We met two other couples in Monaco and traveled together after meeting on a previous sail throughout Tahiti. We selected Avalon because of the stops, the amenities and the reviews of other cruisers. We were not disappointed. We were thrilled with the itinerary, the excursions and the surprise entertainment. We felt Tony, our cruise director, really made an effort to get to know us and extended us great hospitality.
We especially enjoyed the walking tours included in the cruise. We found the local guided to be knowledgeable, friendly and spoke English well. They always had a fun nugget to share that stayed with us after our departure.
The one excursion we thought was lacking was the trip to Chateneau de Pape. Perhaps we expected too much but would have preferred more time to taste in the village. We thought the winery we were taken to was subpar and while the hostess was sweet, she really didn’t take the time to explain the wine, how is ages and what to look for in the young wines we were tasting. It would have been nice to actually taste a bottle ready to drink to compare the differences. A lite snack would have been nice too, even if the excursion cost more.
Enjoyed our room. Although at first we were concerned about being the last cabin, it was great. We felt the back lounge was our private living space most of the time. We loved sneaking out for a tea and cookie at any time, day or night.