Avalon -Basel(Zurich) to Amsterdam

Doing this cruise northbound in October. On Avalon website, the only mention of getting to the ship in Basel is to arrive at airport prior to 3PM. I have been on other Avalon cruises where you were at a hotel and coaches left from there. Anyone know how this works for this particular cruise? We want to get to Switzerland and spend a few days outside of Zurich but would like to spend the final night before the cruise at whatever hotel Avalon uses. Thanks in advance.

Your cruise documents will give you more specific information, assuming you don't opt for their transfer. Our cruise documents (embarking in Nuremberg on Avalon in December) actually just gave us the cruise director's phone number and said call this to find out where to go:p We had arrived in NUE early and asked the front desk at our hotel - she said all the boats dock in the same place there and the taxi knows how to get there. We begged her to call anyway - and she did- and repeated back the same dock info to us. Ah well. Better safe than sorry :p

Basel does have a couple of slightly different dock locations (that's where we disembarked) but I wouldn't worry too much about it now - make the plans to do whatever you want before the cruise and assume you'll be able to take a taxi to the boat when you need to. Unless you pay for an Avalon transfer, you won't meet a bus at a hotel.....(I don't think. It doesn't make sense to me. But your cruise documents will tell you for sure!)

Hmmm, re-reading, it does sound like you are getting the Avalon transfer? My mom & her husband did the transfer to Zurich and I think it went to the airport but I think Avalon uses the Movenpick in Zurich? I'm sure others with more specific info will chime in and you can ignore my response ;-)

Doing this cruise northbound in October. On Avalon website, the only mention of getting to the ship in Basel is to arrive at airport prior to 3PM. I have been on other Avalon cruises where you were at a hotel and coaches left from there. Anyone know how this works for this particular cruise? We want to get to Switzerland and spend a few days outside of Zurich but would like to spend the final night before the cruise at whatever hotel Avalon uses. Thanks in advance.

We will be doing the same next year and from I have found, the Airport Movenpick is the hotel that Avalon uses and is the pick up spot for those who arrive pre-cruise. There have been times that they also offer an optional tour on the way to the ship to Lucerne and Mt. Pilatus. Be sure and come back and give a review of your cruise afterward.

Cole

Avalon uses the Movenpick Airport hotel in Zurich - not Basel. If you pay for Avalon's transfers - you will be taken from Zurich to the ship. If you are flying into Basel vs. Zurich - you may be able to get transfers as well but it would probably be cheaper to just take a taxi. If you are in Zurich the day of embarkation, Avalon offers two optional excursions - one goes to Mt. Pilatus and then spends a few hours in Lucern - you get to see the Lion of Lucern and have a few hours on your own, then the take you via bus to the ship in Basel. The other optional is a Zurich city tour and then they take you to the ship in Basel.

If you spend the night before embarkation at the Movenpick Hotel - you may be able to get a better rate if you book yourself vs going through Avalon. Avalon has reps in the hotel from the afternoon before embarkation to all day of embarkation. You can sign up for one of the optional excursions with them or just talk to them to arrange to be on the coach transfer.

We did the Mt. Pilatus / Lucern excursion and it was wonderful. They took our bags after breakfast and transferred them directly to the hotel. Doing the optional excursion through Avalon allowed us to get a head start on getting to know some of our fellow passengers.

Feel free to ask any questions.

Thanks all. Our transfer to ship is indeed included in price, so we will just go back to the airport to drop off our rental car and stay at Movenpick on Friday night or perhaps not even come back until Saturday morning.

We are doing the Amsterdam to Basel on Avalon. We fly into Amsterdam and I was assuming there would be a transfer to the ship? True ? Does anyone know for sure? Then we are going on our own after to Lucerne for 2 nights and then to Zurich for one night. We have chosen the hotel in Lucerne but not Zurich yet. May use the Movenpick since we have an early flight out the next day. We figured we can use the public transportation for all those things. This is a little out of the box for us. We like the handholding usually! Very excited for this first river cruise! :)

We are doing the Amsterdam to Basel on Avalon. We fly into Amsterdam and I was assuming there would be a transfer to the ship? True ? Does anyone know for sure? Then we are going on our own after to Lucerne for 2 nights and then to Zurich for one night. We have chosen the hotel in Lucerne but not Zurich yet. May use the Movenpick since we have an early flight out the next day. We figured we can use the public transportation for all those things. This is a little out of the box for us. We like the handholding usually! Very excited for this first river cruise! :)

Avalon's website indicates that the transfer from airport to ship in Amsterdam is 40 Euros per person. Personally, I think a cab would be less expensive and an easy trip to make on your own.

Cole

The Zurich Movenpick actually provides a free shuttle van from the hotel to the airport and airport to hotel. If I remember, it was about a 45 min ride out to the airport from the ship in Amsterdam.

I think a taxi from Schipol to City Center is quite expensive. The train is an easy 30 mins and it puts you in the heart of downtown. I always recommend arriving one day before cruise starts in case there are any air delays.

Avalon's website indicates that the transfer from airport to ship in Amsterdam is 40 Euros per person. Personally, I think a cab would be less expensive and an easy trip to make on your own.

 

Cole

Avalon transfers you for free from the meeting hotel, in this case the Airport Movenpick. The Movenpick offers a free transfer from airport to hotel. The cost is zero

Avalon uses the Movenpick Airport hotel in Zurich - not Basel. If you pay for Avalon's transfers - you will be taken from Zurich to the ship. If you are flying into Basel vs. Zurich - you may be able to get transfers as well but it would probably be cheaper to just take a taxi. If you are in Zurich the day of embarkation, Avalon offers two optional excursions - one goes to Mt. Pilatus and then spends a few hours in Lucern - you get to see the Lion of Lucern and have a few hours on your own, then the take you via bus to the ship in Basel. The other optional is a Zurich city tour and then they take you to the ship in Basel.

 

If you spend the night before embarkation at the Movenpick Hotel - you may be able to get a better rate if you book yourself vs going through Avalon. Avalon has reps in the hotel from the afternoon before embarkation to all day of embarkation. You can sign up for one of the optional excursions with them or just talk to them to arrange to be on the coach transfer.

 

We did the Mt. Pilatus / Lucern excursion and it was wonderful. They took our bags after breakfast and transferred them directly to the hotel. Doing the optional excursion through Avalon allowed us to get a head start on getting to know some of our fellow passengers.

 

Feel free to ask any questions.

We are trying to plan how many days we want to spend in Zurich prior to our cruise northbound on the Romantic Rhine with Avalo in Sept. I have been looking at various tours and possibly the whole day tour from Zurich to Lucerene/ Mt Pilatus with also a boat ride on Lake Lucerene and back by Viator. Sounds like from your reply that avalon also offers an optional tour to to Lucerene and Mt Pilatus. How long is the avalon tour to this area and approx how much? Do you have any other ideas of must things / tours to do and what would be the optimal number of days to spend in this area prior to cruise

The Avalon option left the hotel in Zurich around 9am if I remember. It was about 1 hr drive. To Mt. Pilates. I think we got to the ship between 2-3. We had free time at the top of the mountain & free time in Lucern. I don't remember the cost. We had 1 day to spend in Old Town Zurich, which we really enjoyed. Works led have loved a full day in Zurich but were limited by vacation days since I'm still working.

The Avalon option left the hotel in Zurich around 9am if I remember. It was about 1 hr drive. To Mt. Pilates. I think we got to the ship between 2-3. We had free time at the top of the mountain & free time in Lucern. I don't remember the cost. We had 1 day to spend in Old Town Zurich, which we really enjoyed. Works led have loved a full day in Zurich but were limited by vacation days since I'm still working.

If you were retired and had more time available, would you still do the avalon excursion to Lucerene or would you try to spend 1-2 additional nights in Lucerene on your own and visit the numerous sights available.

If I had more time I would probably do 1-2 days in Zurich & 1-2 days in Lucerne on my own & do Mt. Pilates on my own. It was nice to have a guide with us who had everything organized but I wanted more time in Lucerne.

If you are happy making your own arrangements suggest atleast 2 days at

Lucerne, we actual hired a car and drove, then came back to Movenpick early afternoon to pick up Avalon Transfer

we did Lucerne on our own. Would highly recommend at least 2 days there.

there are lots of car services that can take you to Basel and the dock. That is what our group of 8 did and was not that expensive.

I would spend no time in Zurich. Just a really big city. Luzerne is wonderful. Not sure about more than one day though. Travel up to Grindelwald if you have time. Mountains are teh real Alps. Go from 3000 ft to 14000 in very shoprt distances. Basel was also exceptional. Had a local give us a personal tour. So many folks on the river cruises miss Basel as they just show up and get on the boat. We had 2 1/2 wonderful days there.

BTW, Switzerland is THE MOST EXPENSIVE PLACE I HAVE EVER BEEN. Meals for two with drinks will cost over $100 for mediocre food. Our Hilton in Zurich wanted 36 CHF for a burger and 34 CHF for a club sandwich.

I would spend no time in Zurich. Just a really big city. Luzerne is wonderful. Not sure about more than one day though. Travel up to Grindelwald if you have time. Mountains are teh real Alps. Go from 3000 ft to 14000 in very shoprt distances. Basel was also exceptional. Had a local give us a personal tour. So many folks on the river cruises miss Basel as they just show up and get on the boat. We had 2 1/2 wonderful days there.

 

BTW, Switzerland is THE MOST EXPENSIVE PLACE I HAVE EVER BEEN. Meals for two with drinks will cost over $100 for mediocre food. Our Hilton in Zurich wanted 36 CHF for a burger and 34 CHF for a club sandwich.

I agree with all of the above.

My friend lives in Basel and he drives to Germany to grocery shop. I found all of the prices outrageous.

Avalon meets everyone at the Zurich Movenpick airport hotel. They then transfer you to the ship in Basel. We took the optional Old Town Zurich tour, which then proceeds to the ship.

I agree with all of the above.

 

My friend lives in Basel and he drives to Germany to grocery shop. I found all of the prices outrageous.

Me too....I think 1/2 day touring old Zurich is worthwhile but then I would head off to Lucerne. BTW, Viatour does a very nice tour of Mt. Pilatus and Lake Lucerne but it's just as easy to do on your own.

We weren't surprised by prices in Switzerland because DH worked with a Swiss National and he warned us not to gasp out loud when we got our first bill for a burger and a Coke!!!! It was hard not to. :D

We are spending 2 days post cruise in Zurich (Movenpick) and plan a day trip by train to Lucerne from Zurich. Do they still conduct tours up to Mt. Pilates in December?

Any other recommendations for our day in Lucerne other then to walk around the lovely town area. Our train from Zurich will put us in Lucerne around 10A and our departing train back to Zurich is at 5p. Limited time so would like to make the most of our day. I know a boat ride on the lake would be lovely but in Mid-December, I am not sure with the cold weather what our best sightseeing options are.

Recommendations are welcomed....

Thanks

Be sure to see the Lion of Lucerne - it is carved into the face of a mountain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Monument

the Lion of Lucerne

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Monument

And a book by one of my favorite authors!:)

Rick Steves has a good walking tour of Lucerne. We did it in about 2h. Then go see the Lion Monument. It's touristy but moving, nonetheless.

I would spend no time in Zurich. Just a really big city. Luzerne is wonderful. Not sure about more than one day though. Travel up to Grindelwald if you have time. Mountains are teh real Alps. Go from 3000 ft to 14000 in very shoprt distances. Basel was also exceptional. Had a local give us a personal tour. So many folks on the river cruises miss Basel as they just show up and get on the boat. We had 2 1/2 wonderful days there.

 

BTW, Switzerland is THE MOST EXPENSIVE PLACE I HAVE EVER BEEN. Meals for two with drinks will cost over $100 for mediocre food. Our Hilton in Zurich wanted 36 CHF for a burger and 34 CHF for a club sandwich.

I agree! Lucerne was so much more interesting than Zurich, and much prettier. The prices will blow you away. We didn't eat at McDonalds, but went in just to check prices. 18 CHF for a value meal! Chocolate was $70 per pound. The round trip cost to the top of Mt. Pilatus was $70 per person! It was outrageous, but that was actually worth it. We were there in April, so still lots of snow on the mountain. It was breathtaking!

We stayed at the Movenpick in Zurich and breakfast was included. It was a really nice breakfast. Good thing it was included, because I think it was around $40 by itself.