In November 2022 I had the opportunity to go on an Avalon River Cruise through Normandy, France. Our sailing was on the Tapestry II. We had 116 guests onboard. Guests were from the United States, Australia, Canada, and the Philippines. Guests were all different ages. There were 116 crew. 1:1 ratio – amazing! We left out of Paris and returned there 7 days later. River cruising is a wonderful form of travel. One of the benefits of cruising with Avalon Waterways is that Avalon is only one of the travel specialties under the Globus umbrella. Globus has been in business since 1928 so is a company that you can trust, and I would highly recommend. Globus other specialties include different types of touring. Since they have the supplier relationships already well established across the world, the excursions offered by Avalon Waterways are associated with extremely talented knowledgeable guides and transportation in regard to/from excursions is very effectively provided by trusted coach (bus) partners of Globus. I will outline some of the highlights of taking a river cruise.
A river cruise in Europe will many times require you to go through multiple locks. On our cruise, we went through 6 locks in each direction. Watching the lock process is fascinating and can be viewed anywhere in the outdoor areas of the ship or the comfort from your suite! Your bed is facing the balcony so you can be resting comfortably while taking in the outdoor scenery. It is truly an exciting and amazing process! Similar to the locks in the Panama Canal but at a smaller scale and at more frequent intervals.
On an Avalon cruise, there are many opportunities to learn. There are guest lecturers, local chefs that come on board to give presentations, local entertainers that come on board, just to name a few. All excursions are included in the fare of the cruise. There is usually at least one excursion a day and there are also days with multiple excursions. Sometimes there is an optional excursion that you can take advantage of, or you can enjoy your free time on your own. Sometimes you are in one city/town in the morning and another city/town in the afternoon. You get to experience and view the actual culture firsthand at each stop along the way. You wear a ‘Whisperer’ device that allows you to hear very clearly what the guide is saying. There are bicycles and walking sticks available to be borrowed at any time during the cruise.
Our itinerary in France included stops in Vernon, Caudebec, Rouen, Conflans, and Paris. The longest day and highlight of the trip was the trip to the Normandy Landing Beaches. On the coach our guide told us about the historic D-Day events and about all the locations we visited. We visited the cliffs, landing beaches, and American cemetery. It was an emotional and meaningful day.
On board the ship, besides enjoying the beautiful scenery going by, you can work out in the gym, enjoy snacks and expresso, read a book or watch a movie in the club lounge. There are Pilates and Yoga classes offered by the Adventure Host. There are no on board announcements, just peace and quiet. No rough waters. There is an elevator so each level of the ship is accessible. There is cinema night with a showing of a related movie. At least one night will be a musical performance. Another night was a vaudeville (Can Can French burlesque) show.
There is one main dining room that has seating available to everyone. Dinner time quite often is between 6:00 and 8:00. Beer, wine, sparkling water, and soda are included at all meals. The food is amazing. Service is exceptional. There is a happy hour every day where all drinks are 50% off. There is an option a buffet on the main deck for dinner also.
One evening, guests are allowed a Wheelhouse Tour where the captain will explain all the tools/devices he uses to navigate the ship. It is a great learning opportunity. Questions are encouraged.
As you can see, river cruising is a wonderful way to travel. Please let me know what questions you have. I would love to help you arrange your river cruise vacation. I have been a travel adviser for over 21 years – you will want to talk to someone with experience. I have relationships with the different suppliers and can make recommendations for you. Save time and energy and let me make the arrangements for you. I will be there to support you from the beginning to the end of your vacation. You deserve to just look forward to your upcoming vacation without the hassles of all the nitty gritty work involved. I would be happy to take care of the details for you. I can be reached at 413-949-9784 and/or dreameztravel@gmail.com. Find me on cruising.org under zip code 01040 (your location does not matter). You can also refer to my website at http://www.dreameztravel.com. Please take a look at the section on testimonials. See my blog at http://www.dreameztravel.wordpress.com. Like my page at http://www.facebook.com/dreameztravel to see daily travel postings! I look forward to connecting with you.
Deborah Lacasse
dreameztravel 