Just back from the Suite Ship, Avalon Tranquility II

If you have any questions, just ask away. I’ll do my best to answer them. I didn’t want to do a whole review, but just jot down some of my thoughts:

OVERALL EXPERIENCE: Itinerary: Rhine River, Basel to Amsterdam

We had a fantastic time and saw SO much! It was a terrific cruise from beginning to end. Those of you with cruises coming up are in for a real treat! I think the ship only holds 128 passengers and this really made a difference, IMO. Requests from the crew were handled immediately! We were shocked as to how quickly linen requests were handled, how quick and efficient the purser’s desk was, and how easily we got to know our fellow passengers compared to a large ocean cruise ship.

CABIN: We had a 200 square French Balcony cabin which we booked about 18 months in advance. As with most of Avalon’s Suite Ships, the ship sold out a long time in advance. The cabin was gorgeous – dark woods, beautiful marble and stainless steel accents. The lock on the front door was very modern – just wave your card in front of it and it opened – even if it was inside an envelope. The toilet seat closed like our modern ones at home – slowly on it’s own so there’s not a loud clash. The air conditioning vent is at the desk which in 35+ cruises, I’ve never seen before. I got quite cold at times when putting on my make up there, but it made for a quick cool-down for my flat iron.

Lesson learned: Next time, I would choose a cabin farther away from the atrium. We had the second cabin closest to the atrium on the Sapphire Deck and it got a bit noisy from people's voices carrying at night.

INCLUDED TOURS: All of these were well run, especially the one in Heidelberg and up to Mt. Pilatus (by the way – VERY worth the time and money). They were about the right length and weren’t too hard to walk IMO. Every morning, you choose a color group to be in and pick up a receiver. You attach your lanyard to it and the ear buds you were given on the first day. It was easy for us to be together with our newfound friends for these tours since we got to decide what group we’d be in for that day. None of the tours were too long and some included additional stops, like in Mainz, but if you weren’t interested, you just told the tour leader and went off on your own.

A note about Mainz – make sure you stay on the walking paths and not on the bike paths. A jogger broke into our walking group and pushed me and another woman out of his way. She almost fell down, he pushed her so hard. Then, a biker stopped to yell at our tour leader because she was blocking the bike path which made everyone in the group very uncomfortable. (It was a narrow space under a tunnel, so she had no choice but to bring us in through there.) We thought they just didn’t like tourists in Mainz, but then, two elderly German women almost came to blows because one was walking too slowly and got in the biker’s way. Our tour leader got in an argument with one of the people in the group on top of all this. He was our sailing’s “annoying person” so I kind-of understand her short temper, but it was conduct unbecoming a tour leader. All of this animosity in Mainz certainly didn’t give us a good impression of the city but in no way marred our overall enjoyment of the cruise.

LOW WATER: You could tell the Rhine was low. There was an incredible amount of river traffic. I don’t know if this was because they were anticipating the river being closed the next week or what. The “eil tanks” and other barges were non-stop. It was interesting watching the river traffic and how they negotiate around each other but it was obvious there was going to be a real problem very soon due to the low water.

Our original stop in Speyer was cancelled. The captain said that if we docked there, we wouldn’t be able to leave. So, we went to Mannheim for the morning instead. Avalon kindly bussed anyone who was interested in going back to Speyer to do the originally-planned mechanical museum.

TIPS: WALK! I read on the board to prepare myself physically ahead of time. That was helpful advice! I worked out for months, walking up and down hills and for extended lengths of time. On this trip, we walked about 3-5 miles a day, every day. My weight-lifting, supposedly in-shape husband was quite sore from all the walking. Do yourself a favor and get prepared ahead of time. We were on the younger side of the passenger demographics (early 50’s) and some of the older passengers were really exhausted and worn-out from all the physical activity.

WEATHER: We had the HOTTEST day on record when we were Switzerland. It wasn't just "hot", it was blazing hot and extremely humid. There was absolutely no breeze. In the 3 days we were there, I've never sweat so much in my life - even in the gym! It was unusually hot in France and Germany too - to the point that everyone, locals and tourists alike, was complaining about it. I learned an important lesson - don't cruise in August - for me, it's just not worth it. I figured these areas would be cooler than our hot summer weather at home but they were much hotter. We only had about an hour of rain on our last day in Amsterdam. Another reason not to cruise in August – there were a lot of hot, cranky little kids everywhere we went but especially in Switzerland and Germany. I think a lot of them had vacation during this month, so were out doing things with their families but the weather just wasn’t conducive to happy children (and consequently, parents).

WHAT'S WITH THE BEES? There were bees everywhere! They were crawling all over the pastries in the pastry shops and getting stuck on them too. They hovered all over like flies. I learned to always cover my Diet Coke with a brochure or paper but even this didn't help. We watched as a bee climbed upside down, around the paper and into my drink! Another lapped up my DH's beer for a good 20 mins. then flew off. DH was stung in Switzerland and I was stung in France. I know there's a shortage of bees in the US, but that is NOT the case in Europe! If you're allergic to them, come prepared with an Epipen (or 2 or 3!). Maybe it was a summer thing; maybe by fall they won’t be so bad?

PASSENGERS: We had a really friendly group of people on our sailing despite the fact that there was a large group of about 30 people onboard. We met some of the nicest people and ended up doing most of everything with part, or all, of our group of new friends. We exchanged information after the cruise and found we were missing each other after a couple days. We were shocked at how many Aussies and Kiwis were onboard. Surprisingly, there were very, very few Californians and not many Americans either. It was just such a friendly, interesting, fun group of fellow passengers.

THOSE LITTLE EXTRAS MEAN SO MUCH: For example, in Rudesheim, Avalon hires a cute little train to take all of it’s passengers to the musical museum. Viking passengers weren’t so lucky. They had to walk in very large groups on very narrow sidewalks for 15 minutes up to the museum in 95 degree heat. The train allowed us more time in this quaint, awesome little town.

THE BALCONY DEBATE – “WHY BOTHER, YOU’LL BE RAFTING THE WHOLE TIME”: This was definitely not the case for our particular Rhine River itinerary. Our ship only rafted with another ship for about 20 mins., just prior to our departure. All the rest of the time, we had a great view straight out to the water. The French balcony was definitely worth every penny in our opinion. We sat near the balcony and watched the castles float by and laid in bed in awe over the beautifully lit-up bridges at night.

CRUISE LINE HOTELS: We spent 3 nights prior to the cruise in Glattbrugg, just outside of Zurich at the Movenpick Airport Hotel. We found it to be really comfortable, super clean (a biggie in my book!) and the breakfast was really good too. The location was fine for us - we either walked to the tram to get into Zurich or took the hotel's shuttle to the airport to get the tram. The hotel staff at the front desk were extremely friendly and welcoming and bent over backwards to help us in any way they could.

The Movenpick City Center Hotel in Amsterdam was also a good choice for us since we were just staying one night. We upgraded to a top floor executive room at check in for only $50 more. The view was amazing! The room was comfortable, clean and quiet. To get to the city center, we just walked to the tram station and 1 stop later, we were at Centraal Station. If we were staying more nights post-cruise, we would have chosen somewhere more centrally located but for our purposes, this hotel was a good choice.

THINGS THAT COULD BE IMPROVED UPON: First and foremost, the food variety just wasn't good. On a couple of nights, we only had 2 entree choices. I am admittedly a picky eater, so I usually ended up with the excellent steak or chicken, but that got old after 4 nights of the same thing. All of the food was really good to excellent. I never heard one complaint about it at all. It was hot or cold as it was supposed to be, presented beautifully and very tasty. There just needs to be more choices! We did the BBQ lunch one day that was cooked by the amusing Manchester-born chef and then they also had a chef's table kind of thing that was free but didn't have dishes this picky eater would've enjoyed.

Secondly, I wish the port time was longer in the small towns in Germany. The one time we stayed long enough to have dinner in town was by far our favorite port. It gave us the chance to taste the local flavors – not only in food but in ambiance as well. I wish we had more time to stop in places like Braubach and some of those other neat-looking little towns. I guess this means we’ll “need” to back sometime…:D

I should have said, "I ended up with the Always Available steak or chicken". They had 2 or 3 entrees every night and an Always Available section with chicken, steak and I think salmon. :cool:

Great review, you covered all points, and gave great advice. Glad you got to use the balcony. And most importantly the river was high enough.

I totally agree that socializing with folks from different places makes the cruise interesting and enjoyable. Last year some Aussies talked hubby into trying Vegemite on his toast.

I should have said, "I ended up with the Always Available steak or chicken". They had 2 or 3 entrees every night and an Always Available section with chicken, steak and I think salmon. :cool:

nice post. DLM.

I always thought you were the he.:D Didn't know women drive like Mario.:D

You view on the menus sounds like our Avalon cruise last year. I imagine it will be similar on the Visionary in November when it should be about 50 to 60 degrees cooler than your cruise. We will have the bed with a view cabin 200 square feet too.

jc

Great review, you covered all points, and gave great advice. Glad you got to use the balcony. And most importantly the river was high enough.

 

I totally agree that socializing with folks from different places makes the cruise interesting and enjoyable. Last year some Aussies talked hubby into trying Vegemite on his toast.

OMG, us too! :D We had a lot of laughs about that and I even tried it (really rare for me.) Tasted like alcohol. I guess that was the oats/barley in it?

nice post. DLM.

 

I always thought you were the he.:D Didn't know women drive like Mario.:D

 

You view on the menus sounds like our Avalon cruise last year. I imagine it will be similar on the Visionary in November when it should be about 50 to 60 degrees cooler than your cruise. We will have the bed with a view cabin 200 square feet too.

 

jc

Nice, jc! You'll love having the bed facing the water. :) I'd much rather have cooler, or even cold, weather vs. the heat. Much more conducive to a lot of walking.

And yes, this woman DOES drive like Mario Andretti - or so they all say. Love your Cooper S, BTW. I have one too. ;)

Nice, jc! You'll love having the bed facing the water. :) I'd much rather have cooler, or even cold, weather vs. the heat. Much more conducive to a lot of walking.

 

And yes, this woman DOES drive like Mario Andretti - or so they all say. Love your Cooper S, BTW. I have one too. ;)

We must sail together someday.

jc

What little extra things did you pack that you were glad you had and what did you wish you had brought or brought more of??

Boarding Avalon Illumination on Sept 11 in Amsterdam

PS thanks for the thought post and all the ship pictures!

Nice, jc! You'll love having the bed facing the water. :) I'd much rather have cooler, or even cold, weather vs. the heat. Much more conducive to a lot of walking.

;)

We always sail in spring or fall for that reason. We are back from our first summer river cruise and NEVER again. Temps were north of 100 the entire trip and many places in Europe do not have AC. There was no getting away from it. Even the ships A/C could not keep up.

We still logged 7-8 miles a day of walking but were constantly drenched. Our hike one day was truly a challenge due to the extreme heat but the views were worth it.

Looking forward to some COLD weather in November on the Rhine!

Great review. We are doing the same itinerary next April on the Imagery II. Love the suite ships!

Cole

Sure hoping that by mid-September the heat is gone and we have beautiful fall weather!

Caviargirl-Yes, totally agree. First and last time to Europe in August. I've been there in July and weather was perfect but we must've been lucky. It wouldn't have been so bad if there was just a breeze and if the restaurants had A/C. It made it hard to eat when it's that hot. Even the decadent chocolates didn't interest me. :eek:

JC - Yes! Agree!

JVillegal - I think you'll have much nicer weather then. We've done Europe in Sept. and it was great. We had a little rain, but it didn't last for long.

To answer your other questions

-things I'm glad I brought: a cross-body daypack. We found out backpacks are NOT allowed in a lot of the museums and venues and had to pay for a locker for it many times.

I wish I had brought: more Kleenex packs to wipe the sweat off our brows (gross, huh? :p ) and a bigger crossbody daypack that held a water bottle.

Avalon is great about always providing a bottle of water for you on every tour. When you return to the ship, there's a cool, moist towel for you and a cold fruit punch drink.

Thanks! Kleenex was on my list for potty visits with uncertain amenities ;) learned that in China! Thinking about my DH daypack and now worried? Thank god the heat will have died down. I don't know how you managed in 100 degree temps!

great review and pictures. sounds like a very hot summer. we also dislike extremely hot weather and would avoid.

I wish I had brought: more Kleenex packs to wipe the sweat off our brows (gross, huh? :p ).

 

I learned the hard way (a mid June heat wave in Italy in 2011) to always pack a few washcloths when traveling. In the morning I dampen one and put it in a zip log bag in my purse. It is a life saver - gets rid of the sweat and cools you off too!

We have some GREAT wicking bandanas we travel with - if I'm actually hiking, I'll wear it around my head, but for regular touring, just keep in my bag to wipe off when needed. Forget ladies who "glisten" - I SWEAT - so I need something stronger than a tissue to wipe off. And I can wash it in my sink & dry overnight.

My husband was jealous, so we just ordered him a couple. Sierra Trading Post has a ton of options right now at great prices. Ex Officio, Columbia etc brands.

Sounds like you had a great cruise -glad you enjoyed it! I will say that even in December, we opened our windows in our Avalon suite to fully enjoy the view!

Enjoyed your posting DLM, we have always been happy with Avalon and are looking forward to our December Christmas Markets Cruise on the Vista.

I agree, the cabins with the beds facing the river are a big plus and we much prefer cooler Fall/Winter weather for our sailings. Living in the humid heat of the South during the Summer months is difficult enough, makes me always anxious to plan trips during cooler season weather. Happy that you were pleased with your river cruise. Great pictures. Thanks for posting!:)

I knew it was hot when our Virginia friends were complaining! And they're used to hot, humid summers!

I brought about 4 packs of Kleenex, but we whipped through them. Good idea about the washcloth or the moisture-wicking bandanas. Either would've helped.

The daypack - if it's a crossbody bag or one that looks like a purse, you're okay and won't have to check it at museums & other venues (like Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and the N*zi Documentation Center in Cologne). If it goes on your back like a backpack, you'll have to rent a locker. Also, at the Anne Frank House, we had to wear our backpacks on the front of our body. Now that was uncomfortable!

As far as toilets went, I had to pay 50Euro only about twice. I was surprised at how many didn't require payment! Much less than on our previous Med. cruise to Italy & France. I always kept a 50Euro coin in my pocket just in case. :D It feels strange to be home and not need that anymore.

How did you find the noise between cabins?

Not the OP but we sailed on the same class boat and did not hear anything from neighboring cabins. Just asked my husband and he doesn't recall any neighbor noise either.

(note, that was through walls -the few times we had our windows open, obviously, we heard more noise - but then, again, in December, very few others had their windows open. Or went up on deck, for that matter:p)

[to compare apples to apples as needed, we were on Avalon Vista in cabin 213]

We have some GREAT wicking bandanas we travel with - if I'm actually hiking, I'll wear it around my head, but for regular touring, just keep in my bag to wipe off when needed. Forget ladies who "glisten" - I SWEAT - so I need something stronger than a tissue to wipe off. And I can wash it in my sink & dry overnight.

 

My husband was jealous, so we just ordered him a couple. Sierra Trading Post has a ton of options right now at great prices. Ex Officio, Columbia etc brands.

 

Sounds like you had a great cruise -glad you enjoyed it! I will say that even in December, we opened our windows in our Avalon suite to fully enjoy the view!

STP, who routinely steals hundreds of dollars from me. in 2009 we went out west on a car trip... stopped at two real STP stores.

jc

How did you find the noise between cabins?

I'm very noise-sensitive and I only heard a drawer closing once or twice and a toilet flushing occasionally IF I happened to be in our bathroom at the time.

The only noise issue was people talking really loudly in the hallway or atrium at night. Most of that was over by about 11:15pm. If we had just gone with a cabin further aft, we would've missed that I think.

Not the OP but we sailed on the same class boat and did not hear anything from neighboring cabins. Just asked my husband and he doesn't recall any neighbor noise either.

 

(note, that was through walls -the few times we had our windows open, obviously, we heard more noise - but then, again, in December, very few others had their windows open. Or went up on deck, for that matter:p)

 

[to compare apples to apples as needed, we were on Avalon Vista in cabin 213]

Thank you. I'm a little worried because we are in Cabin 308 on the Artistry II and there's viewing deck above us. I am sure we won't have the noise we experienced with a young party group next to us on our Hawaiian cruise a few years ago.

Looking where our cabin is located we might have to deal with this as well..but I always travel with ear plugs so I'm not TOO worried. I'm also very noise sensitive so I feel you.

I'm very noise-sensitive and I only heard a drawer closing once or twice and a toilet flushing occasionally IF I happened to be in our bathroom at the time.

 

The only noise issue was people talking really loudly in the hallway or atrium at night. Most of that was over by about 11:15pm. If we had just gone with a cabin further aft, we would've missed that I think.