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We will be staying outside of Amsterdam in Haarlem for a few days prior to the cruise and will go in to Amsterdam the day of boarding. It is good to know that we will have contact info to find out when and where to show up. When we disembark in Basel we will use the ship transfer to the airport and use the train station there to go into Zurich for the night. I do not think the ship's transfer will take us to the main train station downtown.

It would be nice to know how much time we will have in a port so we can make tentative plans, oh well. Were you usually docked near enough to the towns to be able to walk in and around on your own if you did not want to go on a tour?

Thanks again for your help and your email. The more I learn the more questions I have!

Carolyn

PS: Cobbie48, I will look forward to reading your trip report.

Thanks for the info, Chris! I have been reading as much as I can find on cc and have picked up some useful info from nice people like you. I have not found anyone mentioning our specific itinerary yet which is the Rhine and Moselle 2017, Amsterdam to Zurich, (Basel, )on Avalon Artistry II departing May 7.

I understand that river cruises may be much more changeable due to high/low water conditions, etc., so it may not be feasible for them to publish a solid itinerary. The main things I would need to know is what time and where we need to be on departure day and where they expect to dock and the timing on the day we disembark. Since we are arriving a few days ahead of the cruise and then continuing on our own when we arrive in Basel, those details would help in making continuing travel arrangements. Hopefully, I will be able to find out those things when we get closer to our trip date.

Thank you for the info, RNCheryl! Our travel agent did set up a transfer from Basel to Zurich Airport and I know there is a train station at the airport, however, I do not find that it has direct trains to Vienna. Due to the timing, we will need to spend the night in Zurich and catch the train early the next morning. I just thought it would be one less change of transport if the ship transfer took us all the way to the main station in the city.

Hi There, I've only done 1 river cruise...it was on Avalon.

 

I can't help you at all with Avalon flights. We booked ours independently.

 

We booked 2nd level, mid ship and loved it! We did enjoy having our drapes opened all the way and we did open the window a couple of times. I've read some posts on here from people who booked the lower deck and they seemed perfectly content. You will not be in your cabin that much unless you're sick!! It seems to be the consensus to get as mid ship as possible.

 

I don't think it's unusual in river cruising, but not having an itinerary drove me crazy. I'm used to ocean cruising where you know the itinerary. I did email Avalon with some very specific questions and they were really helpful. I asked where some included tours began and ended (then I was able to figure out the itinerary).

And I asked what time we would arrive and leave in Vienna.

 

Hope this helps some...gotta run...oven timer beeping

Chris

My husband and I have booked our first river cruise for next May. Our only other cruise experience was an Azamara Med cruise. I noticed in your post that Avalon may not publish an itinerary in advance and that this may not be unusual for river cruises. Am I understanding you correctly? Did you then need to call Avalon and ask the arrival/departure times; dock locations etc? Is it possible to do you own thing versus only ship tours?

I hope I do not sound stupid but having had no previous experience with this type of cruise more info is definitely helpful. Thanks!

RNCheryl, I enjoyed your trip report and have a couple questions. My husband and I are booked on an Avalon cruise with a similar itinerary for next May. When we disembark in Basel we plan to take a train to Vienna from the main station in Zurich. I believe Avalon will usually transfer to the Zurich airport but I was surprised that they transferred you to the train station. Was that the main station in the city? And if so did you arrange that transfer in advance and was a fee charged? Thank you in advance for your help. This will be our first river cruise and I need all the help I can get!