Three years ago we took an Avalon cruise on the Rhine River and loved the experience. We decided to take the Christmas Market cruise on the Danube to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We were not disappointed. Avalon does everything so very well. The ship was wonderful and beautifully decorated for Christmas. St. Nicholas even left us sweet treats on his feast day, December 6th. Speaking of sweet treats, we loved the traditional ginger cookies always available to enjoy. I am a cookie baker and the Executive Chef helped me with the recipe to bake at home. The staff, crew and Robert our cruise director were all exceptional. The Captain was very approachable and spent time answering passenger questions. I was fascinated by all the locks we traveled through and enjoyed the presentation on the topic. The ports were all special and unique. The food for was delicious. Evening entertainment was very enjoyable. We enjoyed the wine and beer tastings. We had perfect shore excursions and plenty of time to visit the Christmas markets. We met many nice people and will always treasure the memories made on this very special cruise.