The Wine Will Be Fine On The Rhine

    Ahh cruising.. what’s not to love?  Always a new ship to try.. always a new port to visit.  What do you book after you are ready to branch out from the Caribbean and Alaska? How about a European river cruise?  
     We literally are counting the days until we are able to experience the many pleasures of a European river cruise first hand.  Our 8 day voyage on the brand new Avalon Imagery II will sail leisurely on the Rhine river from Zurich to Amsterdam stopping in 5 ports along the way.   A huge advantage of river cruising is that the port cities and towns are right off the gangway when you dock. You can spend the whole day enjoying the sights and not traveling to them.
     The sailing season in Europe runs from April to December.  Avalon Waterways boasts the youngest fleet in the industry and now has 16 ships plying 6 different rivers.
     The feature that I am most excited about our spacious 200 square foot stateroom is the fact that the bed faces a full wall of floor to ceiling windows that open up into a balcony.  We literally can just sit and relax and watch the gorgeous cities, towns, mountains and forests “float” by.  
     Another awesome feature of Avalon Waterways Cruises is that in each port a walking tour is included in the price of your cruise.  In addition there are a wide range of optional tours that you can choose to book if you want to see and do more than that.
      Avalon’s ships are delightfully intimate with an average of 85 cabins per boat.  Even though it seems that we will be on the younger end of our fellow passengers; I don’t think we will have any trouble making new friends on board.  It’s a universal truth that there is always common ground among people who love to travel.  
     After our overnight flight to Zurich we will be taken on a short bus ride to Basel, where our ship will be waiting for us.   I am so pleasantly surprised at how much is included in our cruise fare.  Besides the transfer and daily sightseeing tours, there is sparkling wine at breakfast, wine and beer at dinner, unlimited wifi, and bottled water in the cabin. 
     It truly seems like we have a magical week in store for us.  The perfect blend of relaxation, sightseeing and smooth sailing.. An absolutely winning combination.
    For information and booking click on www.avalonwaterways.com

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”
        – Theologian St. Augustine