After researching cruise lines for us, Jean Rieker’s recommendation of Avalon Waterways was spot on. She secured 4 cabins for us on the same deck, close together in location, and at a group rate (having that third child really paid off this time!). The cruise staff was attentive and anticipatory of all our needs, even helped us arrange a birthday celebration on board and a retirement celebration.

One of the advantages that we paid little attention to until we crawled into bed for the first night was Avalon’s ability to place the beds in our cabins facing the floor to ceiling windows looking out at the Rheine on our entire trip. What a beautiful way to wake up each morning!

The cabins were generous in size, the public spaces were well designed with spaces to accommodate couples as well as our group of 8, comfortably without having to drag seating and tables around. Jean was so right, this was the cruise for us!