Avalon River Cruise Reviews

I have booked with Global Journeys before and I highly commend Georgie for her professionalism in assisting me to plan our Avalon Waterways Cruise and flights. Our trip was faultless with all flights, connections, transfers and meeting points working out perfectly.

The Avalon cruise met our expectations and more. Our cruise host Gayle was warm and ...read more welcoming and carried out her role with fantastic organisational skill. Our cabin was spacious and comfortable with the wide sliding windows affording wonderful views as we glided along the Rhone and Saone Rivers in southern France.

Freedom of choice for meals, seating and optional shore excursions allowed for flexibility and an opportunity to meet and mix with fellow passengers. We thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience - exceptional dining, good onboard entertainment and interesting land tours - a highly recommended French River Cruise!

Pretty towns with decorated stores everywhere. A great variety of quality keepsakes instead of the usual stuff. Had plenty of time to explore the town or stop for coffee and cake. Townfolk warm and welcoming and good sense of humour. Wear good walking shoes as most streets have the original cobble stones. Avalon staff were thoughtful and professional. ...read more Food on the ship was fantastic and changed each day.

We were pleasantly surprised when we booked online and found that we were allocated our personal travel agent. This made the process really easy and pleasant. Our ship, the Avalon Passion, was new and offered comfort beyond our expectations. All staff were knowledgeable, courteous and helpful. Our fellow passengers were friendly and many made interesting ...read more table companions.

The whole experience was excellent. The help and communication I received from Yvonne Brooks of Global Journeys was first class.

We are extremely happy to leave some feedback about our recent Avalon River Cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. The program was first class as was every aspect of the service. Great, knowledgeable and very friendly staff. They went well beyond what we'd expect to make the journey so special. Our cruise director was brilliant and so entertaining.

Avalon ...read more made sure every little detail was addressed and this was confirmed when we discussed issues with travellers who were cruising with other companies. It was relaxing yet very special and the overwhelming feel was of that of pure satisfaction. I only wish I had the will power to resist the food!

This is not our first cruise but I would certainly recommend Avalon to anyone considering cruising.

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.