Roll Call - Christmas Markets 2010 - all lines...

[Maggie Mae]

Thank you for al this great info - we booked a Christmas Market tour with Uniworld for 2011 - looking forward to reading about your planning and actual trip. Not sure how we are going to wait until 2011, but will take pleasure in reading about your upcoming trip.

[cruiser-too]

Wife and I taking this river cruise starting in Amsterdam to Zurich leaving Canada on Nov 25th. We have 2 nights in Lucerne and 2 nights in Zurich after the cruise. Anyone else going on this cruise and date?

[gsar65]

We are booked on the Dec 2nd cruise from Basel to Amsterdam. Also doing the Basel pre-trip. This is our third GCT trip (Holland & Belgium in Springtime, Eastern Europe: Black Sea to Budapest). We have enjoyed each trip. Hope to get some ideas on this thread, Haven't checked out the web sites yet.

 

Glenn & Nancy

[AZPam]

We are booked on the Dec 2nd cruise from Basel to Amsterdam. Also doing the Basel pre-trip. This is our third GCT trip (Holland & Belgium in Springtime, Eastern Europe: Black Sea to Budapest). We have enjoyed each trip. Hope to get some ideas on this thread, Haven't checked out the web sites yet.

 

Glenn & Nancy

 

I've done this trip with GCT twice and you are going to love it! If you want a great side trip, the second day in Basel there isn't much planned. Take the train to Lucerne on your own for about 60 Euros round trip, second class. Very easy to do and it was so much fun. The optional trip to Bern is well worth it too.

[gsar65]

I've done this trip with GCT twice and you are going to love it! If you want a great side trip, the second day in Basel there isn't much planned. Take the train to Lucerne on your own for about 60 Euros round trip, second class. Very easy to do and it was so much fun. The optional trip to Bern is well worth it too.

 

Thanks for the info. We have been to Bern and Lucerne (twice). Train trip does sound nice, probably very nice scenery. We thought we would stay in Basel. Never been there before and figure on seeing what is not included in tour. Has anyone else been to Basel? What are the must sees??

 

Thanks.

 

Glenn

[Talisker92]

My wife and I took a Vantage cruise at Xmas-she grew up in southern California and did not know what cold was LOL.

Our story is on our website

http://home.mindspring.com/~highlandpark/

[gsar65]

My wife and I took a Vantage cruise at Xmas-she grew up in southern California and did not know what cold was LOL.

Our story is on our website

http://home.mindspring.com/~highlandpark/

 

Hopefully weather won't be a problem. Heard it can be very pretty sitting on the boat and watching the snow fall through the windows. We are about 25 miles south of Pittsburgh, so we are used to cold winters. I don't think the weather will be that much different from what we have here. Looked at your site. Vienna was one of our favorite cities, but we were there in summer. Looks a little different in winter.

 

Glenn

[caviargal]

Hopefully weather won't be a problem. Heard it can be very pretty sitting on the boat and watching the snow fall through the windows. We are about 25 miles south of Pittsburgh, so we are used to cold winters. I don't think the weather will be that much different from what we have here. Looked at your site. Vienna was one of our favorite cities, but we were there in summer. Looks a little different in winter.

 

Glenn

 

Having visited Germany and Austria a number of times at Advent season and also having spent a good deal of time in Pittsburgh in winter, I would say Pittsburgh is far more brutal in terms of cold.

[AZPam]

Hopefully weather won't be a problem. Heard it can be very pretty sitting on the boat and watching the snow fall through the windows. We are about 25 miles south of Pittsburgh, so we are used to cold winters. I don't think the weather will be that much different from what we have here. Looked at your site. Vienna was one of our favorite cities, but we were there in summer. Looks a little different in winter.

 

Glenn

 

We were disappointed that we didn't really have snow on either of our trips. Saw some in Bern on the optional tour and had a few flakes, once or twice, but nothing stuck. We've always gone the first of December, so not sure if that makes a difference or not. First time the weather wasn't even that cold. Second trip it was much colder with lots of rain, but no snow. I am sure you know how to deal with it being from Pittsburgh.

[franski]

I am not anticipating that it will be really cold - at least not in comparison to what it can be here (outside Toronto) in early December. Unless the rain freezes,:D it would just be a late fall day to me... Won't mind the cold - will be bringing warm clothes - but the rain can be a challenge. Will just have to plan on Gluhwein (?sp) at each stop to warm up and/or dry out!!!!

[gsar65]

Gluhvein!! I have heard a lot about this treat at the Christmas markets in Germany. Plus the gingerbread treats. Looking forward to all of that. We are doing the Rhine from Basel to Amsterdam. Our cruise starts on Dec 2nd. Anyone else going to be following a similar route? On our river cruises we usually run in (not literally) to other ships going in the same or opposite directions. At this time of year there might be a lot of Christmas Cheering going on.:D

 

Glenn

[franski]

We'll be on the River Queen - going in the opposite direction... We arrive in Cologne on November 30th - and head towards Basel. I'll make sure to wave as we pass on the Rhine - or perhaps we'll meet at a Gluhwein stall in a market along the way!!!

[kb996]

My Mom & I will be going with Tauck from Vienna to Nurnberg, leaving December 11.

 

Can someone tell me about the customs regulations for bringing food back (i.e. the prune people) ?

 

I'm so glad to see this thread here on CC. Can always count on CCers for great info.

 

Thanks,

Karen

[pacmom]

We just put our prune people in our checked baggage and declared them are gifts, not being specific about the contents. My daughter stored hers in a dampish basement and they molded. I packed mine with the regular Christmas decorations, no wrpaaping in a plastic storage container and he is fine. They are unique to Nurnberg, so stoch up there. Pat

[gsar65]

Prune people???:confused:

I think I need an explanation.:o

 

Glenn

[pacmom]

Prune people are delightful Christmas ornaments or decorations. The bodies are wire armature with prunes threaded on arms, legs and torso. The head is a walnut. They are dressed as santas, gnomes, soccer players, peasant prople. They cost between 4 and 10 euros. The only Christmas market we saw them at was Nurnberg. Someone said they are also available in Dresden, but that is not on a Christmas market trip. They make unique gifts. Pat

[gsar65]

Prune people are delightful Christmas ornaments or decorations. The bodies are wire armature with prunes threaded on arms, legs and torso. The head is a walnut. They are dressed as santas, gnomes, soccer players, peasant prople. They cost between 4 and 10 euros. The only Christmas market we saw them at was Nurnberg. Someone said they are also available in Dresden, but that is not on a Christmas market trip. They make unique gifts. Pat

 

Thanks for the info. Never thought of using prunes to make an ornament. :D I'm assuming that the prunes are dried. We will be on the Rhine, so will not be in Nurnberg.

 

Glenn

[gsar65]

Been very quiet on this thread. I know it is hot outside and it is hard to think about Christmas during June. I am interested in hearing from anyone who has done the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel. What are some interesting small towns we may see.

 

Glenn

[franski]

Hi Glenn - Yes, it has been fairly quiet... perhaps this thread will pick up after the summer. Maybe someone will post on things that we can hope to see along the way...

 

I received an update on our trip yesterday --> the flight times have changed slightly, and apparently the price for air went up - as there was a "credit" applied to our account - identified as "flight protection credit". We have paid in full (got the best deal by doing that...) - so just counting down now... Fran

[impcinder]

Myself and DD 28 and DD 24 will be spending 2 days in London, fly to Frankfort, then cruise Frankfurt to Basel. This will be my first river cruise, I have cruised the Caribbean 9 times. I know the ship will be much smaller and not as many evening activities.

 

I am happy to see the postings on this thread - trying to figure out what to pack! Living in Charlotte NC - we don't get much snow - I am going to have to start looking for boots to keep my feet warm and dry. Sounds as if rain maybe more of a problem.

 

One traditional Christmas treat is Gluhwein (sp?) - a red spiced wine served warm. I am planning on purchasing a bottle to bring back. I discovered wine can be transported safely by inserting the bottle in swim wings (inflatable arm 'life preservers'), and inflating the wings. I wrap jeans around the entire package and double bag it in a 2 gal ziplock bag. I was able to bring Pineapple Wine from Hawaii using this method.

 

I will keep checking this thread for more information. Hopefully, someone else will be on the same cruise!

[caviargal]

I have been purchasing some winter weight black slacks for our upcoming trip. They are difficult to find here in FL so I have to shop online or when I travel to larger cities.

 

I keep my packing simple as I have learned that layers for daytime are the best option and for evenings on the ship, a nice pair of slacks with a pretty sweater or top are just right.

 

Only 5 months to go!

[Betty Lu]

We are going on the Uniworld Danube cruise from Vienna to Nuremburg starting on December 1. We'll probably go a day earlier to Vienna. We did the Alpine Christmas markets land trip three years ago and it was great, so we're looking forward to the river cruise. We've not cruised on the Danube, so this will be even better.

[pacmom]

Impcinder, Don't bother looking for bottles of glugwein, stop at a spice stall at the markets and get the dry ingredients to add to your own wine. Can also get the jeagertea mix. These make wonderful gifts, are sealed so no problems with customs here in the states. Pat

[impcinder]

Thanks! I didn't realize you could buy the spices -will make shipping much easier! I was apprehensive about the return flights (Basel to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Dulles, Dulles to Raleigh Durham!

[germanyboy]

Been very quiet on this thread. I know it is hot outside and it is hard to think about Christmas during June. I am interested in hearing from anyone who has done the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basel. What are some interesting small towns we may see.

 

Glenn

 

We did a Christmas Markets Rhine Cruise in @005; Frankfurt to Amsterdam on grand circle travel. Great boat, wonderful food, and terrific tours. Went early and did 3 days in Heidelberg before the 9 night cruise. And took a rental car to Wiesbaden for a day, I was born there.

 

We had stops in Frankfurt, Mainz, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Nijmegen--great tour to WW2 Museum. Contact me jeraldcross@comcast.net