This was our first river cruise, and after looking at several different cruise lines I selected Avalon primarily because of the design of the Panorama Suites. Then when I told my travel agent of my choice she whole hardily agreed that Avalon was a great decision. We arrived in Budapest two days prior to our boarding date, to help get over jet lag and to assure that we did not have any delays that might cause us problems with arrival.

We could not be happier with our cruise. The ship was excellent; quite, comfortable with all the amenities of a first class hotel, the sliding panoramic windows in our room confirmed my decision. We can't begin to say how wonderful the crew was, from our cabin steward to reception, to the entire restaurant wait and kitchen staff. They all made us feel welcome and at home with smiles on their faces. Our cruise director Roos Wilmar, was outstanding, she was so energetic, fun, and on top of every detail, we really enjoyed her port talks every afternoon! The captain, Rolin van Lakerveld, was the epitome of professionalism, yet friendly and welcoming at all times. I can't thank him enough for a most pleasant cruise.

We went on several of the port excursions and found them interesting and led by excellent local tour guides, we especially appreciated that our groups were kept small (unlike other ship's groups that we met in different ports). If we had it to do over again I would probably be more judicious in the number of excursions that I signed up for and would have spent more time on board relaxing. Read more