What’s better than watching the world pass by from your balcony?
Watching it from your bed.
I’m all snuggled up, with a
coffee and a book (OK,
champagne and a movie) while
a fresh breeze blows in from the
mountains.
Outside is an ever-changing
scene of countryside, castles,
bridges and villages.
Inside, the Avalon Panorama
looks like a Westin hotel.
And although the marketing
department may say each suite
has an ‘open-air balcony’ I’m calling it an open-air bed.
On sunny days I open the sliding door and on cooler days I close it and enjoy the
floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall view.
I don’t care that I can’t sit outside my room on a chair – I can always go up on the
top deck for that.
But few people bother because almost everyone gets a suite on Panorama – there are
64 spread over two decks, plus 17 deluxe staterooms (almost the same size, but with
smaller windows).
It’s the christening cruise, so godmother Lisa Wilkinson, the Today show host, and her
husband Peter Fitzsimons have the ‘royal suite’.
By her own candid admission, the couple made full use of that open-air bed – late
one night, in full view of an unexpected passing ship! (Note: Curtains can be closed.)
They don’t call it the Romantic Rhine for nothing.
At each port, we spend the day on walking tours to discover the peculiar charms of
Germany’s riverside towns.
In Rudesheim, Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum is the biggest
surprise – our whole group is enchanted by both our quirky guide and the
demonstrations of antique music cabinets and self-playing pianos.
Afterwards we warm up with the regional coffee specialty spiked with local brandy
and topped with cream.
In Cochem, we visit the restored Reichsburg Castle, and in Cologne, the famous
Gothic cathedral.
The most beautiful stretch is the Rhine Gorge, between Bingen and Koblenz, which is
UNESCO-protected so nothing modern can be built.
There are no bridges or new buildings for more than two hours, and the onboard
commentary points out the historic ruins and vineyards, some dating back 800 years.
Earlybird savings
Avalon Waterways’ 15-day ‘Magnificent Europe’ river cruises have many more stops
in Germany, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia and Holland.
Operating between Budapest and Amsterdam, passengers stay overnight in both of
these cities at each end of the journey.
From March to November next year, this itinerary will be offered on Panorama and
sister ‘suite ship’, Avalon Vista (launching in May 2012).
Fares start at $4,504 per person twin-share including all onboard meals, drinks at
dinner, a range of shore excursions, wi-fi
internet access and cruise gratuities.
Earlybird savings of up to $1000 per couple
are available on Avalon’s 2012 cruises for
bookings made before 30 September 2011 or
until sold out.
For details, see your travel agent or visit
www.avalonwaterways.com.au.
