Avalon Artistry II Review

Avalon Artistry II October, 2014

Review for Europe River Cruise on Avalon Artistry II
User Avatar
bfamily9
2-5 Cruises • Age 70s

Rating by category

Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service
Cabin

Additional details

Sail Date: Oct 2014

We chose Avalon Waterways for this cruise as it was one of the very few that did not begin or end in Amsterdam. We had a great itinerary, embarking at Passau, Germany and disembarking at Basel, Switzerland. The ship is only about three years old. The ship was well designed, well constructed and well maintained. The crew treated us very well. The cruise director, Nico, was constantly busy, but always well organized and patient with the many questions and tiny complaints that the guests presented to him. With the understanding that river cruising is very different from ocean cruising, the variety and quality of food was first class. In order to pass through the locks and under bridges, the ships are less than a tenth the size of ocean going ships. This is one of the beauties of river cruising. We had a panorama cabin on the Royal Deck that presented us with an outstanding view of all the scenery as we passed by. While traveling through Europe in mid to late October, we were blessed with very good weather. We had only two cold, rainy days. Some forums discuss the possibility of too high or too low river levels, which would cause the itinerary being modified to delete portions of the cruise. Fortunately we had no problems in this regard. Here is a link to on-line river level reports: https://www.pegelonline.wsv.de/gast/karte/standard

We had only one complaint, shared by many of the passengers, and that was that we nearly always docked at industrial ports far away from the city centers. This complaint was brought up through several channels, and hopefully Avalon will resolve this quickly in the future. Other than this, I highly recommend Avalon Waterways.

Cabin Review

Cabin Panorama Cabin on Royal Deck

Panorama cabins on the Royal Deck are best. The view from the floor to ceiling, wall to wall doors that can be opened to the outside is outstanding. I personally would not recommend the Royal Suites, as the most significant advantage is 100 square feet of additional cabin space. That is not worth the significant additional cost. I also would not recommend the so-called deluxe staterooms on the Indigo (bottom) deck unless cost is your primary concern. There is less space, and very little view. The view from the staterooms is one of the main reasons to go on river cruises.

previous reviewnext review

Find an Avalon Artistry II Cruise from $3,349

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.