Rhine Easter Closings?

[2045jim]

Please tell me I've got bad info!

We are sailing on the Viking Bestla from Amsterdam to Basel on April 17th.

I've recently been told that Easter is celebrated in Europe from Good Friday until Easter Monday and in observance of the holidays many shops and attractions along the way are closed for all four days.

If that's true it would certainly take a lot of fun out of going ashore.

[notamermaid]

Hello,

 

welcome to cruisecritic! Yes, unfortunately for travellers the public holidays at Easter are quite strict. Some tourist towns and places are exempt from the Sunday trading law, i.e. complete closure of shops in Germany. This might well be stricter on the Easter weekend. For the Netherlands this website gives the following information:

 

http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/netherlands/

 

But you have been given slightly wrong information:

 

the shops are closed in Germany on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. Saturday is a normal trading day, apart from tiny shops, perhaps.

 

As regards attractions this varies so much you will need to check with the attraction you are interested in or your cruise operator on board.

 

For further reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Germany

 

notamermaid