Avalon Creativity ~ April 2011

Avalon Waterways

Avalon Creativity ~ 4/19 – 4/26/2011

Paris roundtrip to the Beaches of Normandy

After a fantastic river cruise aboard Avalon Creativity April 19-26, 2011 roundtrip from Paris through the enchanting French countryside to the historic beaches of Normandy, we can’t wait to go back.  We’ll be escorting a group on the same ship and itinerary for the April 10, 2012 sailing!

Pre-Cruise

We flew into Paris Monday, the evening before the cruise, and stayed at the Pullman Paris Montparnasse, the same hotel that Avalon uses for its pre-cruise packages.  (The rush-hour cab ride from the airport was long and expensive.  We would recommend looking at the train; there’s a main station right across the street from this hotel.)  The hotel looked recently refurbished and the staff was polite and helpful.

We headed out to explore the neighborhood just as the lights were coming on and the cafés were filling up.  We decided to have dinner at le Relais de l’Entrecote.  It’s easy to order because all they serve is Steak Frites (steak and fries) and the do it extremely well.  You get several slices of perfectly cooked steak with their secret-recipe sauce and a mound of the best-tasting French fries you’ve ever had (of course they just call them fries).  When you finish that, they just bring you another plateful!

After some more wide-eyed wandering we went to the Montparnasse Tower, the only skyscraper in Paris proper.  From the 56^th-floor 360° observation room we had an unbelievable view of the city and a perfect seat for the Eiffel Tower twinkling light show at the top of the hour.

At 8:30 the next morning, Tuesday, our Cruise Director, Jean-Loup Domart, was set up in a large lounge in the hotel; beverages were available, luggage was being staged for transfer to the ship, and carry-on bags could be safely stored here.  Included transfers to the ship would begin at 3:30 in the afternoon and passengers whose flights arrived this day were brought here from the airport to relax.  You could also purchase an optional tour to the Eiffel Tower that left at 1:30, included access to the second observation deck with no wait in line, and then transferred you right to the ship.

We elected to head out on our own a little more.  The Montparnasse cemetery is a city unto itself and the mementos left daily at the grave of philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre were fascinating.  We explored the Latin Quarter and numerous parks culminating in the Luxembourg Gardens and a nice lunch at La Gueuze, which turned out to be a Belgian restaurant.

The Ship

When we reached the Avalon Creativity we found a sleek vessel with sharp, contemporary décor.  The focus of the ship however, is obviously to turn your attention outward, towards the passing scenery.  All of the public areas are surrounded by windows and the floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door in most cabins turns your entire room into a balcony!  And on top of it all is the Sky Deck with ample seating and unobstructed views everywhere you look.

Our cabin (228) was the Avalon-standard generous 172 square feet (suites are even larger) including a relatively spacious bathroom with a great shower stall.  There is ample storage in both the cabin and bathroom but, oddly, it was all cabinets – a few drawers would have been nice.

The Club Lounge aft on deck three features always-available coffees and teas, fresh fruit and cookies as well as a small library and a number of board games.  Opposite this, forward on deck three, is the main Lounge, home to the bar, plenty of comfortable seating and the ship’s entertainer, keyboardist Mitko.  Big ship cruisers will enjoy the fast, friendly service here and love the absence of automatic gratuities!

The Lounge is the main gathering place on the ship for organized functions.  We had daily port talks from our Cruise Director and outside entertainment brought aboard including a classical music trio (La Strada), a D-Day and Normandy historian (Nigel Stewart) and a local pastry chef who taught an éclair cooking class.  Entertainment highlights of the week were the crew show and an authentic French cheese tasting seminar.

On deck two just below the Lounge is the Dining Room where all meals are open seating, encouraging interaction with your fellow travelers.  On our voyage, all 136 of the passengers were from the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand; all were well-traveled and eager to share their stories.  Most of them were primarily land tour travelers – there were very few big ship cruisers in the mix.  It seems that ocean cruisers have yet to discover the joys of river cruising.

Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style, each with an item or two that can be ordered from the galley if desired.  The breakfast offerings didn’t change much and could get a little repetitive on a longer voyage.  Surprisingly, the complimentary sparkling wine and mimosas offered at breakfast went largely untouched.  The lunch buffet has plenty of variety and always included freshly made pasta and hand carved meat.  As an option on several days, weather permitting, they offer lunch outside up on the Sky Deck featuring freshly grilled steaks and sausages.  This is delicious, don’t miss it!  Due to limited space (only 36 seats) they ask you to sign up for this ahead of time and to give other passengers first chance at it once you’ve experienced it.

Dinner is an event with five-course meals (seven courses on two of the nights) and free-flowing wines from the region you’re cruising through.  All of the food is freshly prepared, attractively plated and properly portioned.  Most importantly, it all tastes great!  The chef does an outstanding job making sure the courses all complement one another as well as the wines.  Interestingly, the breads are about the only thing not prepared from scratch in the ship’s galley.  When asked about this, chef Michael Baptiste responded, “We’re in France.  They bake the best bread in the world.  Why would I bother?”  He’s right, the bread is fantastic!

The Ports

The ship remains docked in Paris for the first two nights.  Wednesday morning there was an included sightseeing tour of Paris.  The motor coach wove its way through traffic and made sure we got the best views of all the important monuments in this magnificent city while a local expert provided a running commentary of the stories behind everything.  There were a couple of stops at the best photo spots and the option of being dropped off in the city to explore further on your own rather than returning to the ship for lunch.

Wednesday afternoon you could elect to purchase one of two optional guided tours.  One went to the Louvre, arguably the world’s greatest museum.  The other went to Versailles, palace of Louis the 14^th.  We’re glad we went to Versailles as part of the tour.  The crowds and long lines would’ve been somewhat daunting on your own and the included communication devices made following the expert guide so easy!  (Every passenger is given an earpiece to use for the duration of the cruise.  Prior to each tour you get a small receiver to plug your earpiece into while the guide speaks into a microphone.  We couldn’t believe how much these simple devices added to the quality and enjoyment of the tours!)

Wednesday evening, in lieu of dinner aboard the ship, you could purchase an optional trip to dinner and a show at Moulin Rouge, the infamous Parisian cabaret. Those who opted for this excursion came back with rave reviews!

Early Thursday morning we sailed from Paris and the crew was on hand up on the Sky Deck to make sure everyone ducked as we passed under some very low bridges.  The views of the city were great, but the people living on all manner of house boats along the Seine were the focus of many a camera.

Thursday afternoon we docked at Conflans-Sainte-Honorine and had to choose between two included tours.  One went to Chateau Malmaison, the 17^th century castle that was a favored retreat of Napoleon I and his first wife, Josephine.  The other went to Auvers-sur-Oise, the town where Vincent van Gogh spent the last months of his life.  Seeing reproductions of his paintings displayed in front of the buildings and landscapes that inspired van Gogh, right where he would have stood to paint them, really gave the artwork so much more meaning.

After the tour, we spent some time exploring the warren of cobblestone alleys in town and found a small bakery where we picked up some local pastries and macaroons.

Friday morning we docked in Vernon, and once again had to choose one of two included tours.  One went to the tiny village of Giverny to visit Claude Monet’s house, studio, gardens and famous water lily pond.  The other included a walking tour of Vernon followed by a trip to Chateau de Bizy for a tour of the palace and gardens.  That afternoon we had a couple of hours to explore Vernon on our own and get in a little shopping.

Saturday morning we were docked in Rouen and enjoyed an included walking tour of the city.  From the massive gothic Cathedral to the Great Clock-Tower, from the half-timbered 15^th century houses to the square where Joan of Arc was martyred, there seems to be no end to the sights and history of this town.

Saturday afternoon you could elect to purchase an optional trip to the historic port of Honfleur.  The tour included stops at a huge Salt Barn now used as an art gallery and the 500-year-old Church of St. Catherine, the oldest wooden church in France.  We had time to explore the marina and its surrounding cafés and shops where we picked up some of the local specialty, salted butter caramels, at La Cave Normande.

On Sunday we had to again choose one of two included tours, both day-long trips to Normandy.  The “Taste of Normandy” explored the countryside and small towns and included features like Camembert cheese, Calvados apple brandy and famous tapestries.  The “Normandy Landing Beaches” was an incredibly moving and educational experience.  We visited Gold Beach and learned about the extraordinary engineering feat of mobile harbors at the Arromanches Museum.  At Pointe du Hoc we saw the broken, cratered countryside – the result of days of continuous bombing – and climbed through shattered concrete bunkers and the surprisingly intact German command center.  We went to Omaha Beach, the scene of the heaviest fighting of the D-Day landings, and finally to the American Military Cemetery for a moving ceremony among the final resting place of 9,387 brave soldiers.

Monday morning we docked in Les Andelys, a picturesque little French village overlooked by the remnants of Chateau Gaillard, a fortress built by Richard the Lionheart in the 12^th century.  You could choose between two included walking tours; one through the town to the church, parks and gardens, the other a more strenuous hike up to the Chateau.  After the tours there was still time to stroll along the river and visit the bakeries, shops and cafés.

Monday afternoon (and on through the night) was spent cruising back to Paris with more magnificent views of the beautiful passing scenery.  Always keep your camera with you, as you never know what amazing sites you’ll be sailing past!!!

Perhaps the best way to describe this river cruise is by using words like enriching, engaging, informative, fascinating, and emotional.  We learned so much, and we enjoyed it immensely!

Post-Cruise

We were spending an extra day in Paris after the cruise and the ship’s ever-helpful staff arranged for a taxi to pick us up and take us to our hotel Tuesday morning.  The Hotel Mercure Paris Haussmann Saint Augustin is a cross between the old (tiny elevator, windows that look right into the next building) and the new (included high speed Wi-Fi, flat screen TV).  The staff was very friendly and helpful and the location between the Champs-Elysees and the Madeline was fantastic.

We found the Metro convenient and easy to navigate as we made our way up to the Montmartre area.  We saw the world famous Moulin Rouge and wound through steep streets surrounded by amazing architecture.  The Place du Tertre was crowded with artists and packed with tourists, but just a couple of blocks away we discovered Le Deli’s Café.  This quaint little restaurant was just outside the crowds and we were treated to a huge, delicious lunch at a good price.  After visiting the magical castle Sacré-Coeur at the summit of Montmartre, we began working our way back down with stops to browse and shop.  Among all the various souvenir shops though, La Cure Gourmande stood out like a beacon in the dark.  This little store, with its bright colors and displays out of a fairy tale, sold an amazing array of cookies, candies and chocolates available nowhere else.

After another Metro ride we window shopped along the Champs-Elysees and stopped at Ladurée, home of the world-renowned perfect Macaroon.  Later that evening we had dinner at Le Saint Augustin; good food and a great spot to people-watch.  The hotel arranged for a private van to pick us up the next morning and take us to the airport at a reasonable price.  It was hard to leave the city of Paris behind as there is so much more we wanted to experience…we’ll be back.

This was our 41^st cruise but only our 2^nd river cruise.  With river cruising we’ve found the personal touch and attention to detail that we miss from our big ship cruises of ten or more years ago, plus an up-close, in-depth experience that really enhances the destination.  There was just so much to see and absorb on this trip that we would have enjoyed more time at almost every stop!  If anyone else is interested in joining us, we’ll be escorting a group aboard the Avalon Creativity for the April 10, 2012 sailing of the same itinerary.  Happy cruising!

Road trip, anyone?

Vacation memories last a lifetime!  Check out our fun February vacations offered by Monograms United States.  Some of these are in your own backyard!  Save $100 per person.  Look at these price points – say hello to savings and opportunity!

Road trip, anyone? “Someday” really means never! Go. Now.

1.   New Orleans (3 nts) from $289 - Jazz Fest anyone?

2.   Southern Charm (Savannah, Hilton Head, Charleston) from $559

3.   Heart of the Great Lakes (Mackinac Island) from $739

4.   Washington D.C. (3 nts) from $379

5.   Cape Cod, Boston, Newport from $589

6.   Maui & Kauai (3 nts each) from $769

7.   Canyon Escape (Vegas, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon) from $339

8.   Redwoods, Wine Country, & Yosemite from $749

9.   Treasures of the Pacific Northwest, (10 days) from $649

10.  America's National Parks (Salt Lake, Jackson, Yellowstone, Cody, Sheridan) from $469

The US is a coveted vacation spot - aren't you lucky to have it in your own backyard?  From world-class cities to National Parks, and from city-stays to driving vacations, Monograms packages up the best of the great old U.S. of A!

Call or email for more information!

Carnival Freedom ~ January 2012

Carnival Freedom ~ 1/8-1/14/2012

Western Caribbean

Embarkation:  Loyalty pays off – this was our 10^th Carnival cruise and we were treated to the VIP boarding experience as Platinum level past guests.  The separate line whisked us right to the counter after a short delay at the security screening area (due to a medical situation in the waiting area).  Without that delay, we probably would have been on the ship within 15 minutes from the time we entered the door.  Other guests that were traveling with us were not able to join us in the VIP line, so it took them a little longer.  They met us in the buffet about 30-35 minutes later, so still not too bad for a boarding time.

Ship Overall:  Carnival Freedom is in excellent condition.  Public areas do not show signs of wear that we noticed.  Almost no burnt out light bulbs throughout the ship – which is an impressive accomplishment!  The Atrium’s wood floor was beautiful and a perfect dance floor for the music played throughout the week.  The Serenity adult area could be double the size as chairs were very difficult to find at any time.  The rest of the deck got very full on the sea days as we watched many people turn into lobsters. 

Cabin:  We elected to take an ocean view Category 6C (Cabin #2279) for this sailing and we were very pleasantly reminded why we send so many first-timers on Carnival.  The ocean view cabin was so spacious with tons of storage!  A family of 3 or 4 would be very comfortable in these cabins.  Compared to our ocean view cabin on a Norwegian Pearl sailing six weeks prior, this felt like a mini-suite!  There was plenty of counter and shelf storage in the bathroom.  Four decent size drawers in the desk along with 2 shelves and a shallow cabinet allowed plenty of hiding places for our stuff.  Even under the couch were two large drawers.  Three closets – one with convertible shelves so you could hang more if you’d like – provided more than enough space.  Beds were a little firm, and the duvet was getting a little flat, but still decent bedding.  Towels were thick and in good condition.  Bathrooms come with the standard shampoo and shower gel on the wall along with bar soap.  A little treat is the complimentary amenity basket that includes sample size goodies (razors, aspirins, toothpaste, etc) from various sponsors who probably pay a lot of money to have Carnival distribute their products for them.

Dining:  We had a group of 18 dining together, so we chose fixed dining with late seating.  They assigned us two large tables side by side on the upper level of the Posh dining room. We were tucked in the back corner by the window, so it was difficult to see/participate in all the dining room entertainment/activities, but we still had fun.    

Dining Room Food:  The food quality was very good with many excellent dishes.  With all of the buzz on the comment boards we were worried about what the menu would have; well, rest assured, there are PLENTY of choices each night in addition to the “always available” fare.  The person who complained that all they have is “meatloaf every night” must have been on a different cruise line.  We had fish dishes, lobster (nice lobster, too), prime rib, and the available everyday steak is very good – if you order medium or medium rare.  Order medium well or more and you might not be able to cut it.  They offered “comfort food” including fried chicken that my table mates said was delicious!  Pasta dishes were surprisingly good and dessert choices were yummy including the warm melting chocolate cake.

Dining Room Service:  This is where we noticed some changes.  The servers are definitely there to move you through, not to “serve” you.  There was actually less silverware for each course than in the past, and the waiters would actually take your “used” silver off the plate and put it back on the table for your next course instead of just bringing you new silverware.  A couple of times they didn’t even bring our soup spoons.  At one point I had to ask for a knife as mine was removed with an appetizer course.  Also, they didn’t offer fresh ground pepper or parmesan cheese, but if we asked they would bring it out for us.  While these things are noticeable to a long time cruiser, the first-timers in our group loved the dining experience!   Admittedly, some of the confusion came from having our assistant waiter out due to illness after the second night.  They tried to replace him with others, but the replacements did not support the waiter very effectively.  

Buffet:  Carnival does offer a lot of options on their buffets with the various stations including the Mongolian wok, Pizza, Indian, Deli, Grill, and the Taste of Nations which changes in theme daily.  Food quality was very good, but really the healthier options (besides salad and fruit) were not plentiful.  People tended to wait in long lines to move through the buffet stations.  We realized how nice Norwegian’s “freestyle” buffet is where they have fewer “line” buffets and more “stations” and encourage you to go directly to whatever you are after. 

Breakfast selections were okay as expected, nothing special, with scrambled eggs, potatoes and sausages that changed varieties daily, waffles, pancakes, and various toasted breads.  They did have some cold cuts and cheese and several fruit and pastry choices as well.  Made to order omelets were available and prepared quickly.  This is what we ate most mornings just to avoid the longer lines for everything else.

Onboard Activities:  Lots to choose from including a murder mystery that lasted throughout the cruise.  Clues were found in cryptogram puzzles in the newsletter and by asking the “suspects” (the Cruise Director and his staff) for additional clues.  This was something new for us and we had fun participating!  They did have ice carving by the pool, hairy chest contest and several trivia options, too.  One of our favorites was the cooking demonstration in the Sun King Steakhouse, Carnival Freedom’s specialty dining restaurant ($30pp cover charge).  The demonstration was free and they prepared a four course meal in front of us; plus they served us sampler portions of each fantastic dish!  We didn’t expect them to feed the entire audience, but they kept bringing out more food and every item was beautifully presented and tasted delicious.  We realize this was a nice sales pitch to get people to book the specialty dining, but it was well done and we recommend watching your daily Fun Times for this event! 

Entertainment:  We were offered three full production shows on this sailing.  “Ticket To Ride” a very energetic and entertaining Beatles Tribute; “The Big Easy” a New Orleans themed show that ended with a Mardi Gras Parade into the Atrium; and “Jump, Jive & Wail” featuring music of the 40’s/Big Band era.  All were enjoyable with songs that you can sing along to.  The live orchestra is a very nice feature, but we heard rumors that Carnival may be downsizing their on-board bands and phasing out any “featured” performers, sticking with their own onboard entertainers in lieu of other one-night features. 

The comedy shows were scheduled at awkward times making it difficult to see both the production show and the comedians.  On our previous Carnival cruises this was scheduled where you could really get it all in, but not so on this particular ship and sailing.  They scheduled five comedy shows in one night instead of moving them around on different nights and times.  We speculate it was because they use the same lounge for the Superstar Live – karaoke with the live band – which was very popular. 

Another interesting thing we noticed regarding entertainment was that they had no one scheduled in the Piano Bar until the second-to-last night of the cruise.  This lounge was empty and unused for the first four nights.  In addition, the Swingtime Lounge was rarely used and only occasionally was any entertainment scheduled there. 

Other onboard entertainers included the “rock band”, a duo singing light hits, and a salsa group that kept many guests dancing in the Atrium on a few nights.

Gym/Spa:  The gym is not one of the largest at sea but it had several options including exercise bikes, elliptical machines, stair climbers and free weights.  It was a little awkward to access the gym as you had to go through the locker rooms to get there.  They had a “shared” hot tub (that wasn’t very hot) behind glass in the middle of the gym, while the individual locker rooms each included a nice sauna and steam room with windows overlooking the ocean.  Lockers were available by asking at the spa desk for a key.  Spa prices were typical, but they offered many discounts and special deals throughout the sailing. 

Service:  In general, the crew was very pleasant saying “hello” and “have a good day” in most instances.  The reception staff was one of the friendliest we’ve encountered in several cruises.  We rarely saw our stateroom attendant but our room was cleaned promptly and thoroughly.  The sushi and buffet staff were polite and efficient.  One particular cook at the pizza station was justifiably proud of his calzones and recommended them to guests who took the time to chat with him.

Itinerary:  Western Caribbean from Ft. Lauderdale with stops at Key West, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios.  While these ports are “old hat” to many, we actually found an EXCELLENT guide in Ocho Rios and had a tour to many places we’d never seen – like Wassi Arts where we watched pottery being made and painted – and heard some great new information.  The guide’s name is Michelle and she can arrange a private, personalized tour for you.  She was fantastic – she even sang us some songs.  We will definitely be working with Michelle for our clients and our own personal return visits to Ocho Rios!  Contact us and we’ll put you in touch with her. 

Summary:  We found this to be a very enjoyable six-day itinerary.  We still believe that Carnival offers some of the best values available for cruising and continue to recommend them to our clients who are the right fit.  Carnival Freedom is a nice ship with a great crew offering a solid vacation value.  We would sail on this ship again without question.