Magnificent Rivers of Europe Reviews

Avalon Waterways could not have conducted the Magnificent Europe cruise any better. MS Panorama, its newest boat, was excellent as were the crew and the cruise director Hendrik. Nothing was too much trouble as they wanted the travellers to have a relaxing holiday. The food was magnificent, but too plentiful and tempting and the chefs always wanted us ...read more to try everything. If I had my time again I would not do the Budapest-Amsterdam trip, although we did it in the right direction. The magnificent scenery expected occurred on only 2 days - on the Rhine from Rudesheim to Cologne - and had we done the reverse trip the last 12 days would be disappointing. From Budapest on the Danube to the Maine River and Canal the trip is rather boring and incessantly interrupted by locks - 68 in all on the trip - although the towns we stopped at were interesting. In addition, because of the locks and low bridges the top deck of the Panorama was closed on many days and because the weather on our trip was more wintery than summery, the top deck was not a good option. The spa on the top deck was not used by anybody during the 14 days of the cruise. I think a trip from Basel to Amsterdam on the Rhine would be the best option.