We chose this cruise for the price and itinerary. We had a great time even though the water level was low. Avalon did a super job of keeping the trip as close to the original itinerary as possible. I enjoyed the fact that it was a small ship. Getting on and off was super easy. Meals were delicious and there was always something on the menu I wanted to eat. The evening meals were always an experience. Our server was very nice and went out of his way to make us comfortable and enjoy the meal. The ports and shore excursions were fun and educational. We did not have much in the way of evening entertainment most nights because we were in hotels rather than on the ship because of the low water levels. The employees of the ships were very helpful and addressed all concerns quickly and efficiently. We would definitely use Avalon again for a river cruise while here in Europe. Read Less

The whole experience was excellent. We attended the ship early and were permitted to leave our luggage which was well prior to the actual embarkation time. The tour director was thorough and approachable. He provided information at every stage to enable a full understanding of the cruise options and activities. The cabin was very clean and quite spacious, apart from the bathroom, which was understandably tight.There was ample, high quality dining and drink choices. The shore excursions were well planned and the local guides highly informed and personable. Due to the river not being navigable for part of the journey, a satisfactory coach option was organised and did not detract from the overall experience. The offer of payment for the 'inconvenience' was welcomed and generous. Overall, the cruise was great and I would be prepared to recommend Avalon to others. Well done Avalon, thank you for a really fabulous experience! Read Less

As we were travelling at the very end of peak season, we decided it best to travel north to south, so this cruise was the perfect choice. From the warm welcome on board to the farewell, the Avalon crew were helpful, happy and professional in their cruise experience delivery. A lovely surprise upgrade, offered a cabin with a lovely view of the passing castles, villages and countryside. The cabin was attended to daily and we were never wanting for anything. The on board/ in cabin TV screen delivery of the day's events was most helpful. Dining was a treat, whether formal or casual. There was variety of fresh foods and local specialities at every meal time. My personal dietary needs were assiduously attended to wherever and whenever I ate. This I very much appreciated as travelling with "digestive discomfort" does not make for a happy traveller! At one point I was unwell with a virus and the cruise director, Tibor, assessed my needs, and arranged a cab and doctor's appointment at the next port. Every crew member assisted in their own way to make me comfortable and ensure I had whatever I needed to recover. It was not only reassuring, but reduced my own anxieties. All the ports and excursions were beautiful. As the river was unnavigable at one point, Tibor made alternative arrangements for a day's outing to Heidelberg. As a very generous consideration to our being "inconvenienced", Avalon refunded each of us a day's cruising cost as well as provided each of us with cash to buy lunch. All done without fuss, proactively and professionally. I'd heartily recommend AVALON WATERWAYS as a professional company that has its passengers' enjoyment at the forefront of their program delivery. Read Less

Low rainfall in Germany and low water in the Rhine river means Avalon busses you close to four hours a day for the cruise days scheduled for Strasbourg to Rudesheim and Rudesheim to Koblenz. Non stop 3 hour rides have ruined an otherwise pleasant and interesting trip. The low water issue is ongoing. Be informed. The information packet in your confirmation of your reservation mentions the alternative of being bussed and put up in a hotel courtesy of Avalon. In fact they will drive you hours back to the ship only to drive the same route the following day - in addition to the drive required by excursions. Again,non stop. Also, Viking has cancelled trips on section of thr Rhine. Since this problem is ongoing, I would have expected Avalon to be more concerned with passenger comfort rather than solely focusing on logistics and giving you 15 euros for lunch, since you are unable to access the ship. Read Less

We wanted to try a river cruise and pick this one because we had not seen any of the places we were visiting. We were touring Switzerland via Globus bus tours and ended up in Basel and started our tour from there. Switzerland was gorgeous and the river cruise was exceptional. We were looking forward to unpacking and staying unpacked but due to the river being low we had to leave the ship and go by bus to the next port. We have been on bus tours and cruise liners and this was a very restful and good way to travel. We liked how there were no lineups and you could come and go off the ship easily. The tours on land were good. The boat we had to go on to look at the castles was stinky and not very comfortable to see the castles-a bit disappointing but understand why it happened. The chef and maitre de were excellent more so on the first ship. I have to eat gluten free, dairy free and sugar free -a hard diet to regulate when away. They would come and talk to me and tell me what I could eat or go cook me something I could eat. It was so wonderful and I was good most of the trip. The second ship we were on the staff was not on top of it as much as the first chef and maitre de but they tried. On the second ship for some reason at one of the meals they were serving everyone else and our table was way behind. we are not sure why this occurred, we did talk to the waiter and he said I am coming very strange. Overall I would recommend river cruises usually less stress than other modes of transportation. We have told friends from Canada to go. Read Less

Recommended by a travel agent. Never do a river cruise in the past and want to experience the river cruise, especially Rhine River since it is very famous. We did have time to tour Amerstedram since we were able to dropn off our luggages earlier on the ship. The included excuriosns are great since most of them are city tours with experienced/knowledgale guides to tell the history and explaint the architecture of buildings. The Black Forest trip of cuckoo clock shop was great, except the bus ride was too long and the length of time in the shop was too short. Could have left ealier for the trip and no need for rest stop. Or have people have watched the cucook clock shop history while enjoy black forest cake. Servie is very great and staff are very helpful. Really enjoy different variety of foods in the restaurant. Suggestions: should have hot water/tea service at lounge all the time. Not everyone does alcohol drinks. Read Less

The size of the ship, a smaller ship, and the crew to passenger ratio was a big factor in selecting Avalon. We also were impressed with the size of the staterooms, much larger than other cruise lines we looked at. Most important for me, a vegetarian, was the fact a vegetarian offering was standard on the dinner menu every evening. While the shore excursions were very enjoyable and educational, a bit more free time to shop would have made them perfect. We particularly enjoyed the local guides knowledge and view on the area they were showing us. Each seemed to be an expert on their city, town, or region. Finally, the best part of our Rhine cruise was our cruise director Hendrick. He was entertaining, well versed on all aspects of the area we covered, but most important always a step ahead of any situation that occurred particularly since the Rhine was extremely low during our cruise. Would I cruise again on Avalon? Absolutely! Read Less

First European river cruise and I'd do Avalon again. Loved the Rhine and the castles we saw along the way. Food and service were top notch. I felt bad for the people who just got off a flight and had to nap in the lounge since the cabins weren't available till 4PM. They ran a full size bus for just 6 passengers to get us from FRA to the boat. That was unexpected but appreciated. Hendrik, cruise director, was knowledgeable , funny and very well spoken. Two of the port calls he hadn't done before and there were minor glitches but most of the passengers just went with the flow. Several couples celebrating 50the wedding anniversaries and more than a few cochlear implants, hearing aids, walking sticks and canes. There were also a few couples in their 30s and 40s. The staff works hard, cleaning the rooms, removing trash, bringing on new supplies. They were all polite, friendly and accommodating. Moselle river was recommended as a great itinerary so I'll think about that next. Danube has challenges when the rain isn't sufficient to keep the water levels up. Read Less

We had been on large cruise ships before and wanted to try a smaller, river cruise. This cruise did not disappoint. The staff was wonderful and very knowledgeable. The ship was just the right size so you didn't get lost trying to find things. They "no specific seating" at meals was great for getting to meet a lot of people. The food was delicious and dining room staff top-notch! There weren't a lot of activities on the ship so people were more inclined to get off and explore the country -- perfect! The excursions were also perfect (even when the guides were sometimes not). Only downfall I can think of was the embarkation procedures. We arrived very early on the first day of our cruise to find we would not be able to take possession of our cabin until later that afternoon (they were still disembarking guests from the previous cruise and had to clean the rooms). This was very unfortunate for those of us who had been flying all night and just needed to rest. The day was spent with all the new guests stretched out on couches and chairs in the lounge. Then, when it was time to get our rooms, it was mass confusion as the reception staff tried to get keys to everyone and the other members of the staff were hauling bags to the rooms. Not a great start. Things definitely picked up from there though and we had a wonderful time. The cruise director was very helpful in finding us whatever we needed. All-in-all a fabulous trip -- and something we can't wait to do again! Thank you Avalon Waterways! Read Less

My husband chose this cruise line based on the active excursions offered and reviews offered about the cruise line. This was our first River Cruise and so we really didn't know what to expect. We arrived several days early, stayed with family and adjusted to the time change before ever boarding the ship. If possible, I highly recommend arriving early so on your very first day, you're ready to get the most of the first day of the cruise! The intimacy provided with the 130 passenger ship was wonderful and we got to visit with some really nice people from all over the map. The food was amazing and even though I was on a low carb diet at the time, I had no trouble finding delicious food at all 3 meals. I actually lost 3 lbs. on this cruise!! Absolutely loved and took advantage of the tea time and then the cocktail hour before the wonderful dinner. I can't say enough about the dining, superb! The service, both in the dining room and our room service, were exceptional. All of the crew that served us were very friendly and very professional. Most of our excursions were either walking or biking, so we really enjoyed that aspect. We also borrowed the on board bikes a couple of times just to ride into the towns and check them out before the excursion. There were several cities I wish we could have explored longer, but there was a lot of ground to cover in only 1 week! Our cruise director Hendrick was absolutely amazing. He was very experienced and helpful to all of the passengers!! We're already planning our next River Cruise and it will most certainly be with Avalon!! Read Less

We travelled with two other couples, one of whom was celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. The ship, staff and food were all amazing! All of the extra tours were terrific as well as the ones that were included with the cruise. So much to see and do, just breathtaking. The only stop/city we were not pleased with was MainzGermany. It didn't really have anything to offer or to go see when every other docking city was so beautiful and had so much. I encourage everyone to sign up for all or as many as you can of the optional excursions. Every single one is worth it and is a life time experience. I should add that the food was outstanding! I think everyone of us gained at least 5 pounds, but so worth it and so delicious. This cruise is a once in a life time experience. The sites, history and the ship and staff are all amazing. We all loved our time spent with Avalon. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the route, the tag on days in Lucerne and the size of the ship. We also went with Avalon because of all the positive reviews. This was our first river cruise, of hopefully several others. This route took in a little of many things we wanted to see and do. Everything was seamless, beginning with arriving at the Zurich airport. Our Cruise Director, Brigitta, met us with a warm welcome and as far as we are concerned, it will be a very difficult time for anyone to top the excellent and professional service she provided. Since this was a comparatively small ship, she not only knew everyone but also was able to accommodate any special needs or arrangements almost intuitively. The rest of the crew and staff- fantastic! The rooms (and beds) were comfortable and very clean. The food? In a class by itself. The land excursions were well planned and extremely interesting and the transportation went smoothly. Even though the river was low, the Felicity was small enough we didn't need to be transported or change ships. Everyone was extremely accommodating when my husband had a mishap that sidelined him for a bit. For our maiden river cruise, our expectations were exceeded by the level of service provided by Avalon. Highly recommend the line. Read Less

My travel agent suggested the Rhine as our first River Cruise. Transportatin was waiting for us when we landed to take us to our hotel. The hotels picked by Avalon were beautiful, clean and people. Dry friendly The ship was a perfect size, staff was very friendly and helpful and the food was excellent. Jerry who entertained us after dinner was enjoyable. Great dancing music. Love the entertainment they brought on the ship at certain ports that were local people at places we stopped. Getting on and off the ship was very organized and structured. Additional excursions were reasonable if you chose to participate. The tour companies who took us on our excursions were great, funny and very informative. Our cabin was very comfortable. Rooms were cleaned by the time we got back from breakfast. Service was fantastic. I would definitely take another River Cruise and for sure use Avalon Waterways. Read Less

My husband and I knew where we wanted to cruise for our anniversary so we simply researched reviews on several companies that offered cruises on the Rhine River in Germany. Avalon won out and we were well pleased with our choice. Our suite with a French balcony was perfect. Plenty of room to move around in the room and bathroom. Our bed was very comfortable as well. They were able to adjust the bed to my liking—from firm to soft. Anca, our housekeeper, made sure our suite was always clean and orderly and our cruise director, Andre (sp?) kept things organized and on time. He got to know us well enough to even give us great dining recommendations for our continued trips to Wien and Salzburg. I was delighted to see that they offered modified walking tours that accommodated my slower walking pace. We met so many interesting people both on the cruise and in the towns that we visited. This truly was one of our most enjoyable cruises. Read Less

The reviewer right before me summarized the trip and the issue with the ship and the Rhine being so low we had to switch ships. The crew including the chef were amazing. I was shocked how good the food was. The tour guides were totally professional and licensed, apparently, so the standard was high. We met a lot of people from different places in the world. There was open seating at dinner which was an opportunity to meet people. There were several families there, all adults. There were no children there and probably no one under 25. The outings were rigorous,maybe it felt that way because it was so hot out. I bowed out of several of the afternoon cruises because I wanted to chill. I read 3 books on the cruise. I would definitely go on another cruise with Avalon to somewhere else. I was glad I was only on for a week. It was enough for me. We ended up in Amsterdam and spent 2 days there on our own, which was fun. Read Less

Despite the fact that we had to change ships (low water on the Rhine) everything was more than we had expected. The service was excellent, on the first ship, mainly due to an excellent tour director, Andrea. He and Patrick, the restaurant manager, provide personalized service and very friendly staff. Either we were spoiled on the first ship or the staff on the second ship did not appear to be as friendly, especially the bartender. Regardless, we had a great time and everything was more than we expected. The suite had ample space and plenty of storage. The idea of not having to unpack and pack, other than the low water situation, was very appealing to our whole group, seven of us. The meals were varied and of high quality. If there was nothing on the menu that suited, they always had regular standby items like chicken and steak. The wine was free flowing: maybe too free flowing. I would highly recommend Avalon Tours. And, we are planning our next trip. Read Less

My wife and I wanted to do a river cruise as we have friends who had been on numerous cruises and thoroughly enjoyed their experiences! Along with two other couples, we contacted our agent at AAA, and she was so helpful in planning our Rhine River cruise with Avalon.We boarded the Avalon Felicity in Amsterdam in route to Basel Switzerland. Every day we were given the option of a guided port and shore excursions of the many places we docked at. Amazing! Due to low water on the Rhine, we did have to transfer to the Avalon Affinity to continue our trip to Basel. The staff was extremely accommodating with our transfer, and made it as smooth as possible. The accommodations on the Felicity and the Affinity were comfortable, cabin size exceeded our expectations and the room service was impeccable and given the small number of guests on board, it was easy to make new acquaintances.! On board evening dining was exquisite and the staff was extremely attentive when serving each five course meal. We did have some issues with our return flights and the Cruise Director, ROOS Wilmer , was exemplary in addressing and resolving our issue, We would definitely travel with Avalon again. Read Less

Because it promised active excursions. Have been on an Avalon cruise before and knew we would have a wonderful experience (plus no children on board). Everything goes smoothly. Wonderful food. Enjoy the fact that there is only one sitting for dinner and we can sit anywhere and with anyone. What was especially wonderful is that even though we could not get into our rooms when we arrived, we could sit in the lounge and light lunch was available. That gave us a chance to relax a bit after our flight. We then explored our departure city with renewed energy. Service was wonderful. Everyone very polite and helpful. Reception knew what cabins we were in after about the 2nd day...did not have to give them our names. Rooms were very clean (as was the whole ship!). First time needing to use the laundry service...my husband's jeans came back pressed! Will we go again? ABSOLUTELY! Read Less

We wanted to do something special for our 50th anniversary and saw the discovery cruise. It was great. Everything was planned for us. We had no worries. The towns and tours were great and most days were saw 2 places a day. The ship was so special and took excellent care of us. We got to hike, bike and do things on our own. At the end we spent 2 extra days in Amsterdam. We enjoyed our time there also. The staff on the ship was excellent. They were always there to help make you feel welcome answer all our questions. Went on many excursions. They were always well planned and had lots of information and the guides were very informative One hike around a lake was very fast. Would have liked to see the area not just go through it. Also we could not hear the guide so just had to walk through the area. All and all, it was a great trip and would love to take more cruises. Read Less

We have been on numerous ocean cruises and this was our first River Cruise. The two are very different and a River cruise is perfect for us at this time in our lives. I loved the daily tours, the cities were absolutely beautiful. Our tour guides were very knowledgable and entertaining. The food on the boat was delicious. I was sure I gained at least 10lbs but was surprised I only gained three. All the walking is great exercise! The crew was very accommodating and so nice. We made several friends from around the world and we look forward to seeing them again. The boat was beautiful and very clean. I loved having a suite with a full view window. There was one glitch. Due to the weather (not something any River boat company can control), the river was low in one spot and the boat could not make it any further. Well Avalon, bused us to the other side and we boarded another boat to finish our cruise. They credited us all a nice amount, and paid for one of our excursions and meals in the cities. I think we made out Read Less

Loved our “active discovery” river cruise from Amsterdam to Mines Germany in August of 2018 aboard the Avalon Felicity. The crew was fabulous. The food was great. Cruise director was top notch! We found out that Avalon will be retiring the Felicity after this season and will be designing there rooms to be even larger and updating the layout. Our room was well appointed and the beds were so comfortable (also, the beds are adjustable for your desired firmness). The active discovery includes several activities that include hiking, biking, running tours throughout out ports, however there was plenty of choices for different fitness levels. This was a really nice alternative and help work off all the extra calories from the food! We adored the crew and felt like they exceeded our expectations. Both embankment and disembarkment went smoothly. I would definitely recommend this cruise and would love to do another cruise with Avalon in the future. Read Less

Why did we wait this long? Ours was an "Active Cruise" one of the first, I think, and there were certainly lots of activities! Walking, biking and even the odd bus tour. Every aspect of the cruise and the activities was well planned and carried out. The crew, from master to cabin crew were really excellent; always friendly, ready to assist and make life aboard and ashore as pleasant as possible. Onboard highlights were the chef's special and farewell dinners. A standing ovation for the last! The only niggle was that the beer tour was cut short when in fact we had plenty of time. :-{ Lots of different people from many nationalities aboard, and plenty of opportunities to meet and socialise or just sit quietly and soak up the scenery. As everyone who has done one of these cruises says: not having to pack every day for a new city is fantastic! The other major benefit is not having to carry a bag full of smelly clothes around until you get to stay in a city long enough to find a laundromat. I'm certain we will be back, for a longer cruise, probably on the Danube. ** Very highly recommended ** Read Less

We received a special offer to book this cruise and took advantage of that. This was our first river cruise and had so much fun we plan to do it again sometime in the future. This was a perfect cruise for my husband and myself because it offered a variety of active excursions. My husband took advantage of the bicycling excursions and we both enjoyed the walking tours. The food was top tier and a wonderful variety was offered at every meal. We both liked that we could eat the lighter buffets instead of opting for the full sit down meal all the time. The staff on the Felicity all did an excellent job at their duties and did not hesitate to go above and beyond to be of help to us for anything we needed. Our room attendent was very attentive to the details of keeping our room tidy and when we saw her she always asked if there was anything we needed. The cruise director was wonderful in making sure our excursions were organized and that a wide variety of activities were offered. Overall our first river cruise was wonderful and we will do another one again! Read Less

My husband and I wanted to do a family cruise and we were limited to a week with our grown children's work schedules. Our travel agent suggested Avalon which I had not heard of before--and what a great suggestion it was. Everything was better than expected --although we did not know what to expect as this was our first river cruise. The ship was like home--it felt comfortable and inviting without contrived interior design--easy to move from deck to deck and room to event. The rooms and bed were perfect, the balcony window allowed us to enjoy the view. The food and wine were local and prepared fresh--there was something for every one to enjoy. My favorites were the homemade soups and the variety of salads daily. There was always the perfect table available due to the arrangement for dining. The service, both for rooms and dining, were the best we have experienced on any cruise (luxury ocean lines). The friendly staff made it feel like family. There was so much to do--excellent informative excursions--or if you want to just sleep in you can! You never felt as if you didn't do the right thing as each tour was something unique. I especially loved the activities you had on board, especially the wood carver and the classical musicians. Avalon had that right amount of events without exhausting us! Port cities were from a unique perspective as we would dock and see the city from the river as in the past when navigation was the mode of transportation. I had been to Strasbourg but it seemed new and different from the riverside. Europe was unusually hot this year but somehow it did not seem bad cruising on the river. What a blessing that was. My 30+ daughter and son in law had a blast--we had such a varied crowd and it was comfortable doing separate things. They always felt included by everyone. And they loved that we paid for them to go!!!!! I know they will forever be a fan of river cruising from this Avalon experience. One of the best things about Avalon is that it was a bit smaller and had excellent guests--all types but all so nice. It was not filled with more Americans (I am one) but rather had an international feeling. I think Avalon appeals to a global traveler and that made the trip the best! Read Less

We liked the active discovery agenda. We were free to choose the level of activity and dining location. We loved the hikes and town walks. Staff were excellent. We enjoyed doing our lunches in the lounge with the piano. We liked the size of the ship and number of passengers. The only negative was lack of details of finding ship on our own and walking from train station with suitcases in Mainz.. We loved the little town of Xanten because it was quaint and not touristy and wish we were allowed more time in this port. This was our first river cruise. We prefer smaller ships for their intimacy and Felicity filled the bill. All decks were comfortable and we loved checking them all out. We added extra days in Frankfurt and Amsterdam. This gave us a chance to recover from overseas flights. The docking place in Amsterdam was close to train station and our hotel. Read Less