Avalon Tapestry II Cruise Reviews - Reviews

We have done a couple large ship cruises which were ok. We did a "barefoot" cruise on a small sailing ship that was a lot of fun and 22 years ago did a river cruise on Viking. That cruise was great, but the ship was not nearly as nice as the Tapestry II. We loved the Avalon atmosphere and vibe and will definitely do another river cruise with Avalon.

We are a retired couple from Philadelphia. We have always enjoyed traveling and this was my dream trip. I choose the Seine cruise so that I could see Paris and my husband Normandy. Avalon is a wonderful line. The staff was wonderful in every way. All of the tour guides were enteraining and insightful. The staff was prepared for everything including bad weather. River cruising is a wonderful way to see at least part of a country. I highly recommend this cruise and Avalon.

Two stops only half days. Too early morning starts.

The river boat cruise is enjoyable with only 120 passangers. The staff treats everyone like royalty during the entire trip. Excursions were around 3 hours with knowledgeable guides. Also the presentations from the WWll historian provided background for excursion to beaches. He was always available to answere ? and also provided extra information to guests personally.

The crew were outstanding - friendly, accommodating, courteous and fun to be around.  The food was fabulous and it was great to see the Captain and Cruise Director all around the ship - always speaking with passengers and making sure we were all having a fabulous vacation.  I really enjoyed being welcomed "home" after each day's excursion by the Captain and staff, the hot towels waiting and an inviting beverage.

Enjoyed the intimate nature of the small ships in terms of passengers.  This particular boat held 127 max. but only 77 people were on board.  The culture of the villages in the small towns that we stopped in was evidenced in presentations that were held on the ship prior to or right after land excursions. 

Everything was great on this trip except the "room with a view". For 4 out of our 7 nights, there was another ship parked next to ours, allowing for NO VIEW!

Other than that, all else was great. The staff is phenomenal, the excursions were excellent, the people were great! Thanks to the entire crew!

I enjoyed every moment of this cruise. I was a solo traveler and appreciated the no extra fee for a single supplement which made it financially possible. Everything was really excellent - the staterooms, the food, the tours, the staff and cruise director. There was not a glitch anywhere. Since the bulk of us were Americans traveling in France I suggested they might give us an hour or so of basic french conversation on some of our down time - maybe they will in the future as it would be helpful and fun. I highly recommend this cruise. Highlights for me were Giverney, the DDay beaches and seeing Van Gogh's grave. Not really a cruise for families with young childen. Most of us were over 55 and retired.

This cruise was outstanding in every way -- the quality of the ship,  the comfort of the rooms, the food, the excursions and, of course, the splendour of the country we were traveling through.

Because the Seine was high, we were not able to depart from Paris, but the bus ride to our first stop was short and comfortable, with a guide chatting to us on and off as we drove.  Embarkation couldn't have been easier.  No waiting in long lines.  We were welcomed aboard and  greeted by most of the staff and shown immediately to our room.  River boat rooms are not large, but this was larger than most and very comfortable.  Our sliding glass door turned our room into a balcony, from which we had a beautiful view.

Our cruise director, Jean Loup, was absolutely wonderful.  He is funny, creative, informative and so organized.  He teased us abour our early departure the next morning to go to Giverny and see Monet's gardens (8 AM PROMPT! on bus) but assured us we'd be grateful in the long run.  He was exactly right, of course.  We were one of the first groups to arrive and so many of our pictures don't have people in them at all.  The gardens are breathtaking, one of the highlights of the trip.  Jean Loup also gave us a special treat, buying local cheese and wine in Rouen for a wine and cheese tasting in the late afternoon and a lesson on certain French cheeses.  It was great to taste the real Camembert!!!

As was Normandy.  Jean Loup had arranged a special ceremony for us...the National Anthem as we faced the cemetary and the playing of Taps, as we faced the statue of the young soldier.  Though the park does this ceremony regularly for groups that request it (we heard another before we left), it is still personal and moving.  And our guide let us experience our time at the cemetary on our own, so that we had the opportunity to take it in at our own pace.  She provided plenty of narration on the bus getting there and at the other stops, so we were filled with a sense of history as we walked around.

All the excusions were wonderful.  Such an inspiring group of guides, filled with information, personal anecdotes, often a sense of humor and always vast experience.  Only once did we feel too overwhelmed with minute detail.  Most of the time, the guides sensed our attention span, allowed us time to take in things for ourselves at the same time that they gave us enough background to appreciate in greater depth what we were seeing.

The food was great, plenty of choice but not too much, as I've sometimes felt on ocean cruises.  The staff was friendly, helpful and observant. (Wine and water were poured the moment a glass looked like it was getting dangerously low!!!!)  The tables were set for four and six, which worked out well for everyone, giving us all a chance to meet new people.

Of course the country is beautiful -- lush, quaint, dotted with small towns, and wonderful in terms of the glimpse of another way of life it showed us as we glided along.  Despite the reputation of the French being standoff-ish, we found everyone warm and welcoming.  I had a few opportunities to pratice my French, though I found mostly the French responded to me in English.  

This is the first river cruise we have been on, and we would travel with Avalon again in a heartbeat.  In many ways, I preferred it to ocean cruising -- I thought the excusions were better; I like the intimacy of a small boat; I don't miss all the big entertainment (we did have some fun, light entertainment most evenings); I prefer the less overwhelming food choices, with excellent quality; and I enjoy the gliding on the river, seeing the country.  I almost wish we'd been on the river longer!!!