After arriving in Amsterdam I stayed at the Movenpick Hotel which is very close to where the cruise ships dock so it was a perfect choice. Embarkation was done very easily and quickly from the hotel to the ship.

The Expression is a lovely ship with plenty of room for the 115 guests to enjoy. The upper deck was equipped with a hot tub which was seldom used and plenty of lounges so that you can just lay back and enjoy the passing scenery. It was the most interesting place to watch the world go by. The lounge/bar area was well designed with plenty of seating and huge windows. Afternoon tea was served there as well as the tastings. The after-deck lounge has a coffee machine and snacks as well as a small library and is the perfect place to find a quiet spot to read.

Since I travel alone I chose Avalon because they did not charge for double occupancy but as a result I was booked into a cabin on the lowest level. It has a very small window right at river level but as I did not plan to stay in my room very much this was not a problem. The cabin staff were excellent, my room was always clean and tidy, and there was a water bottle provided each day. For one person there was plenty of storage space. Read more