All Things Avalon

Daisi- we did not tip the guides since I knew it was included. We did have some excellent guides though so in retrospect I wish we had given a little extra to a few of them. Next time...

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I have taken 2 cruises with Avalon. I tipped those guides who I felt were very good & didn’t tip those I felt we’re poor to average. I would say on my cruises, the minority of passengers tipped guides.

Getting ready to book Prague to Budapest on Avalon. I hear they recently started offering a biking excursion from Durnstein to Melk? Can anyone confirm? Has anyone taken it? I wold LOVE that

You can bring wine or alcohol on board to enjoy in your cabin or on the sun deck. If you want to drink in the restaurant, there may be a corkage fee. No need to sneak it on board.

Great to hear of this "flexibility" on beverages with Avalon. Getting ready for doing our first sailing with Avalon in late January 2018 when sailing in SE Asia going up the Mekong River. This ship is a little different from what they have in Europe, but all that we hear is very positive for the quality, staff, food, etc. The Mekong ship (the Siem Reap) has just 18 cabins and a maximum of 36 passengers. Any other tips, insights, suggestions, etc., from those who have done Avalon along the Mekong?

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 221,165 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

We have gone on 2 Avalon river cruises and loved both. We have not been on any other river cruise lines to compare, but Avalon does a great job.

We recently returned from Avalon's Rhine River cruise, Basel to Amsterdam. Loved everything about it. You can find my detailed review of the Imagery II here: https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=598126.

We recently returned from Avalon's Rhine River cruise, Basel to Amsterdam. Loved everything about it. You can find my detailed review of the Imagery II here: https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=598126.

Nice review. We are interested in this same itinerary in the opposite direction in 2019 as we are scheduled on a TA ending in Amsterdam. Any idea when Avalon releases their 2019 schedule? I can find no reference to it on their website.

Nice review. We are interested in this same itinerary in the opposite direction in 2019 as we are scheduled on a TA ending in Amsterdam. Any idea when Avalon releases their 2019 schedule? I can find no reference to it on their website.

I can't say for 2019, but I started planning our trip spring of 2016. I had to wait until March 2017 I think to book...and I was down at the travel agent's that day, as we wanted a certain cabin.

Now if only they would hurry up and get the extra excursions up.....:)

Lots of good information on here but I have not read all 26 pages:eek:..........I want to do Paris/Normandy......I wanted to sail with AMA but the dates don't work for me. I called UNIWORLD and the price doesn't work for me on that one......the sailing I can do only has one cabin left and it is the Royal Suite and I sail solo.........it is almost 20grand so I will have to pass.

Looks like Avalon has some good reviews on here.........:) Terry, I didn't realize you are booked on Avalon!

I would love some input on the Paris to Normandy cruise from anyone who has done it:).........this is for my 60th

birthday........which is in March but I just can't find something at that time. APRIL in Paris sounds lovely:D

Lois, We did the Avalon Paris-Normandy cruise a few years ago. It remains one of our favorite trips. The Creativity, which was our ship, was very nice, although it is one of the older Avalon ships now. The itinerary was great-every port was interesting in its own way.

Hard to describe the emotion of the Normandy beaches and American cemetery. The food was excellent on the ship was well. Would highly recommend based on our experience.

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Just finished the Avalon Vista Xmas markets Vienna to Prague. Excellent cruise, food, service and ship. Panoramic cabins without single supplement are excellent value if one is traveling alone. The cruise director was great. Europe at Christmas is beautiful. We had heavy snow in Cesky Krumlov and it was the highlight of the cruise. To my knowledge Avalon is the only line that has no single supplement specials on Panorama view cabins. The others only have it on the lowest level cabins with the high windows.

Highly recommend Avalon.

Just returned from a Christmas market trip on AMA after 2 prior itineraries on Avalon. The little things make a difference to me.....and these are very tiny things from a "comme ci comme ca " person.....My Avalon comparative likes: one set each of colored and white towels in bath; two tops in dining room; add on extra cost tours to make most of every stop. And the fireplace scene on the tv!

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Thank you all for the replies:) The cruise is almost totally booked in full and this particular one, well, those solo cabins are all SOLD OUT......I will decide in the next couple of days and by then there may not be any cabins left at all. So it is sort

of like, if it is available, it will be meant to be and if it is not, I will find something else.:) I say since it is a vacation,

I am not going to stress over it.

Lois, We did the Avalon Paris-Normandy cruise a few years ago. It remains one of our favorite trips. The Creativity, which was our ship, was very nice, although it is one of the older Avalon ships now. The itinerary was great-every port was interesting in its own way. Hard to describe the emotion of the Normandy beaches and American cemetery. The food was excellent on the ship was well. Would highly recommend based on our experience.

] [/font]Just finished the Avalon Vista Xmas markets Vienna to Prague. Excellent cruise, food, service and ship. Panoramic cabins. Highly recommend Avalon.

Appreciate these great comments and follow-ups from ptrpanpens and massedtuck. Very good to hear!! Looking forward to reporting back in early February 2018 as to our experiences in doing both our first river cruise and in using Avalon. Good luck to Lois in finding the right/best "fit" for her timing in March.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 221,317 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Hello: I am on the Avalon Waterways Tulip Time Cruise, 13 April 2018. Can anyone suggest a Hotel Pre-Cruise (2nights for Single) that is near RoomMate Aitana or Movenpick Amsterdam City? Or, should I book one of these through Avalon at $305/night? Thank you

Hello: I am on the Avalon Waterways Tulip Time Cruise, 13 April 2018. Can anyone suggest a Hotel Pre-Cruise (2nights for Single) that is near RoomMate Aitana or Movenpick Amsterdam City? Or, should I book one of these through Avalon at $305/night? Thank you

Why don’t you just book direct with the hotel. Avalon like all cruise companies charge twice what the real rate is! Have you check each Hotel for rates & details?

We are on an Avalon Rhine Cruise from Amsterdam. We are scheduled to meet at the Room Mate Aitana Ijdok 6 Amsterdam 1013 MM prior to boarding the boat. Does anyone know if this is within walking distance from the central are of Amsterdam?

We're going on this cruise in May (6-13, 2018) and disembarking in Basel. Could you (or anyone) please advise what time the cruise boat usually starts the disembarking process? Our itinerary for the morning only lists "disembarkation following breakfast."

This will be our first river cruise so we're very excited. Would love to know your thoughts on your Rhine cruise!

Thanks!

Judy

We're going on this cruise in May (6-13, 2018) and disembarking in Basel. Could you (or anyone) please advise what time the cruise boat usually starts the disembarking process? Our itinerary for the morning only lists "disembarkation following breakfast."

 

 

This will be our first river cruise so we're very excited. Would love to know your thoughts on your Rhine cruise!

 

Thanks!

 

Judy

Some people will start before 6am if the boat is actually in port. The bulk of passengers between 8 & 9 am. If you need taxi or any assistance for your onwards Travel the Cruise Director will help you with arrangements. Some people catch very early flights and trains. The CD will check with you early in the week to find out your plans and if you need assistance. We ate breakfast and waited in the Lounge until our Taxi arrived to take us to our booked hotel.

We're going on this cruise in May (6-13, 2018) and disembarking in Basel. Could you (or anyone) please advise what time the cruise boat usually starts the disembarking process? Our itinerary for the morning only lists "disembarkation following breakfast."

 

This will be our first river cruise so we're very excited. Would love to know your thoughts on your Rhine cruise!

 

Thanks!

 

Judy

You didn't mention whether you booked your air through Avalon. If you did, they will arrange transportation to Zurich that is appropriate for your departure time. I've not done an Avalon departure from Basel, but I'm guessing that some people will be leaving as early as 5:00 a.m., while others may not leave until 9:00 a.m. or later. If you booked your own air, you should be able to enjoy breakfast at your leisure and Avalon will call a cab for you whenever you want to leave.

FuelScience has a good point. We made our own arrangements for flights and planned to stay in Budapest after our cruise ended.

We're going on this cruise in May (6-13, 2018) and disembarking in Basel. Could you (or anyone) please advise what time the cruise boat usually starts the disembarking process? Our itinerary for the morning only lists "disembarkation following breakfast."

 

 

This will be our first river cruise so we're very excited. Would love to know your thoughts on your Rhine cruise!

 

Thanks!

 

We did Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel Sept 2017. The disembark is early and Avalon does a great job of getting everyone off ship. If you booked transfer with Avalon, they will have a set time for your group. We were staying in Switzerland for a few days and had a rental car to pick up. Avalon arranged a cab to pick us up at the ship. Some passengers were going to Basel train station via cabs and cabs were waiting for those groups. It was a very smooth disembark. Breakfast will be serviced early.

Lots of good information on here but I have not read all 26 pages:eek:..........I want to do Paris/Normandy......I wanted to sail with AMA but the dates don't work for me. I called UNIWORLD and the price doesn't work for me on that one......the sailing I can do only has one cabin left and it is the Royal Suite and I sail solo.........it is almost 20grand so I will have to pass.

 

Looks like Avalon has some good reviews on here.........:) Terry, I didn't realize you are booked on Avalon!

 

I would love some input on the Paris to Normandy cruise from anyone who has done it:).........this is for my 60th

birthday........which is in March but I just can't find something at that time. APRIL in Paris sounds lovely:D

Hi Lois - Sorry, just saw this today. I haven't been checking the boards that closely over the holidays.

We did Paris to Normandy in late September. This was our 2nd cruise on the Seine (the 1st being with Uniworld about 8 years ago...) I was happy to re-do this itinerary, as there were options for most stops. For example, we went to Bizy Castle instead of Giverny. We did the beaches the 1st time we went, so I opted for the "Taste of Normandy" - which included a stop in Bayeux to see the tapestry.

We have travelled with most of the major lines, and I have been quite happy with our Avalon cruises. In fact, we have another one booked later this year. We tend to book lowest category, and have no complaints. I find Avalon a bit more laid back than some of the other lines - and that suits us quite well.

If you have specific questions, please post and I will try to answer.

Fran

Hi Lois - Sorry, just saw this today. I haven't been checking the boards that closely over the holidays.

 

We did Paris to Normandy in late September. This was our 2nd cruise on the Seine (the 1st being with Uniworld about 8 years ago...) I was happy to re-do this itinerary, as there were options for most stops. For example, we went to Bizy Castle instead of Giverny. We did the beaches the 1st time we went, so I opted for the "Taste of Normandy" - which included a stop in Bayeux to see the tapestry.

 

We have travelled with most of the major lines, and I have been quite happy with our Avalon cruises. In fact, we have another one booked later this year. We tend to book lowest category, and have no complaints. I find Avalon a bit more laid back than some of the other lines - and that suits us quite well.

 

If you have specific questions, please post and I will try to answer.

 

Fran

Hi Fran, thanks for the reply...........found out I have to have surgery next week and so my spring

cruise is now on a hard hold:(

Hi Fran, thanks for the reply...........found out I have to have surgery next week and so my spring

cruise is now on a hard hold:(

Lois - good luck with your surgery!

We're trying Avalon in April for a tulips cruise and are excited. We've done two Uniworld (China and Danube) and one AMA (Mekong) but Uniworld seems like it's gotten fussy and expensive since then, AMA didn't work on the dates, and we really liked the look of the Avalon cabins a lot. We just did a cruise down the Ganges in a cabin where the bed faced out the window and I loved it. They also waived the single supplement so my sister could join us.

Hopefully you'll be up and about in time to get something done this spring.

Hello: I am on the Avalon Waterways Tulip Time Cruise, 13 April 2018. Can anyone suggest a Hotel Pre-Cruise (2nights for Single) that is near RoomMate Aitana or Movenpick Amsterdam City? Or, should I book one of these through Avalon at $305/night? Thank you

Hello--We're on the same cruise, the week before you! We go to Amsterdam regularly to embark on cruises and now stay at B&Bs or airbnbs. But we have stayed at Vondelpark Park Hotel--a bit further out--as well as the Marriott right on the Amstel River across from the train station... $305 is crazy high! There are plenty of decent hotels. Go to kayak.com and enter all your filters--number of stars, price range, neighborhoods, etc. Or do the same thing thru booking.com or hotels.com. We always find--in traveling to other places such as Paris--that actually doing your reservation through the hotel's own site is cheaper or offers additional perks or discount. But in any case, book NOW. The hotels are filling up fast as this is the beginning of the high season.