Amsterdam, Avalon & What I Learned on My First River Cruise

We arrived three days early and stayed at Park Centraal Amsterdam. The location was great and made it easy to get out and explore the city.  And the bikes. So many bikes. Bikes everywhere, bike lanes everywhere. One of our best experiences was the Ollantay Food Tour with our guide, Barney. We tried stroopwafels, herring, fried cod, bitterballen, frites, Dutch apple pie, Tony's Chocolonely, and plenty more. We also had dinner at The Pantry for traditional Dutch food. We enjoyed the experience, although Dutch cuisine itself wasn't exactly the highlight for me. Reservations are recommended.

 

We had originally planned to visit Zaanse Schans and Giethoorn, but our tour was canceled that morning. Luckily, we pivoted and were able to find a same-day afternoon tour to Zaanse Schans instead. Our local guide, Mickey, was wonderful. The afternoon had fewer visitors, and getting close to the windmills while they were actually operating was really interesting.

 

We also took an evening canal cruise.  It was a nice tour but more crowded than I would have liked. As we were heading back, the lights started coming on along the canals and completely changed the atmosphere. My recommendation: book a later cruise; Amsterdam at night was one of my favorite parts of the trip.

 

About 48 hours before boarding Avalon, we learned that our ship would be changed. During the safety briefing, we also discovered that bad weather in the North Sea required adjustments to our itinerary. Unfortunately, the briefing took place as we were sailing away from Amsterdam. Sail-away is always a highlight for me, so I was disappointed to miss it.

The more significant disappointment was losing many of the Discovery excursions that had initially drawn me to Avalon’s Active & Discovery in Holland & Belgium. We had looked forward to experiences such as a graffiti workshop, tile painting, and visiting an oyster farm. The revised itinerary featured more traditional city walking tours instead. While those tours may appeal to many travelers, I quickly realized they simply weren’t the best fit for me. The exception was our chocolate-making workshop in Brussels. It was fun, hands-on, and exactly the kind of experience I had hoped for when I chose this itinerary. And yes, I brought the chocolate home and devoured it.

Weather happens, and itinerary changes are part of travel.

But this trip definitely confirmed that I would rather experience a destination than just walk around and look at it.

What I Liked About Avalon

There was plenty I enjoyed onboard. Our cabin was comfortable, the bathroom and shower were spacious, and I loved Avalon's bed-facing-the-window design—even if my mother insisted on closing the curtains at night. Mom, we need to talk:) I also enjoyed watching the ship navigate the locks, the coffee machines onboard, and Happy Hour before dinner. Complimentary wine and beer were offered, often regional selections, with other spirits half price. The waitstaff quickly learned everyone's drink preferences. Even if your regular order was nothing more exciting than a Coke, they remembered it. That personal service was one of the things I enjoyed about being on a smaller ship.

We enjoyed dinner in the main restaurant on our first evening. Several dishes were excellent, and the lively atmosphere made it a popular spot. The following night, we discovered Light Bites in the lounge—a quieter, more casual, self-service option featuring smaller portions of many of the same delicious dishes. We enjoyed it so much that it became our favorite dining spot for most of the trip. There was evening entertainment onboard, but I didn't need much of it. After a full day, I was perfectly happy going back to the cabin and watching a movie. I never seem to do that at home, so apparently that's now one of my vacation activities.

 

I liked the smaller ship, personalized service and relaxed atmosphere. I would just pay even more attention next time to the itinerary and, especially, the excursions. My biggest recommendation from this trip is actually to arrive early. Our three nights in Amsterdam were my favorite part of the entire vacation. Don't look at a pre-cruise stay only as protection against flight delays—give yourself time to enjoy the city.

Give me the food tour. Let me make the chocolate. Take me somewhere different. Give me some free time to wander.