FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Air Conditioning and Heating

All rooms on the ships are air conditioned and heated. All ships have individual controls in the staterooms.

Beverages

Wine, beer and soft drink is included with all onboard dinners. In Europe, regular coffee, tea & iced tea are available free of charge throughout the day from the self service coffee stations. On the Yangtze and Galapagos - coffee, tea & soft drinks are included at lunch and dinner.

Clothing

Dress aboard and on shore is "casual & comfortable". We kindly request that shorts not be warn in the restaurant or lounge in the evenings. Bathing suits are not appropriate in the lounge or restaurant at any time.  You may wish to wear something a little dressier for the Captains Dinner. We recommend that for shore excursions you wear comfortable shoes & don't forget a sun hat.

Cruise Director

A professional, experienced, English-speaking Cruise Director accompanies every departure.

Cuisine

All meals on board are prepared by accomplished chefs and consist of local food adjusted to suit the tastes of international passengers. There is a buffet breakfast and in Europe a buffet lunch including a choice of soups and main courses with appetizer, salad or sandwich and dessert. On the Yangtze, a mix of Western and Chinese dishes are offered; in the Galapagos, you'll be able to taste some Ecuadorian specialties. Dinner is a multi-course meal with choice of soups and entrees.

Currency & Credit Cards

In Europe:
Most of the countries you will be visiting in Europe use the Euro. Exceptions are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia and Switzerland; they all have their own currencies but the euro is accepted in many establishments. Many locations accept major credit cards; however in small towns they are not widely accepted. In these cases and for incidentals or small vendors, you will need some local currency. ATM machines are located on shore at some stops. Prior to your departure, confirm with your bank that your ATM or credit card and PIN number will work abroad. All purchases on board are charged to your room account. The onboard currency is the Euro. U.S. currency and traveller’s cheques may be exchanged for Euros. For payment of shipboard accounts, Euros and U.S. dollars are accepted as well as American Express, Visa, Mastercard and Diner’s Club. A fee is charged for the use of traveller’s cheques. Personal cheques cannot be cashed on board. 

In China:
U.S. dollars are widely accepted on shore. The local currency is the Yuan. ATM machines will dispense yuan or they can be purchased on board the ship using U.S. dollars. The currency on board is the yuan. Shipboard accounts can be settled in cash, traveller’s cheques or most major credit cards.

In Ecuador:
Ecuador uses U.S. dollars as their official currency. Credit cards are usually accepted in larger towns. In smaller towns cash is recommended. Shipboard accounts can be settled by credit card, cash or travellers cheques.

In Egypt:
The official currency is the Egyptian pound, but Euros and U.S. dollars are widely accepted. In small towns it is recommended to carry small amounts of local currency, but vendors in tourist areas are likely to accept U.S. dollars. Credit cards are usually accepted in larger towns. ATMs are available in most larger cities. Shipboard accounts can be settled by credit card or with cash. Traveller’s cheques are not accepted.

Dining

Meals are served in the dining room in a single sitting. There is open seating so you may sit at different tables for each meal if you wish to meet other fellow passengers. All meals on board the ship are included.

Electricity

Electricity on board is 220v. The bathrooms have a dual 220v/110-120v plug for shavers and small appliances. You will need an adapter or converter to use in other outlets in the stateroom for any small personal items such as a razor, curling iron or alarm clock. In the Galapagos, electrical outlets are 110v with American-type outlets.

Email, Internet & Fax

Internet service is available on board. The service works via satellite and there is an hourly charge. On the Yangtze River cruises the internet is a flat rate charge. Internet cafes can be found in many towns along the way in Western Europe and charges are generally very reasonable. Faxes can be sent and received via reception; there is a charge for both outgoing and incoming faxes.

Gratuities

Gratuities on board and on land are not included in the cruise price (except for Exclusive Collection cruises). Tipping is a way to show your satisfaction for good service and is part of the cruising way of life. Many Australians are unfamiliar with this custom and are unsure what to do when onboard, therefore Avalon Waterways has introduced the option to pre pay gratuities for all cruises in Europe. The amount for prepaid gratuities varies for each cruise and is listed below the 'Dates & Prices' box.  Please note we are unable to facilitate pre paid gratuities in Egypt, China or South America.

Gratuities 2010

For all 2010 European river cruises gratuities for Cruise Director & crew are included in the cruise price.

Hair dryers

Each stateroom is equipped with a hair dryer. Please call reception if there is no hair dryer in your room.

Laundry

Laundry service is available on board for a modest fee. Price lists will be available in your stateroom. Please note that clothes cannot be dry cleaned on board. For safety reasons, we ask that you do not iron clothing in your cabin. For a small fee, the onboard laundry service is available to iron clothing. Laundry facilities are not available on the Galapagos cruise.

Library

You may check out books from the ship's library free of charge. We ask that you return them before your cruise ends.

Mail Services

Stamps and postcards are available for purchase on board. Mail is sent from each major port.

Medical Services

Should you fall ill, please contact your ships reception, at once. Due to the proximity to land, medical services can be called from shore when necessary. There is a resident physician on board the Santa Cruz & La Pinta.

Newsletter

A daily newsletter is produced on each ship and features information about daily activities, shore excursions, tour departure times and more.

Onboard Language

The language on board is English. All staff, crew and tour guides speak English. All announcements and commentary will be in English.

Onboard Shop

The ships have onboard gift shop offering accessories, film, souvenirs and gifts as well as a limited selection of personal and toiletry items.

Payment During the Cruise

A cashless system operates on the vessels. Purchases and shipboard services are credited to your account (see "Shipboard Account").

Safes

Although it is recommended that you leave valuables at home, all staterooms are equiped with a safe. Any items that exceed the size of the safe can be checked into the ship's reception desk.

Smoking

In Europe and in the Galapagos, all ships have non-smoking interiors. Smoking is only permitted on the Sky Deck. On the Viictoria Anna, Victoria Jenna and Royal Lotus, smoking is limited to specific areas.

Special Occasions

Passengers celebrating special occasions, such as anniversaries or birthdays, should alert ship personnel upon boarding the ship.

Telephones

Each stateroom has it's own telephone. This may be used to call room to room or to any of the ship's offices, in Europe calls can be made from ship-to-shore. In Egypt & China, ship-to-shore calls must be made from reception. Any charges are placed on your shipboard account. In the Galapagos, there are two satellite-linked phones available for use in the reception lounge.

Television

Each stateroom has colour satellite TV and will receive some English programming. There is a shipboard information channel and a channel with entertainment videos or movies.

Your Shipboard Account

For convenience, all purchases and paid services on board (after your authorisation) are billed to your personal shipboard account. At the end of your cruise, you will receive a total which can be paid with cash or charged to a major credit card or paid in traveller's cheques (there is a processing fee). Travellers cheques are not accepted on the Royal Lotus. Personal chequest are not accepted.