The size of the ship, a smaller ship, and the crew to passenger ratio was a big factor in selecting Avalon. We also were impressed with the size of the staterooms, much larger than other cruise lines we looked at. Most important for me, a vegetarian, was the fact a vegetarian offering was standard on the dinner menu every evening.

While the shore excursions were very enjoyable and educational, a bit more free time to shop would have made them perfect. We particularly enjoyed the local guides knowledge and view on the area they were showing us. Each seemed to be an expert on their city, town, or region.

Finally, the best part of our Rhine cruise was our cruise director Hendrick. He was entertaining, well versed on all aspects of the area we covered, but most important always a step ahead of any situation that occurred particularly since the Rhine was extremely low during our cruise. Read more