Is a river cruise for me?
This is a question I am often asked by my customers so I would like to share my first experience of river cruising with you! We started our journey at Heathrow flying with BA from terminal 5 and despite much hype it was a very quick and smooth check-in, and we breezed through security. A good tip for anyone using this route is they have 2 separate areas for security and there are boards to show you which is the least busy. I would also recommend the meet and greet car parking which was very efficient and something I can arrange for you alongside the cruise.
Day 1 - FRANFURT
On arrival in Frankfurt we were meet by a representative of Avalon and after a short coach transfer, we arrived at the dock. Our sailing was onboard the Imagery II and wow, she did not disappoint! We were greeted with a warm welcome and after a short check in, my cabin steward collected my luggage and showed me to my cabin, he gave me a brief rundown of the facilities available and left me to settle in.
I stayed in the Avalon panorama suite, it was stunning. What makes Avalon so unique is how they have designed the cabins. Firstly, the beds face towards the window, they have achieved this by not having a balcony but instead they have used this space to bring the outside space in, having the largest floor to ceiling opening windows on any river cruise. I have to say some of my best time on board was grabbing a coffee sitting in the chair with the door wide open just watching the world go by.
The cabins are beautifully equipped with choices for mattresses and pillow firmness, plenty of storage, full sized luxurious toiletries, bathrobe and slippers, USB charging points, a hairdryer, complimentary water and reasonably priced minibar. They really have thought of every detail to make it a very comfortable stay and it was!
After some time relaxing, it was time for happy hour, every night on board in the panorama lounge guests come together to enjoy their favourite tipple for half price, there was a wide selection to choose from everything from beer to cocktails. During this time is when the cruise director did his daily chat normally for around 15 minutes. This would cover all the activities for the following day. The cruise director was excellent, and he is your go to for anything and everything and never far away if you need a question answered.
While enjoying a drink we had set sail for Rudesheim and there was so much excitement on board as we navigated narrow locks and enjoyed a sublime sunset.
Dinner is served from 7pm the dining room which is beautifully decorated with tables of all different sizes, and you can choose where to sit. Now for the best part the food! I Was Absolutely blown away by the quality, presentation and choice.
4 courses served with a different menu each evening, alongside the menu you could also opt for a classic main such as steak, chicken, salmon or vegetarian. While dining you also get complimentary choice of wines, beers and soft drinks. Once again, Avalon’s attention to detail was impeccable with the menu and wine choices paired with the local flavours. Service was excellent it was truly a 5* dining experience.
Day 2 - RUDESHEIM
What can be better than waking up in the centre of the place you plan to visit? Upon opening my curtains this morning, I was greeted with picturesque Rudesheim. Today I had opted for the included tour “hike through the vineyards” for this, some comfortable shoes and a hearty breakfast were needed. The on board adventure host escorted this tour and we ventured through the beautifully vineyards to reach the top where the most spectacular views and monument greeted us as a reward for the hike.
After the hike we met with the group who had chosen the other included excursion to the mechanical music museum which they also very much enjoyed, we sampled the local specialty coffee called “Rudesheimer” coffee with local brandy and cream, this went down a treat after the hike! Then some free time just to wandered around this quaint village in the heart of the wine county before going back on board for lunch.
Now sailing towards Koblenz and the scenery was breath-taking. Sat on deck, it was a little chilly, but I was not going to miss the views instead I grabbed a blanket thoughtfully provided in the cabin, ordered a bottle of sparkling wine and settled in for a few hours of castle spotting trying to decide which one I would buy if I could! On arrival in Koblenz, I decided to take the cable car ride which at €14 was well worth it for the views.
Tonight’s post dinner entertainment was a band playing music from 60’s to modern day it was lovely to see guests of all ages enjoying a dance or just sitting and enjoying the tunes.
Day 3 - COLOGNE
Todays choice of excursions was a bike tour with the adventure host or a guided city tour. The city tour had two options one being a gentler pace if that suited you better. After yesterday’s hike, I opted for the city tour to be kind to my legs. A local guide who was very knowledgeable escorted us around the city taking in all the attractions Cologne has to offer. Avalon provide headsets so you can always hear what is being said, I really enjoyed this tour.
After the tour, I did a bit of shopping, but you may choose to sample a Kolsch pale larger brewed locally for over 100 years! Then it was back on board to enjoy lunch. Today I decided to have a light lunch which is another dining option available for both lunch and dinner in the more casual panorama lounge. I had the afternoon free to relax the sun was shining so I decided it was sun bed and hot tub time while we sailed towards Amsterdam, just perfect.
Day 4 - AMSTERDAM
Having previously visited Amsterdam but never done a canal cruise I was excited for todays included excursion and it did not disappoint, what a wonderful way to see the city from a different viewpoint, the excursion host provided so much interesting information as we twisted and turned along the iconic canals of Amsterdam. This tour is a definite must do. As our ship was docked now for the day and night in Amsterdam so after lunch was a great opportunity to do Amsterdam at leisure. My tip would be if you wanted to visit the Anne Frank house or a museum, I would pre book before you come as they are very busy!
So tonight was my last night onboard which could only mean one thing it was Gala dinner time. This was a very special event starting with the captain’s drinks reception and a 5-course gala dinner which surpassed my expectations to say it was delicious is an understatement!
Day 5 - HOME TIME
So it was time to bid farewell to Avalons Imagery II and what a trip it had been with memories I will always treasure.
So in Summary is a river cruise for me?
If you want a beautiful floating hotel that takes you stress free right into the heart of a county that provides a relaxed laidback and friendly atmosphere along with excursion options that suit everyone’s needs and fine dining with exceptional service, then yes, I think it definitely would! If your still in any doubt please feel free to come and chat with me!
