Avalon River Cruise Reviews

I was a bit unlucky with the weather but it did not stop me having a great time. Especially seeing the tulips which was my main reason for taking this river cruise. I really enjoyed the trip, my accommodation was excellent (even if I was at the end of the corridor) the staff were excellent as usual. Food, wine and entertainment were very good, as was ...read more the organisation.

We booked this Tulip Time Cruise because my husband is a keen gardener and thought we would be gliding down the rivers of Holland and Belgium seeing endless fields of tulips. Unfortunately this was not the case and the only opportunity to see tulips was the included visit to Keukenhof Gardens. In fact, we did not see much of the countryside at all as ...read more the boat sailed at night except for 2 afternoons towards the end. This was very disappointing and rather disturbing sleep wise.

The cities we visited were all lovely with beautiful old buildings we don't have in Australia but I would have liked to see the little towns along the river too. The boat was nice and well appointed, the staff friendly and very helpful and of course the food was good with a French chef, maybe a little bit too fancy as only the French do.

There was a mix of nationalities on board, the majority of passengers being American, Australian, and English. Everyone seemed to get along. We had a few showery days and it got unseasonably cold for the last few days but overall the weather was as expected. We were disappointed with the amount of entertainment on board... there was only a few nights when anything was on. They were good acts but we were expecting more local acts.

We booked the trip with Jemma and as usual it was easy and everything went as planned. Thanks Global Journeys once again.

Well organised, all staff gave their all, really outstanding service, the rooms, although compact, were well appointed and had everything you could need. The large panorama windows a definite advantage.

The one disappointment was the food, we were in France in Spring with superb fresh fruit, strawberries, raspberries, apples and fresh crusty bread ...read more in abundance at every port however not on the menu. Roast spring lamb, or freshly made traditional French onion soup or apple tart with fresh Normandy cream would have been nice, not hard or expensive but not available. We purchased our own at each of the stops.

The food was well prepared, often with a reconstructed presentation, Eastern European in style - it missed the mark in what it could have been delivering, that is fresh, provincial French food. Unfortunately, if you like quality cafe coffee you will also need to buy it onshore.

Overall the cruise was enjoyable and to be recommended, just buy from the local market or boulangerie when you stop for the day.

This tour by Avalon was absolutely amazing. There were only twelve people in our group so a boat that has 18 cabins was only partially filled. How luxurious is that.

Our Cruise Director, Quang, is a credit to Avalon’s staffing, his infectious personality was a hit with all on the trip. Our Vietnam guide, Chang, was also an extremely cheerful and ...read more knowledgeable man. Our guide for Cambodia, Chantha, was an amazing guy who regaled us with his history knowledge and had us in fits of laughter every day especially when on the bus microphone. We cannot speak highly enough of these 3 guys.
All of the boat staff were extremely accommodating in every way, nothing was too much trouble, they were faultless.

We were very impressed that there were daily excursions, on many days more than one. The variety on offer meant you were never left wondering what to do each day. Meals on board were outstanding with numerous course choices every mealtime, given there were only 12 of us.

This was our second Avalon river cruise and would highly recommend them.

Fantastic trip starting in Ho Chi Minh staying in the opulent The Reverie Saigon which stepped straight onto the boulevard. New Year lights and interesting history, although maybe too war orientated.

Cruise on the Avalon Saigon was better than expected. Great cabin, exceptional food and terrific crew made the journey very relaxing. Our tour director, ...read more Khan, was very efficient and personable and his story reflected Vietnam’s struggles and cemented what we had been learning on the many day tours. Both Tiem and Pharott were very instructional guides in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Great seeing the river and all its agricultural and aquaculture produce. Tour culminated in Siem Reap and the best was left to last because the temples of Angkor are absolutely amazing. The variety and the intricacy of these ruins are better than any photo depicts.

Highly recommend this trip to anybody. All costs are included so there are no hidden surprises. People make any holiday memorable and the 20 people on board plus the crew and tour directors made this one supremely enjoyable. Thanks to a Hannah from Global Journeys for once again making this holiday seamless and stress free and also obtaining a late discount on initial price.

Great trip met some really nice people. The ship was well presented apart from a rip in our cabin carpet.
Our trip was disrupted due to the shootings at Strasbourg Christmas Market, so that was by-passed but Avalon recovered well and provided alternative markets to visit.

Staff, particularly the waiting staff, were very good and the cabin attendant ...read more made up the room every day so that it sparkled.

This short cruise was a great way to start our Christmas European holiday with delicious food, highlighting local produce, and a reasonable wine list with meals. Our cabin was spacious, well designed along Avalon’s panoramic window principles and had the most comfortable bed with zero partner disturbance. The staff were fine but a little hit and miss ...read more in terms of quality and friendly service. Certainly our cruise director needed to be more present, more light humoured and more personable. Given the tragic events in Strasbourg we understood and appreciated the urgent changes to our schedules along the way.
Most excursions were well done with informative local guides but having to spend extra time in Basel was a disappointment.

We both appreciated the friendly, timely and comprehensive service from Juliet from Global Journeys and intend to book through her again.

It was not the fault of Avalon that there was insufficient water in the Danube to allow us to do the whole cruise we had booked to do. However, Tony, our tour leader and Avalon worked very hard to make our experience enjoyable and memorable. We were able to visit every advertised port, other than Nuremberg, plus we visited Linz and for a fee, a bus ...read more excursion to Bratislava was offered, which we did and enjoyed very much. The food provided on our ship was of exceptional quality and the staff serving us more than met our expectations.

It was disappointing, to us, that the mix of passengers on the ship was limited with the vast majority being from the US. We like to meet people from many different nations but on this occasion we were limited to mostly the USA, followed by Canada, some from the Philippines, a few from Hong Kong and we made up two of only three Australians on board.

What a way to see the highlights of the French countryside! Pampered by the crew who attend to your every need. Relaxing in style, whether it be your room, the lounge or the dining room. The food was delicious! The tours were fantastic and went very smoothly as everything was so well organised! Highlights were Versailles, the French countryside and ...read more of course the Eiffel Tower. Would highly recommend this river cruise.

Our expectations were reasonably high but this trip exceeded them all. Jemma at Global Journeys made the booking process a breeze and Avalon delivered on all occasions. The staff were exceptional, Nico, the Tour Manager, couldn't have been more accommodating or well organised. I have no problem in recommending this cruise.

The booking process was so easy with Jemma, nothing was too much trouble. The river cruise was fantastic, the staff on the Avalon Impression were amazing. It was very tiring but very rewarding as we saw so much. It's hard to name one highlight as there were many.

A delightful journey through the waterways of Europe from Amsterdam to Budapest. Well looked after by the crew, meals superb and we enjoyed the various excursions. The cruise director was very knowledgeable and kept us informed daily. The local guides were all very knowledgeable and most helpful throughout. Fellow passengers were a good mix and we made ...read more many friends. Service staff were exceptional - I would employ them all tomorrow. The ship was well appointed and very comfortable. Our Captain went above and beyond to ensure we got to our destination. Even though the water levels did not cooperate we were well looked after in the alternative accommodation provided. Have recommended this trip to friends and colleagues.

We recently took a river cruise on the Danube with Avalon & Global Journeys. Our much needed break away was everything and more we had hoped for. From beginning to end, we enjoyed professional service in every area, from booking with Global Journeys through to the experienced captain and crew on our cruise. Our Cruise Director, Tony was exceptional ...read more and obviously very experienced.

Every detail was attended to above and beyond our expectations. The meals were delicious, with the menu changing daily including local cultural delicacies. There were many 'extras' included in our daily tours and there simply isn't any better way to travel than watching the villages and local landmarks pass before your eyes, sipping on a glass of something special in the warmth of the sunshine as you cruise along the riverways. We can warmly recommend Avalon and Global Journeys river cruises.

We booked our long awaited Rhine River Cruise from Basel to Amsterdam with Global Journeys. It was a stress free booking experience and we felt well taken care of. The travel along the Rhine was an amazing experience, the day to day optional tours and set tours were fantastic, we learnt so much - there is just so much history to absorb and fabulous ...read more photos to take.

The crew were just incredible, as the river boat only took 120 guests it was a personal experience. We also met some lovely fellow travellers and formed some great friendships. The meals were superb, well thought out with catering for all dietary requirements. Mum and I had been looking forward to this trip for over a year so you can imagine once we boarded the boat how excited we were, well that excitement never left us. Thank you to all involved.

For me this tour can be divided into two different experiences. The section from Ho Chi Minh city to Siem Reap which included the river cruise was amazing. The cruise director and local guides were wonderful, the food was great and the cabin/lounge etc very comfortable. There was a great group of people on the cruise and we all seem to get on well. ...read more I really have no complaints about this part of the tour. The programme devised by Avalon was extremely varied and interesting.

However, it was not until towards the end of the cruise that I learnt that only two of those fellow passengers were moving on to Hanoi/Ha long Bay and after that I was to be completely on my own with guide and driver. The HaLong Bay Cruise was lovely (beautiful weather) and I was grateful for the company of the other couple as most of the other passengers did not have English as their first language. I chose this tour on the assumption that I would be traveling with a number of fellow passengers (except perhaps the Sapa extension). I was not told by Avalon or Global journeys that this was not the case or even that this might occur - it was certainly advertised as a 24 day tour.

If I had known this I might have considered a different tour. I did still enjoy the programme, but there were times when it was quite uncomfortable eg for the “included lunches” in Hue and Danang I sat in an empty restaurant on my own being watched by waiters and waitressers while the guide and driver had lunch elsewhere. And when taken to the silk embroidery house and silk shop being the only person with the guide, I was hounded to buy something wherever I went. My recommendation here is that I should have told I was to be on my own, and more importantly that the guide should have been allowed to dine with me for the included lunches.

On a positive note, the accommodation was most luxurious and the food great. Avalon had made a great effort to prewarn restaurants etc that as a Coeliac, I needed to avoid gluten. Everyone was very accommodating and I am most grateful for that. I would certainly love to take another Avalon river cruise some day.

Absolutely wonderful cruise. Our first cruise and it certainly lived up to our expectations. Great food, really good cabin size and superb bed. The tours were full of history and the guides were first class and local.

My travelling companion looked forward so much to this trip, as we had heard so many positive things about it. And I have to say for the period we were on the Avalon Expression it lived up to every comment we had heard. The Avalon service and organisation was second to none. We always looked forward to meal times.... sublime! What a great team of waiters ...read more & chefs, always obliging and happy to make your experience special.

I honestly can't say what was my highlight, but I did love the Bavarian region, with its magical castles and well preserved historic villages. Looked forward every morning to another new destination with excellent local guides showing us around our port of call. Of course this is inclusive in your trip costs. We had a good mix of travellers, but it would of been nice to have known where everyone had travelled from. Not sure if this is Avalon's policy not to introduce everyone. I never did find out.

Our room although compact was excellent, it seemed to be serviced twice a day. We were on the 2nd level, with its lovely wall to wall windows including sliding doors. However on reflection I would not hesitate next time to take a lower level cabin. Reason being, one is hardly ever in their cabin as the itinerary is full and a high percentage of the time when berthed you have another boat tied up along beside you blocking any view.

Sadly our trip was short lived as six days into our 15 day cruise we had to leave the boat and travel the remainder of the journey by coach, staying in different hotels mostly every night. The reason being that the Danube river was too low for the boat to pass through. This affected all boat companies travelling this route. As very sad as it was Avalon did an amazing job to move and accommodate 130 people every night. They still maintained our original itinerary along the way. Hats off to Avalon for their slick and seamless organisational skills. Also for their generous refund to make up for our disappointment. At no time along the coach route were were we out of pocket.

I am hoping to book another trip with Avalon through Global Journeys, they were great organisations to deal with. Would highly recommend a river cruise as the passenger list is about 145, such a complete contrast to most ocean cruising.

I have just returned from my trip on the Danube. From arriving in Bucharest to leaving Budapest I could not fault this wonderful journey. I chose to do the Transylvania Extension - and the cruise that had the Danube Delta excursion (photo). Both one of the many highlights for me. All hotels Athenee Palace Hilton (Bucharest), Kronwell (Brasov) and ...read more Intercontinental (Budapest) exceeded my expectations. The local guides were all so friendly and knowledgeable and I learnt so much - in particular Juliana who joined us in Bucharest for the Transylvania Extension and left after the day trip to Constanta. I have travelled extensively and she was one of the best, a great young lady. I was a solo passenger and the cruise and airfares were organised by Madeline at Global Journeys. I have rated all aspects of this river cruise 10/10!

Took the 8 day cruise from Bucharest to Budapest via the Danube Delta. More remote than the western part of the Danube with few towns on the river, hence there were some long coach trips for sightseeing. However all worthwhile as there are many interesting places to visit. Highlights were the bird life on the Danube Delta, the river mouth at the Black ...read more Sea, the town of Constanta, passage through the Iron Gates and Veliko Tarnovo and Belogradchik in Bulgaria. Also took the pre-cruise extension to Transylvania which was worthwhile. Avalon Passion is a near new ship and pleasantly fitted out. Food was excellent with many local specialties available. Entertainment other than the resident pianist was only two shows before dinner, much less than previous cruises with Avalon and other operators.

My husband and I really enjoyed our Romantic Rhine river cruise in August this year. The weather was good and the places we visited were very interesting and we saw some very quaint towns with their timbered houses. We found Avalon to be a very organised and enjoyable cruise line. The quality of the ships and their cabins was excellent. The food was ...read more delicious as well. Was a bit disappointed that somehow we ended up with 2 single beds in our cabin and my sister who was travelling alone had a nice queen in her room. I think I was offered the stateroom with 2 singles and never queried it which I guess I should have.

As they have had a very warm summer in Europe the water levels on the Rhine have dropped considerably, there was one section of the Rhine that our ship could not get through. Consequently we had to change ships and bus it between the two ships. Unfortunately it was the section of the Rhine Gorge where all the castles are but Avalon organised for us to see it on a smaller boat so we didn't miss out on that section entirely. Considering the problems, Avalon handled the change of plans very well with very little inconvenience to us. This was our second cruise with them and I would definitely recommend them and would travel with them again.