All Things Avalon

[Kenster]

15 minutes ago, cccult said:

How exciting! Hope you have a great trip. The app is now working for us, though still no luggage tags. I’m guessing they will just have them when we board. 

 What type of name tags is everyone worried about?  You bring your own bags on board and take them to your cabin yourself. There’s no need for a paper tag on which to write your name and cabin number.  

If you’re talking about a fancy ID tag for your bag, we have always received ours in the mail shortly before the cruise, but it serves no real purpose for the cruise itself. 

[PaulS]

I have been reading about the COVID cases on several Viking river ships and that they test everyone each day. Does anyone know if Avalon tests the passengers each day?

[Daisi]

As far as I can find out through those who are sailing right now, no daily testing, only masks (depending on the crew depends on how strict they are, but mostly at the buffet) and they will provide passengers with a covid test to return home if required.

[PaulS]

Thanks for the quick reply.

[BAYA]

A bit of advice although no one requested it.

My friend and I got off an Avalon river cruise on April 12. Two other women that we met on the cruise and the two of us all tested positive on April 14 so we could not fly home.
Here is my advice. Bring your own self tests on board and as soon as you feel the least bit unwell give yourself Covid test.If it’s positive then tell the ship that you need a supervised Covid test ASAP. The countdown to self isolate, and eventually get a litter of recovery in order to fly back to the US is all based on the onset date of symptoms and when you got your positive test. I wish I had done that and not waited until the day before I was supposed to fly back to the US to get my Covid test. I had what I thought were seasonal allergy symptoms so was not worried while still on board. Lesson learned the hard way.

Good luck. Every European town and city that we were in seemed as if there never was a Covid pandemic. It is not surprising that after being Covid free for over two years in the US we caught it very quickly when we were in Europe. Fully vaccinated and boosted. This is breakthrough Covid for all four of us.

[macaroni]

Making me nervous about our May Avalon river cruise. If I could cancel, I would…..we have a Norwegian Fjord cruise a day after getting off in Amsterdam. 
 

how long did it take for you to get home?

[lbarb]

Baya, thank you for the information.  My husband and I are scheduled to do a Danube cruise with Avalon on the Illumination end of May (next month).  I am very concerned about testing positive and having to quarantine.  Can you tell us how long you quarantined and any other info related to what you had to do in order to get back to the U.S.?  Appreciate your advice.

[BAYA]

On 4/18/2022 at 3:37 PM, macaroni said:

Making me nervous about our May Avalon river cruise. If I could cancel, I would…..we have a Norwegian Fjord cruise a day after getting off in Amsterdam. 
 

how long did it take for you to get home?

Not home yet!  That’s why you shouldn’t wait if you have any Covid symptoms at all to get a supervised test. 

22 hours ago, lbarb said:

Baya, thank you for the information.  My husband and I are scheduled to do a Danube cruise with Avalon on the Illumination end of May (next month).  I am very concerned about testing positive and having to quarantine.  Can you tell us how long you quarantined and any other info related to what you had to do in order to get back to the U.S.?  Appreciate your advice.

The first thing we did was call our airline and tell them we tested positive so that they would start a rebooking for us. At their advice they told us to book 6 days after our initial flight date so that we could self isolate for five days after the positive test. At that time we did not know what the Netherlands required.

Then we had to find another hotel to check into which was not easy because it was Easter weekend so we ended up at an airport hotel.

Then we proceeded to research what was required and tried calling the US consulate and could not get through to them. We expected to hear from the Netherlands health department because they should have received notice of our positive test but we did not receive a call from them. Our companions did however and the health department told them they only had to isolate for five days after first experiencing Covid symptoms. It had nothing to do with the date of their positive test.

Then I had to go about finding a way to get a letter of recovery because once you get Covid you can continue to test positive after you have recovered. There are many online medical businesses that offered to give you a letter after meeting with one of their doctors. I’m not going to recommend any of them because I didn’t have a totally positive experience. After fighting with the doctor in a telemedicine video call because she was unaware of the CDC and Netherlands guidelines she reluctantly agreed to give me my letter. My friend had a different doctor through the same online business who agreed within about a minute to give her the letter of recovery. All of our data was the same regarding onset of symptoms date and test date but my friend’s doctor was on the ball and mine was not. Be prepared to know the facts of what the CDC and the Health Department in your country of vacation requires.

Be warned that there is a business based in Malta that offers a doctor visit for €29 and then when you want the letter of recovery they demand an extra €89 from you before they will send it. That’s not the one we used but our friends used them. Nowhere on their website does it say an extra fee for the letter of recovery. Total bait and switch.

If I haven’t answered all of your questions ask me more. I’ll try to answer if I can.

Edited April 19, 2022 by BAYA
Typo

[dtenel]

Baya~. Thank you for the information.  We are headed on our first river cruise in June!  We are adding a few extra days on our own in Milan so I had already planned on taking a regular COVID test for each of us just in case either, or both, of us get symptoms and also to take before we take the supervised one just as an added precaution.  We have travelled a lot during this pandemic and have been very lucky so far.  I am hoping our luck doesn't run out.  I also suggests taking 2 of the proctored tests per person as when we were coming home from the Maldives in January I didn't have an issue, but when my husband was logged in with the health professional and opened his box (you can not open until on video call with them or the test is invalid) he was missing the liquid solution needed.  Thankfully I had 2 kits for each of us so he could use his other kit.  

 

Does Avalon require masks on board?  Also, do you have to show proof of being fully vaccinated and boosted to get on board?  We both are, but I do not think I was asked to show proof so I just wondered.

[BAYA]

3 minutes ago, dtenel said:

Baya~. Thank you for the information.  We are headed on our first river cruise in June!  We are adding a few extra days on our own in Milan so I had already planned on taking a regular COVID test for each of us just in case either, or both, of us get symptoms and also to take before we take the supervised one just as an added precaution.  We have travelled a lot during this pandemic and have been very lucky so far.  I am hoping our luck doesn't run out.  I also suggests taking 2 of the proctored tests per person as when we were coming home from the Maldives in January I didn't have an issue, but when my husband was logged in with the health professional and opened his box (you can not open until on video call with them or the test is invalid) he was missing the liquid solution needed.  Thankfully I had 2 kits for each of us so he could use his other kit.  

 

Does Avalon require masks on board?  Also, do you have to show proof of being fully vaccinated and boosted to get on board?  We both are, but I do not think I was asked to show proof so I just wondered.

Yes you must wear a mask during the lunch buffet time and breakfast buffet time until you are seated at your table. And yes Avalon required proof of our fully vaccinated status before they checked us in on the ship. We happen to be boosted but they didn’t require that I don’t believe.

[BAYA]

Btw, We had brought proctor tests with us but opted to do a local supervise test instead because the Wi-Fi was a little bit iffy where we were staying.

[dtenel]

Thank you for that information!  I hope you get home safely soon.  I am also going to start keeping an eye on the rules for quarantine/isolation for Italy since that is where we are staying at the end of our cruise so I know what needs to happen if the worse case scenario does happen.  

[socalftdoc]

Noted you  stated you had allergy like symptoms  while on th river cruise.  Are these the stmtoms that made you decide you might have Covid? Noted an attestatipn form must be completed upon leaving Amsterdam  Are there any other requirements as of your departure?  Things are so confusing at this moment and Delta's web site isn't that crystal clear.

[macaroni]

Baya…..just a question…..if you need an official positive test to start the 10 day timeframe to get a letter of recovery, can you use a proctored home test or does it gave to be from a physician/medical facility? 
‘Thanks…appreciate all the info as we leave in 3 weeks.

[lbarb]

On 4/19/2022 at 10:29 AM, BAYA said:

Not home yet!  That’s why you shouldn’t wait if you have any Covid symptoms at all to get a supervised test. 

The first thing we did was call our airline and tell them we tested positive so that they would start a rebooking for us. At their advice they told us to book 6 days after our initial flight date so that we could self isolate for five days after the positive test. At that time we did not know what the Netherlands required.

Then we had to find another hotel to check into which was not easy because it was Easter weekend so we ended up at an airport hotel.

Then we proceeded to research what was required and tried calling the US consulate and could not get through to them. We expected to hear from the Netherlands health department because they should have received notice of our positive test but we did not receive a call from them. Our companions did however and the health department told them they only had to isolate for five days after first experiencing Covid symptoms. It had nothing to do with the date of their positive test.

Then I had to go about finding a way to get a letter of recovery because once you get Covid you can continue to test positive after you have recovered. There are many online medical businesses that offered to give you a letter after meeting with one of their doctors. I’m not going to recommend any of them because I didn’t have a totally positive experience. After fighting with the doctor in a telemedicine video call because she was unaware of the CDC and Netherlands guidelines she reluctantly agreed to give me my letter. My friend had a different doctor through the same online business who agreed within about a minute to give her the letter of recovery. All of our data was the same regarding onset of symptoms date and test date but my friend’s doctor was on the ball and mine was not. Be prepared to know the facts of what the CDC and the Health Department in your country of vacation requires.

Be warned that there is a business based in Malta that offers a doctor visit for €29 and then when you want the letter of recovery they demand an extra €89 from you before they will send it. That’s not the one we used but our friends used them. Nowhere on their website does it say an extra fee for the letter of recovery. Total bait and switch.

If I haven’t answered all of your questions ask me more. I’ll try to answer if I can.

Baya, 

Thank you so much for the detailed information.  This really does help and I'm glad you didn't have to quarantine for two weeks.  I was afraid that we would have to quarantine for two weeks and now know that it depends on the health regulations also in the country where you plan to depart.  I plan to print this info you provided and take it with me.  

 

Very helpful!  Thanks again.

 

Regards,

Laurie

[Kenster]

Just booked Budapest to Amsterdam 9/3/22 sailing. Very excited. It happened so quickly.  
We met a wonderful Canadian couple on a Zurich to Vienna cruise three years ago and have visited with them twice since.  Two days ago, she contacted us saying they were booking this cruise and wanted us to join them. I’ve been pining to get back on the rivers since our last cruise in 2019.  
So… we jumped right in and booked it! 
 

This will be our fifth Avalon in eight years.  We’ve covered virtually all of this cruise at least two, if not three, times previously.  We don’t care. We just love being on the river, meeting great people. Sometimes, when we’ve been in a port before, we skip the morning tour, sleep late, and just do our own thing, walking around on our own.  We especially love that. 
 

Our friends are of like mind in that they don’t feel like we have to be joined at the hip all day, every day.  We will do our own things during the day and meet up at the evening briefing and have dinner together.  (There may be wine involved!) 

 

So looking forward to this! It’s been too long! 
 

Now, we just need to stay healthy and start worrying about the river levels.  We’ve never had a problem with the river, even when other lines’ cruises were turned into bus tours using the ships as anchored hotels.  We sailed into Vienna four years ago and were told by cruisers on another ship that we were the first ship to arrive in almost three days!  Gotta love those shallow draft Avalon ships. 
people on Viking were telling stories of being transferred to THREE different ships because the Viking ships could not go down the river very far. 
 

Enough rambling!   Cheers! 

[CT-Edin]

Hi, we have booked and paid for our first river cruise in July 2022 - Danube from Bucharest to Budapest. Visiting the Danube Delta and Constantia on the Black Sea before making our way back along the Danube to Budapest on the Avalon Passion. I'm a little concerned because of the conflict in Ukraine but the UK Govt. advice is still that Romania is safe to visit.

Has anyone done this itinerary before ? Interested to hear of people's experiences/advice if so. I started a roll call but there's only us and one other lady on it so far 🙂

Many thanks!

[hmcrn]

Hi everyone!  Question for you - How much time should we plan to get from the gate to baggage claim in ZRH?  Not sure how long customs is taking, and don't want to miss the van.  Thanks!

[WanderlustJourney]

Hello everyone! I'll be on the Active & Discovery Holland & Belgium cruise in June. Very excited as this will be my first river cruise! 

[Kenster]

On 4/30/2022 at 10:20 AM, hmcrn said:

Hi everyone!  Question for you - How much time should we plan to get from the gate to baggage claim in ZRH?  Not sure how long customs is taking, and don't want to miss the van.  Thanks!

I’ve landed at ZRH several times. I don’t recall it ever taking a very long time to clear immigration.  Customs is nothing at all for non residents. Just walk through the green door. No line at all. Of course, we always travel with carry-on bags only, so that speeds things up a little. 

 

Don’t worry about missing the transfer.  Avalon’s agent will be monitoring your flight arrival.  Just don’t dawdle. But if you do miss your van, there’ll be another.  We’ve transferred on a bus, van, and even a private Mercedes sedan. 

[jsn55]

13 hours ago, WanderlustJourney said:

Hello everyone! I'll be on the Active & Discovery Holland & Belgium cruise in June. Very excited as this will be my first river cruise! 

You will LOVE IT!!!!

 

[*Miss G*]

15 hours ago, WanderlustJourney said:

Hello everyone! I'll be on the Active & Discovery Holland & Belgium cruise in June. Very excited as this will be my first river cruise! 

 

Very exciting!  This will be our first river cruise, too, so I would be really interested to read your thoughts on it once you’ve completed your cruise.  We don’t go until October.

 

14 hours ago, Kenster said:

I’ve landed at ZRH several times. I don’t recall it ever taking a very long time to clear immigration.  Customs is nothing at all for non residents. Just walk through the green door. No line at all. Of course, we always travel with carry-on bags only, so that speeds things up a little. 

 

I agree with @Kenster.  Traveling through ZRH is a breeze and a pleasure.  Very clean and very well organized.

[Markop]

Hello everyone!  A friend and I are in the beginning stages of planning our 18 Jun 2023 Budapest to Prague Avalon river cruise on the View ship. So excited.

Any/all words of wisdom are welcomed (I've done a ton of ocean cruises and have been researching river cruising).  

>> If anyone has tips on recommended cabin locations, that would be greatly appreciated.  We are getting a panorama cabin.

 

 

[WanderlustJourney]

On 5/2/2022 at 10:45 AM, *Miss G* said:

 

Very exciting!  This will be our first river cruise, too, so I would be really interested to read your thoughts on it once you’ve completed your cruise.  We don’t go until October.

 

 

I agree with @Kenster.  Traveling through ZRH is a breeze and a pleasure.  Very clean and very well organized.

 

I'm planning on filming my experience with Avalon for YouTube and writing a detailed travel blog 🙂 

[jsn55]

1 hour ago, Markop said:

Hello everyone!  A friend and I are in the beginning stages of planning our 18 Jun 2023 Budapest to Prague Avalon river cruise on the View ship. So excited.

Any/all words of wisdom are welcomed (I've done a ton of ocean cruises and have been researching river cruising).  

>> If anyone has tips on recommended cabin locations, that would be greatly appreciated.  We are getting a panorama cabin.

 

Well, a river cruise is a totally new, great experience. We took our first one in 2002, we didn't even realize what we had booked, but came home serious fans of river cruising.  The ship is 'tiny', you get to know people very quickly if that's your wish, there's a port talk every evening before dinner so you're filled in on the next day's activities.  You generally wake up docked in a new town ... not way out there in a harbor, but right in the middle of town.  If you want an easy day, you can often just stroll off the ship and go looking around.  At the end of the day you can lounge up on the sun deck and watch the town's action.  We thought Avalon's crew and tour guides excellent; the Cruise Director was always available. We found the meals delicious but don't like long formal dinners, so often had our 'dinner' in the bar/lounge or out on the deck with a little buffet they'd set up.  LOVED the good coffee set up really early, we could just trot down the hall and bring it back to the cabin, plus juice and other goodies.  An ice machine was back there too, a lovely thing to have for this American!  Other than the Royal Suites, I think most of Avalon's cabins are about the same in size and decor.  Their deck plans will show you.  I cannot imagine how anyone would manage to have a bad river cruise, seriously!    I just rebooked the Grand France trip for May next year and am overjoyed at the idea of getting out there again with Avalon.  When the original was cancelled, I was astonished that Globus/Avalon gave us a full refund ... that's the kind of thing that earns you loyal cruisers.