LIVE! - Avalon Romantic Rhine

[*Miss G*]

Hi everyone.  I am going on my first, ever, river cruise!  It began with my sister and I booking a HAL TA — and then we saw we could do a River Rhine cruise, disembark in Amsterdam, then embark on the 150th Anniversary Cruise in Rotterdam on the same day!  Sadly, those plans had to change.  We will now be disembarking, flying to Rome, then catching a HAL Greek Odyssey cruise instead.  Well, maybe not so sadly because that will be fun too.

 

We did some research and Avalon seemed like a good fit for us.  This will be one of their short cruises so it seemed a nice introduction.

 

Oct 2-6:  Frankfurt to Amsterdam

 

[rafinmd]

24 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

Hi everyone.  I am going on my first, ever, river cruise!  It began with my sister and I booking a HAL TA — and then we saw we could do a River Rhine cruise, disembark in Amsterdam, then embark on the 150th Anniversary Cruise in Rotterdam on the same day!  Sadly, those plans had to change.  We will now be disembarking, flying to Rome, then catching a HAL Greek Odyssey cruise instead.  Well, maybe not so sadly because that will be fun too.

 

We did some research and Avalon seemed like a good fit for us.  This will be one of their short cruises so it seemed a nice introduction.

 

Oct 2-6:  Frankfurt to Amsterdam

 

Bon Voyage.  I wish you satisfactory water levels and a wonderful first river cruise.

 

Roy

[canadianbear]

We have never done a river cruise….will follow along on your short journey to see how you like it.  Have fun!!

[notamermaid]

You are going to take us along on your journey! Thank you. I look forward to it. A not quite so frequent embarkation port and slightly unusual route. Have a safe trip and great cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

[Ritabob]

Ready to live vicariously....

[*Miss G*]

Good morning from Manchester, England!  I am in the hotel lounge, having breakfast, waiting for my room to be ready.  My sister will arrive in a couple of hours.  But, first, I will backtrack to what I meant to post yesterday.  (But didn’t have time.)  I also just realized (after no sleep, even!) that I named the wrong cruise in my title.  This itinerary is actually called A Taste of the Rhine; not the Romantic Rhine.  Oh well.  Sorry if that has caused any confusion.

 

19 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Bon Voyage.  I wish you satisfactory water levels and a wonderful first river cruise.

 

Roy

 

Yes, the water levels have been a concern, Roy.  Thank you.  But @notamermaid has been keeping us well informed and it sounds like that’s not going to be a problem for the Avalon ships.  (Knock on wood.)

 

17 hours ago, canadianbear said:

We have never done a river cruise….will follow along on your short journey to see how you like it.  Have fun!!

 

When I was researching river cruises I found this forum not as prolific as the ocean cruise forums.  Since I couldn’t find a LIVE thread I decided to do one to help others who may also be researching river cruises.  Thanks for following along!  Also thanks to @Ritabob and @notamermaid.  I hope this will be a fun and informative thread, with pictures!

[*Miss G*]

Things started off a bit rocky with my father-in-law passing away and his funeral being held the day before my flight to Europe.  It will be a 4 hour drive each way to get there.  My husband is already there.  I am meeting my sister in Manchester, stopping over, and then the two of us will fly to Frankfurt the next day.

 

At least, that is the plan.  Minutes after receiving the news of my FIL’s passing, I received an email from KLM telling me my flight was cancelled.  After the shock cleared, I noticed they’d only cancelled the AMS-MAN portion but offered no alternative to get to where I am going.  I took a look at alternate flights, then called KLM.  KLM told me to call Delta, as that is who I booked with.

 

Okay.  I’ll change my flight on the app.  Oops.  No I won’t.  Delta still lists it as on schedule so there will be a change fee if I do it myself.  I call Delta.

 

A very nice young man couldn’t have been more pleasant and helpful if he’d tried.  He must have just started his shift because he didn’t sound like he’d been verbally abused by numerous customers yet.  I’ve lucked out.

 

He takes a look at alternatives in Amsterdam and tells me that KLM has cancelled all flights to my destination that day.  We look at bypassing MAN and flying directly to Frankfurt.  Nope.  That would give me a very long layover in either Atlanta or Detroit.  No thanks.  Not happening.

 

It’s back to one of the choices I considered at the very beginning:  IAD-JFK-MAN.  I discounted this itinerary because there would be only a one hour connection time and I would need to go from arrival at Terminal 2 to connection at Terminal 4.  This requires getting on a bus; a total trip time of 30 minutes if you don’t get the timing right.  I decide to upgrade my seat to better the odds on making it to the next flight.  Too bad; so sad.  There are no upgrades available.  *heavy sigh*

 

To add insult to injury, I could have had Business Class if I’d booked back then, but now there is only one seat left and it’s at the very back next to the loo.  You know what’s great about sitting at the back of the plane?  Nothing.

[Ritabob]

Once you are on the river you will realize all this cr*p is the price you pay for a fabulous week of cruising. 😁

[Host Jazzbeau]

My son just came back from a trip JFK-LHR and deliberately chose the seat in the last row of the plan.  He said he was able to recline the same (tiny) amount as other basic coach passengers, but nobody ever pulled on the back of his seat or kneed him in the back.  So there is that one good thing about the back row of the plane!

[*Miss G*]

DAY 3

WHICH WAY DO WE GO AGAIN?

 

Yesterday’s Delta Republic plane was super comfortable.  Virgin Atlantic’s…. Not so much.  When you purchase an economy seat it means just that.  They have economized on the space you get.  The seat is literally half that of Delta Republic and hard as rock.  It’s like sitting on a step.  Passengers are coughing and hacking all around me.  I keep my mask on but I can hear the doomsday clock ticking.

 

After a short but restful night’s sleep, we are up early to take the shuttle to the airport.  We are mostly up early because I have traveled back in time 5 hours.  I am okay with this because I like getting up early and not rushing about.

 

Those who have been to Manchester Airport know that it’s not known for being passenger friendly.  Inside, go straight, up the elevator (then down the elevator because we went to the wrong floor), and through the door where a man directs us to “Door #3 please.”

 

We enter the check-in area just in time to see our info flash off the screen and move onto the next set of flights.  We wait for our info to return.  But, first, a message from our sponsor!  Here we go:  Desk #65.  Off down another hall, through a door, turn left.

 

All checked in we go down the hall, out the door, turn left, up the ramp (then down the ramp because we went the wrong way), up the elevator, around the bend, up the stairs, and down the hall.  

 

After a bad time at Security (because my bags went down the naughty lane) we emerge into the shopping and beverage area to await our Gate # to be displayed.  Until then, “RELAX” says the message.  It’s more of a demand than a suggestion.

 

Our flight has been delayed twice.  Chatting away we hear “FINAL BOARDING CALL” on the overhead.  What?!  Are all those people standing at our gate waiting for a different gate?  We make our way through and see “Final Boarding” on the sign, but now I am suspicious.  I look at the unconcerned passengers milling about and ask “Final boarding?”  No.  Not even pre-boarding.  Well that was a bit of unnecessary stress.  Now I have to go to the bathroom.   Down the hall, turn right, down two flights of stairs, then back up two flights of stairs.  Wish I hadn’t brought my bags.

 

I am impressed with the Lufthansa flight and will fly them again.  I am not as impressed with Frankfurt Airport.  Signage is small and easily missed.  And why does the music playing overhead sound like the movie Psycho?  We do a lot of back-tracking before we get to passport control, collect our bags, and head outside to hail a taxi. 

 

The taxi driver takes us to the wrong hotel.  He is not happy.  He finally gets us to the right hotel.  We are happy.

 

 

RANDOM STATS

Flight Count (3):  Delta Republic, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa

Airport Count (5):  IAD, JFK, MAN, MAN, FRA

Country Count (3):  USA, UK, DE

Time Travel (2):  -5, -1

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by *Miss G*

[*Miss G*]

We are staying at the Delta Marriott Offenbach.  It is on the River Main across from our departure terminal.  We are “upgraded” to a room with one bed on the 15th floor.  I love my sister but I don’t want to sleep with her.  Back we go to Reception where I request the room I requested.  Yay!  Two beds.  But one towel and a tiny bar of soap about the size of my thumb.  Also, the bathroom is not a room within our room.  It is an allocated space within the bedroom consisting of a sink and mirror.  A shower and a WC are behind their respective glass doors.  Privacy is not a concern in this hotel.  The closet has no hangers and no hooks.  Okay then.  Well, it’s an adventure.

 

Back to Reception for some towels and a question about where to eat as their restaurant is not open today.  It is a 20 minute walk along the river (10 minutes if you have long legs or a bike) to two German restaurants and an Indian.  Mmm.  Indian sounds good.  And it is.  Highly recommend.

 

 

 

Everywhere I’ve been seeing words with “ fahrt “ at the end.  In the airport, on the road signs, and even on bicycles.  Google tells me it means “journey” although I think it’s more a word-relative of journey than an actual journey.  The girl in this pic looks like she’s having a fun journey.  I guess she is looking back to see if anyone else is enjoying it.

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by *Miss G*

[*Miss G*]

Breakfast is from 6:30-10:00am.  By the time we arrive (9:30) all the “hot” items are not.  I stand in front of the coffee machine, puzzling over how to get a black coffee.  My choices are all in German, but I recognize various coffees with milk when I see them, so I press Espresso three times and add heißes Wasser.

 

After some bacon and mushrooms I head back for more coffee.  The girl standing in front of the machine puzzles over how to get a black coffee and I pass on my hack.  One of the staff hovers over me because he wants to close up shop.  He asks if he can help and I tell him I am getting a black coffee.  He pushes a button and out comes coffee with milk.  I tell him I just want a black coffee and he shrugs with a look of “It is of no concern to me”.   I get a new cup, push Espresso three times, and add heißes Wasser.

 

Today we will head into Frankfurt Old Town, despite the black clouds and rain.  Maybe it will pass.

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by *Miss G*

[mimmy52]

Looking forward to more. River cruise trip reports are my favorite.

[notamermaid]

4 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

We are staying at the Delta Marriott Offenbach.  It is on the River Main across from our departure terminal.

So you are actually administratively speaking not in Frankfurt. The hotel is just within the boundaries (red line) of Offenbach (hence the hotel name):

I did not know that ships let passengers embark there in the harbour in the Ostend district.

 

What kind of hotel is this?! I hope the cruise will make up for your adventures so far. I am tired from just reading about your trip 😄.

 

Hope you have had a dry walk trough Frankfurt.

 

notamermaid

 

[*Miss G*]

Monday, October 3rd is a national holiday.  It is German Unity Day, commemorating the day when East and West Germany were reunified since they were separated in 1945.  New Old Town Frankfurt is abuzz with celebrations.  We arrive as all the church bells are ringing and the sun clears a way through the clouds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The shingle work in this square is amazing.  The picture doesn’t do it justice.

 

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by *Miss G*

[*Miss G*]

2 hours ago, notamermaid said:

I did not know that ships let passengers embark there in the harbour in the Ostend district.

 

 

Remember, a while back, you had mentioned where you thought we might embark?  Well you were right!  We received the address a couple of days ago:

 

Dock Location Address Frankfurt - Osthafen 15 / 16 (FROS) Lindleystrasse 60314  FrankfurtGM

 

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by *Miss G*

[*Miss G*]

 

 

[*Miss G*]

Sunset from the hotel window:

 

[Daisi]

Beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing.

[*Miss G*]

Here is the port map:

 

[*Miss G*]

I know some of you like to see the menus so here’s what’s on for embarkation day:

 

Light Lunch Menu

 

[*Miss G*]

Dinner Menu

 

 

[*Miss G*]

Embarkation Day Newsletter

 

[*Miss G*]

And, finally, every night this skyline dinner cruise goes by.  They always sound like they are having a lot of fun.  It is Primus-Line and we saw them docked in Old Town.  (Sorry, my picture didn’t take properly until they were already heading into the lock.)

 

[TMLAalum]

Following and enjoying, thanks!