Balkan Discovery Reviews

We had an absolutely fabulous time cruising through Eastern Europe. The Avalon Passion is the newest ship in the fleet and it is outstanding. Our stateroom was extremely comfortable and luxurious, the staff were very friendly and helpful and the daily tours were very informative and well planned. This is the second time we have booked through Global ...read more Journeys and we will definitely use them again.

The overall organisation of the holiday from booking to the completion in Bucharest was efficient and helpful.The accommodation in the hotels and on the boat was of a high standard. The hotels were also located in convenient locations so one could get out and explore whilst in the cities. The tours were very good, interesting but a bit slow. It is recommended ...read more that one bus be for the people who like to get out and move around quickly with a guide to make the most of their time on shore. A few times I felt like I was doing the senior shuffle when I could have used that extra hour for further exploration or a bit of shopping. The mix of people on board was excellent and welcoming to a single traveller. Praise must be given to Monica for running a tight ship. She was very clear and concise on the daily programmes and they ran efficiently. The staff were very good in their service and the chef's menu suited all dietary and calorie requirements.

Although usually independent travelers we decided to book a cruise through the Balkans because of the difficulties of booking rail travel in that area. It was the best decision we could have made. Our brilliant service from Yvonne at Global Journeys set the standard for the entire cruise experience. Booking was seamless, documentation was sent to ...read more us early as requested and we were fortunate to receive an upgrade at the last minute. Booking on to the cruise at Budapest was efficient and the 5* pre and post cruise accommodation first class. Pre-cruise information was helpful and all information we received during the cruise about countries we were visiting was interesting and informative. Our cruise director, Andrzej, was brilliant, patient and amusing. Nothing was too much trouble for him and as he had been travelling to the Balkans for 20 years his advice was invaluable. All crew and staff on the Luminary were helpful, friendly and efficient and the accommodation was beautiful and far more spacious than we expected. We had read the cruise itinerary and information from travel guides and knew this wasn't a castles and cuckoo clocks tour, which is why we had booked it. It was very informative and gave us a great insight, through day tours and the knowledgeable guides, of the turbulent history of this region, which was exactly what we wanted. After what could be long and emotionally challenging day of sight seeing we had our haven, the beautiful Luminary, to come home to. This is not a cruise for everyone - it is not about wine tasting and classical music evenings in castles, which are offered in abundance on other cruises. It does involve some long day tours to interesting sights and some more challenging walking. We did, however, enjoy a great night of local food, wine and troubadour style music in a Belgrade restaurant. For that reason I believe it is a cruise which would be enjoyed most by a younger demographic as well as fitter retirees. Thank you once again Global Journeys and Avalon Waterways.