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Currently on the Avalon Tranquility in Holland/Belgium

gsquaredstwins

By gsquaredstwins,
in River Cruising

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gsquaredstwins

gsquaredstwins

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Having a wonderful time.... internet is not that expensive. 5 euros for an hour and from 3-24 hours it is capped at 15 euros (which for me is basically $30. usd which is reasonable in my eyes). Only 2 terminals though- so not always easy to get on.

 

Going to the Gardens on saturday... I will report back after I go for those anxiously awaiting to hear how it goes.

 

Ask any questions you may have for this particular itinerary / ship and I will try to answer them.

 

Small health club on board (2 exercise bikes and a treadmill). Breakfast is buffet as is lunch (and both are American style and plentiful) - dinner is sit down.

 

1st floor cabins have a small porthole window at the water level (you see the water).

 

Hendrick is our cruise director - but he is elaving this ship on Sunday so will no longer be with this ship.

 

Gina

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Bill S

Bill S

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Gina-thanks for posting! Sounds like you are enjoying the Tranquility!

We will be sailing on her in December. How is the food? Can you say more about the cabins and the ship overall? How do you like the dining room and lounge? What are they like?

Hope you have a great time!

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tiggypooo

tiggypooo

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Hi Gina:

Glad to hear that you're having a good time.

I'm leaving April 23rd on Uniworld's River Duchess for that itinerary. (Antwerp to Amsterdam)

I was wondering how the weather has been. I'm quite confused on what to pack.

I've got long pants and long sleeve blouses. Not too much short sleeved.

On the computer weather sites it looks like it's done nothing but rain for the last couple of weeks.

I hope that it hasn't been like that for you the whole time.

Thanks for any weather help you can give.

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letsgo39

letsgo39

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Hello Gina.

Glad to hear you are enjoying the "Tranquility". We cruised on her last summer from Budapest to Amsterdam. I believe it was just her second cruise. She is a beautiful ship and we had a wonderful time. Avalon(Globus) really knows how to do things right.:)

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rivernomad

rivernomad

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:) Don't worry, they won't cut any corners. You will have a great time. May 1st, Are you sailing Budapest to Prague?

 

 

Yes

 

We are going may 1 and there are 20cabins left which seems like a lot. Will make for a smaller group which is great as long as they dont cut corners.

 

Janet

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webfoot

webfoot

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We are booked on Avalon's Artistry and are leaving here next Saturday (the 26th). Currently there are 9 empty cabins on our ship. In fact, one of them is next to ours ....

 

I'll be anxious to hear more about the temperatures, etc., there now as I am starting to put piles of clothing together.

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gsquaredstwins

gsquaredstwins

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Lets see- the cabin is just about the same as a regular ocean line cruise (160-180 sq ft approximately) cabin- comfy (size is good) and modern. Nice bathroom, flat screen tv.

 

One thing annoying to me is no real television. Now I don't expect much on a ship, but having been on 20+ ocean cruises, I expect at least something. We have sky news and cnn in english and thats it. They sort of run a movie once a day- but they do not post starting tiems and it just runs so it is hard to get started on one.

 

The food has been overall good. Some meals better than others. Breakfats and lunch are buffets. Dinner is served very slowly... and portions are rather small in my opinion (and others have said the same). That said, they will bring you whatever you want and often they come around the dining room with seconds of certain items after everyone has eaten.

 

The weather has been really good for this trip so far. I didn't want to say anything because I have 2 days left and I don't want to jinx myself. No rain yet at all...6 days here and the only rain storm we had happened when we were on the boat indoors anyway.

 

Some days are colder than others. Today was a colder day here ... I actually had my jeans on witha t-shirt (standard wear for me) and put a sweatshirt over the t-shirt and then my windbreaker light spring coat over the sweatshirt. Kept my hands in my pocket... and that was it. It was cold but once the wind died down, it was fine, and if you caught some patches of sun it was even better. Like I said, the weather has been relatively good. I have been fine most of the week with my jeans, a t-shirt and my light spring jacket.

 

The dinign room is just fine on this ship as is the lounge. I must say I have hardly ever been in the lounge as there is very little to do on the ship. Now i say that but let me say I am not bored at all. They keep you very busy touring.... so there is little time to do anything else.

 

Typical days have the tours startibng at 8-8:30 am and running until about 11:30-12 noon. Get back on the bus have lunch and get back on the tour bus at 1 or 1:30 and don't return back to the ship until 6 ish. Dinner is around 7 ish sometimes 7:30 and that takes a solid 2 hours... so by the time you get out from dinner... the day is done.

 

Interesting tidbit. The boats sort of dock on each other at some piers. Twice we have been the 3rd boat in a pier and we had to walk through or across the top deck of 2 other boats to get onto our boat. I thought that was interesting.

 

Did I answer all of your questions ??? If not, please ask again.

 

Gina

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tiggypooo

tiggypooo

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Thanks for the weather update Gina.

I feel a whole lot better hearing that it has been half decent.

It's nice to know that every day isn't going to be a "Bad hair day".

I just hope that the sun is shining brightly in Antwerp on April 23rd.

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gsquaredstwins

gsquaredstwins

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I am on the second deck which I am happy with. Deck 1 - we have knicknamed the MAYTAG DECK !! On Deck 1 you are partly below the water level and you have a round porthole style window. The water is in that window and swishes around- hence to me looks like the front view of my washing machine (which is a front loader). LOL

 

I hope I am not ruining it for anyine booked on Deck 1 - just telling the truth here.

 

Off to the gardens tomorrow...

 

BTW: I am happy to give out some information. I always come to cruise critic when I need info and everyone is always so helpful. It is the least i can do. I hope my info provided helpful for future cruisers...

 

Gina

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letsgo39

letsgo39

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Just thought I would add that even if you were in a hotel in that part of the world the only channel you would be able to get in English would be CNN.I thought it was fun to watch what was coming ahead on the TV from the camera on the bow while in our cabin. We were 16 days on The Tranquility last summer and were never bored for 1 second.

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webfoot

webfoot

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Gina, thanks so much for all of the information. We are so anxious to leave on our trip ... we leave here next Saturday.

 

We have booked Cabin 219 which is on the middle level ... called a Category A.

 

I love watching CNN from overseas. It has such a different perspective on news. What we see here in the states isn't as relative to CNN overseas.

 

Enjoy the rest of your trip!

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gsquaredstwins

gsquaredstwins

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we are in cabin 217 and we are very happy. It si dead center on the ship- very clsoe to everything... well not like anythign could be FAR away- LOL. The ship is rather small... LOL

 

As for the tv, I guess what I would like is for Avalon to run a few more things off their closed circuit tv channel. Maybe some sitcoms rerun throughout the day or something...

 

We have NOT been bored on this trip at all... not one bit- I will say that. if you go on all of the tours- you will be very busy. Up in the morning, and off the boat for a tour. back in time for lunmch and then off again for a tour, to return in time for dinner. Dinner starts at 7 or 7:30 and lasts 2 hours long... so it takes you just abour to bed time.

 

Gina

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MSEm

MSEm

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Jkeller,

I will be looking for your after trip report. I will be on the Artistry for the Budapest to Prague. The scheudled start date in Budapest is June 20. We will arrive on June 18 for 2 extra days. (When checking air fare by going early I "saved" almost enough on airfare to pay for the w addition days at the hotel).

 

Please let us know about any optional tours in Budapest and Prague.

 

Have a great trip.

MSEm

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