We chose this cruise because of the itinerary, which included a post cruise stay in London. This was my first time on Avalon, although I have done river cruises with other lines. On board I was very impressed with the staff, the service, the food -- as well as the cleanliness and comfort of the cabins. This was a family trip for seven of us, and we all had a wonderful time.

The most important elements to me when taking a cruise are the excursions and the guides. Both were excellent on this cruise. The excursion to the Normandy landing beaches was very compelling and something I will not forget for a long time. But seeing some of the smaller towns like Honfleur and Les Andelys were among the highlights for me.

But the highest praise goes to our cruise director, Jean-Loup Dormant. I don't think the man ever sleeps, yet he is always charming, funny and extremely helpful. Plus he works tirelessly to make sure his guests have the best experience possible. An important example of that is the fact that at the beginning of the cruise portion, there was another strike in France that affected the locks, which of course affected our ability to get from one place to another. But Jean-Loup and our captain worked their magic -- and their network -- to ensure that we saw everything on the itinerary. The schedule had to be re-worked a little, and we may have taken one more bus than we were supposed to, but there were no disappointments. In speaking to some of our guides along the way, we found that passengers of some other lines weren't so lucky, and they missed some of their stops. Read more