Roll Call - Christmas Markets 2009 - all dates, all lines

Based on the popularity of AZPam's thread from last year, and fueled by ChefPeg's wonderful review, I am starting this thread for the 2009 Christmas Markets.

We just booked the 4/5 December trip on AMA Waterways to sail on the Amalyra (their new riverboat). We are starting in Prague and (after a brief land portion), will sail from Nuremberg to Budapest.

Actually, we will start a few days early and fly to Germany and take the train across, stopping off in Dresden for a day to check out their market. We saw an article in one of our local paper's Sunday travel section which recommended that market.

Also, after the cruise we will take a train back to Germany and rent a vacation apartment in Bavaria (probably Garmisch-Partinkirchen) and try to fly back on Christmas Day.

We did the Tulip cruise on the AMA Amadagio last year and did basically the same thing (flew in to Frankfurt, took the train to Amsterdam, did the cruise, train back to Germany for a week).

We are boked on GCT's Christmas Market Cruise - will do 3 days pre-cruise in Basel (Dec.2-5), then the 14 day cruise. Have done similar on Vantage a couple of years ago and it was just magical! Hope someone else will be joining us!

Ahhhhh...........we are 'booked', not boked!

I want to go again! You guys are going to have a great time!

We are booked on GCT's Christmas Markets on the Danube leaving 12/3 with a pre-trip to Vienna and a post-trip to Munich. We are very excited as this is our first river cruise and first trip to Europe. I've kept up with the other posts on the Christmas markets and found them very helpful. Hopefully we'll be able to connect with others on this cruise.

We're booked on Uniworld's 1-week Paris river cruise 12/27 on their River Baroness. First time on a river cruise (~25 ocean cruises, tho). But we have friends who have been on them (including our TA) and love it. Hope it won't be bitter cold in Paris when we're there, as we're not used to that here in San Diego!

Gary & Carol

We have just booked this Christmas Market Cruise from Budapest to Passau on the River Beatrice. We are sisters from Canada (Southern Ontario and Calgary) and are really looking forward to this cruise, especially shopping at all of the markets.

With the money we saved on the two for one air fare we decided to stay post-cruise in Munich. I read that Munich is known for its manger market. Has anyone been to this market? Does this market feature Nativity items?

Cindy

Cambridge, Ontario - Canada

Well, I do believe DH and I are going to book another Christmas market cruise with AMA. Not sure yet which one. But it was such a magical experience that we are looking forward to going again.

I'll let you know what we decide.

Soooooo jealous!!!! Our Christmas market cruise last year from Nurnberg-Cologne was spectacular. If you are going to Nurnberg, make sure to buy "prune people". The torso, arms and legs are prunes and the head is a walnut. They are then dressed as Santas, soccer players, gnomes, men, women and children. It is the only market that sells them. The make a very unique holiday gift. Also the famous Rudesheim coffee is a must. Great warmer upper. Pat

Soooooo jealous!!!! Our Christmas market cruise last year from Nurnberg-Cologne was spectacular. If you are going to Nurnberg, make sure to buy "prune people". The torso, arms and legs are prunes and the head is a walnut. They are then dressed as Santas, soccer players, gnomes, men, women and children. It is the only market that sells them. The make a very unique holiday gift. Also the famous Rudesheim coffee is a must. Great warmer upper. Pat

LOL!! I brought back a dozen prune people for gifts last year. I am so glad we decided to buy them at our first Christmas market in Nuremburg. At the time I had no idea you can only get them at the Nuremburg market.

I haven't heard of the Rudesheim coffee before. We bought coffee in Vienna at the Josef Meinl cafe / grocers. What a wonderful place that is.

Ah .... you would have known if you had Rudesheim coffee ... it has quite a 'kick' ... I don't remember what 'spirit' was put into it ... just that it had quite a punch.

ChefPeg ... hope your weather is getting better. We had 9 inches of snow last Monday and by Friday it was all gone with temps in the 70's.

Ah .... you would have known if you had Rudesheim coffee ... it has quite a 'kick' ... I don't remember what 'spirit' was put into it ... just that it had quite a punch.

 

ChefPeg ... hope your weather is getting better. We had 9 inches of snow last Monday and by Friday it was all gone with temps in the 70's.

I definitely missed the coffee...I was so into the Gluewine:p. I will look for the Rudesheim next time though.

The weather here is still nasty. No snow, TG, but we've had rain for the last three days. It's cold here too.

We are booked on Scenic Tours cruise commencing Dec.21 - Amsterdam to Budapest finishing Jan 5th. 16 day Christmas and New Year Tour.

Flights from Australia to Europe and return are free.

Will have 3 days in Amsterdam prior to cruise and then,at end of river journey, will go by train from Budapest to Vienna(3 days) then onto Salzburg(3days) ,Munich(3days) finishing up in Franfurt for departure home.

Looking forward to experiencing an expected much colder Christmas than we usually have here in Aus.

Would also like to hear from others that have actually travelled on a Scenic Cruise over past 12 months as there is not a lot of info available - always seems to be plenty of negative second-hand feedback.

June 2007 we enjoyed 7 night cruise on the Amalegro(AMA) Trier to Nuremberg and can recommend this style of cruising

Does anyone have experience on this cruise line and itinerary? We have been on several Vantage Presidential Cruises and really enjoyed. Looking at this for a family vacation 2 1/2 to 71 years. The tours seem minimal, any advice?

:confused:

There are no safety features on the river cruisers for a 2 1/2 year old. The River Odessey is geared to adults and possibly teens. I would look elsewear, possibly a few days in 2 or 3 cities. Better still take an ocean cruise on a smaller vessel. Good luck. Pat

After reading a few posts I now have to go to the Christmas market in Nuremberg. But we have never been on a river cruise and don't know which line is the best for the money. Any info will be greatly appreciated.:)

After reading a few posts I now have to go to the Christmas market in Nuremberg. But we have never been on a river cruise and don't know which line is the best for the money. Any info will be greatly appreciated.:)

We had a great time doing the tulips with AMA last year, so decided to spend our money with them again this year. Are there cheaper lines, maybe. Are there "better" lines, possibly, but you'd have to spend a lot more money.

Are there going to be sales for less than we're spending... I'm sure, but I have no regrets, having purchased both the cruise and our air packages. We're going over a few days early and staying more than a week later in Bavaria.

Thanks for the info on the balconies on the other thread and for directing me to this thread!

Happy Cruisin:cool: To All!

Hello All,

I have noticed there is an aft lounge and since most of the ships (amadolce, adamante, amacello, amalegro, amadagio) all have the same configurations, please help with my question. Have you ever used this aft lounge at night? It is on the Violin Deck. Is it just a place to read or could there possibly be night time noise associated with it? Looking at a cabin right next to it, so definitely want to make sure it isn't noisy. Also, we had the last cabin before the dining room on another line and it was at the back of the ship and we had no problems with vibration going through the locks... did anyone notice this on the AMA line?

Thanks tons in advance for answers.

Happy Cruisin:cool: To All!

We just put a hold on a B category cabin for 29 November Budapest to Paris - but cruise only.

Have to make sure I can find the air I need to make the connection into Budapest as we have transcon air booked for months since our original plans were for a land trip.

Hello All,

I have noticed there is an aft lounge and since most of the ships (amadolce, adamante, amacello, amalegro, amadagio) all have the same configurations, please help with my question. Have you ever used this aft lounge at night? It is on the Violin Deck. Is it just a place to read or could there possibly be night time noise associated with it? Looking at a cabin right next to it, so definitely want to make sure it isn't noisy. Also, we had the last cabin before the dining room on another line and it was at the back of the ship and we had no problems with vibration going through the locks... did anyone notice this on the AMA line?

Thanks tons in advance for answers.

 

 

Happy Cruisin:cool: To All!

On our Tulip Cruise the aft lounge wasn't used much at all. Sometimes folks would gather there, but just for relaxation. Most of the louder stuff was up in the forward lounge.

Didn't hear much noise going through the locks. We were about in the middle of the boat on the upper deck, though.

Yes We Did It... we are now on the MS AMALYRA going to Prague for two days pre-cruise and then on to the wonderful Christmas Markets Starting on December 4th, 2009 YIPPEE!!

ODBLNT I believe we are on the same cruise. WE are with another couple and hopefully we can all join up. We are very adventurous "youngsters" for people that have to check that box on forms that says 55+! Ugh! We are all looking forward to this wonderful trip.

I went on Viking last year for pretty much the same itinerary, and I am hooked! I plan on making this trip my Christmas gift to us, every year!! Until the money dries up!! :) Hope to learn tons before actually going.

Happy Cruisin:cool: To All!

Yes We Did It... we are now on the MS AMALYRA going to Prague for two days pre-cruise and then on to the wonderful Christmas Markets Starting on December 4th, 2009 YIPPEE!!

 

ODBLNT I believe we are on the same cruise. WE are with another couple and hopefully we can all join up. We are very adventurous "youngsters" for people that have to check that box on forms that says 55+! Ugh! We are all looking forward to this wonderful trip.

 

I went on Viking last year for pretty much the same itinerary, and I am hooked! I plan on making this trip my Christmas gift to us, every year!! Until the money dries up!! :) Hope to learn tons before actually going.

 

 

Happy Cruisin:cool: To All!

Welcome aboard. Small cruise world, isn't it. We're looking forward to the cruise. I still have to plan out our pre and post cruise accommodations. We're flying in to and out of Munich. Before the cruise, we'll take the train up and stop at Dresden (we read an article that says it's the best next to Nuremberg) on our way over the Prague. After the cruise, we'll spend an extra night in Budapest and then take a train up to Garmisch (south of Munich, in the heart of Bavaria) to stay for about a week before heading home. It will be interesting to get your opinion of AMA versus Viking. We'll be "chatting" more as time goes on. Later - Pete & Anne Sorry about this looking run-together. I am inserting returns, but CC isn't accepting them today.

even smaller world... we flew home from Maui on this past Monday. We were there for ten days. We love Hawaii and go almost annually!

Yes we will chat often...

Curious who you are flying on? Out of hnl to munich? We are trying to use all miles but coming home close to the holidays is killing us...so we might just pay for the flights and use miles later. We have Lax to Prague already with miles, but cannot get back on the 16th of Dec.... working hard to get it though.

Happy Cruisin:cool: To All!

even smaller world... we flew home from Maui on this past Monday. We were there for ten days. We love Hawaii and go almost annually!

 

Yes we will chat often...

 

Curious who you are flying on? Out of hnl to munich? We are trying to use all miles but coming home close to the holidays is killing us...so we might just pay for the flights and use miles later. We have Lax to Prague already with miles, but cannot get back on the 16th of Dec.... working hard to get it though.

 

 

Happy Cruisin:cool: To All!

We're on United (& Lufthansa). Here to San Fran and then non-stop to Munich. Going to take Ambien for that second leg.