Budapest to Amsterdam in the Fall
(32 Reviews)
100% Recommended
Daniel Oppliger
El Paso, TX
Group Travel Expert
I have been immersed in the travel industry since relocating to El Paso in 1986. Initially, I worked with a local tour operator before venturing out on my own.Over the years, I've developed specialties in Destination Resorts and River Cru...
I have been immersed in the travel industry since relocating to El Paso in 1986. Initially, I worked with a local tour operator before venturing out on my own.Over the years, I've developed specialties in Destination Resorts and River Cruises, specifically traveling to Turkey and China. I have organized group trips across the globe and visited 65 countries, leading tours extensively in Australia, Chile, China, Costa Rica, and Turkey.
In my capacity as a travel agent and advisor, I have also coordinated group travel to Argentina and Chile. As both a travel agent and tour guide, I focus on river cruises with premier vendors like Avalon. I appreciate Avalon for its spacious cabins and beds that offer stunning water views.
For group bookings, Ama Waterways simplifies the reservation process, allowing you to hold your space while you finalize your plans.I am dedicated to meeting all your group travel requirements and excel at creating balanced itineraries. I help your group steer clear of tourist traps while incorporating enjoyable activities into your travel schedule, like evening performances.
Feel free to inquire about experiences such as yachting adventures, bicycle rentals, or specialized programs.I cater to both large and small groups, whether private or organizational. As a travel agent specialist, I can transform any tour into a more relaxed and thrilling journey. I can identify the ideal suppliers to meet your travel needs, whether traveling as a group or solo.
Interested in visiting the floating markets of Asia? Or perhaps you wish to taste authentic Turkish cuisine? Whatever your preference, I can help you book a vacation that brings your travel dreams to life.I possess strong negotiation skills with vendors, ensuring you can secure a river cabin or hotel upgrade without additional costs. Reach out for my expertise in booking a unique river cruise or crafting an extraordinary travel experience.
Contact us today for all the details. An El Paso Texas Travel Agency.
Can Be Reached At
1-915-280-2922
Avalon Expression Docked on a River
CRUISE ITINERARY & DATE:Budapest to Amsterdam Oct 21-Nov 4, 2015
SHIP NAME: Avalon Expression
SHIP: The Avalon Expression was absolutely gorgeous. The sleek design with the steel and glass was modern and amazingly, all the doors worked extremely well. The sliding glass, the hinged doors and automatic doors all worked with smooth precision. The design with short flights of stairs, 6 steps (maybe 5) to go from level two to three was nice. There was never a reason to go more than two sets of stairs to get anywhere on the ship.The dining room was a bit noisy. The design has too much glass and steel for the sound to bounce around the room without offsetting sound deadening fireproof materials. It is not Avalon’s fault older folks speak loud to cover up presbycusis.The ship itself is very quiet. I did not know we left Budapest until the next morning. You are moving, but not moving. Looking out the panorama suite is like watching a movie.The Avalon Expression was very clean. The glass was always clean and you could see out or photograph through it.
SHIP STAFF: Captain Alex greeted us most every time we came on or off the ship. Our cabin girl was outside our room every morning. “Good morning, good morning.” We would come back after cocktail hour and the curtains were drawn and the fireplace lit.We never put a towel on the floor to be washed, but they were washed anyway. The crew was friendly and always called me sir. Service was great most of the time except when it was really busy in the dining room. That only happened when everyone was aboard for lunch or dinner. It was just a delay getting coffee, water or something. Not a big deal and understandable. The crew and hotel manager greeted us every night prior to dinner
STATEROOM:The Avalon suite design is ingenious with 30 less people that the same size Viking ship. We were very happy with a Panorama suite. The bathroom was of a very good size and the soft hot water was amazing, after all it was chilly this time of year. The floor was slippery when wet- maybe use some tiles with texture to grip your feet would be helpful. The closet was great for hanging up many items and the under-bed storage was useful. The TV with hdmi ports was useful as the screen broke on my laptop and I just plugged into the TV to keep working. There could have been another set of drawers somewhere. We quickly filled the ones in the desk and by the beds.The bed was great. If felt like new. The comforter was very nice. I would have preferred the red color scheme vs the yellow we had. Two sizes of pillow was a nice touch. I liked the way the new towels were delivered in animal forms.The view was great out the windows. We could lie in bed or sit in the chair and mini-love seat to watch the world go by.
DINING EXPERIENCE: The food was incredible.Breakfast was excellent especially with the English touches of grilled tomatoes and baked beans. The choices were fine for me. If anything was lacking, it was the pastry section-If looked like stuff from Sam’s except for the croissants. We bought some pastries in various towns and one of the waiters would heat it up for in the kitchen. Eggs and waffles were great.
By my count 14 days times 4 soups a day equals 54 soups. I don’t recall having the same soup twice. They were absolutely wonderful and especially welcomed with our cold weather. The vegetables in the soup must have been as fresh and the fruits and vegetables served aboard.We began most lunches with soup and salad. It was confusing the way the dining room was set up. Some people would begin at the salad section, while others in the center with the vegetarian, pasta and carving station meet. There was often a logjam and some dirty looks. This was exacerbated by the self-bread slicing station with about ten or twelve great breads at the same intersection.
The food supplemented with local flavors was great. The Hungarian goulash and German sausage day were a big hit. The pasta chef was great as his concoctions could be either heavy or light on the sauce.The first night we dined with a couple from California. The couple was clueless how the menu worked. “You mean you get to order from every category” or something like that. The table service was great too. I have been trying for 38 years to teach my wife how to set the table.The presentation of the evening food was just fantastic.
I have been on cruises before and this is by far the best I have seen. The wine choices were good too. The waiter would offer two choices. I quickly learned to check the wine list first and make my own choice. Some evenings the waiters were a little pushy on the chef’s suggestion. I don’t eat pork, so I ordered the steak on three nights.We dined with several different sets of people on the cruise and that was just fine with us.