Sailing into Cologne & ABBA Surprises!
We sailed out of Koblenz for the short journey up the Rhine to Cologne, arriving just as twilight settled over the city. Right away, Cologne felt electric—a vibrant, glowing metropolis lighting up the night sky, so different from the industrial ports we had passed earlier.
Our cruise director, Tony, treated us to a “Bonus Happy Hour” in the lounge with a live band. We decided to check out the music, and the second I walked into the room, the band kicked right into ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”! Jorene literally made me sit on my hands so I wouldn’t burst out of my skin on the spot! We spent the rest of the night laughing with friends we’d met along the cruise—shoutout to Paul from Missouri, who kept two Gin & Tonics steadily flowing to our table all night
Jewish Heritage Tour & Finding “Our People”
Originally, we were signed up for the standard cathedral tour, but we decided to join Brandi and Rhonda on the Jewish Heritage Tour instead—and nothing in life happens by accident! It was on this tour that we met Darcy and Jeanette (Darcy recently moved to Asheville from Ft. Lauderdale, and Jeanette is her best friend still living in Florida). An instant bond was formed, and our core group of “good people” was officially complete!
The tour itself was deeply moving, fascinating, and sobering all at once. Standing on the historic cobblestones where brass Stolpersteine (“stumbling stones”) honor victims of the Holocaust, listening to how one man’s hatred led to such devastating loss, was profoundly heavy.
Afterward, our crew lightened the mood with a stroll to the iconic Farina Fragrance Museum—the birthplace of original Eau de Cologne created in 1709—where we bought some authentic cologne before grabbing a peaceful coffee walk back to the boat.
Farewell Gala Dinner & A Complete Crew
Back on the Avalon View, we rested a little before getting ready for our official Farewell Gala Dinner. We brought our entire new crew together—introducing Rhonda and Brandi to Darcy and Jeanette—and claimed a large round table in the dining room.
While the dinner service ran a bit long, we had an absolute blast. Finding “our people” made the evening fly by, filling the dining room with nonstop laughter as we shared stories from the week.
The Disco Party & “It’s Raining Men!”
The real magic happened when we went upstairs to the lounge for the post-dinner Disco Party! Surrounded by people who made me feel completely safe to just be myself, I let go of all my inhibitions. I can’t dance to save my life, but I didn’t care one bit!
We danced, laughed until our stomachs ached, and celebrated an unforgettable week. When “It’s Raining Men” blasted through the speakers, I ended up right in the absolute center of the dance floor, surrounded by everyone cheering, laughing, and living in the moment. It will forever be one of my absolute favorite memories of the entire European trip. We just hate it took us until the end of the cruise to all find each other!
