Viking "Christmas in Germany" 2017 Cruise Not as Advertised - Advent Later in 2017

[acwmom]

It may not be that easy to arrange comparable lodging and meals on such short notice. Also, just because someone booked a suite on the ship doesn't mean the cruise line is going to be able to get them the Penthouse at the hotel.

 

Roz

 

Exactly.....finding lodging for ~180 pax and a place to feed them all, on short notice.......and their terms/conditions and passenger contract don't delineate between different accommodations, when it comes to their "back-up" plans.

 

Robin

[Mark_T]

Exactly.....finding lodging for ~180 pax and a place to feed them all, on short notice.......and their terms/conditions and passenger contract don't delineate between different accommodations, when it comes to their "back-up" plans.

 

... and that is just from one ship...

 

Given the amount of traffic on the rivers these days you can bet there were a lot more than 180 people being found hotels at short notice around there...

 

It does highlight one thing that seems to be at the root of a number of dissatisfied posts, the extra cost of the top tier suites is only reflected in the suite itself when onboard and the in-suite benefits that go along with it, with very few exceptions it makes no difference to the meals you get, the trips your go on or what happens if things go wrong.

[Second seating]

We are Uniworld fans this is a post I made in 2016 about a problem on our second Christmas Market Cruise. We have been on a third CM cruise with Uniworld and booking a fourth one in December of 2018.

 

"It is not always just high or low water issues! On a Christmas market cruise with Uniworld in Dec. 2014 there was a broken lock, we had to board in Passau instead of Nuremberg. Spent one night in Nuremberg hotel (nice) meal was ok not as good as Uniworld's food. A few bus trips with a very generous lunch money! No really did not like the bus trips but we had great sausage at the markets. At the end of a excellent cruise we were given a $500. each credit toward another cruise!!!! I will be going on my sixth cruise with Uniworld in August."

 

Second seating

[RDC1]

In Cologne, all that was available was a 'cheap hotel' 40 minutes outside of the city?

 

 

As for meals in smaller locations, why not do as Tauck does, if required, and give each person a sum of money to spend on a meal.

 

all we have is the OP saying cheap hotel. would be interesting to get the exact lodging names.

 

40 minutes outside , might have been a more central location for what needed to be reached from that hotel.

[steamboats]

It´s definitely not easy to find lodging for 180 pax (meaning at least 90 rooms) on a short notice. Most smaller towns don´t have that much hotel space. Bigger cities do have but are well booked. In Munich you will hardly find a single room during the Christmas Market season.

 

Same problem regarding restaurants. Not many restaurants can feed 180 people on a short notice. With bus groups you usually have to make reservations - long term. And I´m sorry to say but usually those restaurants who have the space for so many people are not the best ones. We do have an annual day out in our office. Usually up to 80 people participate and it´s really hard to find a restaurant for such a group.

 

Couple of years ago there was a thread on here ... someone was complaining about the sub par hotel and restaurant in Nuremberg. The name of the hotel was mentioned so was the meal. I checked the hotel and it was one of the best you can get in Nuremberg. One complaint was about the bedding. I´ve checked the photos and replied. Hmm, that´s how we usually do our beds here in Germany. We don´t have a cover over the duvet. It´s just folded in half. There´s no extra sheet around the duvet... So it was simply German standard but definitely not sub par. The complaint about the food was... breakfast sausages were served for lunch... yep, that´s the local specialty and no one eats those sausages for breakfast over here. They just wanted to treat you with local food.

 

steamboats

[Keith1010]

Sorry things didn't work out the way you had hoped.

 

Keith

[Mark_T]

Couple of years ago there was a thread on here ... someone was complaining about the sub par hotel and restaurant in Nuremberg. The name of the hotel was mentioned so was the meal. I checked the hotel and it was one of the best you can get in Nuremberg. One complaint was about the bedding. I´ve checked the photos and replied. Hmm, that´s how we usually do our beds here in Germany. We don´t have a cover over the duvet. It´s just folded in half. There´s no extra sheet around the duvet... So it was simply German standard but definitely not sub par. The complaint about the food was... breakfast sausages were served for lunch... yep, that´s the local specialty and no one eats those sausages for breakfast over here. They just wanted to treat you with local food.

 

I've had to go through the same education process with my American colleagues when attending conventions in Cologne, outside of the few 'US' style hotels there, there are some excellent smaller local hotels but because the rooms are smaller and the bedding/food unfamiliar they believe it is a 'low grade' hotel...

[notamermaid]

I would think that in an already unpleasant situation a hotel in a different country with different amenities and food could be perceived as being below the standard they would expect. Let us not forget that a river cruise ship caters for what people expect, in this case for mostly American passengers. A very subjective comment then. Also saying 40 minutes outside of Cologne tells us nothing really as in heavy traffic 40 minutes are easily spent within the city, or it could get you to a hotel near the airport or in normal traffic even as far as the next city that is Bonn.

 

Unless the OP gives more specifics we will all be speculating.

 

notamermaid

[lackcreativity]

... and that is just from one ship...

 

Given the amount of traffic on the rivers these days you can bet there were a lot more than 180 people being found hotels at short notice around there...

 

It does highlight one thing that seems to be at the root of a number of dissatisfied posts, the extra cost of the top tier suites is only reflected in the suite itself when onboard and the in-suite benefits that go along with it, with very few exceptions it makes no difference to the meals you get, the trips your go on or what happens if things go wrong.

 

You make a really excellent point.

[Hoyaheel]

Unless the OP gives more specifics we will all be speculating.

notamermaid

And I think we all know how likely that is to happen:eek: Joined CC to post a negative review, hasn't come back to comment or update......

[Host Jazzbeau]

I'm always amazed how easy it seems to be to find CC after a cruise [to complain], but it was apparently impossible beforehand [to do research]?

[English Voyager]

According to her Instagram postings the cruise was part of a three week European holiday which commenced on the 13 November 2017.

 

They flew into Berlin, and stayed at Das Stue hotel.

 

Under the name of Alison M, she has left a review on tripadvisor.

 

They then drove to Prague, and stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel.

 

Train to Vienna: The Ritz-Carlton.

 

Flew to Budapest: Four Seasons Gresham Palace.

 

Flew to Munich: Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski.

 

Joined Viking Var in Nuremberg.

 

After cruise:

 

Brussels: Hotel Amigo

 

Finally, Amsterdam: Hotel Conservatorium.

 

 

 

An impressive list of hotels.

[laverendrye]

According to her Instagram postings the cruise was part of a three week European holiday which commenced on the 13 November 2017.

 

They flew into Berlin, and stayed at Das Stue hotel.

 

Under the name of Alison M, she has left a review on tripadvisor.

 

They then drove to Prague, and stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel.

 

Train to Vienna: The Ritz-Carlton.

 

Flew to Budapest: Four Seasons Gresham Palace.

 

Flew to Munich: Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski.

 

Joined Viking Var in Nuremberg.

 

After cruise:

 

Brussels: Hotel Amigo

 

Finally, Amsterdam: Hotel Conservatorium.

 

 

 

An impressive list of hotels.

 

 

 

With a collection of 5-Star+ hotels like that, what on earth were they doing on Viking? Surely they were meant to travel on Crystal.

 

 

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[Second seating]

With a collection of 5-Star+ hotels like that, what on earth were they doing on Viking? Surely they were meant to travel on Crystal.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

This is what I was thinking reading the hotel list!

[English Voyager]

With a collection of 5-Star+ hotels like that, what on earth were they doing on Viking? Surely they were meant to travel on Crystal.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

The extensive advertising by Viking?

[acwmom]

Her review on Yelp posted a picture of her cruise documents folder which had a picture of the Nuremberg Market.......I hope that's not the extent of the "false advertising" she's referring to. In addition, apparently, in her world, Christmas was on a Sunday this year:rolleyes: She is quite proud of her Yelp Status......too bad she didn't spend the same amount of time researching river cruises, in general (like Jazz said).

 

Robin

[English Voyager]

In certain European countries the main Christmas celebration is on Christmas Eve.

 

Although living in the USA, the OP, and her family, may be following that tradition.

 

 

In any event a post criticising another's perceived error should itself be error free.

[acwmom]

In certain European countries the main Christmas celebration is on Christmas Eve.

 

Although living in the USA, the OP, and her family, may be following that tradition.

 

 

In any event a post criticising another's perceived error should itself be error free.

 

Don't shoot the messenger, if you'd prefer to read her direct quote, here it is.

 

"A note about Advent: The church calendar did not change abruptly. It takes at least three committees to vote in agreement to have a committee study changing the liturgical calendar. Spoiler Alert: the Church calendar is set in stone. Advent always starts four Sundays before Christmas. It started a week later as Christmas was on a Sunday this year. Something Viking should have known!"

[English Voyager]

Don't shoot the messenger, if you'd prefer to read her direct quote, here it is.

 

"A note about Advent: The church calendar did not change abruptly. It takes at least three committees to vote in agreement to have a committee study changing the liturgical calendar. Spoiler Alert: the Church calendar is set in stone. Advent always starts four Sundays before Christmas. It started a week later as Christmas was on a Sunday this year. Something Viking should have known!"

 

Last year Christmas Eve coincided with the Fourth Sunday of Advent.

[acwmom]

Last year Christmas Eve coincided with the Fourth Sunday of Advent.

 

Again, I was sharing the OP's quote. Yes, because Christmas DAY was on Monday, Christmas Eve was the Fourth Sunday of Advent, just as described. The first Sunday wasn't a week "late" it was exactly when it should have been.

 

Had the OP done this "research" when she booked the cruise, she may, or may not, have realized this, and planned accordingly. To put the blame, 100% on Viking, and demand a full refund, is simply unreasonable.

[drcpa]

Most of us on this board are savvy and experienced travelers (in varying degrees, of course). We visit this and that travel sites, subscribe to travel magazines, go to the library, belong to Global Entry and TSA Pre Check (and in some cases are even members of Clear). We use the right credit cards, join the right Frequent flyer/hotel/cruise/car rental programs. We know all about Uber and Airbnb. Our phones are full of travel apps. We know when to book a flight, what airports to avoid, how to snag an upgrade, what seat to pick. We know how and what to pack and what to carry on. Where to get WiFi and what ATMs to use.

Unfortunately not everyone travels like we do (which doesn’t make them bad people).

This became clear to me when we reached Amsterdam on AMA . Those passengers who didn’t pre-purchase tickets for the Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum didn’t get in.

I’ll say it again, I totally support the concept of research and passenger responsibility. Caveat Emptor and let the buyer beware. And even with all that I can’t totally blame disappointing trips on the traveler.

If you’ve only taken ocean cruises the concept of river water levels is pretty arcane. If you take a Christmas Markets Cruise you expect to see Christmas Markets. Who would know that you can only buy Anne Frank tickets online. We know all these things because that’s who we are and that’s how we travel.

But not everyone travels like we do. While we might not agree with everyone’s complaint, the “Hey fool, do your research next time” strikes me as unsympathetic and too easily let’s the travel industry off the hook.

[Hoyaheel]

I agree with what you're saying, mainly. It was an unfortunate weather scenario that people who dont' research won't be expected to be aware of, and Viking had some very misleading wording in its descriptions of this cruise. But this person didn't come here to seek help - she came to leave a nasty review and that's it. She doesn't want help or support or answers to her questions, as evidenced by the fact she left. Her social media profile was apparently quite easy to find - this isn't someone unfamiliar with navigating the internet.

 

I agree with Host Jazzbeau - it's unfortunate when it seems so easy to find CC to complain after the fact instead of to do a little research ahead of time.....

[acwmom]

I have reviewed the cruise description, and it only describes 4 " included" Christmas Markets, on the itinerary. Nuremberg, Bamberg, Koblenz, and Cologne. There were additional $$ options listed for Rothenberg and Heidelberg.

 

The best I can tell, in reading the OP, two were visited, and Viking offered the opportunity to visit Bamberg on a day different from originally scheduled.

 

I would like to think that even the most unseasoned traveler would look at an itinerary before deciding on a cruise. The OP has described herself as a frequent traveler.

 

I think Viking, and perhaps other lines, SHOULD follow Uniworld's lead, with a dsiclaimer about market dates.

 

I don't know that it is necessary to create a totally different brochure for a single sailing, based on market opening dates. I have done Paris Normandy early in the season. Giverny was listed in the brochure....but it was't open until 2 weeks after we sailed. There was a footnote on the brochure. Personally, I think that's adequate.

 

I'm far from unsympathetic, as I do think the situation is unfortunate. But I do take issue with those who place the blame 100% on someone else.

 

 

 

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[Host Jazzbeau]

Well, since MizAlica hasn't been back here [or anywhere on Cruise Critic] since her first post -- I think we've covered this pretty well and I am locking this thread.