Avalon's river cruise vacations are a great buy. Rates include stateroom, guided sightseeing and onboard meals, with complimentary wine, beer and soda at dinner. Champagne is offered at breakfast and bottled water in the cabins is free (up to three bottles per day). Unpack once and relax for the rest of your sailing, enjoying beautiful riverside scenes as you slowly pass by.

With ships averaging just over two years in age, Avalon operates one of the newest fleets in Europe. Their ships are modern, comfortable and nicely outfitted, and at night, guests retire to staterooms that are among the largest in the industry, complete with flat screen TVs and Egyptian cotton linens. Most have floor-to-ceiling windows and French balconies.

Two ships, Avalon Luminary and Avalon Felicity, make their debut in 2010, and along with the Avalon Scenery, Avalon Affinity, Avalon Creativity, they will feature a new, alternative dining option at lunchtime, an outdoor "bistro" grill.

Cruise Directors ensure that each day is unique and entertaining. You'll normally spend half a day sightseeing on shore and half a day cruising the river. Land programs are operated by sister company Globus, a leader in escorted touring for more than 80 years. Ships are docked for longer periods in major cities such as Vienna and Budapest, and sometimes the schedule allows for an evening in town.

Tulip Time Cruise, 9 days with Avalon Waterways. Begins and ends in Amsterdam with stops in Antwerp, Ghent and Rotterdam.

Grand Tour of Egypt, 12 days with Avalon Waterways. Begins and ends in Cairo with stops in Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan.

The Legendary Danube, 12 days with Avalon Waterways. Begins in Prague and ends in Budapest with stops in Passau, Linz and Melk.

Burgunday & Provence (Cote d'Azure to Paris), 12 days with Avalon Waterways. Begins in Côte d'Azur and ends in Paris with stops in Avignon, Tournon and Lyon.

Ecuador & The Galapagos, 13 days with Avalon Waterways. Begins in Quito and ends in Guayaquil with visits to Espaola, Fernandina and the Charles Darwin Research Station.

European Splendor (Vienna to Amsterdam), 14 days with Avalon Waterways. Begins in Vienna and ends in Amsterdam with stops in Melk, Passau and Wurzburg.

Windmills, Vineyards & Paris (Paris to Amsterdam), 14 days with Avalon Waterways. Begins in Paris and ends in Amsterdam with stops in Luxembourg, Trier and Cologne.

The Heart of China & The Yangtze River, 17 days with Avalon Waterways. Begins in Beijing and ends in Hong Kong with visits to the Great Wall of China, the Terra Cotta Warriors of Xian and Shanghai.

Jewels of Central Europe (Paris to Budapest), 18 days with Avalon Waterways. Begins in Paris and ends in Budapest with stops in Rudesheim, Nuremberg and Vienna.

There are other River Cruise Companies and options available along with US River Cruises. Please give All Ports Travel a call at 817-469-1414 for more information.