Our Groups Manager Maree returns from her Big Ship Mediterranean & Small Ship France trip...

Tell us a little bit about your itinerary and why you chose it?

With the knowledge that so many of our clients have fallen in love with the ease of cruise holidays and the fact that I am addicted to river cruising, I created this tour: Big Ship cruising in the Mediterranean/Small ship cruising in France tour - the Flavours of Burgundy & Provence with extra time in Paris!

What were your first impressions of each ship?

MSC Poesia, which hosts 3000 guests, is an impressive ship and every day I marvelled at the efficient operation. Getting on and off at ports ran like clockwork and we either departed exactly on time or a few minutes early. The down side was the number of children on board as it was the last week of school holidays in Italy!

Avalon Scenery was a sanctuary, no children, wonderful food and service and it immediately felt like we were cruising with just a few friends!

What were the key features you enjoyed on each ship?

The Mediterranean itinerary was excellent and I will never forget the spectacle of winding our way past St.Marks Square and through the islands as we followed 6 other cruise ships out of Venice, on a perfect autumn evening.  Bari, Katakolon for Olympia, Izmir for Ephasis, Istanbul & Dubrovnik were our ports of call.

The included sightseeing on Avalon has to be a highlight with guided walking tours in each village. The personal listening devices make hearing the guides very easy and consequently touring more pleasurable.

Would you recommend the time of year you chose to travel to the destination?

I try to plan my trips "off season", as this was, because the American holidays were over. Destinations are less crowded and the weather is cooler. September is a great time to visit Europe.

How would you describe each ships onboard style, space, ambience and decor?

Poesia is a very "glamorous ship" with lots of bright lights, elegant décor and choices when it comes to public areas. The cabins were very well appointed and immaculately serviced. Because of the number of passengers the atmosphere is very busy as are locations such as the pool areas.

Avalon is far more relaxed. Again the cabins are excellent and the crew did a wonderful job providing services, always with time for a friendly greeting.  The public areas are tastefully decorated and have a private lounge room feel about them. These facilities are fully utilised as space is limited because of the size of the vessel. Returning to Avalon always felt like a homecoming.

What cabins would you recommend?

There are no bad cabins on either ship but I would always encourage my clients to cruise as "high" (both in grade & location) as your budget will allow.  

Is there a good range of cuisines?

On board Poesia, MSC featured a different region of Italy for the formal dining each night. I found this most enjoyable. Elsewhere there was lots of food!

Our French food was fabulous. We often found the Hotel Manager and the Executive Chef in the villages with their shopping jeep sourcing cheese, breads, pastries or the likes from the region that we were visiting. Included wines were also from the local wineries. In additional our Cruise Director, Yvette was passionate about food (and about France!) and on request from our group was happy to teach us how to make special dressings and provide us with recipes from the menu!  

What was the entertainment like?

There was a range of music in all the lounges on the Big Ship plus a big production in the magnificent showroom each evening. Avalon has a resident musician and they take entertainers on board at ports along the way to entertain. We were nervous the night that the Gypsy Band entertained us! We wondered if their friends were robbing our rooms whilst we were being entertained!  They provided great entertainment and our valuables were all in place at the end of the evening.

What were the highlights of your overall trip?

I felt privileged to cruise on these beautiful ships to such interesting ports with friends! Many of the group participants had travelled with me before and those who were "first timers" are now considered friends.

Who would you recommend the cruises to?

Poesia is ideal for those who want value for money in the Mediterranean (but check the school holiday situation). Everyone should take a River Cruise, regardless of the destination! I have now done Nice to Paris, Amsterdam to Budapest, and St.Petersberg to Moscow....

What's next for your travels?

I'm always on the move but my highlights for 2010 will be a cruise aboard Crystal Symphony taking in the North Cape and Arctic Circle and escorting a group to visit the Christmas Markets in Germany & Austria, November 2010.  You see, life is just too short not to have a cruise to look forward to!