Sunday, April 21, 2024

Avalon Waterways Review and Facts for a River Cruise

avalon cruise reviews

As a solo traveler, I always feel welcome and comfortable among crew and passengers alike. I will continue to travel with Avalon as I travel the world. We booked an Egyptian cruise with Avalon months ago that included airport transfers, but we did not book our flights through them. Ten days before departure we had to change our arrival flight because of a cancellation by EgyptAir and we are now arriving at 2am.

avalon cruise reviews

A great family vacation

The self-serve coffee stations were available all the time and an added bonus. We really enjoyed the choice of many excursions, most included in the cost. We will look forward to another Avalon cruise sometime in the future. While there is always a choice of complimentary shore excursions in every destination, guests may also choose a fee-based optional shore excursion. Public spaces include a reception area, main lounge, library and fitness center.

What’s a Suite Ship?

But when you're river cruising, what really matters is the view. You want to see the scenery of the river bank as it rolls by, preferably from the comfort of your bed. Guests under 18 are allowed to accompany adults onboard Avalon Waterways ships but must share a cabin with an adult. You’ll need to bring your own water bottle as the ship’s sustainability efforts means there are no single-use plastic water bottles on board. The ship is equipped with several water refilling stations that dispense still, sparkling, and flavored waters. The cruise line operates a total of 16 ships in Europe cruising the Danube, Main, Rhine and Mosel as well as the Seine, Saône and Rhône rivers in France.

Our UnCruise Columbia River Cruise Nears Astoria and the Pacific Ocean

Is Uniworld the right river cruise company for you? We enjoyed all the little extras that gave us a pampered feeling. TPG's Gene Sloan is reporting live this week from a preview sailing aboard Avalon Alegria, Avalon Waterways' first vessel on Portugal's Douro River. Visit his author's page at TPG for all his dispatches. The result is often cabins that have balconies but feel tight on the inside.

Avalon was able to work through the early morning transfer issues and went out of their way to provide transportation to the hotel. We are excited about the cruise and experiencing Avalon. We loved everything about this Riverboat cruise on the Danube! The crew was fantastic and they went out of their way to take care of everyone. The meals, happy hours and snacks were exceptional and at perfect times to accommodate everyone.

Avalon waterways went out of their way to accommodate our early morning arrival.

The excursions were well organized and informative.Our only complaint would be that the embarkation instructions were very vague. Upon arriving at the port, the building was locked and there was no signage or instructions that we should proceed on a long walk around to the back of the building to find the ship. There were many other travellers with the same issue. The mostly Eastern European staff was generally efficient and pleasant, although not all spoke fluent English. Knowledgeable, English-speaking local guides led shore excursions (at least one daily excursion was included), and the excursions were enhanced with the use of wireless headsets. As I am seeing on Avalon Alegria and have seen when sailing many other Avalon vessels, the Panorama Suites typically have small seating areas next to the walls of glass.

A French influence can be felt, however, in the high-quality L'Occitane bath products -- which sport a delicious lemon verbena scent -- and the fine wines, such as a full-bodied Cotes de Roussillon from the south of France.

Theme Cruises

When the glass wall is slid open, you have the feeling of being on a balcony even though it's not a balcony, as you can sit in the seating area at the edge of the now-open wall. It's a view I wouldn't have if I were lounging in bed on most other river ships in Europe — at least, if I had my back to the headboard. However, they have arranged for complimentary use of bicycles in various ports in Europe. Biking tour shore excursions are also offered in one or two ports on many itineraries.

Avalon Waterways Avalon Tapestry II Cruise Reviews (2023 UPDATED): Ratings of Avalon Waterways Avalon Tapestry II - Cruise Critic

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How much does it cost to go on Avalon Panorama?

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Bathrooms, located on the opposite side of the bed’s wall, take advantage of the angled space to be larger than other river cruise lines’ comparable category bathrooms. Tour Scoop’s team of travel experts brings you in-depth tour company overviews, tour itinerary reviews, the latest tour news, and travel tips and advice written just for guided tour travelers like you. Food is a big focus at Avalon, and ships feature multiple dining venues where passengers can take advantage of the company’s FlexDining program. Another initiative, Avalon Fresh, incorporates local ingredients to create dishes that are both healthy and inventive. So, how did Avalon Panorama rise to the challenge?

Avalon Waterways also offers cruise tours in the Galapagos Islands. It's the highlight feature of a cabin type that is perfect in just about every way. At 200 square feet, Panorama Suites are larger than most standard cabins on European river ships. They have comfy beds and elegant bathrooms with spacious showers. Avalon river cruises also appeal to solo travelers, and the company waives the single supplement on a select number of staterooms on every departure.

avalon cruise reviews

There are no special arrangements or activities for children on the ships, and no children under the age of eight are allowed on the company’s cruises. Adding balconies to cabins on river ships isn't easy. The narrowness of the locks on European rivers means that river ships must be built to be very narrow — too narrow to have cabins that are both spacious enough to be comfortable and have balconies at their ends. One of the big differences between the Panorama Suites on Avalon's Suite Ships and the cabins on the river ships of some competitors is that they don't have balconies. That allows the entire wall facing the outside to be turned into one big glass panel. Geared mostly towards the 55-years and up passenger, Avalon excels on their organized shore excursion tours.

Still, many river lines design their river ships with balconies attached to cabins despite such limitations, as they believe it's what customers want. They do it by stealing space away from the interior parts of cabins. As I've written about several times over the years at other publications, Avalon Waterways has my favorite river cruise cabins in Europe, in large part because the beds are configured to face the view in most of them. There’s no theater onboard Avalon’s intimate river ships, but there is the aforementioned dance floor, where local musicians and DJs get things going on select nights. An expansive bar and lounge—complete with a dance floor—is where to get the party started, but drinks here aren’t included in the cruise price. At meals, beverage offerings vary by region; in Europe, for example, wine, beer, and soft drinks are included with lunch and dinner, but on a cruise in the Galápagos Islands, wine is only included with dinner.

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