levels, we now know why from first hand experiences. From the day we boarded all the staff could not have been more pleasant and willing to make our trip a memorable one. Our French Balcony Panorama Suite provided more that enough room as well as a fantastic view from the wall-to-wall sliding window. Our suite was always kept clean and looking like it was the first time we entered even up to the last day. Food was plentiful, varied and all prepared to our liking. The Happy Hour provided a chance to meet and greet other travelers in a relaxed atmosphere with plenty of choices for drinks. All the staff that handled meals and drinks were always willing to accommodate our requests without any delays and with a smile. 

Our off ship excursions were lead by well informed guides who with their knowledge and stories made each trip interesting and fun. Finally, our cruise director kept us up to date as to the days occurrences as well as what the next day was to bring and all with an enthusiasm and wit that was well appreciated. We are already making plans to take a follow up river cruise in the future and it will definitely be on an Avalon Waterways ship. Why mess with perfection.

Above & Beyond

Our recent Rhine River cruise on the Avalon Expression was our 5th with Avalon. We chose them because of the larger size of their cabins (especially the bathrooms & shower) and the variety & choice of excursions. The only reason I did not rate it 5 stars is because we did not find the Rhine nor its ports as interesting or as scenic as other rivers.

     The food is excellent, the wait staff exceptional.

     Our cruise director on this trip was the best ever. He worked so hard to make sure our vacation was the best possible, and had an incredible sense of humor, making even the mandatory safety talk and nightly port talks entertaining, even fun.

     I appreciate the option of a "gentle walkers" group on all shore excursions, which makes traveling doable for those of us with mobility issues.

     We also appreciate Avalon's philosophy and how they are working to lessen their cruises' impact on the environment.

Absolutely top grade company.

We chose this cruise because of the excursions offered. We are history buffs and the areas offered were too good to refuse. The guides on every one of our excursions were so knowledgeable and provided insight and details you wouldn’t normally find in a self-guided tour. Fantastic. 

We did the bike ride in Amsterdam and it was just as the activity director explained. Very flat riding with just a few small inclines. We stopped at a cafe for some of the regional fare and drink and then rode back to the ship. A few days later was the hike up the steps (300+), and inclines between the steps. It took everything we had to make it to the top and see the breathtaking views of the vineyards, but it was worth it. Cable car on the way down to eat/drink/shop. 

The crew/staff on board were so friendly and accommodating. The chef provided excellent regional dishes every single day. 5 ⭐️!! 

We are already planning our next cruise.

Experience the Rhine 

We really loved Avalon, its people and especially the stateroom layout.  The staff was friendly and competent, the facilities first class and the food, while not spectacular, was very good and met out expectations. The lounge staff was a bit overwhelmed at happy hour, and it could be difficult to get a drink then, but otherwise it was very comfortable and pleasant.  The 24/7 coffee machines were fabulous, although the snack choices were a bit limited.

The excursions themselves were fine but we never felt like we had enough time to explore on our own.  This was our first river cruise, so maybe that is just the nature of the beast.  We intend to look around and see if there are other river cruise options which will give us more time to explore the ports of call on a deeper and more leisurely basis -- Tauck, perhaps??  That said, we really liked Avalon and hope that we can find this type of excursion option with them.

Loved the ship; Excursions felt rushed

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