Everything was fantastic! The ports, the excursions, the food/drink (included beer and wine), the service, the value for the dollar -- everything. The staff was personable, approachable, professional, and all were genuinely happy to be of service. The meals were way beyond what we expected as they were served within moments of being finished in the kitchen. The presentation was impeccable! With only 160 passengers it is far easier to cook and serve immediately than on bigger ships. Our prior cruising trips were on ocean ships and their food was simply mass produced and usually cold by the time it got to you. There were always at least 6 choices of entree for dinner and at least 2 options were indicative of local fare for the city that you had just visited. Same with the wines - which were also excellent. Excursions were extremely well planned and a good value. Port calls had plenty of time planned for the excursion and extra time to go out on your own. They had on-board entertainers that were talented and funny. We did not expect this entertainment offering at all so it was a very nice touch. Tips to first time travelers - bring an electricity converter and a few adapters. A small backpack is the best thing for daily excursions. Over 14 days we only had 1 server in a restaurant that did not speak English - and I think she did, but wouldn't! Most places accept credit cards but with others cash is easier. Buy your Euros from your bank before you leave home. If you have some left over you can use it to tip the staff before leaving. Though wi-fi is offered on the ship, the bandwidth is unpredictable. If you plan on trying to conduct business while on board and will need to send big documents back and forth, you will be very frustrated. Though this wasn't a complaint for us, it was the only thing that we asked Avalon to try to improve upon to make the experience better for their guests. Overall a great experience that we would definitely do again.
We were stuck with the last cabin on the ship as we booked very late. Should we travel on this type of vessel again, we would definitely upgrade to a cabin with a patio. Our cabin was perfect, but it would have better if we could have sat on our patio to watch the countryside go by.