Avalon vs AMA

Hi - My family is planning a Christmas Market trip December, 2015. Trying to decide on Avalon or AMA. We have been on Viking. Any input on which folks prefer. Thanks and happy holidays.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2130488

Just recently discussed. Probably depends on specific desires re: cabin layout, food, activities. I'd still pick itinerary you like best.

My DH and I did our first river cruise on the Danube from Nuremberg to Budapest in August/September 2013 with Avalon and loved every minute. The entire experience was above and beyond what we had anticipated. When researching the different river cruise companies we narrowed it down to AMA and Avalon. We ended up choosing Avalon for several reasons; the itinerary, the cruise schedule, and the fact that Avalon was offering $1000 off the date we wanted to cruise. We were extremely happy with Avalon.

The thread linked above has many people describing their experiences on these cruise lines and some have very strong opinions! I agree with Hoyaheel; decide on an itinerary and what features of river cruising are most important to you. Doing the research makes it easier to choose the cruise line. I'm sure you would have a great experience with either company. Happy planning!

It's really hard to guess what other people's priorities might be - that's why I did my own research (on the company websites as well as more subjective reviews here) and put everything into a spreadsheet. What ended up being important to me - an odd length & location itinerary, having a fridge in the cabin, the layout of the cabin - might not be at ALL important to other people, but they were the primary reasons we chose Avalon and from that perspective, we were very happy - our expectations were high and they were met.

(on the other hand, I don't actually enjoy "river cruising" as a vacation methodology, but you don't know until you try - I tried:p)

I've heard several people say they love Avalon but advise choosing based on itinerary first. AMA lovers don't seem to say that. [Just sayin' ;)] My research led me to AMA and I'm not looking at any other cruise lines for future river cruises. Have the second AMA cruise booked and the third planned.

I've heard several people say they love Avalon but advise choosing based on itinerary first. AMA lovers don't seem to say that. [Just sayin' ;)] My research led me to AMA and I'm not looking at any other cruise lines for future river cruises. Have the second AMA cruise booked and the third planned.

After 4 river cruises with Avalon, we took a cruise with AMA and discovered a line that suited us very well. We found that we much prefer AMA's food quality and selection; wine quality; consistency of service; personality of staff and crew; overall attention to detail; variety of included tours that AMA offers including active, biking and culinary. Little touches like the artisinal cheese board at lunch and dinner; the experience of the La Chaine des Rotisseurs wine pairing dinner and cuisine onboard; the wonderful Chef's Table restaurant; the served menu options at breakfast and lunch; the theme cruises (we did the Christmas Market cruises on both lines and the difference in how they were celebrated aboard was significant).

We do like river cruising but doubt that we would have taken more had we not found AMA. For us, the devil is in the details and it is far more than the itinerary that made the difference to us. We are in the younger segment of river cruisers and are very active and independent. We find that AMA fits our tastes and personalities very well.

We will on AMA in just 6 days for #5 and have #6 booked. It is very likely we will be making our reservation for 2016 with AMA early next year.

I have posted detailed reviews for all of our cruises if you are interested in reading them.

Agree 100% with Hoyaheel, for us having a refrigerator or not is a deal breaker, we must have one, also prefer stateroom layout/size and bed direction on Avalon. After 2 cruises with Avalon and being very happy with food (18 year in restaurant game), staff and wine (which we are very fussy about, have own cellar with 800btls) Daily tours excellent, etc etc you will not be disappointed with Avalon

peterdkiwi, we have food and wine in common then. I grew up in the restaurant business (40 years) and we also have a wine cellar in our home. We love food and wine and our trips to Europe are focused on those interests, so quality is very important.

Preparing today for our traditional 7 Fishes Christmas Eve dinner and selecting special wines to accompany the courses. We bring/ship wines back from our many of our trips aboard and they make for wonderful memories.