Avalon Waterways - An Extraordinary River Cruise on the Danube River

This cruise is ideal for the over 50 year old traveler who wants amazing service, great food, a beautiful ship and a very thoughtful itinerary. We sailed the Avalon Impression in the Royal Suite - an incredible 300 square foot accommodation with a full panorama window design. It is a small ship with 67 suites and 16 staterooms, and all were very nice. We felt fortunate that our cabin location was located on the port side for this particular sailing because we avoided the direct afternoon sun, allowing us to open the windows fully and really enjoy some of the cruise from our own stateroom.

Note: Whenever I book a cruise I look to see if there is an advantage port or starboard on that sailing, and advise accordingly.

We docked in tiny ports, and had amazing expert guides. Many of the towns were just coming out of the pandemic (which hit them hard) and the local guides were so welcoming, appreciative of the tourism and happy to share their history. From Pécs UNESCO World Heritage Site including underground burial chambers to the unbelievable Iron Gates Gorge (a natural border between Serbia and Romania), the scenery was beautiful. When we arrived in Bucharest the cruise offered a couple of nights at the InterContinental Athénée. Our guide showed us an amazing bookstore and took us on a very private and intimate food tour, providing perfect directions on how to spend our next two days. Amazing!

With all of the group tours, my husband and I were itching for some adventure. So, we asked the cruise director and captain if we could get a boat and go on the Danube alone (we are experienced on the water). This led to our favorite stop, and biggest surprise of the trip! In the town of Rousse (also known as Ruse), our day started with a small walk and talk to interview a local guide and find a great restaurant. Ironically, the restaurant we landed at was called Good Food, and we still talk about the meal to this day. Absolutely phenomenal, as we let the "BBQ" chefs take charge, and bring us huge fish and fresh vegetables, I mean, wow! It was incredible. Then, we got back to the ship and Avalon had found the captain of a small zodiac boat to take us on the river. It was just amazing to get in the water, see where the locals fish and have that special time. Avalon could not have been more accommodating (and many releases were signed)!

I recommend Avalon Waterways if you are looking for a fantastic river cruise, and can extend that cruise for at least a few days pre and post cruising since there is so much to see. If you are very active, I would suggest looking at what the excursions are for the ports visited. We were able to take a few long walks, a couple of bike rides, hit the gym on the ship everyday and enjoy the amazing Danube zodiac ride, but the cruise was not necessarily geared for the really active traveler. On the other hand, the staff made the trip so stress free it was a wonderful break and we loved it!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on cruise travel.