What It Was Like on My First River Cruise Since the Pandemic

At the conclusion of my Avalon Waterways voyage at Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhone, France — where the Rhone River meets the Mediterranean Sea near Marseille — I realized that Avalon is still very much the brand that clients have come to love over the years.

After already sailing on half a dozen ocean cruises this year, my sailing onboard Avalon Poetry II marked my first river voyage, and its current health protocols, specifically in France, are closest to my experience on Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). 

Guests were not tested by the line for COVID-19 at embarkation as they were on NCL, but they were encouraged to get tested on their own for added reassurance. Furthermore, passengers and crew were required to be fully vaccinated, a policy that now extends all the way through 2022.

Officially, Avalon mandates physical distancing and face coverings inside its riverboats, as temporary signage indicated, but in practice, its ships are loosening this based on the destinations they visit. Since southern France is becoming more lenient toward mask usage, they were only compulsory for travelers when at buffets on the riverboat. (Crew still wear them universally, for the time being.) Otherwise, the use of face coverings was voluntary, and the majority of passengers opted not to use them. Similarly, social distancing was not enforced, and guests were allowed to mingle. Panes of plexiglass were the only things that occasionally separated them.

It was truly a beautiful sight to behold new friendships freely being made, as well as cruisers dancing to the ship’s outstanding guest musicians.

As on most cruises (even pre-pandemic), sanitation stations were frequently placed. It may seem curious that self-service buffets were present, as was the case on NCL. Apparently, these were replaced by full-service at the initial resumption of cruising, but reinstated when it became clear that guests did not feel as open to indulge as before. Still, required hand sanitizing was regularly monitored at the onboard Panorama Bistro, the dining room and Sky Grill to ensure cleanliness. The line was inconsistent about taking guests’ temperatures at breakfast.

Seeing paper menus was somewhat surprising, given that the line is pushing for increased digitization of daily programs, itinerary trackers and more in the AvalonGo app. (In an effort to promote environmental sustainability, the line is now 80% paperless.) 

At the end of the cruise, rapid antigen testing was conducted complimentarily for guests returning to the U.S., and everyone, as on proceeding Poetry II cruises, came back negative.

Active & Discovery on the Rhone River Excursions

All in all, most COVID-19 measures quickly faded into the background, and Avalon’s usual experience was free to commence. Our seven-night Active & Discovery on the Rhone River itinerary was bursting at the seams with loads of touring.

In fact, the line is expanding its free trifecta of energetic Active tours and cultural Discovery excursions, as well as Classic sightseeing ones, and ports generally featured at least one of each in the morning, as well as premium optional ones in the afternoon. (Note: Guests are expected to don their masks onboard motorcoaches.)

RELATED: Eating and Drinking Along the Rhone and Saone Rivers

The sheer variety of excursions cannot be overstated. Consider that on just this one itinerary, clients can do everything from descending into a cave for a wine tasting and kayaking in the shadow of Pont du Gard, to touring ghostly Viviers at night and painting their own masterpiece in Arles a la Vincent van Gogh.

Our Gorges du Doux Rail Bike Adventure was a super fun example of an Active excursion. Four participants rode together in a self-propelled, open-air rail car reminiscent of a vintage Volkswagen Beetle. The two in the back row got to passively enjoy the scenery, while the two in front, yours truly included, vigorously pedaled.

Exertions were mostly downhill, though, and the cart coasted so quickly during long stretches of the sinuous 9-mile route that it often felt like we were on a roller coaster passing through the lush landscape, steeply perched above the roaring waters in the valley below.

In addition to hosted tours featuring biking or hiking, Avalon provides a collection of regular bicycles and e-bikes to take from the ship. A dedicated Adventure Host is on hand to oversee the distribution as well as lead exercise classes onboard, and a fantastic Cruise Director oversees it all. Even behind face masks, guests can tell the crew are equally happy to be back sailing, and the engaging staff on Avalon exhibit more of a convivial personality than on other lines.

The overall atmosphere is casual as a result, with evening wear typically not exceeding slacks and sundresses. Breakfasts and lunches are buffet style, as are now slightly downgraded bistro dinners, but nighttime meals in the main restaurant are still fully served. Cuisine generally remains very good with elegant plating, and delicious pastas are always a standout. However, menus don’t appear to be updated much since before the suspension of sailings, and selections and portions can be limited.

Exceeding expectations on Poetry II was onboard entertainment, which in my mind has been cemented as the best on European rivers. Featured local groups excelled, especially Les Guitares de Camargue, a world-class trio related to the Gipsy Kings. In fact, it was fascinating to learn on our trip just how much of the inland south of France has been influenced by neighboring Spain, from bullfighting to said flamenco music.

To this day, the Avalon feature that resonates most is the line’s perfectly configured Panorama Suites, now available on a total of 14 riverboats. Beds are angled toward floor-to-ceiling sliding glass patio doors that slide to reveal an open-air balcony railing. 

It’s a simple layout, but it makes all the difference to wake up facing the view while freeing up space for a larger-than-average riverboat bathroom and shower. 

A few temporary changes notwithstanding, the pandemic has not stopped Avalon from being Avalon, and customers should be encouraged that the line exemplifies the re-emergence of river cruise travel that once was, and will be, again.

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Avalon Waterways