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What are Avalon’s onboard guidelines and services?          

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

Beverages  Choice of complimentary wine, beer or soft drinks will be included with dinner & lunch and sparkling wine with breakfast on Avalon Europe river cruises. In Europe, Asia and South America, coffee and tea are available free of charge throughout the day from "early riser" breakfast through dinner. In the Galápagos, wine is included with all dinners. On the Mekong and Ganges rivers, complimentary coffee, tea, soft drinks, and local beer/spirits is available throughout the day and wine is included with lunch & dinner. On the Amazon River, complimentary coffee, tea, select soft drinks, and local beer/spirits are available throughout the day. Wine is included with dinner. 

 Clothing & Dress Code    

Your comfort is our first concern. Onboard and onshore dress codes are casual. Please bring comfortable walking shoes for sightseeing. Dinner attire is casual—open-neck shirts and slacks for men; slacks, skirts, or dresses for ladies. Coats and ties may be worn if preferred.  

The Welcome and Farewell Dinners in Europe are dressy, but not formal. On the Mekong, Ganges, Amazon, and Galápagos, dressy attire, coats, and ties are not recommended due to the warm, humid climate.  Cuisine   All meals on board are prepared by accomplished chefs and consist of local food prepared for North American tastes. There is a full buffet breakfast, and in Europe a buffet lunch including choice of soups and main courses with appetizer, salad or sandwich, and dessert. Learn more about dining in Europe. On the Mekong and Ganges, a mix of Western and local dishes is offered; in the Galápagos, you'll be able to taste some Ecuadorian specialties; and in the Amazon, you will be able to sample Peruvian specialties.  

Cruise Director   

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

Special Interest cruises typically include an expert specific to the cruise theme—from Wine Masters to History Experts.  

Electricity  

 Electricity on board in Treasure of Galápagos is 110v. Electricity on board the Delfin III 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. For specific details on voltage requirements on land for each of the countries you are visiting, please refer to the Know Before You Go section.   Hairdryers   All ships have hair dryers for passenger use. Please contact the reception desk if your stateroom is without one.   

 Internet access 

  All Avalon ships in Europe have complimentary Wi-Fi available. On the Mekong and Ganges, complimentary Wi-Fi access is available in the Panorama Lounge. The signal is not always reliable, as you will be cruising through remote areas. To access the ship's Wi-Fi Internet network you will be given a PIN number at reception to use on your laptop, tablet, or mobile device. Wi-Fi is not available in the Amazon or Galápagos.  

Laundry 

  Laundry service is available on board for a modest fee. Check the price list in your stateroom. Clothes cannot be dry cleaned on board. For safety reasons, we ask that passengers do not iron their clothes in the staterooms as this is a safety hazard. Onboard laundry service will press your clothes for a fee. Laundry service is not available in the Galápagos. 

 Library  

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

 Medical Services 

  Due to the proximity to land, onshore medical services can be called rapidly. On Amazon and Galápagos ships, first-aid-trained staff is available. 

 News & Information 

  The onboard daily newsletter features information about daily activities, shore excursions, and tour departure times.  

 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 Shopping  

 Each ship has a shop area offering accessories, film, souvenirs, and some select personal and toiletry items. There is no shop on board the Ganges Voyager in India. 

 Safes   

Ships provide in-room safes.  

Smoking Policy 

 All ships have non-smoking interiors. In Europe and South America, smoking is only permitted on the Sky Deck. On the Mekong, and Ganges River cruises, smoking is permitted in a designated area on board.  

Special Occasions 

  Passengers celebrating special occasions, such as anniversaries or birthdays, should alert ship personnel upon boarding the ship. Special services are available (some free of charge) on Europe cruises. Celebration Packages are available for purchase in Europe. 

 Telephones 

  Each stateroom includes a direct dial telephone which may be used to call between staterooms. Ship-to-shore calls are also available in Europe. Any charges are placed on your shipboard account. In the Galápagos and the Amazon, there are two satellite-linked pay phones available for use in the reception lounge. On the Mekong and Ganges, a phone is available for emergencies if needed. 

 Television   

Each stateroom has color satellite TV and will receive some English programming. There is a shipboard information channel and a channel with entertainment videos or movies. Treasure of Galápagos provides a TV in the ship's library only. There is no television service on the Amazon or Galápagos cruises. Television service is limited on the Mekong and Ganges. 

 Your Shipboard Account  

 For your convenience, all purchases and paid services on board are billed with a guest check and added to your personal shipboard account.    What about international currency and payment methods?  In Europe:  Most of the countries you will be visiting in Europe use the Euro. Exceptions are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania; 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. For payment of shipboard accounts, Euro and U.S. dollars are accepted as well as American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Diners Club. A fee is charged for the use of traveler's checks. Personal checks cannot be cashed on board.   In Southeast Asia:  Although, several countries have their own currency including the Riel (Cambodia) and Kip (Laos), U.S. dollars are widely accepted. In Vietnam (Dong) and Thailand (Bhat), local currency is used primarily. ATMs are available in most large cities and will dispense the local currency. It is advised that you check with your bank to ensure your card will work; otherwise we recommend you bring all the money you’ll need from home. 

 The currency on board is the U.S. dollar. Shipboard accounts can be settled by credit card (Visa or MasterCard) or with cash. Traveler's checks are not accepted.   In India:  The Indian rupee is the currency used throughout the country. ATMs are available in most large cities and will dispense the local currency. The currency on board is also the Indian rupee. Shipboard accounts can be settled by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express), or with cash. Traveler's checks are not accepted.   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 may be settled by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express), cash, or traveler’s checks.   In Peru/Amazon:  Peru uses Nuevo Sol (PEN) as their official currency; however, U.S. dollars are widely accepted. Credit cards are accepted in Peru, and you should have no problems using them in larger shops and restaurants. Visa and MasterCard are most accepted. Smaller shops may ask you to pay in cash or have a minimum amount required to use a credit card. 

  What is your price policy?  

Vacation prices are per person, based on double occupancy, and do not include airfare except as noted on the itinerary pages. Single room supplements and triple room reductions are listed where applicable; not all accommodation types are available on all vacations. We encourage full deposit early to secure your space and to protect the price of your vacation. Prices are subject to increase without notice, subject to the guarantees set forth below.  Once Avalon has received your full non-refundable land/cruise deposit your vacation price is guaranteed and you are protected against any base land/cruise price increase due to currency surcharge. Any subsequent cost increases are at our expense, not including energy cost increases and/or any government tax increases.  If you purchase air through Avalon, an additional non-refundable air deposit ($300 per person for departures) is required to protect your air fare price. Please note that Avalon reserves the right to ticket passengers upon receipt of full land and air deposit. Thus any changes at your request made after receipt of your full deposit are subject to airline-imposed change fees and/or changes in airfare price. These fees are your responsibility to pay and will be required at time of request. This includes name changes or name alterations.  Air is only available to passengers traveling from the United States and is only available when booked in conjunction with a land/cruise vacation. In most cases, you’ll be offered a choice of carriers and flight schedules as well as price points to choose from when selecting your flights. Your schedule will be provided to you at the time of booking (schedules are subject to change by carriers