Avalon River Cruise - Dutch bulb fields and Belgian waterways
From start to finish, the arrangements were outstanding, with a personal chauffeur driven car to collect me from my doorstep and promptly drop me off in good time for my flight to Amsterdam. On arrival into Amsterdam, I was met by the Avalon guide who then took me to a hotel located close to the city centre where refreshments were provided. Whilst there was a four hour wait before boarding the ship, I walked into town and spent a leisurely afternoon exploring the city on foot.
I boarded the Avalon Expression at around 4pm and was promptly shown to my cabin. The cabin was outstanding, particularly taking into consideration that this is a river vessel so space is at a premium. The double bed which faced the triple width Juliet balcony was remarkably comfortable and the entire cabin furnished to a high standard. The bathroom was spacious and beautifully presented with marble tiles and surfaces.
The cabin had a nice sitting area which was wonderful, particularly when the patio doors were fully open. There was lots of cupboards, drawers and wardrobe space for two adults were provided in all cabins. A good sized flat screen TV had many European channels including the BBC and also a very wide selection of well-known movies which could be viewed without further charge.
After settling in, a short meeting was called by the cruise director who explained the safety features and also a rundown of the week’s itinerary, over a glass of complimentary Champagne.
The itinerary was very interesting and enjoyable with at least one excursion or walking tour included every day. Numerous other excursions by coach were available for those who wanted to see the ports of call and local attractions in more detail. Most of the optional excursions by coach were in the region of £30 to £40 per person depending on whether any entrance fees were included.
One of the highlights included in the price was a visit to Keukenhof to see the spectacular bulb fields famous in The Netherlands. This was about a 90 minute coach ride and the travel and entrance was also included as standard. Local guides were there to meet us at each place we visited and it was interesting to do many of the walking tours included with the knowledgeable guides.
The meals served on the ship were excellent. There was a good choice every day for the buffet breakfast with a chef preparing egg dishes to order, Bucks Fizz and smoothies also available daily. Lunch was a mixture of self service and a selection of waiter served dishes from the menu. The choice of food was very wide with soft drinks included.
Dinner was one of the daily highlights. The a la carte menu was different each day with a small selection of main course dishes to choose from, as well as the regular choices of salmon, grilled chicken and fillet steak which were always available daily with a choice of vegetables/salads etc. A varied selection of starters, salads, soups and deserts/cheese made up the five courses. Local complimentary wine and beers were included in the restaurant for dinner.
Each day there was entertainment provided in the spacious lounge and bar where most days, local entertainers would board and play music as well as the resident entertainer. Bar prices were very reasonable, but each day they had a half price happy hour which made the drinks very cheap!
There was a spacious sundeck with a Jacuzzi on the top deck, but in April, this was too cold to use. A Club Lounge at the rear of the ship was a great place to escape to for a quiet coffee (complimentary) as well as a small selection of cakes and pastries daily.
At the end of the week, transfers to Amsterdam Airport were very efficiently arranged with guests on later flights able to use the lounge with refreshments at the hotel free of charge. It was fantastic to arrive back into the UK to see my chauffeur waiting to bring me back home!
There is no doubt that Avalon offer a very high standard cruise with a great deal of thought put into everything from the journey to the ship, food and wine on board, not to mention the fantastic crew, the facilities and comfort of the ship as well as the included excursions.
Many other river cruise companies include all excursions, but I felt that Avalon have a good balance between the included excursions and those at additional cost. Of course if all excursions were included, the cost would increase for everyone. This way, passengers have the choice to please themselves. Highly recommended.