My husband and I chose Avalon Waterways because we liked the idea of a smaller ship. We liked that a lot of the excursions were included in the price and who can resist laying in bed and looking out on the water via the wall of windows! Our cruise started in Paris. We were met by an Avalon rep at the airport an taken to our meeting spot at a hotel until embarkation. We were treated too snacks and beverages...and even had some time to explore. Avalon made sure going to and getting on the ship was stress free.

Our cabin was very nice and the bed was very comfortable. The small bathroom is complete with toiletries and thick bath towels. I would recommend spending the extra money if you can to upgrade your cabin to get the full windows. The Dining on the ship was wonderful and had plenty of variety.

The excursions were so well organized and timed. We enjoyed having tour guides that were very knowledgable. They were happy to answer any questions we had. One of our excursions was to Normandy to see the WWII sites and it is something my husband I will never forget. All the staff on the ship was wonderful. They are friendly and helpful which is what you want when you traveling. We made some new friends while on the boat which is the benefit of being on a smaller ship. My husband and I want to do another cruise in the future....we want to make it another Avalon one.