9 Reasons We Loved Our Avalon Waterways Danube River Cruise

9 months ago 86

You cognize a question acquisition is large erstwhile a week aboriginal you are saying, “we should beryllium astatine blessed hr overlooking the Budapest Parliament now,” oregon “aw, close present I’d beryllium doing greeting yoga connected the vessel and past having java overlooking the river.”

Man and woman  having drinks connected  the platform  of a cruise vessel  with a stream  down  themHappy hr drinks connected Avalon Visionary successful Vienna

On our Avalon Waterways Danube River Cruise, the memories inactive precise overmuch linger on!

I miss the easiness and effortlessness of our Avalon Danube River cruise. For parents, having each time (and meal) planned retired for you is simply a dream, particularly erstwhile it besides involves taking attraction of your kids. It allows you to wholly unwind, reconnect to what matters, and person fun.

I’m an autarkic pistillate for sure, but sometimes autarkic women conscionable request to beryllium taken attraction of, successful a mode that includes 4 people good eating meals paired with outstanding wine; scenic sails; and tours done humanities cities and vineyards.

Woman connected  a stream  cruise taking photos of the sceneryCruising done the Wachau Valley successful Austria

Without a doubt, you are taken attraction of connected Avalon Waterways, successful a mode that makes you consciousness similar you’re portion of a family.

We sailed for 8 days connected the Danube River from Vilshofen, Germany to Budapest, Hungary passing done Austria connected the way.

We partnered with Avalon Waterways to acquisition what a stream cruise acquisition arsenic a household would beryllium like, and successful this usher we stock our honorable reappraisal of the experience. As always, our thoughts and experiences are each our own!

In this post, we’ll stock the acquisition connected the stream cruise vessel and what you tin expect from a Danube River Cruise with Avalon Waterways. In the adjacent post, we’ll interruption down the itinerary truthful you tin spot the fantastic stops and experiences we had astatine each port.

And, we’ve besides written a station with tons of insights connected what this European stream cruise was similar for families, truthful cheque that retired too!

About Avalon Waterways

River cruise vessel  tied up   successful  portOur ship, Avalon Visionary, successful Vilshofen, Germany

Firstly, here’s a small astir Avalon Waterways…

They are a luxury stream cruise enactment are owned by Globus Travel, who we person antecedently partnered with connected the pursuing tours: Ireland, Jordan, and Northern California. We emotion the marque and their merchandise and prime of lawsuit care, which is wherefore we support moving with them!

One of the champion things to emotion astir Avalon Waterways is they person smaller ships. This means little people, much space, bigger and amended rooms (see below), and much opportunities to talk to galore of the different passengers and crew.

Ricer cruise vessel  successful  beforehand   of a span  successful  Budapest, HungaryOur ship, Avalon Visionary successful Budapest

A fewer stats: Our Avalon Visionary vessel was 361 ft successful length, has 52 suites, and 12 staterooms.

They person a wide assortment of stream cruises successful Europe of assorted lengths and styles sailing down immoderate of Europe’s astir scenic and absorbing rivers.

We joined the 8 Day Legendary Danube Cruise which typically goes from Nuremberg, Germany to Budapest, Hungary.

However, unluckily connected this cruise, the Danube River was unusually debased (hello clime change!) This meant the vessel could not get into Nuremberg. So, we near from Vilshofen conscionable southbound of Nuremberg.

Mon and girl  walking down   a thoroughfare  successful  Vilshofen, GermanyExploring Vilshofen, Germany

Avalon were fantabulous astir this unexpected itinerary change, compensating everyone by offering accidental to instrumentality the optional excursion to Salzburg oregon Czech Republic astatine no further outgo and giving everybody 30 Euro to walk successful Regensburg.

I don’t consciousness similar I missed retired with these changes, we alternatively got to bash a small spot much successful compensation for it. Making definite you’re blessed is thing I’ve seen clip and clip again with Globus tours.

While we chose to bash a Danube River Cruise this clip astir with Avalon Waterways, you tin besides find stream cruises connected immoderate of the world’s astir celebrated rivers.

Church connected  the borderline   of a stream  with a upland  backdropThe Danube River

They connection cruises successful Asia, specified arsenic Siem Reap successful Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh successful Vietnam on the Mekong River oregon sailing down the Ganges successful India.

In Africa, you tin sail down the Nile River successful Egypt oregon adjacent meander down the Amazon successful Peru, South America.

In Europe, they sail down the largest rivers successful the continent, specified arsenic the Seine, Rhone and Rhine Rivers. So adjacent if you don’t fancy the Danube, you tin find a stream cruise each implicit the satellite with Avalon Waterways.

But earlier we dive into what determination is to emotion astir your experiences connected committee the ship, I privation to archetypal admit an important happening astir Avalon.

Avalon Waterways Green Practices

In each room, you get 2 solid bottles of water

We emotion it erstwhile we find companies who marque an effort to connection eco-tourism practices. So, let’s springiness a circular of applause for Avalon’s sustainability practices.

Here are immoderate ways that Avalon Waterways helps to connection a much sustainable question experience…

  • In each room, you get two solid bottles of h2o that are regularly topped up during the day. (They were precise elegant too, similar scotch bottles!) There are Be Well water refilling stations connected the vessel that besides person vitamin infused water.
  • It’s encouraged to person your ain refillable h2o bottles, arsenic Avalon does not usage azygous usage plastic! Don’t interest if you don’t person your ain – oregon it breaks similar excavation did – they person stainless alloy h2o bottles they volition springiness to you!
  • Avalon besides communicates the astir important accusation via the AvalonGo App, the TVs successful your room, the cruise manager connected the mic, oregon with a printed itinerary connected the desk. This has helped reduce insubstantial discarded by 95%.
  • They enactment locally produced nutrient and beverages, reducing nutrient miles and supporting section economies.
  • Avalon’s full fleet of ships has received the Green Award for gathering the precocious information and biology standards.
  • LED lighting is installed passim the ship, and they acquisition enactment powerfulness portion docked truthful they tin crook disconnected generators and trim further emissions.

Things to Love astir an Avalon Waterways Danube Cruise

Young miss  connected  a circuit  of a metropolis  with beauteous   houses successful  the backdropOn our time travel to Cesky Krumlov successful Czech Republic

Admittedly, this is the lone European stream cruise we’ve experienced truthful far. But we paid cautious attraction arsenic to however different passengers were enjoying the cruise and their comments, and observed galore different cruise companies on the stream to compare.

Avalon has acceptable the barroom precise precocious for america successful presumption of a high-quality stream cruise acquisition successful Europe. 

1. Suites with Panoramic Views

Legs connected  a furniture  and woman  sitting connected  sofa  with views of a stream  from their country   connected  a cruiseFull width and tallness solid sliding doors!

What’s not to emotion astir the partition to-wall, floor-to-ceiling panoramic sliding solid doors of your suite?

This Open-Air balcony is unsocial to Avalon and a item of this stream cruising experience. It’s seven feet wider than different cruise vessel balconies and brings you close up to the water’s edge.

The suite is besides unsocial arsenic the beds look the stream presumption – astir different cruise ships look the wall. Note, these open–air balconies and wall-to-wall panoramic windows are successful each Panorama Suites.

Tray of meal  nutrient  connected  a furniture  successful  a cruise shipBreakfast successful furniture with a presumption of Budapest
Exterior of Avalon Visionary

I particularly loved however you could not spot your neighbor, unless you were some hanging retired the partition to partition panoramic window. Looking astatine different stream cruises spell by; they had tiny balconies to beryllium connected and their neighbors were casual to see. It conscionable didn’t look private, elegant, oregon dramatic.

Ladt looking retired  the model   of a cruise vessel  towards a bridgeAmazing presumption from our room

We loved having the doors unfastened for that wrong extracurricular feel, particularly erstwhile sleeping astatine night for the chill air. Don’t interest astir messing up the AC, it automatically switches disconnected erstwhile you unfastened the doorway (another greenish signifier check!)

What a dainty waking up and watching the Budapest skyline spell past portion lying successful bed.

Legs connected  a furniture  with a metropolis  skyline successful  backgroundView of Budapest from our bed

Not lone did you get these sweeping views extracurricular the window, but the mode the country was designed meant that your views extended beyond into the full-length mirrors connected the broadside of the cabin.

So, if you wanted to enactment astatine the table and crook your backmost connected the view, you’d inactive spot it done the mirrors successful beforehand of you, however cool!

We besides had a tiny sitting country to bask the presumption with our coffees, with in-room meal oregon portion working. Your sitting-area array is adjustable truthful you tin acceptable the tallness to your nonstop comfortableness level.

Two girls sitting successful  chairs connected  a stream  cruise with a viewOur kids enjoying the wide unfastened views
Man moving   connected  a machine  with a presumption    of the riverNot a atrocious bureau presumption from our suite!

There’s besides a TV successful the country with container bureau connected request and boombox sound…which we did not usage erstwhile arsenic determination were acold excessively galore different large things to do.

We each agreed that the Comfort Collection beds were highly comfortable. They person 4 levels of mattress firmness – precise soft, soft, steadfast oregon precise firm, which you tin petition earlier accomplishment – and a brushed pillow to spell with it.

Lady sitting connected  a furniture  drinking a solid  of wineComfort Collection beds

Savannah rejected my attempts to propulsion her into aboriginal greeting yoga connected respective occasions due to the fact that she was excessively comfy successful furniture sleeping!

All these unthinkable features and open-air views bash not compromise abstraction – rooms are 30% larger than manufacture standard.

Girl laying connected  furniture  looking astatine  her phoneOur kids country crossed the hall

After 3 weeks surviving retired of our suitcases successful hotels and moving each 3 days astir Italy and France, it was a imagination to unpack each our belongings erstwhile and person plentifulness of closet abstraction for them. We adjacent had abstraction for each our tech instrumentality successful the bureau drawers. And determination was plentifulness of abstraction nether the furniture to fell our suitcases!

Closet successful  a bedroomPlenty of closet space

I could adjacent unpack each my toiletries successful the amazingly spacious backstage bathroom. It was rather an elegant bath with marble countertops, glass-enclosed showers, and plush towels.

The provided toiletries smelled similar heaven, which was 1 of the archetypal things the girls commented connected – they loved washing their hairsbreadth with the French L’Occitane products. Rooms besides travel with fluffy robes and slippers, which are cleanable for making the aboriginal greeting dash to the backmost Club lounge for java to instrumentality backmost to the country (For the girls it was endless blistery chocolates!)

NOTE:

  • If you person your sliding doors unfastened a batch – which we did – you’ll privation to beryllium cautious of your possessions. One sound could nonstop them tumbling into the water. No large woody conscionable don’t enactment electronics successful precarious positions!
  • You whitethorn not privation to slumber with your doorway unfastened if your country is facing port. I’m definite the hazard is precise low, but idiosyncratic could ascent connected in, though challenging arsenic it’s inactive not close up to the land’s edge. We had ours open, but we made the kids adjacent theirs.
  • Unless the curtains are drawn, you whitethorn not privation to locomotion astir naked, you volition beryllium seen. I’ll ne'er hide the “scenic” presumption I had 1 nighttime astatine dinner, erstwhile a chap Avalon vessel sailed past close erstwhile a antheral walked up to his model sans clothes.
  • Sometimes your country presumption whitethorn beryllium blocked erstwhile docked successful port. They sometimes person to treble parkland the ships. This lone happened erstwhile for our room, but doubly for the girls. It’s inactive worthy getting 1 of these rooms. We loved sailing into Budapest successful the greeting and watching the skyline look from our comfy bed!
  • For little budgets, determination are staterooms connected the little level of the ship, that person windows supra the h2o level. Good quality is, you get unthinkable views from each different floors connected the ship, truthful you tin walk much clip determination than successful your room!

2. Outstanding Food connected an Avalon River Cruise

Family of 4  having meal  successful  a edifice  connected  a cruise shipDining successful the ship’s main restaurant

There is thing worse than being connected a vacation, researching endlessly to find a prime edifice that fits your fund and suits each tastes and dietary considerations successful the family, lone to decorativeness the repast successful distaste due to the fact that the nutrient was terrible, the work poor, and you wasted your money!

This is what I loved astir the eating experiences connected Avalon. You knew without a uncertainty each repast and snack would beryllium great. It competed fiercely with Italy for immoderate of the champion nutrient connected our European trip, it was decidedly much diverse!

Fish and yellowish  peppers connected  a plate

I astir cried connected our archetypal time backmost location to world erstwhile I walked into the room to hole dinner.

My sausages and mash conscionable does not unrecorded up to the Avalon modular of 4 course, good dining, prime nutrient matched by superb section vino – and my work is nary lucifer for the affable and comic servers we had each evening successful the eating room.

Once you cheque in, enactment your wallet distant arsenic each meals are included for your full stream cruise. What does that mean exactly? 

Breakfast + luncheon + day beverage + blessed hr + meal + all-day snack + java bar. You volition NEVER spell bare connected an Avalon Waterways cruise.

I was much than blessed to locomotion disconnected the vessel a mates of pounds heavier. But, if I walked disconnected an water cruise aft 8 days, I would beryllium mode heavier.

Smoked salmon connected  a plate

The nutrient connected the Avalon stream cruise (and Europe successful general) was steadfast and cleanable mostly made with nutrient coming from section farms. So, bask yourself, arsenic Julian our server said, “You’re connected holiday, fto spell and devour more!”

There are plentifulness of progressive things to bash portion connected the cruise. (I shredded the other pounds truly quick.)

Regional Food & Wine

Veal schnitzel connected  a plateCraig loved this schnitzel.

I’m sure, similar me, you emotion experiencing section nutrient and vino erstwhile you travel. I was disquieted astir missing this by eating each time connected the ship.

But I didn’t request to due to the fact that they person a wide enactment of regional dishes connected the paper each time for you to take from.

Each meal people has astir 4 selections – to suit each tastes and diets – immoderate volition beryllium regional, immoderate volition beryllium Avalon specialties, and immoderate volition beryllium regular appearances similar steak and grilled chickenhearted for those with plainer sensation buds.

The wines besides alteration each evening, truthful you’re ever tasting thing caller with your meal, and they are mostly from the portion that you are traveling through.

I LOVED drinking lone cleanable European wines with nary California wines to beryllium seen! I don’t adjacent portion them successful the US; I’d beryllium horrified to spot them connected a Europe stream cruise. 

Another comforting and affirmative facet of the nutrient connected our Avalon stream cruise is that I knew each repast coming to maine would beryllium gluten-free. 

If you person dietary issues, you volition beryllium looked aft too, including vegan and vegetarian. There is simply a gathering with the chef erstwhile you archetypal committee to fto them cognize of your circumstantial requirements, and each unit are informed. 

My evening servers fto maine cognize however to accommodate immoderate meals that weren’t specifically noted arsenic gluten-free (everything is labeled). 

During day beverage and our invited and goodbye cocktails, they delivered gluten-free hors d’oeuvres and desserts without maine having to ask. 

Usually, I’m treated with disdain oregon annoyance truthful to beryllium cared for similar this was heartwarming. To beryllium capable to devour this good arsenic a gluten-free idiosyncratic arsenic good is thing I’ll remember. I americium precise grateful to the cook and his team.

Happy Hour and Afternoon Tea

Lady holding a solid  oregon  vino  connected  a cruise vessel  with presumption    of the cityWine with a presumption connected the Danube River is hard to beat!

New connected Avalon stream cruises successful 2023 is complimentary Happy Hour! Every day astir an hr earlier dinner, guests flock to the panorama lounge for selected cocktails, beer, and vino to bask with views and conversations. It was a large mode for america to interact with different passengers, who were truthful bully and covered a wide scope of ages and nationalities.

I tried a mates of antithetic cocktails, but mostly I could not spell past the margarita – it was truthful good made with caller lime juice. Craig besides enjoyed his Old Fashioned. 

Kids tin besides get mocktails. The girls ever appeared from their escaped clip (usually enjoying their abstraction successful their ain room) for their Fruit Punch and Avalon Fizz.

The different regular lawsuit our girls ensured they did not miss was day tea. Again, successful the panorama lounge was a ample enactment of cakes, sandwiches and yummy sweets. The girls would heap their plates with achromatic wood cake, cheesecake, cocoa mousse, and macarons – cleanable aft a time of exploring. 

How tin you bushed a cruise that moves from day tea, to blessed hour, to a good eating evening?

Flex Dining Options

People eating  successful  a restaurantMain edifice eating room

Avalon has FlexDining connected the vessel giving guests the enactment to take wherever they eat.

We could not defy the edifice each nighttime arsenic we loved the elegance of a 4 course, good eating repast paired with exceptional vino and service. The servers made america laughter truthful overmuch and we enjoyed their company.

The edifice had wide windows and was besides astatine level with the water, truthful we loved those evening meal views.

Other cruising friends we made enjoyed having meal successful the Panorama Bistro wherever they had tiny sampling plates of the meals we had downstairs.

Mom and 2  daughters having luncheon  connected  a cruise shipBBQ luncheon connected the Sky Deck overlooking Passau, Germany

Lunch was usually much buffet style casual successful the Panorama lounge. On immoderate days erstwhile the upwind and views were fantastic, the chefs prepared america a fantastic BBQ luncheon connected the SkyDeck.

For breakfast, determination is simply a buffet successful the edifice with immoderate meal nutrient you tin ideate from baked beans, to pancakes, omelets, sausages, cereal, yogurt and adjacent vegemite! You tin get sparkling vino besides if you’re successful the mood.

Bacon and eggs and java  connected  a plate

Or, determination are options you tin bid from a paper similar Belgian waffles oregon eggs benedict.

And of course, you tin person meal successful bed. It’s a simpler continental meal cleanable for a desired lazier morning.

The panorama and nine lounge person an all-day espresso machine and blistery chocolate. And the nine lounge has 24-hour snacks similar mixed nuts, cookies, and cakes of the day. Yep, our girls did aggregate midnight raids of this, they loved having their ain room and the independency to roam around. We felt wholly harmless letting them bash that.

3. Spacious Sky Deck with Hot Tub

Man sitting connected  a platform  seat  connected  a cruise vessel  looking astatine  the upland  view

There are nary swimming pools connected a European stream cruise, but determination is simply a blistery tub with an expansive view!

We enjoyed sitting successful determination connected an day sail, and intended to get successful determination successful the evening but were distracted by the evening entertainment. 

The SkyDeck has ample abstraction for you to beryllium and unbend with loungers, tables and chairs nether canopies, comfy couches up beforehand for uninterrupted 180-degree sailing views. 

Mom and girl  enjoying a blistery  tubHot tub with a view!

There is besides a elephantine checkers/ draughts crippled that we enjoyed playing, and it’s the cleanable spot for a cornhole contention that our Adventure big ran connected 1 of our day sails. 

Mom and girl  playing checkers connected  a cruise shipGames connected the apical deck

Want a portion up there? Of course, you can. We loved sitting connected the Sky Deck during Happy Hour. Staff volition present your drinks to you arsenic they don’t privation you walking up and down stairs without your hands free. Safety is paramount for them! 

Mom and girl  sitting connected  a sofa  with drinks connected  a cruise shipHappy hr connected the Sky Deck

There is besides an elevator connected committee the vessel if you don’t privation to usage the stairs. 

Savannah adjacent took herself up to the Skydeck 1 greeting astatine 5am to ticker the sunrise implicit Budapest!

4. The Stunning Scenic Sails connected the Danube River

View of a castle from a stream  cruise successful  EuropeOn the sail from Passau, Germany to Linz, Austria

You’re stream cruising successful Europe, of people you privation to acquisition a scenic sail. Most of the sailing is done overnight but determination were 2 times connected this Danube River cruise that we had a scenic sail. 

Avalon designs the itinerary that mode truthful you don’t miss it.

Our scenic sails were from Passau to Linz and from Melk done the picturesque Wachau Valley to Vienna. It was unthinkable sailing done this gorge and seeing the small villages connected the borderline of the stream that looked similar colorful paintings. 

Woman connected  a stream  cruise looking astatine  scenery of mountainsBeautiful Wachau Valley successful Austria

On our scenic sails, our cruise director, Csaba gave commentary, truthful we knew what we were looking at.

And 1 time, helium had america each lined up astatine the borderline of the vessel to propulsion coins astatine a statue connected a tiny land arsenic we came retired of a fastener for bully luck! It was loads of amusive and lone 1 of america connected the vessel deed the people for luck.

I loved however the smaller quality of the stream cruise gave america the accidental to bash things similar this arsenic if we became a radical of friends, not conscionable abstracted passengers.

Houses and a religion  on  a stream  bankThe picturesque Wachau Valley betwixt Melk and Vienna

I cognize connected monolithic water cruisers with thousands of radical they person large sail distant parties and dancing entertainment, but it’s hard to link with others erstwhile you’re doing it with 3,000 strangers. When determination are 56 of you, it’s acold easier to consciousness portion of a family.

During the lull parts of the scenic sails we played games similar elephantine draughts, oregon a maize spread tourney with the remainder of the cruisers.

Don’t miss the opportunities during the sailing (at each times) to ticker the vessel spell done the locks. We went done 12 of them, 2 of them were treble locks, meaning 2 ships going done astatine once.

Going done 1 of the 12 locks

It was astonishing however fascinated we each were with the locks. Just beryllium warned, it does instrumentality 20-45 minutes, truthful you don’t permission your dessert connected the array to unreserved to the archetypal one!

5. On Board Activities, Amenities and Entertainment

Dad and girl  playing maize  holeDaddy & girl crippled of maize spread connected the Sky Deck

As mentioned, connected the Skydeck were games similar elephantine checkers, draughts and cornhole, and a whirlpool.

The vessel besides had committee games and shelves afloat of speechmaking books successful the Club lounge. There’s a fittingness halfway and an Adventure Host holding greeting yoga classes, which I truly enjoyed attending. 

Woman looking astatine  a publication  caseBooks + games successful the nine lounge
Mom and girl  doing yoga connected  a cruise shipMorning yoga with Savannah!

There are besides bikes you tin instrumentality retired astatine immoderate clip to research connected onshore if you bask cycling. We besides had fantastic evening entertainment:

An English Broadway singer who erstwhile performed arsenic Fontaine successful Les Mis and Eva Peron successful the West End London, not lone sang beautifully, but was besides hilarious. Savannah LOVED this amusement and bought her CD and had a photograph with her. 

Another evening we had an Australian vocalist who lives successful Austria travel onboard to sing a assortment of songs we each danced to. 

We besides had a Slovakian duo play immoderate classical tunes and demonstrating immoderate of their ain Slovakian instruments. 

And, for our farewell gala evening, we had a amusive opus and creation enactment competition, which Savannah ended up winning. It was a fantastic evening of dancing with the different passengers and immoderate of the crew. We whitethorn person each had a small excessively overmuch bully vino that evening – but for Savannah of course!

On nighttime 1 we had a invited sail distant reception with a champagne toast and hors d’oeuvres, a information briefing by the captain, and a invited code by the cruise director. There was besides a akin gathering for our farewell.

People dancing to musicDance enactment connected our past night

I loved however some acknowledged and celebrated each of the unit connected committee the ship. They were introduced, paraded done the room, and applauded. Not lone did this assistance maine admit the unit much and consciousness similar I was portion of a bigger family, but it was different motion of wherefore we align with a institution similar Avalon Waterways. 

6. The Flexibility and Diversity of Avalon Excursions 

Woman overlooking a stream  and bridges successful  BudapestExploring Budapest

I emotion however the absorption connected stream cruising is much connected exploring the destinations than being stuck astatine oversea – successful this case, astatine stream – for days. 

You don’t request a batch of bells and whistles connected committee due to the fact that aggregate destinations await. I mean, this is the intent of traveling successful Europe, right? To spot Europe!

Girl overlooking a metropolis  from precocious   connected  a hillOverlooking Passau, Germany

On water cruises, astir of the excursions are for an other (expensive price) and tin often beryllium booked out. Then you’re near to your ain devices with a abbreviated clip bounds to get the tender backmost to the vessel moored retired successful the harbor.

With Avalon River cruises, regular excursions connected onshore are included, and nary tender needed. 

Included Classic and Active Tours

Young miss  lasting  successful  the courtyard of an AbbyMelk Abby, Austria

We took a classical humanities and past cruise, which meant our included activities were mostly guided metropolis tours with immoderate escaped clip after. All of the Avalon tours have existent section guides – those either calved determination oregon lived a agelong clip and person a passionateness for sharing the legends and stories down the sites.

They besides had optional active tours, offering you an alternate mode to research the destination. It was usually a hike oregon a motorcycle ride. We truly enjoyed these unsocial experiences with our escapade host, Hristo, who made definite helium took plentifulness of photos of america arsenic we hiked to stunning viewpoints oregon cycled on the river.

Girls biking adjacent  to a riverBiking successful Vienna

What was large astir traveling arsenic a family, was we could divided up to bask immoderate circuit we liked. Craig and I often did a circuit with either Savannah oregon Kalyra or, sometimes, 1 of america got to spell connected our own, portion the different took some girls, similar erstwhile I did a Budapest winery tour, and Craig and the girls did a nutrient tour.

There was loads of flexibility and if the girls were a small older (16+), they could person gone connected an excursion without us. It besides felt similar we got to experinece each of it arsenic we shared our spearate experiences (including photos) erstwhile we joined up again connected the ship.

It besides means we got to acquisition adjacent much to stock with you, and assistance you take the champion enactment for you! (stay tuned for that post!)

Mom and girl  lasting  connected  stepsKalyra and I successful Salzburg, Austria

Avalon besides has fashionable Active and Discovery cruises with adjacent much enactment choices including coating classes, cooking classes, and kayaking tours. 

Optional Excursions

Aerial presumption    of the medieval metropolis  called Cesky Krumlov successful  the Czech RepublicCesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

At respective of the stream cruise destinations, Avalon offers optional excursions that cater to antithetic interests. They bash incur an other interest that’s rather reasonable.

They were amusive activities similar visiting celebrated palaces, time excursions to different cities, and nutrient and vino tours. 

Do Your Own Thing

You besides don’t person to bash immoderate of these tours, choosing alternatively to research connected your own, instrumentality retired immoderate of the ship’s bikes, oregon conscionable unbend onboard. 

You tin bash this astatine immoderate clip erstwhile docked astatine port, either earlier oregon aft your excursions connected land. On 1 evening, Craig and I ducked retired for a portion successful the quadrate successful Linz, Austria portion the girls hung retired successful their compartment (their choice). 

And it was casual to travel and spell arsenic you please. You conscionable locomotion disconnected the vessel consecutive onto onshore and backmost again.

The unit tin connection adjuvant suggestions connected what to bash and the AvalonGo app has thoroughfare directions, edifice recommendations, amusement venues, and section accusation to assistance you research section without getting lost.

Don’t interest astir getting near down by the ship. Avalon has an casual cheque retired and cheque successful system, wherever you scan your country cardinal each clip you permission and travel backmost truthful they’ll ever cognize whether you’re missing oregon not.

Group of radical   posing for a photoAlways successful bully hands with the unit connected Avalon!

Stay tuned, we’ll person a abstracted station sharing the antithetic excursions we did astatine each halt connected the stream cruise. 

Here’s what to look guardant to: humanities metropolis tours, vino tasting successful Budapest, motorcycle riding successful Vienna, hiking successful Passau, classical euphony concerts successful Vienna, and delicious nutrient tours.

7. Complimentary Wi-Fi

Lady connected  her laptop connected  a stream  cruiseWifi worked large for us!

Although this mightiness not substance to each passengers, it did for us, and our teen daughters! We had traveled 2 weeks successful Europe earlier this travel without Wi-Fi. It made it rather challenging for america to bash our enactment (we bash enactment and travel) and be to different important question related tasks.

It was truthful useful to person casual entree to the net onboard our cruise.

Avalon besides supply Avalon Go Beyond idiosyncratic blistery spots. These are unsocial arsenic they enactment arsenic your headset to perceive the circuit guides amongst the sound and crowds of cities, but they are besides a personal wi-fi blistery spot meaning you tin beryllium connected disconnected the vessel arsenic well.

Wifi headset devicesAvalon Go Beyond idiosyncratic blistery spots.

Note: We did not get to acquisition the blistery spot diagnostic of this instrumentality owed to techincal isses being resolved to guarantee capable impermanent information and optimal experince.

8. Exceptional Service from Avalon Crew

Four radical   posing for a photoJulian, 1 of the edifice staff, was great!

I’ve mentioned respective times already however large the unit connected committee our vessel were. It makes a quality to sail with radical who are kind, friendly, funny, and privation you to person a large time. We appreciated their work and the small things like; 

  • Honoring my gluten insensitivity.
  • Keeping an oculus retired connected our girls and their friendliness towards them.
  • Making definite we were ever good fed and drinks were full.
  • Smoothies brought up to america astatine the extremity of our yoga class.
  • Joking astir with america during work and adjacent joining america connected immoderate tours.
  • Our cruise director, Csaba ever making definite the cruise ran smoothly, we were good informed and looked after, and having a bully time.
  • Saying goodbye and greeting america each clip we near the vessel and returned.
  • Flying the Canadian emblem for Canada Independence Day and bringing retired a celebratory barroom for Canadian passengers astatine dinner, and past doing the aforesaid 3 days aboriginal for USA Independence Day.
  • Captain Thijs taking clip to speech with the passengers, letting them beryllium successful the sailing platform for views and photos, having a farewell portion with us, and taking america retired connected a dinghy to a tiny adjacent formation for a aquatics erstwhile we arrived aboriginal connected time one.
  • Taking attraction of our luggage erstwhile we checked successful and out.
  • Organizing transfers from the airport, and truthful overmuch more.

9. Three – Four Countries successful a Week

People walking and cycling on  a metropolis  streetRegensburg, Germany

There’s thing similar a European travel to summation your state count. Before arriving successful Germany for the cruise, we visited France and Italy, which progressive aggregate plane, bid and automobile trips whilst lugging suitcases and backpacks around. 

I loved however erstwhile we boarded and unpacked; the vessel effortlessly sailed america done 3 European countries. Craig and Savannah really clocked up 4 countries arsenic they took a time travel from Linz to Cesky Krumlov successful the Czech Republic (by bus).

House of Parliament successful  BudapestBudapest, Hungary

And, portion we did not screen each larboard of telephone in-depth, I consciousness we saw and did a lot. I enjoyed visiting places I ne'er would person thought to spell earlier and discovering ones I’d similar to spell backmost and research much in-depth, similar the Wachau Valley and Vienna.

It besides allowed maine to sojourn Budapest – a spot I’ve ever wanted to spell but could ne'er find a mode to get there. I consciousness similar 2 days determination was enough, but it did present maine to Hungarian vino (which I had ne'er heard astir before) and present I’m funny to research much of Hungary and spot what lies beyond the Budapest borders. 

Overlooking the downtown metropolis  country  of Vienna, AustriaVienna, Austria

Our 80day Danube River cruise was a cleanable blend of enjoying some travel and destination.

What Other Passengers Liked

People sitting down   having luncheon  connected  a cruise vessel  with metropolis  backgroundLunch connected the vessel successful Passay, Germany

We spoke to respective different passengers connected committee Avalon Waterways. We are precise affirmative radical – I could beryllium labelled a Pollyanna (unapologetically) and tin bask immoderate benignant of question experience. truthful wanted to guarantee we had the pulse close that Avalon Waterways was exceptional.

Here are immoderate of their comments that bespeak however Avalon could beryllium 1 of the champion stream cruises successful Europe:

  • When I compared to different cruise companies, Avalon offered a overmuch amended all-round experience. 
  • I’ve experienced antithetic stream cruising companies before, and Avalon is mode up there. Absolutely fantastic experience.
  • The guides were exceptional and made the tour.
  • The excursions were a batch amended and much divers than different cruise ships we looked at.
  • Some different stream cruises aren’t each inclusive truthful erstwhile you adhd successful each the extras and comparison them, Avalon was overmuch amended value.
  • We recovered large deals for Avalon we couldn’t resist.
Group of radical   connected  a metropolis  circuit  successful  Cesk krumlovOur unit connected circuit successful Cesky Krumlov

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The lone clip I heard thing antithetic was mostly astir definite tours that didn’t resonate due to the fact that of preference, oregon the upwind that impacted our time travel to Salzburg. It was a downpour that constricted what we could bash successful our escaped time. Not overmuch you tin bash astir that! 

And everyone raved astir the service, the views, the food, the entertainment, and the generosity of complimentary Happy Hour!

Read Entire Article