You learn a lot about a cruising company when something doesn't go to plan, and Avalon's poor decisions have prompted us with the final verdict of "0 stars, never again". Our Christmas Market cruise was dramatically altered due to high water conditions on the Danube. Avalon was faced with the same dilemma as other cruise lines, and as you'll read, failed across the board with their ...
Based on our research, firsthand testimonials and travel agent recommendations, we chose Avalon. So, expectations were high. Well, this trip exceeded anything we could have dreamed of. Our trip was packaged with our travel agent through Avalon/Globus. This included the flights, transfers, accommodation (2 nights pre cruise in Prague) and on board gratuities...
Avalon rep greeted us at the ...
We chose this Avalon cruise because of the port stops and adventure excursions. There were many excursions to choose from to satisfy everyones’ interests.
The Avalon staff were knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. Helmut had informative port talks and was very helpful if you had a question about other possible places of interest to visit while at port.
The dining room wait staff made the ...
We chose this cruise because we really wanted to see Prague and Budapest. Avalon had really good reviews and we are so happy that we booked this one.
The ship was great. Of course the food was excellent, staff were great, and yoga in the morning was fantastic. Doing yoga with views of castles or cathedrals and the river, was lovely.
We went with a lower cabin to save some money, and for us ...
My wife had always wanted to visit Prague. I thought: if we are going to do that, why not do a "river cruise" also?
It was the best decision we could have ever made!
I had researched cruise lines and Avalon Waterways always received top marks. Plus they had a Prague to Paris cruise. It was a "no brainer"!
The stateroom was the perfect size for the two of us and the bed was ...
This wasn't our first river cruise. We did the Rhine last year. Both vacations were amazing, but the Rhine wasn't as popular/crowded (fewer ships).
The Danube was high due to recent rainfall and bridge clearance was an issue. Avalon did a great job of working around difficult conditions.
The quality of the shore excursions depend, in large part, on the local guides. Many of the guides ...
We were interested in trying a river cruise because several of our friends had enjoyed them. Our travel agent recommended Avalon--highly!! And this particular tour included a number of places we had not visited on our previous travels.
The ships we sailed on were both fantastic. They were in excellent condition. Our rooms were actually roomy. The food was superb. The crews were most ...
This was our first river cruise and based on our experience, certainly not the last. Despite record low river levels at both ends of our trip that required more motorcoach time, Avalon went above and beyond to make up for something that was out of their control. Extra excursions at no charge, partial refunds and their overall willingness to bend over backwards for their guests makes them the go to ...
First the Danube River Cruise with Avalon Exceeded our expectations. The crew and accommodations were first class and professional making us feel at home and welcome.
The shore excursion's were not only educational but just the right length so that you have plenty of free time to just explore. The guides all being local offered particular insights to the local history and culture.
The dining ...
I chose this cruise for its itinerary in central Europe. The scenery was outstanding. The Danube was very low during our cruise, however, the Avalon ship being newer with less draft had no problems sailing while other lines were forced to dock their ships and bus people from town to town. The people at each stop were extremely friendly. Pretty much everyone we encountered spoke excellent ...