New and lost! Planning 1st trip!

[NavyWife1214]

Hi everyone

I've been trying to lurk and read and hope I find the information I need but there is SO MUCH information!

I'm starting the process of researching to plan a river cruise in Europe to see the Christmas Markets in Dec of 2014 for my husband and myself and I don't know where to start. A travel magazine link took me to Viking but research has shown me there are many companies to choose from and many options.

 

What is the best way to go about doing research for this trip? I want a good company with a solid reputation. We are on a budget and will be trying to save money where we can. Any advice and help would be appreciated. Between my husband and myself we have travelled a decent amount but neither of us have ever cruised before.

Thank you!

[Cary Cruiser]

Here is a good website to start with. It lists all of the cruise lines. They all should have websites. You can click through to some of the websites at the bottom of the page. I believe only some of them do Christmas Market cruises, so that will narrow down your list right off the bat.

 

http://www.rivercruiseadvisor.com/

 

I know Viking does them. There are others. Doing the research is half the fun. Good luck. We are doing our first river cruise in November.

Edited August 16, 2013 by Cary Cruiser

[id est]

... a river cruise in Europe to see the Christmas Markets in Dec of 2014 ...

Viking recently had a free air promo for Christmas Markets cruises. Not sure if it is still valid and it is for this 2013 year. Another ways to save: book with a TA, use a referral... For example our TA gives us $500 off the cruise price on top of all other discounts.

Edited August 16, 2013 by id est

[NavyWife1214]

Reading some of these reviews I'm beginning to wonder if this is even a good idea? It seems like a lot of people complain that there cruise became a bus trip. Is that common? This trip is sort of once in a lifetime (or at least in the foreseeable future!) because my husband and I almost never get time off at the same time and my parents have offered to watch our school aged children so we can go on a trip just the two of us after he returns from deployment to the Middle East. Is a river cruise in December a bad idea?

[id est]

Reading some of these reviews I'm beginning to wonder if this is even a good idea? It seems like a lot of people complain that there cruise became a bus trip. Is that common? This trip is sort of once in a lifetime (or at least in the foreseeable future!) because my husband and I almost never get time off at the same time and my parents have offered to watch our school aged children so we can go on a trip just the two of us after he returns from deployment to the Middle East. Is a river cruise in December a bad idea?

Not a bad idea at all. We did a New Year Rhine cruise in Dec 2011 with Viking and it was great. The chance it becomes a 100% bus trip are very low. But anyway it can happen and it also happens on an ocean trip when ports are missed/itinerary changed due to the weather conditions.

[jacksonnh]

Cary Cruiser - what cruise in Nov are you taking and is it with VRC.

[Kathie859]

Navywife1214: You may want to check out the CC Roll Calls for the 2013 and 2014 Christmas Market to get an idea of who goes to what market.

 

Happy planning!

[Hoyaheel]

Is there a 2014 Roll Call? I've only seen the 2013 thread- I'll have to check again.

 

Navywife- I'm in your shoes! My husband and I are looking at a Dec 2014 Christmas Markets cruise (and possibly inviting our parents to come with us) and there are too many choices! I personally don't want to visit Budapest or Prague or that stretch of river, so it makes some of the decisions a little easier for me - I've knocked off a few itineraries. But every day my preference changes :cool:

 

Yesterday & today (at this hour....) my top pick would be Avalon's Christmastime Prague to Basel (but we'd do cruise-only and meet the ship at embarkation in Nuremberg) My husband wants to be in Germany (he would love to do a Nuremberg-Frankfurt itinerary) and I really want to see the Rhine Gorge since we've not done river cruises before - and this itinerary is 9 days so it does both:D

 

My in-laws love Uniworld, but I like that Avalon's cabins are larger (173 vs 151 sq ft) and Avalon has fridges in the cabins so my husband can buy beer at every town (he's a homebrewer and loves to try local beer everywhere we travel - and I'll be happy to try local beers and wines!)

 

Attached (I hope) is the spreadsheet I started to list my choices (and I include the factors that are important to me - obviously this is going to vary by person) A couple lines don't have 2014 pricing (Tauck, some Viking) or itineraries (A-Rosa) out yet....

Christmas market cruise options.xls

[Cary Cruiser]

Cary Cruiser - what cruise in Nov are you taking and is it with VRC.

 

Yes VRV. Nuremburg to Budapest cruise leaves 11/2/13. Doing 3 night pre in Prague and 2 night post in Budapest with Viking as well.

[AttilaTheFun]

I found this blog overview very helpful, with the section below being a good overview of some of the most popular choices:

 

LUXURY RIVER CRUISE COMPANIES

1) Tauck River Cruises- simply the BEST. Truly all inclusive-all the time, lower boat capacity (only 116 guests), superb and unique sightseeing, gourmet food. Caters to luxury guest.

2) Scenic Cruises- geared mostly to the Aussie market is also all inclusive-all the time, these boats carry more passengers though at (167 guests). Caters to luxury guest.

3) Uniworld Boutique River Cruises- elegantly over decorated vessels with varying capacity of 116-160 guests, is going all-inclusive in 2014, and operated by award winning Red Carnation Hotels. Caters to luxury guest.

 

PREMIUM RIVER CRUISE COMPANIES

1) AMA Waterways- offers a more unique experience with elegant boats, higher end dining, and superb wines included. Boats average 148 guests, some have a swimming pool. Well-traveled guests.

2) Amadeus Cruises by Luftner-one the founding river companies operated by a lovely Swiss family- this line offers high quality affordable a-la-carte cruises and boats carry of to 160 guests. Well-traveled guests.

3) Viking River Cruises-THE LEADER. The long-ships are among the BEST ever but carry 198 passengers in the same space others offer 116-160… They are high density onboard but still offer a great experience, high quality food, nice wines, and tours. Well-traveled guests.

 

CONTEMPORARY RIVER CRUISE COMPANIES

1) Avalon Waterways-owned by Globus and while they have unique boats offer pretty standard fare for 166 guests. Food is average, clientele is a bit lower end overall.

2) Grand circle Travel- boats are high density 160 passengers+, decorated very functionally, and not high end. Geared for cerebral minded travelers looking for an educational experience vs. frill and elegance.

 

Full blog: http://tombakercruises.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/river-crusing-in-europe-how-do-you-choose-your-boat-experience/

[Ship's Wake]

Hi everyone

I've been trying to lurk and read and hope I find the information I need but there is SO MUCH information!

I'm starting the process of researching to plan a river cruise in Europe to see the Christmas Markets in Dec of 2014 for my husband and myself and I don't know where to start. A travel magazine link took me to Viking but research has shown me there are many companies to choose from and many options.

 

What is the best way to go about doing research for this trip? I want a good company with a solid reputation. We are on a budget and will be trying to save money where we can. Any advice and help would be appreciated. Between my husband and myself we have travelled a decent amount but neither of us have ever cruised before.

Thank you!

 

 

Before you chose the cruise line, first narrow down your itinerary choices to one or two. Once you've decided where you want to go, then begin deciding which cruise line .

 

The 3 Christmas markets itineraries we have been on have been so far have been: 1) the Main and Rhine rivers, Wurzburg to Cologne; 2) the Danube from Passau to Budapest; and 3) the Main Danube Canal and Danube River Nuremberg to Vienna.

 

All have been outstanding. Depending on how many days you have for this trip, you may want to bookend your cruise with a couple days before or after the cruise (or both!) at a destination that has plenty of Christmas markets activity or sightseeing opportunities.

 

For us, we've chosen to spend extra time in Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, and Lucerne. There are many other excellent choices.

 

Many posters on this forum have there favorite lines and some will try to convince you their favorite is the only way to go. Just recognize that there are almost no "low end" river cruise lines, which means it's very difficult to make a bad choice and chose a bad river cruise line.

 

Just be forewarned: once you go on one Christmas markets cruise, you'll be hooked and will have to budget for several more of them in the coming years. :)

Edited August 16, 2013 by oysterdam

[Got2Cruise]

I found this blog overview very helpful, with the section below being a good overview of some of the most popular choices:

 

LUXURY RIVER CRUISE COMPANIES

1)Tauck River Cruises- simply the BEST. Truly all inclusive-all the time, lower boat capacity (only 116 guests), superb and unique sightseeing, gourmet food. Caters to luxury guest.

2)Scenic Cruises- geared mostly to the Aussie market is also all inclusive-all the time, these boats carry more passengers though at (167 guests). Caters to luxury guest.

3)Uniworld Boutique River Cruises- elegantly over decorated vessels with varying capacity of 116-160 guests, is going all-inclusive in 2014, and operated by award winning Red Carnation Hotels. Caters to luxury guest.

 

PREMIUM RIVER CRUISE COMPANIES

1)AMA Waterways- offers a more unique experience with elegant boats, higher end dining, and superb wines included. Boats average 148 guests, some have a swimming pool. Well-traveled guests.

2)Amadeus Cruises by Luftner-one the founding river companies operated by a lovely Swiss family- this line offers high quality affordable a-la-carte cruises and boats carry of to 160 guests. Well-traveled guests.

3)Viking River Cruises-THE LEADER. The long-ships are among the BEST ever but carry 198 passengers in the same space others offer 116-160… They are high density onboard but still offer a great experience, high quality food, nice wines, and tours. Well-traveled guests.

 

CONTEMPORARY RIVER CRUISE COMPANIES

1)Avalon Waterways-owned by Globus and while they have unique boats offer pretty standard fare for 166 guests. Food is average, clientele is a bit lower end overall.

2)Grand circle Travel- boats are high density 160 passengers+, decorated very functionally, and not high end. Geared for cerebral minded travelers looking for an educational experience vs. frill and elegance.

 

Full blog: http://tombakercruises.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/river-crusing-in-europe-how-do-you-choose-your-boat-experience/

 

Who is this Tom Baker person? I have never heard of him. I can tell you that he is wrong about Avalon's clientele. How rude.

[dwkucera]

Hi everyone

I've been trying to lurk and read and hope I find the information I need but there is SO MUCH information!

I'm starting the process of researching to plan a river cruise in Europe to see the Christmas Markets in Dec of 2014 for my husband and myself and I don't know where to start. A travel magazine link took me to Viking but research has shown me there are many companies to choose from and many options.

 

What is the best way to go about doing research for this trip? I want a good company with a solid reputation. We are on a budget and will be trying to save money where we can. Any advice and help would be appreciated. Between my husband and myself we have travelled a decent amount but neither of us have ever cruised before.

Thank you!

 

We are doing the Christmas Markets on the Rhine with AMA this year. We love AMA but I would not presume to tell you they are the best because we have never sailed with on any other river cruise line. I'm sure you would be happy with any of the major lines, they are all fine. Just don't fall for Vikings 2 for 1 hype in their brochures. They always sell at the 2 for 1 price, and they are not necessarily less expensive than others. But, they are a fine line and many on these board have been very happy with them. They appear to have a good product. They are just not as inexpensive compared to other lines as they would lead the uninitiated to believe.

 

If you have never been to Prague then you might consider a cruise the begins or ends there. Prague is still an undiscovered jewel for most Americans. In most of the towns in Germany the chances are good that you will be visiting reconstructed areas that were destroyed in WWII. Prague was spared that destruction. When you visit a 800 year old building in Prague you ARE visiting an 800 year old building! Budapest is also an outstanding destination not to be missed. Many lines have Christmas cruise that begin and end in Prague and Budapest or the other way around.

[caviargal]

We really wanted to take AMA's Christmas cruise from Basel to Amsterdam as the itinerary is wonderful. But it has been sold out for months so we booked Nuremberg to Amsterdam on the new AmaPrima.

 

I would suggest booking early if you want one of the more unique itineraries - like Christmas on the Rhine - as they book very far in advance.

 

We have been on 6 cruises with 2 lines and AMA is our preference for overall quality, personality and attention to detail. It is a great fit for us.

[BarbaraM]

Might I make a suggestion to possibly research outside of this forum also, possibly on TripAdvisor. Folks on this board are either: fans and repeat river cruisers or those planning their first cruise. You do get the occasional critical post by some just off a less than perfect cruise, or off a very expensive bus tour. The negative posters are often told that "so sorry, but it's in the fine print" . There are also folks who just found the experience average, expensive, and not worth repeating. They don't even read these boards anymore.

 

What I suggest you consider is that river cruising is a considerable cash investment. There is a lot you can do with $500-$800 a day in Europe or elsewhere. You did mention budget and not frequently having vacation time together. You are in tight quarters on a river cruise, especially in winter where the outdoor space is probably not used. You really need to know the not so good things about river cruising so your expectations are realistic. It is a very expensive way to buy some Christmas souvenirs.

 

 

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[caviargal]

What I suggest you consider is that river cruising is a considerable cash investment. There is a lot you can do with $500-$800 a day in Europe or elsewhere. You did mention budget and not frequently having vacation time together. You are in tight quarters on a river cruise, especially in winter where the outdoor space is probably not used. You really need to know the not so good things about river cruising so your expectations are realistic. It is a very expensive way to buy some Christmas souvenirs.

 

 

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There are often great promos on river cruises and a good TA that specializes in river cruises will be aware of them. Our upcoming AMA cruises both have excellent promotions, which lowered the cost significantly and then we get our repeat guest discount on top of that.

 

The size of our cabins on AMA and Avalon were not as small as some hotel rooms we have had in Europe (and even NYC) over the years.

 

We have been to the Christmas markets 4x by river cruise and an equal number of times on independent land trips, and we enjoyed both. We almost always stay pre and post on our own in Europe, to really have time to enjoy the markets in the evenings, when the locals come out to meet friends and have fun.

 

We do not go to buy souvenirs but to enjoy the music, food, gluhwein and traditions of other countries and it is one of our favorite times to be in Europe, the others being the wine harvests and truffle season.

Edited August 17, 2013 by caviargal

[rogerdawhip]

Who is this Tom Baker person? I have never heard of him. I can tell you that he is wrong about Avalon's clientele. How rude.

I agree and he should get his facts straight if he is such an expert. He says GCT ships are high density with 160+ passengers. They have 2 ships with 164 passengers capacity, 4 with 140, 1 with 120,1 with 90, 2 with 60 and 3 with 50. Their 2 Russian river ships have a capacity of 216. I do like his comment about GCT passangers being cerebral minded. The definiton of cerebral is ... If you are a cerebral person, no one would ever call you a drama queen. You make decisions using your intelligence and cold, hard facts, instead of your emotions ...

Edited August 17, 2013 by rogerdawhip

[Talisker92]

And noticeably missing from the list is Vantage. They have a bunch of ships, but do not advertise or work through a travel agent.

I have only cruised with them, so I cannot comment on other lines. I have been very happy with the accommodations , food and programs.

We leave next month for a Russian river cruise, and have already booked an Elbe river cruise for next year.

YMMV!

[CruisingAlong4Now]

As was previously mentioned, the cabins are small and given the chilling winter weather, you don't really use the outdoor space. For the same cost, you may want to look into a different type of trip. I come from New England and personally would never voluntarily vacation where it was colder than here or Colorado unless I was skiing. But that's just me.

 

A river cruise is a lot of money to buy Christmas trinkets.

 

Don't flame me - it's my opinion.

[cbb]

I too, take issue with Avalon's description. If it was anything like that we wouldn't have sailed four long cruises with them. We sail with Oceania and love them as well as Avalon.

 

Most of the people on Avalon have or had professional careers and I assure you I've not met any "clientele a bit lower end." Class bias much?

 

I'm calling "foul" on this guy's review.

 

To OP, look for itinerary, check dates, look for "deals" with the help of a good TA, and choose. Trust me, most of the river cruise companies offer the same product; the cabins and layout aren't much different, the tours in the towns are about the same, and food and wine are not much different.

 

Same towns, same providers of products for the ships' kitchens, and the ships must be about the same size in order to fit through the locks and under the bridges.

 

Anything can happen when you travel, like floods, so you go with Plan B sometimes; if anyone can handle Plan B, I think it would probably be your husband. Don't worry about things you can't change.

 

So ignore some guy's description of the companies and focus on itinerary, dates, and price. You'll have a great time with your sweetie and tell him I said thanks for his service to our country. (and yours, too)

[NavyWife1214]

 

 

To OP, look for itinerary, check dates, look for "deals" with the help of a good TA, and choose. Trust me, most of the river cruise companies offer the same product; the cabins and layout aren't much different, the tours in the towns are about the same, and food and wine are not much different....

 

 

 

Anything can happen when you travel, like floods, so you go with Plan B sometimes; if anyone can handle Plan B, I think it would probably be your husband. Don't worry about things you can't change.

)

 

LOL, Don't underestimate my husbands distrust of small spaces, and other people's driving, be it ship or bus!

 

But in all seriousness, thank you all for the advice. I'm still very interested in this trip but not sold yet. I need to do some more research and probably find a TA to get more information from. At the moment when temperatures here can easily peak at above 90 with 90% humidity, December in Germany doesn't sound so bad. I may be singing a different tune come fall/winter.

 

I think I am mostly overwhelmed by our choices. Due to his career, we don't vacation much. Instead we actually just actually go live in the cool places most people visit. The opportunity to go away without our kids is both liberating and terrifying. I don't want to choose the wrong trip and regret it! I'm so afraid to waste the opportunity I'm almost frozen with indecision. Luckily I have some time and apparently some great advice with this forum. Thank you again!

[Got2Cruise]

It seems as if you have loads of choices and lots of time but many of the popular itineraries and dates get sold out quick. There are so few cabins on each ship. Each ship does have a large lounge to sit and enjoy.

 

 

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[AttilaTheFun]

Who is this Tom Baker person? I have never heard of him. I can tell you that he is wrong about Avalon's clientele. How rude.

 

You must be a fan of Full House too!

 

 

In all seriousness, that's his personal opinion and I didn't write it. You're free to disagree :)

[Got2Cruise]

You must be a fan of Full House too!

 

 

In all seriousness, that's his personal opinion and I didn't write it. You're free to disagree :)

 

Hey it's all good. Lol

[Host Jazzbeau]

Who is this Tom Baker person?

 

He was the fourth Doctor Who, but he looks much younger now -- must be that Time Lord stuff. ;););)