Travel & Leisure
"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."(Avalon Panorama)
Karen H.
"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."(Avalon Affinity)
Neil E.
"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."
Phil D.
"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 blase 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."
Lisa B.
"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."
Dale D.
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.
Craig and Hazel M.
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. (Avalon Tapestry)
Mary S.
"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." (Avalon Felicity)
Jozette R.
The 'oh wow' factor for me was the difference in river cruising versus ocean cruising – how intimate everything is, the size of the ship, the people you meet and cruising a river. I felt like I could reach out and tap a man on his shoulder who was fly-fishing on the side of the bank
Nicole M.
The clean, very sleek European contemporary design was amazing – the size of the cabins and the way they were appointed, with marble bathrooms and the bed facing the window. Every day you wake up with Europe right in front of you.
Arthur B.
The destination immersion. You are seeing land all the time, and you are in port much of the time, so you can explore. There's also value, with the excursions included and wine with dinner. And the small vessel environment helps as a major selling point. With so few people onboard, you make friends quickly.
Stern's Guide to the Cruise Vacation: 2013
This is one of the most modern, well-designed riverboat lines with excellent pre-cruise, post-cruise, and on-board tour programs with top expert guides.
Maureen R.
We had a wonderful experience. After Avalon, we would never go with those other lines.
Karen H.
I've never experienced a more well-trained, professional staff. By our second day, several of them knew our names and that I have a shell seafood allergy so they could alert me to any foods that might have seafood in them…truly impressive.
Ross L.
Several days ago, we booked our third Avalon cruise. Great, clean ships with all the modern comforts. Avalon provides great food and wine from the area in which you traveling. The crew are young, welcoming, well-trained, and you become friends. Would we recommend Avalon? Absolutely!
Hal
We have been on 35 ocean crises and decided we needed to try something new. We chose the Avalon Blue Danube Discovery. The staff and crew were excellent. They were friendly and Avalon makes sure you are taken care of, from the time they greet you until the end of the trip. Would we go again using Avalon? Absolutely.
Judie
We recently returned from our Burgundy Provence cruise. In a word...wonderful! I personally think the best part of the trip is the boat and the interesting people you meet. Anyone out there taking this particular trip…I so envy you. You will have a great time.
Lyn & Pieter
Our cabin was luxurious…the bathroom is 5-star. The French balcony is something we would insist on in any future cruises; it affords more room in the cabin, and we were able to have the huge sliding door open most days. We found the food and free-flowing drinks at dinner were exceptional. We would recommend Avalon. A totally enjoyable experience!
Carol Sottili, Cruise Critic
The 443 foot-Panorama -- longer than a football field by 83 feet -- offers several innovations, most notably 66 suites with floor-to-ceiling windows. The entire 11-by-7 outside wall of each suite is covered with three glass panels, two of which slide open to reveal a seven-foot-long open-air expanse.
Gene Sloan, USA Today
The Panorama Suites are unusual in the industry not just for their large size but for their floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall panoramic windows that stretch 11 feet wide and open up seven-feet wide - a first for a river ship. When open, the windows give passengers the feel of being on an open-air balcony.
Gene Sloan, USA Today
Creating balconies with seating areas on Europe-based river ships is difficult, given the narrowness of vessels that is dictated by Europe's locks. Avalon has gotten around the problem in Panorama Suites by adding a cozy seating area adjacent to the floor-to-ceiling windows. When the windows are opened wide, passengers in the seating area feel like they are on a balcony.
Linda Garrison, About.com
The most interesting new feature [of Avalon's Suite Ships] is the size and configuration of the 64 Panorama "suites", which are the most prevalent type of stateroom on the Avalon Panorama. These staterooms measure 200 square feet and have sliding glass windows covering the exterior wall. When the doors are open, it's like the whole room is a French balcony. The size also allows the bed to be placed facing the river rather than running parallel to it. Lying in the bed and gazing out the huge window will be a popular activity on this ship. In addition, the larger size allows for a small table and two chairs next to the window, so guests have other places to sit in their cabin rather than just on the bed.
Linda Garrison, About.com
The Avalon Panorama's new larger suite accommodations will satisfy those who have wished for larger cabins on river ships and thought they could never have them due to the size constraints.
Michelle Baran, Travel Weekly
They got it right. Avalon Waterways and parent company Globus unveiled a novel idea a year ago: A sliding glass door for river ships that would essentially transform cabins into open-air balconies. ... And it works, resolving a design conundrum that had the river cruise industry stumped.
Ashley Kosciolek, Cruise Critic
Avalon seems to have taken its passengers' feedback into account when creating Visionary. The ship offers things like noise-canceling ceiling panels in its lounges, and the forward portion of the sun deck was designed three feet lower than the rest, allowing passengers to safely remain outside as the vessel passes under low bridges.
Ashley Kosciolek, Cruise Critic
Overall, the decor (mainly dark brown faux wood with tan accents and pops of color like red and blue) is just the right amount of upscale. You won't find crystal-encrusted staircases or massive chandeliers, but you will find little touches — like under-the-sink night lights in each bathroom, umbrellas by the main desk for use during rainy shore excursions and 'round-the-clock cookies in one of the lounges — that make a world of difference.
Marilyn Green, TravelAge West
Space limitations on river cruise vessels that need to traverse the locks of Europe make balconies a thorny issue: They cut the space available for the stateroom and are not likely to be used in inclement weather. With the river cruise season running 10 months of the year, it's a real issue, but passengers are still demanding balconies. Avalon solved the problem with a 10- by 7-foot, floor-to-ceiling window wall that opens the entire suite into a balcony on the two decks of the 200-square-foot Panorama suites and the 300-square-foot Royal suites, with seating areas near the window wall and beds positioned for maximum river views.
Marilyn Green, TravelAge West
The use of large windows goes beyond the accommodations. Visionary and Vista are wrapped in glass, with dark wood and restrained colors accented with bright touches. The main lounge and dining room have sweeping views, and the Sky Deck fun pool and open-air Bistro for grilled lunches are backed by constantly changing scenery. Even the expanded fitness center has a view.
Marilyn Green, TravelAge West
Dining onboard is excellent, both at the sumptuous breakfast and lunch buffets and at dinner, where there is a rotating menu along with some constant favorites. The breakfast buffet makes healthy eating easy, with low-calorie, high-fiber, low-cholesterol and low-fat selections available. There is no charge for soft drinks at lunch or for regional wines, beer or soft drinks at dinner. The ships are a coffee lover's dream, with self-serve complimentary cappuccino, Lavazza coffee, espressos and lattes, along with hot chocolate and tea.
Marilyn Green, TravelAge West
Included shore excursions are impressive, using Quietvox transmitters and earphones that enhance the experience for both guides and guests.