We had never been on any type of cruise. The 16 day river cruise was a much more intimate way of being introduced to cruising and with this our first trip to Europe this appealed to us as a way to be able to visit 5 countries, 6 counting an excursion to the Czech Republic. Once we arrived in Paris August 2nd our luggage was looked after throughout the cruise from beginning to end. Transportation to and from hotels, the boat and airports were excellent. Paris was more than we could imagine. The Avalon Artistry II was grand. It met and exceeded our expectations. The Artistry II staff were efficient, accommodating and would go to great lengths to make things happen. The food on the cruise was excellent. Enjoyed the gallery tour.
We cannot say enough about 'Katy' our cruise director. She was MAGNIFICIENT. Her daily port talks were entertaining and informative. She then followed up with her 'love notes',(the daily news letters). We thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment that was booked on the ship.
We were glad to have all the included tours. We were able to see all the sights we wanted to see and then some with the extra tours you were able to pick.
Very comfortable. Loved our home away from home. Artistry II staff always kept it pristine. Liked the fact we could unpack and not live out of our suitcases. Bed was very comfortable and the pillows were fantastic. Liked that we could open the sliding doors wall to wall and enjoy the scenery as we sailed. The criticism we had is the shower floor was slippery when it was wet. We had to be very careful.
Enjoyed the city tour and the beer tasting
Liked the sights we saw on our way to Nuremberg. The city centre market was wonderful. Purchased the gingerbread cookies from a vendor and they were delicious.
We took the optional excursion through the Danube Gorge, was magnificent.