My husband chose this cruise line based on the active excursions offered and reviews offered about the cruise line. This was our first River Cruise and so we really didn't know what to expect. We arrived several days early, stayed with family and adjusted to the time change before ever boarding the ship. If possible, I highly recommend arriving early so on your very first day, you're ready to get the most of the first day of the cruise!
The intimacy provided with the 130 passenger ship was wonderful and we got to visit with some really nice people from all over the map. The food was amazing and even though I was on a low carb diet at the time, I had no trouble finding delicious food at all 3 meals. I actually lost 3 lbs. on this cruise!! Absolutely loved and took advantage of the tea time and then the cocktail hour before the wonderful dinner. I can't say enough about the dining, superb! The service, both in the dining room and our room service, were exceptional. All of the crew that served us were very friendly and very professional.
Most of our excursions were either walking or biking, so we really enjoyed that aspect. We also borrowed the on board bikes a couple of times just to ride into the towns and check them out before the excursion. There were several cities I wish we could have explored longer, but there was a lot of ground to cover in only 1 week! Our cruise director Hendrick was absolutely amazing. He was very experienced and helpful to all of the passengers!!
Our stateroom was very comfortable with lots of storage for our clothes and toiletries in the bathroom. The beds were wonderful and the firmness could be adjusted. Pillows were very comfortable. The whole experience was exceptional. Thank you Avalon for an unforgettable trip!!!