Christmas market Cruises

[young2by2]

We are thinking about going on a Christmas market cruise and wanted to get everyone's thoughts that might have either been on a cruise during this time. Or had attended (not via river cruise) the markets..

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

[steamboats]

Deilmann doesn´t offer any Christmas Market cruises. Check out the river cruise board and especially this thread

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=16860248#post16860248

steamboats

[Colonel(Ret.)Wes]

I have served in Germany 11 or 31+ years in the Army and the annual Christmas Markets are one of the special highlights..these Markets mark the beginning of Advent and truly bring the magic of the holiday season to life. We have lived in Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Kaserslautern and Heidelberg. You will find seasonal tastes (mulled wine called Glu wine--delicious on a cold winter evening) candy, curry wurst...and special stands that sell crafts. As Deilmann's 2009 Great Rivers of Europe brochure says, "Each
Town, village and city paticipates with festively decorated stalls in enchanting settings. The arts, crafts, food and drink help transport you
in a setting of winter wonderland"

Deilmann does offer Christmas market cruises...A month+ ago, I checked with Deilmann's US Reservation manager and he said they will start in Christmas Market river cruises in 2009 to checkin the 2009 Great Rivers of Europe brochure (pp 108-119)...got mine two weeks ago

Deilmann offers 5 night Christmas market cruise on the MV Heidelberg on
the Rhine; 3 ,4 and 5 night on the MV Casanova on the Danube. Also,
Deilmann offers 6 and 7 night New Years Holiday cruises on the Rivers
of Europe.

A friend (NYfeds) has been on Deilmann twice and loves it (we have only ocean (Regent/SS) cruises and would only think of doing a river
cruise on Deilmann (plan a 2010 Christmas market river cruise).

Hope this helps

Wes

You can go to the Deilmann website and order (free) the Grand
River Cruise brochure

Christmas Markets in Europe are truly magical and a wonderful way
to usher in the holy season.

r/wes

[young2by2]

Wes,

My sincere thanks :). I Tip my hat to you kind sir for your taking the time to let me know such wonderful information. I ordered the brochures as you suggested.

We have a very close freind that lives in Dresden Germany and may just have to make a 2 week trip out of the markets and the winaries in germany :)

Trey

[steamboats]

Wes,

I have to admit that I haven´t checked the 2009 brochure so far (except for seeing a photo of mine in the German brochure :D ).

Trey,

Check out the thread on the river cruise board. Most of the river cruise companies plying the US market are offering Christmas market cruises.

Deilmann is a German cruise company and the itineraries are quite different from those of the US companies. Deilmann does also not include the shore tours (you can book a package). And Deilmann is much more upscale that the other companies (like GCT, Viking, AMA, Uniworld, Avalon). This also refers in the pricing. I don´t want to talk you out of Deilmann. No, I´ve been on two Deilmann river cruises and they really do an excellent job with perfect service and top notch food. You can read my reviews linked in my signature.

steamboats