Jackets, gloves and thermal underwear advice for Christmas markets cruise

I’ve spent all almost all my life in areas that rarely get very cold so I could use help on clothing questions for our December 8 Viking Christmas in Germany Cruise from Cologne to Nuremberg.

I’ve found short waterproof boots that I like and that fit. Also found good heavy and medium weight Smartwool socks that work.

Now I need suggestions.

1. I have a medium weight (but feels thin to me) Smartwool thermal underwear. Is that enough and did you even do thermal underwear?

2. I need a jacket that holds up to both cold and rain. Recommendations?

3. I need gloves that are both warm AND allow me use my iPhone and my big Nikon camera. Recommendations?

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steverhodes,

first of all: Viking has put a great itinerary together, I like the route very much for taking in many Christmas markets and lovely scenery. What are the exact ports, more than on the map, the distance from Koblenz to Wertheim seems quite long.

From what you have written I would say you are well prepared with comfortable boots that are not too heavy and light thermal underwear. It does get frosty and cold in early December but anything lower than minus five degrees is rare (in the valleys). You will encounter rain but not necessarily snow in seven days.

For jackets I am sure others will have some great suggestions, for gloves you could use those where the fingertips are "cut off", or if you find that too cold the special ones designed to work with electronic stuff. Here are recommendations from a magazine: https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-touchscreen-gloves/

Have a great cruise.

notamermaid

It does get frosty and cold in early December but anything lower than minus five degrees is rare (in the valleys).

notamermaid

Notamermaid:

Thanks for all your help on this thread (and the forum in general). For us here in the US, I assume you mean minus 5 degrees celsius. That's about 23 degrees Fahrenheit

The Other Tom,

my pleasure. Thanks for the conversion, sorry, forgot to add the Celsius. Just to mention it again, have done on other threads, I like this site for weather (my setting is for Koblenz right now): https://www.accuweather.com/en/de/germany-weather

As with all forecasts, it gets more accurate 14 days out from the date you want to look up. No knowing what the beginning of December will be like, but from experience it tends to be colder and wetter in Germany than in the fourth week of the month. Yes, unfortunately, a white Christmas is far from the norm, the valleys can be unseasonable warm, but hills often have "left-over" snow from the weeks before. For lots of snow you need to head deep into Bavaria mostly...

steverhodes stands a nice chance of seeing snow if he does an excursion to Rothenburg on his trip (see his map). That would be lovely, great for romantic winter photos.

notamermaid

Steve, since we usually travel on one of the first cruises of the season, we always go prepared with long underwear. (We also live in the Midwest, so wear them at home). Any type of wool drives me crazy, but both my husband and I really like the power dry base layer series from LLBean. Very warm, without the bulk and weight. For jackets, my favorites are from Columbia-warmth and dryness without bulk or weight. I have yet to find gloves which really do work, so I just find ones which keep my hands warm and take them off frequently. I’ve tried several which are “supposed” to work with the iPhone, but none ever have!

Robin

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Thermal underwear for 5C temperature????

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I had written minus 5C, for 5C plus I myself would not wear thermal underwear, yet it also depends where you are coming from. If you have never been in a slow-moving guided tour at 5C in rain and cold at the Rhine river embankment and have just arrived from Texas, you could wish for thermal underwear... But usually warmish trousers, a good jacket reaching to your thighs, good shoes with warm socks and a sweater do for me. Oh and gloves. Minus 5 necessitates scarf and more layers like thin thermal underwear as well as a hat. But, again, it depends on your level of comfort.

notamermaid

You will probably want a hat. I find a knitted hat the best. It takes little room and easily slips into a pocket for entering a church, etc. I've taken small, light ear muffs but have used them only twice in 7 Christmas Market Cruises. I've not encountered lower than -2C with a strong wind. The wind can be very cold on the Sun Deck going through the Rhine Gorge.

We love to travel for Christmas time to Europe. I suggest trying your new boots with the socks you will wear since they might be too snug with thick socks. More suggestions from my own experience - buy some air activated hand warmers (they come with 2 so you can even share one with your travel partner if you just want some warmth), they are cheap and you can share with others. Also thinner gloves are best for holding hand rails as well as using a camera (wholesale clubs have good ones at good prices). Make sure your hat covers your ears and is not too short. It gets cold when your on the top deck of your riverboat taking pics of passing sights. A scarf or 2 for ladies helps change your look each day and keeps you warm. If someone has asthma or similar it will be good to cover your mouth if its really cold.

Todays new long johns are very thin and take up no room in your suitcase. The same goes for fleece tops, nice and thin with pockets to hide your money. Layers remember layers can be added or taken off as needed. My preferred brand is Columbia. Have fun.

I can't recommend the Heat Tec products from Uniqlo highly enough. We go to Venice every 2nd year in Feb for Carnival and stand around outside on wet cobblestones for long periods which means we can get cold quickly. Heat Tec leggings, socks, and tops for men and women are warm and very lightweight - comfortable to wear and on very cold days we just layer on more of them. And, they take very little suitcase space.

I wore very thin silk long underwear (top and bottom) and it worked great. Our temps varied from the low twenties to mid-40s (Fahrenheit) so layering helped a lot. The note about the scarf is spot on; both my husband and I used one every day. I found that the gloves that usually work with electronics were too thin for my always cold hands, so I used glove liners and also layered several pairs of gloves. I have an Eddie Bauer jacket from when we lived in a colder climate and it was perfect: waterproof, warm, and with a hood.

We are on the Rhine and will be in the areas fro Dec 10-20th. We currently live in Puerto Vallarta and get cold easily. Any additional tips for us? Uniworld Cologne to Basel.

We are on the Rhine and will be in the areas fro Dec 10-20th. We currently live in Puerto Vallarta and get cold easily. Any additional tips for us? Uniworld Cologne to Basel.

We live in a warm climate also and the major things that helped me were the glove liners, the silk underwear, and sock liners - plus a warm jacket and a scarf and warm, waterproof boots.

I've been on two Christmas market River cruises. The first one was miserable because I was unprepared. The second one was awesome! I also come from a warm climate. I found that three layers works great. The first layer of thin silky long underwear - such s "cuddle duds", the second layer a thicker layer - I recommend "smart wool" not ichy at all! And the final layer jeans. Make sure they are a little loose to allow for the extra layers. I also highly recommend a neck gaiter - much easier and warmer than a traditional scarf. Warm socks (again - smart wool) and warm boots with traction.

I 2nd the suggestion of a thigh length warm coat.

You will have a much better time if you come prepared!

One other suggestion - sip the warm gluhwein - this will warm you up from the inside out! Have fun!

I did this cruise last December with a 3 day pre cruise in Prague, I usually bring 2 jackets, a Patagonia Down Sweater and a Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket, both are lightweight, very packable and warm. I wear LL Bean fleece and flannel lined khakis, they keep me warm and I do not need any thermal underwear with them. I will pack Alpaca wool socks, I find them the warmest and most comfortable. I like to take pictures and also be able to keep my hands warm, I wear Black Diamond Trekker gloves and I have some older gloves I purchased at EMS, I like my gloves very thin , I have trouble buying gloves because I wear a size XXL, I avoid fleece gloves because they are to bulky and find I have to take them on and off to use my camera , I did pack for cold weather on a Basel to Amsterdam cruise over Christmas and it was unseasonably warm. I could have worn shorts in Basel. I live in CT so I'm used to the cold weather. I usually wear 3 layers, a thin non cotton long sleeve base layer, a wool Pendleton shirt or Patagonia fleece , with a North Face gore tex outer shell layered on top. This way you can remove layers as needed. You will be moving around quite a bit and you do not want to overheat

We did this cruise three years ago. It was fabulous but not that cold at all. in the 50ies during the day. Didn't even wear a hat during the day. At night it was cooler but i never wore my down coat.

I did this cruise last December with a 3 day pre cruise in Prague, I usually bring 2 jackets, a Patagonia Down Sweater and a Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket, both are lightweight, very packable and warm. I wear LL Bean fleece and flannel lined khakis, they keep me warm and I do not need any thermal underwear with them. I will pack Alpaca wool socks, I find them the warmest and most comfortable. I like to take pictures and also be able to keep my hands warm, I wear Black Diamond Trekker gloves and I have some older gloves I purchased at EMS, I like my gloves very thin , I have trouble buying gloves because I wear a size XXL, I avoid fleece gloves because they are to bulky and find I have to take them on and off to use my camera , I did pack for cold weather on a Basel to Amsterdam cruise over Christmas and it was unseasonably warm. I could have worn shorts in Basel. I live in CT so I'm used to the cold weather. I usually wear 3 layers, a thin non cotton long sleeve base layer, a wool Pendleton shirt or Patagonia fleece , with a North Face gore tex outer shell layered on top. This way you can remove layers as needed. You will be moving around quite a bit and you do not want to overheat

Is your jacket just below the waist or down to the thighs?

I too am from Canada but have found Europe to be much more damp and thus I felt the cold more than at home. Natural fibres work best for damp. Silk long underwear is light and fits easily under jeans. Merino wool or cashmere sweaters are light and soft. And I love my packabledown vest and jacket. Also a pashmina scarf and a small wool toque. Leather wool lined gloves are warm and have good dexterity. Costco, and Eddie Bauer often have good items.

If there is a chance of rain, layers, goretex over down over wool over silk. Lol! Even kept me warm in Ireland and Norway.

Definitely plan on layers (to strip or add as the weather/venues change). Also, we carry a small backpack to hold the un-needed layers. I prefer a longer coat, since many of the markets have areas to sit and savor your Glühwein. When I sit in a short jacket, the small of my back gets cold air!

Gloves- I use silk glove liners under mittens. If I want to do something that requires dexterity, I slip off the mittens. Also, I bring disposable hand warmers for really cold days. Last year, we only had a few really cold days, but we lasted all day while many took shelter back on the ship.

We were on a GCT cruise (Rhine) and will do the Danube with them this Christmas. The ship was too warm for us, most noticeably at lunchtime. We'd return from the morning walk dressed for the cold and needed to stop by the cabin to strip and change before facing the very warm dining room. Then redressed before heading out for the afternoon. We complained (as did others), and the temp was lowered only a little. Some people did like the extra warmth, but I thought those who needed warmth could have left on their sweaters rather than many of us needing to strip to tee shirts.

I love the Arctryx line of base layers. The Rho is thick enough to work as a shirt, and there is a smart wool one which is not itchy at all. They are designed a bit long, which keeps them from riding up at the waist, and with a high-ish zip up neck. One a whole, all of their clothes seem to be designed for real women, not size 4, lithe REI models.

I have wool pants I call my "grandma" pants - black, elastic waist. I'd never wear them at home, but they have been perfect for my trips to Iceland, Tuscany in February, and even my recent 47F wet, rainy Amsterdam trip.

LL Bean makes down jackets that pack up into a built in pocket, perfect for when space is an issue. This doubles perfectly as a travel pillow for me.

I use a pashmina as a scarf. It can be put over my head as a cowl when very windy, and doubles as a light blanket or shawl. It rolls up and fits in my LL Bean "stuff the jacket in here" pocket when I'm wearing the coat.

Is your jacket just below the waist or down to the thighs?

The Patagonia down sweater sits below the waist , like other lightweight down jackets it packs into it's pocket and is very small, I travel up to Maine to purchase my outdoor gear, there is a Columbia outlet in Kittery and a Patagonia, North Face and a LL Bean outlet in Freeport

It definitely depends on the person...and what is comfortable to one and not to another varies so wildly.

We cruised late November last year (not a Christmas Cruise, but we were able to enjoy the Christmas Market in Budapest). I brought silk long underwear (top/bottom), a cashmere knit hat, and the gloves I use for running here at home and I was perfectly fine and comfortable. I would check the weather in the morning and dress accordingly. A scarf is definitely helpful, and most fold up to next to nothing for packing. I brought a thin (but warm) cashmere scarf (love the cashmere infinity scarves from Restoration Hardware).

For me, I'd rather have a thin waterproof jacket and layer clothing underneath that, than a big puffy 'warm' coat with minimal layers underneath. Just my preference. My jacket is from North Face and it is so old...they don't even make it anymore. But it works great for me. If I start off with a long sleeve tee and a thin sweater underneath, and I get warm, I can just remove the sweater.

My husband always carries his backpack and I'll put my hat, gloves and any other items I am not currently wearing in his backpack.

Enjoy your trip!