River Cruise Testimonials

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Facebook is a great place to get the inside story from our other travelers before you go. Read stories and view photos of passengers' cruise experiences and even post your own or ask questions on Facebook.

"A river-cruising vessel (Avalon Panorama) with an oceangoing soul, thanks to generously sized cabins and thoughtful touches like sliding glass doors that turn your room into a balcony of sorts. Book one of the 64 clean-lined, 200-square-foot Panorama suites. Interiors are modern in a palette of crimson and white, and even the simplest cabin categories are stocked with Egyptian-cotton linens and L'Occitane amenities. The main lounge and boîte have floor-to-ceiling windows, which means you don't have to abandon your cocktail and run out to the deck to see - or risk missing - the castle looming on the riverbank."
- Travel & Leisure

"We just returned from our first river cruise on Affinity, cruising the Rhine and Moselle and had a wonderful vacation with Avalon. When we are ready to go again Avalon will definitely be our choice of cruise lines.

I just retired from a career in Human Resources and did staffing for a service related industry, hiring cooks, servers, housekeepers, etc. I was absolutely amazed at the quality of service on the Affinity. I've never experienced a more well trained, professional staff. They were all excellent and while being very friendly and exhibiting fun personalities, they also performed their jobs so proficiently and professionally. By our second day on the ship several of them knew our names, our preferred drinks, and the fact that I have a shell seafood allergy so they could alert me to any foods that might have seafood in them. With 134 new passengers on board this was truly impressive.

I've mentioned to my husband several times that I would like an insight into how Avalon recruits, screens and trains staff. They really were just amazing and one of the reasons we will definitely cruise with Avalon again is directly related to the quality of the staff. Someone on Facebook had commented before we took the trip that they felt the recommended tipping was very high, and someone who just cruised with Avalon stated that after taking the trip and experiencing the staff they would want to tip the recommended amount. All I can say is Amen to that!

Again, thank you for recording the webinar so I could watch it and nothing but kudos to Avalon."
- Karen H.

"I just wanted to touch base with you upon our return from our trip. The best way to sum it up is to say "Wow!" I can't begin to put into words what a great experience it was for us personally as well as for our group. I had numerous individuals from our group say it was the best trip that they had ever been on.

Thanks for all of your help in answering questions and helping to coordinate our reception and cake. We ended up doing the reception on Thursday in the smaller back lounge and it worked out great. All 42 of our group attended and had a very enjoyable time.

If I ever have the opportunity, I would not hesitate to recommend or even better yet take another river cruise with Avalon."
- Neil E.

"Our seven-day voyage from Amsterdam to just outside Zurich took place on what was, in effect, a luxurious child-free floating hotel.

Spacious but limited to around 160 guests, after a while you get almost blasé about the stunning scenery floating past the windows, as you sail along one of the longest rivers in Europe.

Couple all this with excursions into some breathtakingly picturesque German and French towns and villages, and this becomes a truly memorable holiday."
- Phil D.

"I was amazed at the size of the suites. The way the suites were configured with the beds and the bathrooms being placed in certain ways, and the color schemes – it just seems like you have a lot of room. Also, it was very smart as far as storage availability.

There is a lot of opportunity to explore somewhat untapped areas. A lot of villages were started along the rivers, and the primary way to get into them is by river boat. It's all about the experience."
- Lisa B.

"There are certainly all the advantages of being on the river. For the Panorama in particular, the food was sensational. I really thought the history and – for lack of a better term – port lecturing was outstanding. It was actually a highlight to get that information while cruising."
- Greg N.

I wanted to let you know that we had the most fabulous vacation!! Avalon was everything you said it would be and more! The service was fantastic – the crew unbelievable friendly – the ship was clean and comfortable – the food was fabulous – the excursions were terrific! We met lovely people who we will keep in touch with and everyone we talked to couldn't even conjure up a single thing that could have been done better.
- Dale D.

My mom and I had a wonderful time on the Avalon Tranquility. The ship was lovely, and the crew could not have been nicer to us. Everyone seemed to have a great time, and we all raved about the food in particular. Overall, it was the best food I've had on a river ship. I'll be working on my review over the next few weeks, and will let you know when it's complete. Thanks again for the opportunity to sail with Avalon Waterways.
- Linda G.

What a wonderful trip ~ everything was superb. The Tapestry was nice and clean, service was prompt and courteous. We especially found our tour director, Hendrick Jan, a real plus as he was friendly and so very knowledgeable about the area. He went above and beyond his duty to help people with their individual requests. The excursions met our expectations in every way. All in all, a wonderful trip ~ can't wait to do another one.
- Craig and Hazel M.

I love the openness and I would pay for it; that's a value-add for me. I look forward to more ships with the same design."
- Wes R.

"We were all impressed with the ship's layout (Felicity), maintenance, design & comfort. The public spaces were ample for the ship's passenger capacity --- although our voyage sailed with fewer than the maximum, we never felt crowded, nor were we ever unable to find a comfy spot to settle for a bit of relaxation after our day's excursion. The Main Lounge & the Club Lounge were both lovely, welcoming venues at different times of the day. We also took advantage of the Sky Deck as the perfect vantage point when passing through various locks --- a most interesting process which none of my party had ever observed --- & a lovely location to enjoy the glories of the Rhine Gorge on what turned out to be a warm, sunny day. There are plenty of tables & chairs available on the Sky Deck to make this an ideal spot to reap the benefits of a river cruise.

The evening menus were very interesting each day, with a meat, fish & vegetarian option always on hand. In addition, the "Standing Order" items were an excellent alternative for those that preferred something a bit less elaborate, though no less delicious. The inclusion of wine with dinner is an outstanding feature, & the wait staff were most solicitous in filling glasses, & switching from white to red (or vice versa) as each guest requested. My only complaint about dinner: For a cruise which took place almost entirely within Germany we did not have much authentic German cuisine during our week ... even on German Night! Some items were "German", but we had hoped for more locally-sourced items. As an example, my mother is a fan of cheese for her dessert course, & she commented that the selections were rather "generic". However, I reiterate that all food was delicious, well-prepared & well-presented.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first river cruise experience & I look forward to experiencing other wonderful Avalon itineraries in the near future. I am most impressed with the entire operation & have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending Avalon Waterways."
- Mary S.