This was our first-ever river cruise. MUCH prefer the small ship experience to the big cruise ships. The Avalon Paris-Normandy trip itinerary was appealing, especially since my husband is a WWII buff. I really loved the visits to the Monet and Van Gogh home sites. Each stop was fascinating, however. Thoroughly enjoyed every single day!

Avalon's service is superb. Cannot say enough good things about the dining and bar wait staff - excellent. Our dining room waiter Andre was charming and super attentive. Marie in the bar knew what we drank and was always a sweetheart. The cruise director Tony was also top notch. No request was too much. He went out of his way to ensure the ship's passengers were happy. The tour guides each day were also extremely impressive; very knowledgeable, organized, and accommodating. And I forgot the food. Very good!! Fresh, creative, and very tasty. One night my husband noted that his portion of lamb seemed small and was quickly offered a double portion, no problem.

One criticism: The day trip to Normandy beaches was very rushed. Understandably difficult, since getting there takes 1.5 hours each way. But perhaps instead of a formal lunch, which ate into the day, I would recommend a quick box lunch. Realistically, it would be much better to extend Normandy into a two-day experience. There is so much to see - the one-day tour is but a little taste of what that area offers. Read more