Bidding Farewell to Paris & Rolling through France
After our whirlwind day in Paris, we packed up and headed over to Gare de Lyon to catch our high-speed TGV train to Basel, Switzerland. After navigating the bustling station boards, we boarded Coach 13 and settled into our seats on the upper deck. As the city faded behind us, we spent the three-hour ride gazing out at endless golden wheat fields and peaceful French countryside.
Arrival in Basel & A Giant Lunch
We pulled into Basel right on schedule at 1:26 PM, instantly stepping into a brand-new country! We navigated through the city—taking in the local architecture, yellow trams, and riverfront views—before stopping for a late lunch. We ordered what turned out to be two enormous calzones that barely fit on our plates, giving us plenty of fuel for the afternoon.
Boarding the Envision & The Captain’s Big Announcement
From lunch, we made our way to the port to board our ship. We actually boarded the Avalon Envision first—and during the Captain’s welcome talk in the main lounge, we quickly learned why!
Because of the massive European heatwave, extreme drought conditions had driven the Rhine River down to critically low water levels. The Captain explained that the Envision could only sail so far north, while another ship, the Avalon View, was sailing as far south as it could go. On Friday, we would be doing a mid-cruise “ship swap”—taking a day-long bus excursion to meet up and transfer over to the Avalon View to complete our journey!
While we were sad to learn we’d miss sailing through the famous Rhine River Gorge, Avalon handled the news graciously, surprising every guest with a $100 onboard credit (plus a few extra surprises promised for later in the week!).
Welcome Dinner & Passing Through the Rhine Locks
With the game plan set, we gathered in the dining room for our very first multi-course dinner on board. Afterward, everyone headed up to the Sky Deck to watch our first major river milestone: navigating through the massive Rhine river locks! Watching the water drop and the towering concrete walls rise around the ship as the sky turned a stunning sunset-pink was the absolute perfect ending to our transit day.
