All Things Avalon

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, franski said:

On one of our trips, I booked a tour to Memento/Statue Park.  They picked us up  at our hotel in an old Trabant --> my husband was ecstatic!!  And then - they let him drive!!  A fun tour.

That does sound cool.  How much is the comprehensive insurance value of a Trabant?  $5?  🤣

[moonriver54]

2 hours ago, franski said:

Many people suggest staying on the Buda side - but it is not as accessible to many of the attractions.  Yes, you have the Fisherman's Bastion, and St. Matthias Church (plus the Hospital in the Rock if you are so inclined to visit...) - but much more to see on the Pest Side IMHO. 

 

We were just there in October - and stayed at the Prestige Hotel.  It isn't far from the Chain Bridge - and there was lots within walking distance.  You can walk to the Parliament, to the Shoes on the Danube, down the Vaci Utca to the Central Market (you really need to see this!!)...  We walked to the Opera House, and the Dohany Synagogue.  And an easy walk to our *favourite* restaurant...

 

We discovered the Cafe Kor on our 1st visit to Budapest, and make sure we go every time we go back.  It is a small place - so you need reservations.  But - it is authentic Hungarian food --> and SO good. Prices are reasonable... It is just down the street from St. Stephen's Cathedral.

 

On one of our trips, I booked a tour to Memento/Statue Park.  They picked us up  at our hotel in an old Trabant --> my husband was ecstatic!!  And then - they let him drive!!  A fun tour. 

 

So much to see & do in Budapest.  We have also visited the Cave Church (not far from the market) and the House of Terror (very sobering...). 

 

Enjoy your planning... Happy to answer any questions you may have.

 

Fran

Fran...Thank you.  When the Prestige Hotel says "Double Bed..." are they US double bed size or something larger?

[Croooser]

Lots of good info lately on this thread. Thanks to all for sharing. We are also River Cruise Rookies and are booked on Westbound Danube Dreams on 9/10/23 with the 2 day extension to Prague booked with Avalon. We plan to arrive Budapest on 9/7. Appreciate the ideas for what to see and do in Budapest.

 

FWIW:

• We booked the Prague extension with Avalon to simplify the transfer process from the ship to Prague. Thinking that in the event there are issues with the river and the itinerary, Avalon will make any adjustments and get us to Prague. The Avalon booklet that we received shows the Prague hotel as the Marriot and that seems to be fine.
• We looked at airfare (BIZ) on Avalon's website and we were able to get a schedule that we liked better at about $1000/pp less by arranging our own air - YMMV.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Croooser

[lorif]

On 1/2/2023 at 7:27 PM, moonriver54 said:

Thank you VERY much to everybody above that responded today!  All very helpful information and greatly appreciated!  After your many comments we're thinking it might be best for a first time river cruise couple to fly in to Munich, spend a night or two there exploring the city, and take the train to Deggendorf to board our Avalon Waterways vessel.  And add on a few days at the end of our Danube cruise to explore Budapest before flying home. 

 

So...for train planning purposes...what's the earliest reasonable time we should expect to board Avalon Waterways at Deggendorf at the beginning of our trip?  Should we book First Class on the train from Munich to Deggendorf?  Again...we're all ears open to ALL suggestions. Thanks again!

 

 

It might be worth waiting to book train to Deggendorf in case something changes.  Our embarkation changed while we were already in Munich.  Check the schedules and see what your options look like, and have a loose plan would be my advice.

In Munich we stayed at Hotel Torbräu and it was great!  The location was very handy, we walked almost everywhere from there but we weren't visiting art galleries.  Lots of good choices around.

In Budapest we had booked the hotel through Avalon, so we were at the Marriott.  Great location, we enjoyed it.

The whole trip was amazing, Avalon was great, we wouldn't have changed a thing.

 

[moonriver54]

Thank you very much for all the great advice above.  We're booked with Avalon and I've been working on hotel reservations in Munich before our cruise, and Budapest after our cruise.  I'm going to hold off on train reservations from Munich to Deggendorf until we get much closer to our departure date in case there are any last minute Avalon embarkation location changes.

 

If anybody has information/recommendations regarding travel from hotels in the Budapest city center to the Budapest airport it'd be greatly appreciated.  We have an early airline departure out of the Budapest airport and I want to plan for an "uneventful" trip.

 

Again, thanks very much!

Edited January 5, 2023 by moonriver54

[lorif]

14 minutes ago, moonriver54 said:

Thank you very much for all the great advice above.  We're booked with Avalon and I've been working on hotel reservations in Munich before our cruise, and Budapest after our cruise.  I'm going to hold off on train reservations from Munich to Deggendorf until we get much closer to our departure date in case there are any last minute Avalon embarkation location changes.

 

If anybody has information/recommendations regarding travel from hotels in the Budapest city center to the Budapest airport it'd be greatly appreciated.  We have an early airline departure out of the Budapest airport and I want to plan for an "uneventful" trip.

 

Again, thanks very much!

We arranged a taxi with the concierge at the hotel (Marriott) and it was pretty easy.

[Croooser]

One additional question. We have IHG points that will put us in either the Intercontinental or the Crowne Plaza in Budapest.

 

Anyone have any opinions regarding the preferred location for touring Budapest precruise?

 

Is one more convenient to the boarding location than the other?

 

Thanks

Edited January 5, 2023 by Croooser

[Daisi]

@Croooser, docking positions are set by the harbour master, so sometimes up until 24 hrs ahead, they don't know where they will dock. I recognise Intercontinental as one of the hotels that Avalon uses for their extensions, but not sure where the Crowne Plaza is. 

 

Your hotel front desk will easily arrange a taxi for you no matter where you are.

[moonriver54]

Well...I think we're getting there.  After booking with Avalon for their 09 MAY "Danube Dreams" trip from Deggendorf to Budapest (Eastbound), I made reservations at the Hotel Metropol in Munich preceding the trip, and at the Prestige Hotel in Budapest at the conclusion of the trip.  Both hotel reservations were made through Expedia.  I'm going to contact each hotel via e-mail to confirm my Expedia confirmation.

 

Is there any way to determine how full a specific Avalon river cruise is booked?  We're spending one night in Munich preceding our river cruise, and two nights in Budapest following the cruise.  The Hotel Metropol in Munich is within walking distance from the central train station.  The Prestige Hotel is located in the Budapest city center.  Any suggestions for dining/sightseeing in either/both cities would be greatly appreciated!

 

 

[gnome12]

31 minutes ago, moonriver54 said:

Is there any way to determine how full a specific Avalon river cruise is booked?

If you go online and begin an online booking for your cruise, you should get to the point of selecting a cabin, which will show all the occupied cabins. You can't know whether there are one or two people in the cabin, but you will know which cabins are occupied. Then just abandon the process without selecting a cabin.

Edited January 7, 2023 by gnome12

[PeaceOut22]

We are going on our first-ever river cruise in May. We are cruising Amsterdam to Basel on Avalon. I have several questions that I have not been able to get answered yet. It will be some time before we have our final travel documents to answer these questions, so I would really appreciate any responses. 

1- Boarding: How early can passengers board the boat? All we know so far is that everyone must be on board by 5 p.m. Do passengers arrive individually to the dock, like on large cruise ships? Or is there a meeting point and passengers are shuttled in?

2- Included excursions: How do included excursions get reserved? The only info I have found so far relates to the optional excursions that require additional fees; these open for booking in February. Do you not have to book the included excursions in advance?

3- Disembarking: What time typically does disembarking take place on departure day? And do you arrange for personal transportation right at the dock, or do they shuttle the passengers to another spot?

Thank you in advance.

[Daisi]

23 minutes ago, PeaceOut22 said:

We are going on our first-ever river cruise in May. We are cruising Amsterdam to Basel on Avalon. I have several questions that I have not been able to get answered yet. It will be some time before we have our final travel documents to answer these questions, so I would really appreciate any responses. 

1- Boarding: How early can passengers board the boat? All we know so far is that everyone must be on board by 5 p.m. Do passengers arrive individually to the dock, like on large cruise ships? Or is there a meeting point and passengers are shuttled in?

2- Included excursions: How do included excursions get reserved? The only info I have found so far relates to the optional excursions that require additional fees; these open for booking in February. Do you not have to book the included excursions in advance?

3- Disembarking: What time typically does disembarking take place on departure day? And do you arrange for personal transportation right at the dock, or do they shuttle the passengers to another spot?

Thank you in advance.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic, and congratulations on booking your first cruise. I suggest you read the "stickies" at the top of the main page to familiarise yourself with river cruises, as there is a lot of differences with ocean cruises.

 

As to your questions:

1) You can board at almost any time, but it's nicer for the crew to wait until at least 10:30, in order to allow the departing passengers to clear out. Your cabin will not be ready, but they will take your suitcases and store them for you, and you can wander around town until you are ready to board. Our first cruise had a tour at 1:00, so we arrived at the boat at around 12:00. We were invited to have a light lunch in the lounge and a drink while we waited for the tour. They were very warm & welcoming, even though we were early. They had our luggage in our room by the time we got back from our tour.

 

2) Included excursions are usually also available on the MyAvalon site to book, as well as the optional ones. You don't have to book ahead, but it will give them a rough idea as to how many to prepare for. During the free Happy Hour, they will have a port talk for the next day, and you can let the CD know then which excursion you would like. I would suggest however, if you are looking at the cycling excursions, to pre-book them on the MyAvalon site, as they bring in bikes for the passengers to use, and it will ensure that enough are there for you.

 

3) Disembarking can take place at anytime once you dock. If you have an early flight out, speak with your CD a couple of days ahead, and they can help you out to know what time. If you are doing the post stay with Avalon, they will have it all organised. We took a "milk-run train back along the river when we disembarked, and just had to let our CD know the night before (they will go over this in the final port talk so you have lots of time), and she had a taxi waiting for us for when out train left in the morning.

 

I've only sailed on Avalon, but they will spoil you by doing whatever they can to make your trip a fantastic experience. 

[Kenster]

20 minutes ago, PeaceOut22 said:

We are going on our first-ever river cruise in May. We are cruising Amsterdam to Basel on Avalon. I have several questions that I have not been able to get answered yet. It will be some time before we have our final travel documents to answer these questions, so I would really appreciate any responses. 

1- Boarding: How early can passengers board the boat? All we know so far is that everyone must be on board by 5 p.m. Do passengers arrive individually to the dock, like on large cruise ships? Or is there a meeting point and passengers are shuttled in?

2- Included excursions: How do included excursions get reserved? The only info I have found so far relates to the optional excursions that require additional fees; these open for booking in February. Do you not have to book the included excursions in advance?

3- Disembarking: What time typically does disembarking take place on departure day? And do you arrange for personal transportation right at the dock, or do they shuttle the passengers to another spot?

Thank you in advance.

They will allow you on the ship by late morning on arrival day.  Do not expect your cabin to be ready until mid afternoon. They will be very busy dealing with departing passengers so it’s best to take your bags into the lounge and hang out there. You will be able to enjoy a light lunch in the lounge. You can leave your bags onboard and go out to explore for a while. 
Pax make their way to the ship on their own. Sometimes, a bus is used to transfer large numbers of passengers arriving about the same time from the airport. If you are flying in on arrival day, you can take a taxi to the ship or purchase a transfer from Avalon. No meeting spot. You go directly to the ship. 
 

2. Ninety days from departure you will have access to book all your excursions via the “My Avalon” portal. It’s a good idea to book even the included ones. Sometimes, there is a limited number of seats available so you don’t want to be disappointed by not getting your desired excursion.  No problem on the major inclusions like a city tour. There’ll always be room but it’s still good to book so they’ll know how many local guides/buses they’ll need. 
Definitely book your optionals as they ARE limited, for the most part.  Some can be very small groups.  If you wait until you’re onboard, you could be disappointed.  You can always cancel up to 24 hours ahead of time. 
 

3.  You can leave the ship as early as you like on departure day. If you’re flying out, allow not only travel time but also plenty of time at the airport. Probably should leave the ship four hours ahead of flight departure. If you’re not flying out, you can have a more leisurely departure but you have to be out of your cabin by 9:00AM, I believe.  Transportation from the ship is on your own but you can book a transfer through Avalon.  
 

I know you’ll have a great time. And you’ll wish you booked a longer cruise!! 
 

Cheers! 
Ken

[PeaceOut22]

54 minutes ago, PeaceOut22 said:

We are going on our first-ever river cruise in May. We are cruising Amsterdam to Basel on Avalon. I have several questions that I have not been able to get answered yet. It will be some time before we have our final travel documents to answer these questions, so I would really appreciate any responses. 

1- Boarding: How early can passengers board the boat? All we know so far is that everyone must be on board by 5 p.m. Do passengers arrive individually to the dock, like on large cruise ships? Or is there a meeting point and passengers are shuttled in?

2- Included excursions: How do included excursions get reserved? The only info I have found so far relates to the optional excursions that require additional fees; these open for booking in February. Do you not have to book the included excursions in advance?

3- Disembarking: What time typically does disembarking take place on departure day? And do you arrange for personal transportation right at the dock, or do they shuttle the passengers to another spot?

Thank you in advance.

 

20 minutes ago, Daisi said:

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic, and congratulations on booking your first cruise. I suggest you read the "stickies" at the top of the main page to familiarise yourself with river cruises, as there is a lot of differences with ocean cruises.

 

As to your questions:

1) You can board at almost any time, but it's nicer for the crew to wait until at least 10:30, in order to allow the departing passengers to clear out. Your cabin will not be ready, but they will take your suitcases and store them for you, and you can wander around town until you are ready to board. Our first cruise had a tour at 1:00, so we arrived at the boat at around 12:00. We were invited to have a light lunch in the lounge and a drink while we waited for the tour. They were very warm & welcoming, even though we were early. They had our luggage in our room by the time we got back from our tour.

 

2) Included excursions are usually also available on the MyAvalon site to book, as well as the optional ones. You don't have to book ahead, but it will give them a rough idea as to how many to prepare for. During the free Happy Hour, they will have a port talk for the next day, and you can let the CD know then which excursion you would like. I would suggest however, if you are looking at the cycling excursions, to pre-book them on the MyAvalon site, as they bring in bikes for the passengers to use, and it will ensure that enough are there for you.

 

3) Disembarking can take place at anytime once you dock. If you have an early flight out, speak with your CD a couple of days ahead, and they can help you out to know what time. If you are doing the post stay with Avalon, they will have it all organised. We took a "milk-run train back along the river when we disembarked, and just had to let our CD know the night before (they will go over this in the final port talk so you have lots of time), and she had a taxi waiting for us for when out train left in the morning.

 

I've only sailed on Avalon, but they will spoil you by doing whatever they can to make your trip a fantastic experience. 

 

20 minutes ago, Daisi said:

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic, and congratulations on booking your first cruise. I suggest you read the "stickies" at the top of the main page to familiarise yourself with river cruises, as there is a lot of differences with ocean cruises.

 

As to your questions:

1) You can board at almost any time, but it's nicer for the crew to wait until at least 10:30, in order to allow the departing passengers to clear out. Your cabin will not be ready, but they will take your suitcases and store them for you, and you can wander around town until you are ready to board. Our first cruise had a tour at 1:00, so we arrived at the boat at around 12:00. We were invited to have a light lunch in the lounge and a drink while we waited for the tour. They were very warm & welcoming, even though we were early. They had our luggage in our room by the time we got back from our tour.

 

2) Included excursions are usually also available on the MyAvalon site to book, as well as the optional ones. You don't have to book ahead, but it will give them a rough idea as to how many to prepare for. During the free Happy Hour, they will have a port talk for the next day, and you can let the CD know then which excursion you would like. I would suggest however, if you are looking at the cycling excursions, to pre-book them on the MyAvalon site, as they bring in bikes for the passengers to use, and it will ensure that enough are there for you.

 

3) Disembarking can take place at anytime once you dock. If you have an early flight out, speak with your CD a couple of days ahead, and they can help you out to know what time. If you are doing the post stay with Avalon, they will have it all organised. We took a "milk-run train back along the river when we disembarked, and just had to let our CD know the night before (they will go over this in the final port talk so you have lots of time), and she had a taxi waiting for us for when out train left in the morning.

 

I've only sailed on Avalon, but they will spoil you by doing whatever they can to make your trip a fantastic experience. 

Thank you so much, Daisi! This is really helpful. We really appreciate your quick response and suggestions.

[PeaceOut22]

21 minutes ago, Kenster said:

They will allow you on the ship by late morning on arrival day.  Do not expect your cabin to be ready until mid afternoon. They will be very busy dealing with departing passengers so it’s best to take your bags into the lounge and hang out there. You will be able to enjoy a light lunch in the lounge. You can leave your bags onboard and go out to explore for a while. 
Pax make their way to the ship on their own. Sometimes, a bus is used to transfer large numbers of passengers arriving about the same time from the airport. If you are flying in on arrival day, you can take a taxi to the ship or purchase a transfer from Avalon. No meeting spot. You go directly to the ship. 
 

2. Ninety days from departure you will have access to book all your excursions via the “My Avalon” portal. It’s a good idea to book even the included ones. Sometimes, there is a limited number of seats available so you don’t want to be disappointed by not getting your desired excursion.  No problem on the major inclusions like a city tour. There’ll always be room but it’s still good to book so they’ll know how many local guides/buses they’ll need. 
Definitely book your optionals as they ARE limited, for the most part.  Some can be very small groups.  If you wait until you’re onboard, you could be disappointed.  You can always cancel up to 24 hours ahead of time. 
 

3.  You can leave the ship as early as you like on departure day. If you’re flying out, allow not only travel time but also plenty of time at the airport. Probably should leave the ship four hours ahead of flight departure. If you’re not flying out, you can have a more leisurely departure but you have to be out of your cabin by 9:00AM, I believe.  Transportation from the ship is on your own but you can book a transfer through Avalon.  
 

I know you’ll have a great time. And you’ll wish you booked a longer cruise!! 
 

Cheers! 
Ken

Thanks very much, Ken, for this excellent information and quick response. We really appreciate it!

[moonriver54]

Having not been on a cruise before, and after reading some river cruises include tipping in their all-inclusive price and some do not...and as I understand it Avalon Waterways does not...can somebody please explain the tipping process aboard Avalon so we don't step on any toes by tipping ungenerously or improperly?  When to tip, how much to tip and perhaps other kind gestures for the crew??

[TMLAalum]

Ten of us are boarding in Amsterdam with an overnight there on Avalon Expression arriving there from Paris via Thalys. Booking for the train opens 120 days out and the most reasonable fares are at that time. All of us have visited Amsterdam previously.
Part of the group is planning on visiting the Anne Frank House the afternoon we board the boat, but then I saw Daisi’s post that there is an afternoon excursion on boarding day. Should the others proceed with the plan for AnneFrank that afternoon? Any insights into boarding day for Avalon out of Amsterdam?

[YoungDubFan]

Moonriver - there are tipping guideline in your info packet. With Avalon you have the option to prepay tips, which I normally do. If you do not prepay, you will be given envelopes towards the end of the cruise. You tip the Cruise director separately and then there is a pool for all housekeeping, wait staff, etc. You can always give some extra to anyone who you feel has provided you with extra service. 

 

I looked through their online brochure to see if they still have a suggestion and I found a section that says that gratuities are included for wait staff at included meals and porterage at hotels for 1 suitcase per person during the land portion of any trips. Tips for the Tour / Cruise Director, Local Hosts, Local Guides & ships crews are not included unless otherwise noted in pricing details and are discretionary.

 

They used to have suggested daily amounts and I am still looking for that. Perhaps someone who cruised last year can chime in. I’m booked for the Tulip Time at the end of April so am interested as well, but I’m pretty sure I’ve already prepaid my tips. 

[Kenster]

39 minutes ago, moonriver54 said:

Having not been on a cruise before, and after reading some river cruises include tipping in their all-inclusive price and some do not...and as I understand it Avalon Waterways does not...can somebody please explain the tipping process aboard Avalon so we don't step on any toes by tipping ungenerously or improperly?  When to tip, how much to tip and perhaps other kind gestures for the crew??

Tips are presented at the end of the cruise though you do have the option to pre-pay them through Avalon. 
The Cruise director is tipped separately as he works directly for Avalon while the staff and crew work for the ship owner. 
 

I think the recommended gratuity for the CD is €3 (euros) PER PERSON per day. 
The crew tip is €13 per person per day turned in in one envelope to be distributed among all staff. 
 

We also usually tip a little extra, in person, to our dining room waiter.  (We tend to stick with one zone and the same waiter) Also an extra tip to our favorite lounge waitress/bar tender. 
 

Tips for local guides and bus drivers are included. 

Edited January 9, 2023 by Kenster

[moonriver54]

2 minutes ago, Kenster said:

Tip are presented at the end of the cruise though you do have the option to pre-pay them through Avalon. 
The Cruise director is tipped separately as he works directly for Avalon while the staff and crew work for the ship owner. 
 

I think the recommended gratuity for the CD is €3 (euros) PER PERSON per day. 
The crew tip is $13 per person per day turned in in one envelope to be distributed among all staff. 
 

We also usually tip a little extra, in person, to our dining room waiter.  (We tend to stick with one zone and the same waiter) Also an extra tip to our favorite lounge waitress/bar tender. 
 

Tips for local guides and bus drivers are included. 

Thank you very much.  That was exactly what I was looking for.  Much appreciated.

[gnome12]

My experience was in South East Asia, so perhaps less relevant to Europe, but here goes. I prepaid my gratuities, but the staff took such good care of me (I had a sore knee and was using a cane on excursions) that I added extra at the end of the trip. At least on this trip, it was possible to pay by credit card.

One of the differences in SE Asia is that there is generally no dock, and the water level was well below the village above. The crew would dig out a stairway from the bank every time we docked, and when it was my turn to go up there was ALWAYS someone at my elbow to assist me.

[YoungDubFan]

I just checked with Avalon. For European rivers, suggested amount is 3-5 Euros / day for the Cruise director and 12 Euros /day for the rest of the staff. I’m not sure why this is no longer easy to find on their webpage.

[Daisi]

2 hours ago, TMLAalum said:

Ten of us are boarding in Amsterdam with an overnight there on Avalon Expression arriving there from Paris via Thalys. Booking for the train opens 120 days out and the most reasonable fares are at that time. All of us have visited Amsterdam previously.
Part of the group is planning on visiting the Anne Frank House the afternoon we board the boat, but then I saw Daisi’s post that there is an afternoon excursion on boarding day. Should the others proceed with the plan for AnneFrank that afternoon? Any insights into boarding day for Avalon out of Amsterdam?

 

You may not have an excursion on your trip. Ours was an optional trip to Keukenhof, but that was a couple of years ago. Check your itinerary online to see if there are any optional tours for embarkment day. If you really wish to see the Anne Frank I would go for it, as tickets have to be purchased well in advance. I just used that as an example to show you can board prior to the 5:00 request, but your cabin may not be ready, and if you are there around lunchtime, you will be invited to lunch. 🙂

 

[moonriver54]

1 hour ago, YoungDubFan said:

I just checked with Avalon. For European rivers, suggested amount is 3-5 Euros / day for the Cruise director and 12 Euros /day for the rest of the staff. I’m not sure why this is no longer easy to find on their webpage.

Thank you!  I thought it was me...I spent about an hour today looking on the Avalon Waterways web site and searched through our Avalon Travel Packet and couldn't find any guidance regarding tipping.  I appreciate your efforts!

[moonriver54]

I found this Reuters article on European snowpack and river water levels this morning.  Sounds like perhaps another dry summer???

 

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/europes-mild-weather-reprieve-this-winter-may-come-bite-by-summer-2023-01-11/