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Sailing Beyond Expectations – Hear from Our Happy Travelers!

At Avalon Waterways, we believe that every journey should be as remarkable as the destination itself. From panoramic suites to immersive shore excursions, our river cruises redefine luxury and exploration. But don’t just take our word for it—see what our guests have to say about their unforgettable Avalon experience!

Loved your Avalon cruise? We'd love to hear from you! Click Here to leave a review and share your experience.

 

I recently sailed with Avalon Waterways, and the experience far exceeded my expectations. From boarding, the hospitality, organization, and attention to detail were exceptional. The staff were warm, attentive, and genuinely committed to making our journey unforgettable. The ship was immaculate and beautifully maintained. Whether enjoying evening entertainment or savoring fine dining, every moment felt special. The food was outstanding — fresh, diverse, and beautifully presented. The itinerary was a true highlight. Each port offered unique excursions and enriching cultural experiences. Avalon provided insightful guides who deepened our understanding of each destination. What truly stood out was the perfect balance of adventure and comfort. The sense of relaxation and joy was constant throughout. An Avalon river cruise isn't just a vacation — it's a transformative experience creating lasting memories. I'm already planning my next sailing and highly recommend Avalon to anyone seeking something extraordinary.

Ms. Parikh
The Danube from Romania to Budapest with 1 Night in Bucharest

 

For my husband Kiran's 60th birthday, we wanted something truly special — and choosing Avalon was one of our best decisions. We sailed on the Avalon Passion through nine incredible countries, and everything exceeded expectations. The ship was elegant and comfortable with spacious rooms and attentive service. Having Wi-Fi on board was also a bonus, letting us stay connected with family and friends while still enjoying our journey. Our cruise director, Tigor, was outstanding — briefing us daily and truly part of our group throughout. The morning yoga sessions were a refreshing way to start the day, and the evening programs added fun and togetherness. The cruise took us through nine incredible countries, each with its own charm. The excursions were thoughtfully planned for every interest level, and the arrangements were seamless — a true reflection of Avalon’s professionalism. This trip was everything we hoped for — a perfect blend of comfort, exploration, and celebration. Thank you, Avalon, for making Kiran's milestone unforgettable!.

Mrs. Shingwekar
The Danube from Romania to Budapest

 

Our recent experience aboard the Avalon Expression on the scenic Danube from Romania to Budapest was a stress-free and luxurious way to explore multiple countries. The panorama suite with its Open-Air Balcony truly maximized the incredible Danube views—waking up to and retiring with such stunning, ever-changing scenery was pure pleasure. The inherent convenience of river cruising meant never having to pack and unpack, a major comfort when visiting numerous destinations. We particularly enjoyed the fresh daily salads, and the cruise chef took special care to ensure our vegetarian requirements were met—a genuine mark of high-quality service. Complimentary beverages added a lovely touch: sparkling wine with breakfast, and wine, beer, or soft drinks with every meal. The all-inclusive shore excursions at every port meant zero logistical stress, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the history and culture of each destination. Looking forward to another river cruise with Avalon!

Mr. Kenia & Friends
The Danube from Romania to Budapest

THANK YOU, AVALON WATERWAYS! We took our first River Cruise on the "Avalon Panorama" in July 2025, embarking the ship in Basel, Switzerland to sail up the Rhine River. The river cruise experience was "ship-shape amazing" from the minute we stepped on board. Throughout the cruise, all the crew were very friendly and efficient - going out of their way to ensure our every comfort. We enjoyed the perfect blend of relaxation and exploration, in the different cities and cultures we encountered. The food on board was always gourmet in a fine dining set up - plenty of choices, with the Chef always ready and willing to create something special on request. A very interesting part of the cruise was passing through the numerous locks on the Rhine River, witnessing the huge height differences in the water levels before and after passing through. The great difference between cruises rests not just with the ships we sail upon but with the people whom we meet and interact with while on board, and we must say that we had a wonderful time and we now believe that "One has not really lived until one has cruised on a river boat.

Mrs. & Mr. Miranda
Romantic Rhine

 

The Danube River Cruise was an unforgettable experience that took us through the rich history and breathtaking landscape of Europe. Our ship offered comfortable cabins, delicious meals and exceptional service. Every day, we were guided by knowledgeable guides in different cities providing insightful commentary.  We also enjoyed live music, wine tasting and cultural performances on board. Special shout out to the Chef and Mr. Stephen who took extra care with our food preferences. Also, would like to mention Simone who made good arrangements for all the fellow travellers making sure that everyone is taken care of and made us all feel so special. Last but not the least, special thanks to the staff as well as the Captain and his crew. Overall, our experience with Avalon Cruise was unforgettable so much so that we are already looking forward to our next Cruise with Avalon!

Ms. Mandal
Danube Dreams

Avalon Waterways, what can I say, this was our 02nd River Cruise Experience, and as usual they never disappoint you.

The main reason of choosing river ship in Europe, the entire ship carries around 70-80people, so it actually becomes like a small family wherein you practically start calling co-passengers by their names after couple of days. It stops right in main city, so you start exploring town without wasting more time in travelling. Your major city excursions been taken care, you still get lots of free time for yourself, which is unlikely on any conducted European itineraries. So, this time we were on Avalon Panorama 12 July – 19 July 2025 from Basel to Amsterdam. The pampering starts from the minute you arrive, extremely smooth check in, you start with your first buffet meal by the time you check in.

For the first time ever you would see, a chef walking to you at the beginning of your journey, to check your diet preferences or in case you are allergic to anything, they will not only ask for the sake of formality but almost for every meal they remember your preferences and make sure you have a " Special " dish along with the usual menu. Icing on the cake, your every meal is paired with local Beer/Wine and the variety of deserts. 

We have been travelling for so many years now but we have not met such a wonderful & helpful lady as the Cruise Director, Alessia. And not only her, would like to mention one of the best crew you will meet on this Avalon Cruises, from Captain to Tour directors, Chefs, Restaurant team, everyone has just done a fantastic job. All in all, I can say once in a lifetime, you should be on AVALON to experience the True Hospitality, wherein you literally feel like crying at the end of tour as you do not want to leave your Cruise.  .

Ms. Shefali Joshi 
Romantic Rhine

 

Our group of 27 sailed on an Avalon Danube Cruise in August 2024. We truly enjoyed our river cruise, it was leisurely and relaxing. The cruise navigated through inland waterways and we got to see closeup and stunning views of the European countryside, historical sites and nature. The ship accommodation was just superb, the food was par excellence. We had expertly guided excursions and the Cruise Director and crew were perfect, accommodating and helpful. We loved every moment of our cruise and it was truly unforgettable!

Mr. Padmanabhan & Group
Danube Cruise

 

We were a group of 8 pax aboard the Tulip time Avalon Cruise and enjoyed the eight days thoroughly. The experience was much above our expectation. We were really pampered by the cruise staff. The cabins, food, drinks, entertainment excursions were all A+ Grade. It was wonderful relaxing on the bed and the sofa of our room enjoying the panoramic view of the villages pass by flora and fauna while the cruise was moving. I would definitely love to travel on the Avalon cruise sometime again.

Mrs. Salian & Group
Tulip Time Cruise

 Romantic Rhine was my second cruise with Avalon!  From the beginning to end our cruise was fantastic! It was so pretty sailing along the Rhine with vineyards and castles.


People think cruises are not for younger people who couldn't be more wrong! There were bicycles on the cruise, the hiking trips were well planned & the active host had yoga in the mornings and games while we were sailing. There was happy hour every evening & entertainment every night. Our cruise director had a contagious smile; it was hard not to enjoy his chirpy tid-bits of commentary. The chef & restaurant manager ensured we had freshly made vegetarian meals. The housekeeping staff are so meticulous & the crew are always smiling, cheerful and go out of their way for you!  We did a lot of sightseeing along the way - the only thing to lament is 'I wish had more free time!' I'm super impressed with the impeccable service year on year! Keep it up Avalon :)

Mr. Bohra
Romantic Rhine

 

We had a wonderful time with Avalon. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. The ship staff were extremely courteous and were always ready to serve with a smile. We had a very large choice of food during every meals. Our Cruise Director was fantastic, ever smiling, ever watchful to provide information / services needed by all. He almost spoilt us with high quality service. We had very well planned and executed excursions, they gave us a wonderful bird’s eye view of the places we visited. The local guides we had on the tours were also extremely knowledgeable and ever willing to provide information and guidance. Our Ship Cabins were extremely comfortable. Though it was a small ship, it had all that we needed during our cruise. Overall - TOTAL CUSTOMER DELIGHT !!! We would love to use Avalon again for our small ship cruising needs.

Mr. Chetan & Mrs. Dipti
Avalon Vietnam

We are back from our two week Europe Cruise, and have to tell you that it was easily the best vacation we have taken in many years. The experience was visually breathtaking, but truly what makes a holiday complete is the experience of meeting and interacting with such generous hearted people, for who impeccable service and care is a way of life, make the journey of a holiday so. Not easy to hold together a group of 117 diverse and culturally different people on a ship, but Avalon has put together an excellent team and system and process to make it quite seamless and simple.

The Cruise Director Tibor was an exceptionally attentive person, lways with a smile and ready to help and make it easy for us. Head Chef, Adrian, made an effort to take care of all my dietary needs. Every service person on board was outstanding. Our young room house keeper, Sandy was so pleasant to see every morning. I could go on and on. Avalon has their model right! 

Ms. Indu Rao
Magnificent Europe

 

This was our second river cruise with Avalon after 2019. This time it was from Bucharest to Budapest covering Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Hungary. We loved it in all respects. We saw so many unheard of beautiful small towns - Constanta, Rousse, Veliko Tarnovo, Arbanassi, Vidin, Belogradchik, Donji milanovac, Lepenski Vir, Novi Sad, Sremski Karlovci, Vukovar, Mohacs, Pecs etc; In between there were so many other nice villages. Out of around 108 passengers, we two were only vegetarians. On the first day we had a talk with chef who took great care of us during entire journey. There was some entertainment program ever evening after dinner which was very enjoyable. Every evening there was happy hour from 5.45 to 6.45. Wine and beer were served to the guests. The service was absolutely top class. Every crew member served with a smile on their faces. Everyone was superb. Looking forward to next cruise eagerly.

Mr. & Mrs. Shroff
Balkan Cruise

 

Just a note of appreciation for a wonderful holiday with Avalon. Eleven of us, veterans and wives from the Armed Forces of India thoroughly enjoyed the warm hospitality and impeccable service of the crew on board the PANORAMA for the Rhine Cruise. It was the most relaxing yet eventful of all our cruising experiences. We have recommended this absolutely must-do holiday to all our friends here. We would certainly like to cruise with Avalon again.

Mr. Bedi & Friends
Romantic Rhine

The Danube River Cruise (WESTBOUND) was an unforgettable experience that took us through the rich history and breathtaking landscape of Europe. Our Ship offered comfortable cabins, delicious meals and exceptional service. Everyday we were guided by knowledgeable guides in different cities providing insightful commentary. 

We also enjoyed live music, wine tasting and cultural performances on board. Special shout out to the Chef and Mr. Stephen who took extra care for making some gluten free meals for my sister who is gluten intolerant.

Also would like to mention Simone who had made good arrangements for all the fellow travellers making sure that everyone is taken care of and made us all feel so special. Last but not the least, special  thank you to the staff as well as the Captain and his crew.

Overall our experience with Avalon Cruise was unforgettable so much so that we are already looking forward to our next Cruise with Avalon.

Ms. Dipika Mandal
Danube River Cruise

Landing in Zurich, the pick up and drop was to the cruise ship was smooth. Once the cruise began it was smooth sailing all the way. All shore stops were good. In particular, I loved the excursions to the Black Forest, the Maginot Line in Strasbourg, The Koln Dom in Cologne, the musical instruments museum and Reisling wine in Rudeshiem, the Heidelberg Castle and the visit to the cheese factory in Amsterdam.

We had a lovely time being pampered on the cruise. The cruise director Tony, was very informative and helpful during his evening address to the cruise.
A special mention is needed of all the attendants in the restaurant, in particular Aziz who went out of his way to ensure we had what we wanted. The cook, Santosh too was a culinary delight. Excellent food, wine and beer were served on the cruise.

We enjoyed the cold pre-winter weather on the top deck and saw a multitude of castles on the shore as we sailed past.

All in all, a marvellous experience we would like to repeat again next year on another cruise by the same Avalon.

Dr. Uday Gosavi
Romantic Rhine