Longboat River Cruises

The river cruise industry has grown quickly, and has made it much easier for the traveler to visit multiple areas and even different countries during one trip, while only unpacking once.
The most well known company, due to its visually captivating TV and print ads, may not necessarily be the best choice for everyone. We have been well served with a lesser known company that has carried us on tours of the Seine, the Danube, and two Rhine cruises over the course of a few years. One year, due to record setting spring floods, we, along with the passengers of several other companies’ river ships, were stuck for several days in Strasbourg, France. We all had the opportunity to mingle and compare notes, because when several boats are in port in a small city with limited docking, the boats are typically moored abreast of one another. Passengers have to walk across the boats between them and the dock when disembarking, and again when returning to their boats. During those to and from treks, we noticed a wide range of both decor (some garish) and maintenance standards (some shabby, at best). Most importantly, our cruise director was the only one of three or four from the different cruise companies who had told us the truth from the beginning about the state of the River Rhine. The European Union had ordered all shipping to cease until the water receded. Spring runoff from the Alps, along with weeks of rain in the early spring, had raised the water to a level so high that sailing under the many bridges of the river was impossible.

Other companies’ passengers, including those from that most iconic of river cruise outfits, were told daily that “we’ll probably sail tomorrow.” Our expectations were much better managed, because we knew of the EU order that had shut all shipping down until at least Thursday of our week, which began on Saturday or Sunday.
This transparency has earned our respect and loyalty.

Avalon’s service is excellent, the boats’ common spaces and staterooms are beautifully designed, their bedding is comfortable and lush, the food is good, and their shore excursion options are top notch (they always use knowledgeable local guides).

If you have waited and saved all your life for a trip to Europe, a river cruise is a great option, providing luxurious accommodation, excellent food, and a chance to see many of the sights you’ve always dreamed of seeing.