Our third river cruise on Avalon. First two went so well, we didn't want to risk another line. Again, we were not disappointed. Avalon is very consistent with their ships, policies, activities, excursions, meal service, etc. We knew what to expect. With a few exceptions, everything was well organized, including the ship repositioning and busing resulting from low water levels on the Rhine. We arrived three days early in Amsterdam (embarkation port), which I highly recommend. Museums are very good and canals can't be missed. Our visit to Geithoorn was the highlight of the entire trip, although we booked through Viator. Be aware that most non-hotel apartments or Airbnb's in the canal district are not going to have elevators and will have stairs akin to ladders. Good way to get a feel for life in Amsterdam, however. Embarkation was a breeze - we just dropped our bags and boarded an excursion to Zaanse Schans, which is also very good. Don't plan on renting or using bikes in Amsterdam as you will likely get killed. All the ports/stops along the Rhine and Mosel are worth seeing, with the exception of maybe Metz. Little towns along the beautiful Mosel river are very pretty. We are very glad we included the Mosel on this cruise. The Avalon excursions to Metz and the Chateau de la Grange should be eliminated. They were that bad. The ships crew and cruise director were top notch. Vlad, the cruise director had his hands full due to the ship repositioning. He handled it very well. Meals were above average and service was always excellent. Wine glass was never empty. Entertainment was weak, but we didn't care. It was about the ports and excursions for us. Wifi service was very, very slow. Don't count on it. Due to low water levels on the Rhine, the trip had to be changed and cut short a day. The ship could not get past Strasbourg, and then had to retreat back down stream as not get stranded if the river fell further. This meant we were bused around the last two days and we spent the last night in a nice hotel in Zurich for some reason. The ship was never going to Zurich to begin with. Just meant an additional bus trip to the Basel airport. May be the only city Avalon could find 60 hotel rooms. In any event, Avalon handled the whole ordeal pretty well, and compensated the passengers fairly for the change in plan. A couple of confused bus drivers and apathetic French tour guides did delay things a bit here and there. I think without exception the passengers on board were very pleased with the cruise despite the low water issue, which only effected the last two days. We would definitely cruise with Avalon again. Read Less

My husband and I tool our first river cruise with Avalon because it was highly recommended by friends.The cruise director, Vlad, and his staff were outstanding. They were accommodating and very attentive. The entire ship was very clean and well appointed with flowers. Each room had beautiful orchid plants. The entertainment was pretty amazing and of high quality. Most enjoyable. Unfortunately, by the end of our cruise it was apparent to the captain that the river was very low due to a lack of rain and we had to disembark a day early. Avalon could not have been more generous to all of the passengers. They sent us on tours for free at the end of the cruise, made sure we could visit our intended destinations on the last day via bus and put us up in a very nice hotel in Zurich and we all had dinner and breakfast Everybody made their intended destinations. Avalon also reimbursed each passenger money. We would highly recommend this company to everyone. They also have a good app called Avalon Go which was very helpful. Read Less

We chose this cruise because it was 12 nights and visited the Rhine and Mosel Rivers. The ports were interesting and fun to explore. The included tours were well planned and allowed time for individual exploration. We never felt rushed to get back to the ship. The crew was friendly and helpful and excellent service at all meals. The buffets at breakfast and lunch offered a wide variety of delicious dishes. The dinners never disappointed to offer a wide variety of choices and the servings were perfect. Our cruise director Vlad was very informative with his nightly cruise talks about the schedule and itinerary for the next day. Our cruise was cut short because of low water level and we had to be bused to our last day's tours and spend the last night at a Zurich hotel. Vlad handled the problem perfectly and kept us informed of the repositioning. And Avalon is compensating us for the inconvenience. We were flying home from Zurich so it was no problem for us, a much shorter transfer to the airport. We will definitely recommend Avalon to our friends and consider them for any future river cruises. Read Less

Had a very good time. Loved all the places we stopped and everything I saw. The tours were well planned and really liked the use of the receivers. You could walk at your own pace and still hear everything the guide was saying. Our tour director Vlad was great. His talks the night before the ports were very helpful and having a map of each stop was valuable. The food was fantastic and never had a bad meal. There was always something great to eat. The staff was friendly and helpful. And easy to joke around with. You could tell they liked their jobs. As for the beds they were to nice, I never wanted to get up. Vlad went out of he way to help all of us when we had to depart the ship early. He found a Hotel for all of us our last night and even hosted our last meal together before going our separate ways. Read Less

After talking with a few friends about river cruises, we selected Avalon because it met all of our objectives and value. The ship was wonderful, the cabin and bathroom were large and well appointed, two dining options were provided at lunch and dinner - offering a quite, lighter meal when desired. The staff and crew were wonderful. We experienced a river water level issue toward the end of our cruise that forced the ship to back track. However, Avalon stepped up and in one day coordinated alternate transport, accommodations in a five star hotel, special shore excursions free of charge, AND monetarily compensated us for a lost night cruising.....something others had not heard of (some cruises only provide discounts against future cruises). We would, and have, recommended Avalon to others, and we are looking into another cruise in the not to distant future. We recommend a cruise that lasts at least 13-nights, as 7-days went by in a flash. Read Less

We have enjoyed a number of ocean cruises on various cruise lines and were ready to try a river cruise. The appeal of a small upscale ship, docking right in the city was alluring. Our vision was interrupted by reality. When we arrived we were told that the water levels were too low and we would be boarding a different ship in a few days. This was not their fault and the ship was identical, but it was a bit sneaky not to let us know in advance. We were given an identical cabin on the new ship, and none of this part was a problem except that we ended up being bused instead of cruising to the next port. I am not a fan of bus tours, hence why I cruise. We also spent the last night of our cruise in a hotel, not on the ship. We were fairly compensated for our troubles and the cruise director, Nico, was apologetic and wonderful to work with. Other unseemly tidbits prevalent in our cruise are that we did not dock right in the city with the ability to walk on and off the ship while docked. We docked mainly in outposts. We also docked next to a ship and had to walk through to get to our ship. We were told that this was a common practice (so much for your view). The Danube from Regensburg to Melk is quite narrow, so there isn't much to see anyhow. The Danube has over 60 locks, this was fun at first, but there was a lot of starring at the lock walls and hearing the sounds of the ship as it was raising and lowering. We also didn't realize that if the water is too high then the ship can't proceed because it won't fit under the many bridges. We missed the entertainment of big ships and thought the food was mediocre. Big ships from now on for us. Read Less

We chose this cruise because it combined the Rhine River (which we'd cruised before) with the Moselle River, with its scenic benefits. We were not disappointed! The scenery and excursions were excellent throughout. Avalon did an excellent job of this, particularly consider potential problems with low river water levels. The Cruise Director was outstanding in making sure all excursions were done properly and handicapped passengers were well taken care of. The staterooms were very comfortable and bathrooms modern and very functional. The food was very good and wine served was excellent and plentiful. We arrived at the airport very early and were promptly taken to the ship, and our room was ready for us within a half hour, complete with our luggage. We had our lugged unloaded by 9:30 AM!! The cruise proceeded according to the advertised schedule and all planned excursions occurred. The crew was very friendly and helpful. I highly recommend this cruise. Read Less

I chose Avalon Artistry II because I wanted a longer cruise that stopped at the particular ports I wanted to visit. Every port visit was orchestrated beautifully. Small group tours with options, knowledgeable local guides who spoke fluent English and who were enthusiastic about their respective cities. Staff and crew were friendly and accommodating. Artistry II is well- maintained; the public areas were spacious and comfortable and never crowded. Being a fussy eater, I can’t say that I enjoyed the dinner offerings as much as most of the other passengers seemed to. However, our waiter was very accommodating and a true professional. I observed that the desk staff were very patient in answering the endless questions that were posed to them! The old saying, “ you get what you pay for, “ is certainly applicable to Avalon Cruises. I have cruised on at least 45 ocean cruises and based on my experience to evaluate, my trip on Artistry II was truly 5 star. Read Less

The cruise I was booked on was a Budapest-Luxembourg with land portions in Budapest and Paris included. Due to low water, numerous changes had to be made in the itinerary. The first was that we had to travel by coach from Budapest to Vienna to board the Artistry II, as the ship we were supposed to take could not sail upstream from Budapest. Other changes included different docking locations, some dicey low-water cruising in Upper Austria, and an overnight hotel stay in Nuremberg while the ship worked to catch up to the schedule through the canal. All the changes were communicated promptly and thoroughly by Sabine, our outstanding cruise director, and all of us in the full length tour got an automatic refund for the night in the Nuremberg hotel instead of on the ship. As well, we were given free additional excursions in Vienna and in Rothenburg, as compensation for the issues. Avalon won my future business hands-down just by the way they handled all these technical problems. All parts of the ship were spotlessly clean at all times, both cabins and public areas. My cabin was particularly nice as I spent more time in it than many people would, with my writing. The internet service was excellent, with only rare delays or dropouts -- much better than most ocean cruises I've taken. Housekeeping service was outstanding. No matter what time I headed out for breakfast, I would come back half an hour later and my room would be completely and immaculately made up. Meals were wonderful. Breakfast and lunch buffets were plentiful and nicely varied, with an eggs-and-omelettes station at breakfast and a carvery at lunch. Dinners were four-course meals, and the servings were nicely sized so you didn't stuff yourself if you got all four. Wine and beer were available free of charge -- by request at lunchtime, and with the wine flowing like water at dinner. I was told by one of the bar servers that the rule was to pour once for each course, but I'm pretty sure she went above and beyond. The wines were different every night, always local to the region where we were moored or sailing. Service at all meals was awesome. The teamwork was excellent, even the maitre d' taking trips around the room to collect dishes that we'd finished. If you needed a between-meals snack, coffee, tea and cookies were available at all times -- but inconveniently located in the small lounge at the stern end of the upper deck. Bit of a long hike from my cabin which was one deck down and a bit farther forward, since I had to walk all the way to the centre of the ship, upstairs, and all the way back. The outdoor bistro lunch or grill lunch on the sundeck was only available 3 times in over 2 weeks. It's limited by the weather, and by the times when the top deck is closed due to low bridges. Even up top, the servers would circulate to see if you needed a drink refill or had dishes to carry away. The stairs are pretty steep and pose a bit of a problem for guests with mobility issues. There is a tiny 1-person elevator serving only the 3 indoor decks. The standard entertainment throughout the trip was the onboard cocktail pianist, but local musicians and other entertainers came aboard for evening shows 3 or 4 times during the trip and all were great performances. Each port featured an included walking tour. The guides were all fluent in English to some degree, more in some places than others. The quality of the tours varied, too -- some of the guides stood and talked too long, while one moved so quickly that I had to trot to keep up. At each port, a special walking tour was set for people who needed to walk more slowly. Numerous additional excursions at a cost were available throughout the trip. The ones that I took were all excellent. Bicycles were available on a first-come-first serve basis. The land portion hotels were all rated 5-star, but the Budapest and Nuremberg hotels were older buildings with issues like hard-to-reach outlets, cramped bathrooms, and such. The Paris hotel was outstanding in every way. This was my first river cruise, but I'm already planning my next trip with Avalon. Read Less

We heard through a friend that Avalon was a great experience. It certainly didn't disappoint! Not too much going on in the evenings but the days were educational and a lot of fun! The rooms were well appointed and the crew extremely friendly and helpful. I wish there were more activities available in the evenings (group games, karaoke, etc.) It seemed like other cruises were having more fun than us when we were all either tied up together or going through the locks. It would have been easier to meet people as well. We would also would have LOVED having a yoga/fitness/stretching class available on the top deck each morning. Many people were talking about it so I actually led one. The food was great but it also would have been nice to have had healthier options to snack on once we returned each afternoon from our excursions. The coffee bar was nice but the pastries were unhealthy and stale by the end of the week. We really enjoyed taking the bikes for a ride in Melk and Vienna. They were quality bikes - thank you! Read Less

My husband and I just returned from a 7 night cruise on the Artistry II. We chose Avalon Waterways because of a friend's recommendation and because the itinerary fit our schedule. The ship was okay, but nothing special. We were in the Royal Suite (one of two on the ship) but in all honesty, it wasn't really worth the extra expense. The room was larger than most, but other than that we didn't receive any special services. Also, due to double docking (which I know happens on all river cruises) our huge windows were often looking into a suite on the boat parked next to us. I could've actually carried on a conversation with the people on the next boat due to how CLOSE we were to them. So when you see those commercials with the couple waking up, stretching, and looking at some castles on the banks of the river...that's not even close to what we experienced. On the bright side, the staff was great, food was good, and our cruise director was top notch. Would I recommend it? Probably not. Read Less

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

We picked beause of itinerary. Have been on bus trip to area before and wanted to try something different. We took an Avalon river cruise a couple years earlier and the entertinment was better along with talks about upcoming areas (this is not meant to mean cruise port talk for the next day). What I mean is a history talk. Also the speed of dining service decreased as the second week began. Being seatd at 7:00 and not being served until 9:00 seemed slow. Also the food choice was much better on the two week cruise in France. They need to keep the dining closed until the proper time. After sitting at the same table every day for a week, some people must have liked it and were going into the dining room 20 minutes before opening to get the table we always sat at. One person would leave the port talk early and hold or reserve the entire table for six. I at least thought it was open seating and when trying to sit with the one person they became nasty. Read Less

We were invited to join this cruise with our friends who were celebrating their wedding anniversary. We had wanted to do a river cruise so this was a good opportunity. There was tasty food and enough opportunities to eat. The cities at the beginning and end were easily accessed . There could have been a more welcoming waiting environment at the hotel where we caught the bus to take us to the ship. The guides were top notch and made both the included and the extra tours well worth the time to participate. The additional Vienna tour that included a concert was fabulous. Even though we had some low water along the way, the cruise director took care to provide the best options for the cruise to continue. The resident ship musician was well worth sitting and listening to for awhile each day. The bicycles that were available were in really good condition and there were good opportunities to use them. Read Less

When Irma struck last fall, we had to change our all-inclusive, 60 passenger cruise to the British Virgin Islands, We chose Avalon's river cruise on the Rhine and Moselle Rivers,Having taken many cruise ship vacations, we were unsure about river cruising but absolutely loved everything about this trip .Both embarkation and disembarkation were smooth. Another time we would explore Amsterdam a few days prior to meeting the ship. The Artistry II is meticulously maintained with cabin cleaning 2X daily, meals and excursions are included(additional excursions are available and reasonably priced), meal offerings are varied, delicious, and often gourmet. Service is impeccable and comfortable. Accommodations for passengers needing special meals or walking modifications made this an easy trip with time to spend on the ship at one's leisure. Guides were excellent. Entertainment was just enough, giving passengers time to meet others, explore via bicycles, enjoy happy hours, read, or enjoy the scenery. Our captain was musically gifted which we enjoyed. We were back aboard for lunch and dinner but Avalon also made available extra time in cities with passengers sometimes meeting the ship at a docking further down/up river in time for dinner.The crew and passengers felt like family or good friends by the end of the trip. We definitely will book another Avalon cruise! Judi/Rick Read Less

Booked this trip of the Danube River, after having a perfect experience a few years ago on the Rhine River with Avalon Waterways. Really wanted to see Prague, which was the main reason we chose the itinerary. Avalon Waterways always has well planned itineraries, excellent food, personable & friendly staff, and very clean ships (which is a MAJOR plus coming from someone who is a neat freak/germophobe). Will definitely be planning another trip with Avalon in the future!! Some of the highlights of the Danube Dream experience: was shopping the Great Market Hall in Budapest, purchasing a necklace made out of stones from the Danube @ Donau Stein located in Durnstein, and exploring the wonderful old town of Passau. Took the optional excursion to Salzburg, Austria and thoroughly enjoyed all the Mozart history and catching some glimpses of the beautiful Alps. Met many wonderful travelers on the Avalon cruise! Great overall trip worth taking!! Read Less

This was the first river cruise for both my wife and I. This was a honeymoon trip for us (in our mid-60's), and we could not have been more pleased. The basic package was a 10-day trip from Prague to Budapest. We added an extra day at each end, and that was a very wise decision. We really could have used more time in each of those two cities. The cruise staff at the hotel in Prague were very attentive and informative. We opted to book several of the shore excursions offered, and that really enhanced our trip. The The castle tour and and wine tasting in Melnk was a real treat. And the symphony in Vienna vastly exceeded my expectations. The Artistry II was wonderful, and our cabin was large (for a cruise ship) and very clean. The food on this ship was amazing! The plating for dinner meals was beautiful, and the food was all cooked to perfection. The complimentary beer and wine for lunch and dinner was a great bonus. We also really appreciated that our wine for dinner each evening reflected the region. Our wait staff was prompt and attentive, and got to know our preferences. Fortunately for us, the weather was perfect all throughout our vacation. All in all, this was our best vacation ever! Read Less

Was very impressed with the overall cruise. It was very comfortable and the staff did everything to meet our every needs. The excursions were great. Guides were knowledgable and friendly. Our trip to the tulip garden was incredible. We were fortunate in that the garden were at its height with all the bulbs in bloom. It was truly sensory overload! Flowers and colors were everywhere!! Our day in Amsterdam we wanted to see some things that were not planned excursions. In asking for assitance to help us do the things we wanted to do, the cruise director provided invaluable information and assistance so that we got to see the things we wanted to do. The ship was very clean and comfortable and everything ran on time!! Food was good but I would say nothing outstanding. The wait staff did go out of their way to accommadate any food requests. We were very pleased with Avalon. Have highly recomended them to friends and would definately consider sailing with them again. Read Less

Last August 2017 we went our first Cruise ever. We chose Avalon and cruised the Danube River from Nuremberg to Budapest for 8 days. It was Amazing. By the time we had arrived home we were already talking about our next cruise. As it turns out wife of almost 45 years had wanted to see the Tulips forever. That's just what we decided to do and we were definitely not disappointed. We were lucky to have some beautiful days to go on our excursions, most were provided as part of the cruise package. They were all very enjoyable and the guides were professional and knowledgeable. On the ship we had various forms of entertainment as well... everything from historical lectures about the Netherlands to various types of music and dance. The accommodations were also first rate as was the crew. I think the one thing/person that impressed me the most was our Cruise Director. She was always there to help... and did on several occasions. Katy, as she asked to be called, was a delightful individual with much compassion and understanding as well as knowledge and professionalism. We are definitely planning another cruise next year. Read Less

Our 2nd cruise with Avalon and loved it as much as the first. We wanted to see the tulips and weren’t disappointed. The crew, the tours, the route and everything in between was superb. Can’t wait to book another. The cruise director went out of her way to accommodate our special needs and the service from the entire crew was exceptional and personal. We loved the idea that the ship is small so we know all the passby the time the cruise is over. Our trip went from Amsterdam to Amsterdam with all points in between. The garden were beautiful just like we imagined. Entertainment we simple and fun. Tours and activities we just enough to enjoy everything about the trip. Food was different from the first cruise but just as delicious and we got to try foods we’d never tried before. Thank you Avalon for your attention to detail and for making wonderful memories. You will see us again, I’m sure of that. Read Less

After researching various cruises, I chose Avalon Waterways because it seemed to offer the best itinerary and amenities for the money, and we weren't disappointed. Everything was wonderful. I have food sensitivities and am on a restricted diet, but the maitre' d and chef worked with me every day to make sure I got what I needed. The food was excellent. The shore excursions were very well planned and executed. Our cabin was upgraded 2 weeks before the cruise which was a delightful surprise, and the cabin crew did an excellent job of cleaning and supplying all of our needs. All of the crew were so warm and friendly, and with only 116 passengers it was like one big family. We are certainly looking forward to another cruise with Avalon and would highly recommend them. We rented an apartment in Amsterdam for a week before our cruise which really worked out very well. We got to explore this very interesting city which we wouldn't have been able to do had we just gone on the cruise. Read Less

Had previously cruised with Scenic so was interested to see how it compared. We travelled from Amsterdam to Basel and from the embarkation the experience more than lived up to our expectations. The food, service and inclusive tours could not be faulted. The design of the dining area on our ship Artistry 11 I felt superior to the Scenic layouts with a more spacious feel. Our cabin also had a more spacious feel as the twin beds had been separated with a bedside table in between. On previous cruises our beds were pushed together and as we were travelling as 2 single ladies the Avalon layout was far more suitable. Had read reviews that towards the end of the cruise the complimentary beverages were curtailed but this was not our experience and in fact very generous. The staff could not have been more attentive both in the dining and cabin areas. We would definitely travel again with Avalon and felt we had extremely good value for money. Read Less

Provided us an opportunity to experience river cruising and to visit historical locations in the Netherlands and Belgium. Very interesting perspective of the WW1 battlefields in Belgium. The food was exce3llent and more than we really needed,. the guided excursions were extremely informal and we did not feel we were taxed for time and that the activity level was to extreme. There was also enough spare time to allow us to explore locations on our own. the entire experience was very positive and we are looking into the future to book another cruise to see more of Europe. The staff and crew of the vessel were very accommodating and helpful on the entire trip. Very easy to approach and able to provide additional information on excursions and cities visited that was not available in the brochures. It was great to see the crew and the ship recognizing special occasions for mpassengers on the cruise. Read Less

We have been planning to go on a River Cruise for many years. We were hesitant as we are relatively young and the stigma that River Cruising is for the Retired. This is not the case at all. There were guests starting late 20's up to their 90's. We ended up socializing though with the most amazing retired couples!! The ship and crew were amazing! It was 5 star all the way!! The food and wine was high quality and the crew very personal. We passed by other River Cruise Companies and have to say that Avalon Ships are by for the most beautiful and well kept. The afternoon tea was a nice touch also when coming back from spending the day on land. We work for an airline and I am taking the opportunity to tell all my family, friends and passengers about the excellent experience we had! Want to do another one next year!! Read Less

This well organized and thoughtfully planned cruise itinerary allowed time at the beginning to explore the culturally rich and historically important city of Vienna and thereafter offered a diverse and fascinating trip up the Danube and then the Rhine with dockings and tours along the way at the most important burgs and cities. The assigned tour guides were well versed in the history and current places of interest. The ship was well appointed, clean and well provisioned. The crew were there whenever needed or wanted and invisible when not, The food was spectacular. It was diverse in its offerings, delicious, and presented all as if you were in one of Europe's fine dining establishments. My special compliments go to the Chef de Cuisine, the Hotel Manager, and the Cruise Director. The on board entertainment was very good to excellent. It consisted of a crew member pianist every afternoon and into the late evening supplemented by a range of extraordinary talent brought on for occasional evenings. Read Less