Christmas markets river cruises 2022 infos and tips

[Second seating]

For Canal archive and any other Englanders! I made gluten free Sticky Toffee Pudding from a GBBO winner's book.  It was fantastic, I have made caramel sauce before but it had been a while!

 

[worldtraveller99]

That looks lovely Second seating! We recently made sticky toffee pudding using cocoa instead of Ovaltine (same amounts). Was really dark chocolatey and great!

[Second seating]

This recipe called for a small amount of instant coffee and was so good!

 

[AnhaltER1960]

On 11/27/2022 at 9:20 AM, steamboats said:

 

Actually I´m not sure but you may have to wear masks on busses in Germany for excursions as they might be qualifying for public transportation.

 

steamboats

Chartered busses are not considered public transport. So no masks are required at least here in Saxony-Anhalt. Might differ from state to state, were in Germany after all.

[worldtraveller99]

Thank you! I shall report back re did we need masks on the Rhine after our return.

[Canal archive]

Ohh looks really good Second seating one of my favourites. I tell everyone I just have to try it as often as possible when out for a meal only to compare of course.

[notamermaid]

@worldtraveller99 River cruise nearly here, finally, a long wait for you.

Have a great time.

 

For those interested in a more religious context of Christmas lights, this is the Moravian star: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moravian_star

 

There used to be a stall on Koblenz Christmas market at Jesuitenplatz. The website says there is a stall again this year but it does not give the precise location: https://www.herrnhuter-sterne.de/de/Messen-Weihnachtsmaerkte.html

It is a copyright protected product.

 

notamermaid

 

[PKNC]

I'm going to try use an ATM to get local currency when at Christmas markets in France and Germany in a few weeks. Does anyone know if there are Chase Bank ATMs nearby the markets? I will also download the Chase app so I can search when I'm there.

I'll be in Strasbourg, Freiburg, Mannheim, Dusseldorf, Cologne, etc.

Edited November 30, 2022 by PKNC

[steamboats]

23 minutes ago, PKNC said:

Does anyone know if there are Chase Bank ATMs nearby the markets? I will also download the Chase app so I can search when I'm there.

 

For Germany and France you only need Euro. We don´t have Chase Bank here in Germany. So there won´t be any Chase ATMs unless they are cooperating with a German bank.

 

steamboats

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, PKNC said:

I'm going to try use an ATM to get local currency when at Christmas markets in France and Germany in a few weeks. Does anyone know if there are Chase Bank ATMs nearby the markets? I will also download the Chase app so I can search when I'm there.

I'll be in Strasbourg, Freiburg, Mannheim, Dusseldorf, Cologne, etc.

Chase doesn't have its own ATMs in Europe, but they do belong to an international network.  If you search on the Chase website, you eventually get sent to this Visa page where you can look up cities all over the world to find ATMs in the network:

https://www.visa.com/locator/atm

 

[Canal archive]

You’ll find Visa & Mastercard is accepted all across Europe but not quite so frequently Amex.

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, Canal archive said:

You’ll find Visa & Mastercard is accepted all across Europe but not quite so frequently Amex.

The recent discussion has been about using debit cards at ATMs, not credit cards.

[CPT Trips]

It seems that more booths at the markets are accepting credit cards, reducing the need for cash. One positive stemming from Covid. 

[Canal archive]

Whoops my bad but CPT is right as in it’s safer to use Credit rather than Debit cards in an open situation as on line, you just make sure to pay them off immediately. You can also have an Amex debit card, or you could it might have changed.

[MVPinBoynton]

Since we are discussing cash and credit cards, will vendors in Budapest accept Euros?  I would think they would, but want to see if I will need to get any Florints.  I wouldn’t expect US dollars to be easily accepted, but would for Euros. 

[ural guy]

33 minutes ago, MVPinBoynton said:

Since we are discussing cash and credit cards, will vendors in Budapest accept Euros?  I would think they would, but want to see if I will need to get any Florints.  I wouldn’t expect US dollars to be easily accepted, but would for Euros. 

All prices I saw had a Euro equivalent.

 

If you have tap and pay on your Visa or Mastercard, your life will be easy.  95% of places had it, from Gluhwein vendors to market stalls to subway ticket machines. ALWAYS select local currency, and you're done.

 

A bathroom was our only hurdle when at the markets in Vorosmarty Square.  The Burger King bathroom did want 200 HUF's,  (.50 USD) which we didn't have.  A small souvenir shop changed 1 Euro for us, and the Mrs was ecstatic.  We were only there 2 nights, and used tap/pay for everything else.  If people have extra time, the zoo is well worth a visit, and you can watch the skaters by Hero's Square afterwards.  The zoo stand took tap/pay for our two very good coffee americano's, $1.60 usd equivalent for both.  Every place we went, communication was easy, people were friendly, down to Metro attendants showing us the direction to insert ticket to validate.  Could have stayed a week.

 

In Czech Republic, we did get Crowns as we were there 9 days.  One ATM in Pilsen wasn't in a bank, and it was a roughly $6 fee, which Schwab refunded us.  The other withdraws were made from bank ATM, inside the vestibule types, and fees weren't bad.

 

[MVPinBoynton]

33 minutes ago, ural guy said:

All prices I saw had a Euro equivalent.

 

If you have tap and pay on your Visa or Mastercard, your life will be easy.  95% of places had it, from Gluhwein vendors to market stalls to subway ticket machines. ALWAYS select local currency, and you're done.

 

A bathroom was our only hurdle when at the markets in Vorosmarty Square.  The Burger King bathroom did want 200 HUF's,  (.50 USD) which we didn't have.  A small souvenir shop changed 1 Euro for us, and the Mrs was ecstatic.  We were only there 2 nights, and used tap/pay for everything else.  If people have extra time, the zoo is well worth a visit, and you can watch the skaters by Hero's Square afterwards.  The zoo stand took tap/pay for our two very good coffee americano's, $1.60 usd equivalent for both.  Every place we went, communication was easy, people were friendly, down to Metro attendants showing us the direction to insert ticket to validate.  Could have stayed a week.

 

In Czech Republic, we did get Crowns as we were there 9 days.  One ATM in Pilsen wasn't in a bank, and it was a roughly $6 fee, which Schwab refunded us.  The other withdraws were made from bank ATM, inside the vestibule types, and fees weren't bad.

 

Thanks for that info.  I usually charge everything, but am glad Euros are oK. Will definitely get some bathroom change. 

[notamermaid]

I have been out and about a bit but have not much time to take longer trips to Christmas markets that needed more than an hour's attention. So it has been smaller places so far. One afternoon was an unplanned stop at Andernach. But first, here is one of my standard German food traditions.

 

I have mentioned the supermarket chains that stock regional stuff. From REWE I get just a few foods that are connected to Christmas. For a simple afternoon treat  I get Lebkuchen that are from the organic range. A bit cheaper than the big brands, but the quality is nice enough:

 

We have organic food shops but supermarkets have been selling organic food for many years. Standard word by which you can recognize the products and produce is "Bio" or the longer word "ökologisch".

 

notamermaid

 

[DeanD]

On 12/1/2022 at 3:52 AM, Canal archive said:

Whoops my bad but CPT is right as in it’s safer to use Credit rather than Debit cards in an open situation as on line, you just make sure to pay them off immediately. You can also have an Amex debit card, or you could it might have changed.

In the US one can use a Debit card AS a CC and have the same protections and risk.  Is this not true in Europe?

[loriva]

On 11/20/2022 at 5:30 AM, AnhaltER1960 said:

As the Elbe cruises spend some time in Saxony, there will be a wide choice of Christmas markets in December. And this year there is no indication that the markets will be cancelled due to Covid, as had happened last year.

 

Dresden does have several markets, not only the large Striezelmarkt. My favourite is the rather quiet Christmas market in the courtyard of the residence castle, as it does not have electricity - just torches and no loudspeakers whamming the laaaast Christmas (or German favourites like Helene Fischer).

 

But also the smaller cities like Wittenberg, Torgau and Meissen do have their markets. And as they are all in historical surroundings in those medieval cities, they all do have their special atmosphere. My choice is Meissen. The Christmas market on the central market square is next to the city hall, which has its windows decorated as an advent calendar.

 

A belated "thank you" for this information.  Our Viking Christmas on the Elbe cruise stops in all of these locations, most with overnight stays.  I've made a note to seek out the market in the Residenz in Dresden as well as the main market.  Over the ocean on Saturday and then will have a chance to check out the markets in Hamburg (I understand there is quite a unique one on the Reeperbahn) before joining our Viking tour.

[worldtraveller99]

I have now written a brief - and very positive - review of the Tauck MS Inspire, having returned from the Rhine Christmas Market cruise yesterday. Not yet published I think, but if you give it a few days and search for the MS Inspire in the Reviews section you should see it.

 

Just to add, we only had to wear a small mask (not anything special or expensive) for the few minutes when we took the public funicular from the castle down in Heidelberg. Otherwise it was "COVID what COVID?" all the way.

 

I am very impressed by Tauck, everyone on the ship could not do enough for us. They made gluhwein to order, and you could drink wall to wall cocktails. There was stunning entertainment on board, it was just a shame that the weather was consistently grey and rainy throughout.

 

Am very happy to answer any questions.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Many of us (me included) don't read the Reviews section of Cruise Critic.  Could you post your review here?  (make a new thread)  We get so little on Tauck that it would be especially welcome!

[worldtraveller99]

Have done Jazzbeau - can you see it?

[loriva]

Visited three markets in Hamburg as part of our (independent) trip prior to starting our Christmas Markets on the Elbe tour with Viking tomorrow.  Markets were by the Alster lakefront, the main one at the Town Hall, and the St. Pauli one.  The last, on the Reeperbahn, bills itself as the “hottest” (geilster) market—there were some interesting tree decorations and other things to buy.  We visited it after a tour of Beatles’ sites with Stefanie Hempel—a wonderful time and highly recommend.
 

[notamermaid]

9 hours ago, loriva said:

The last, on the Reeperbahn, bills itself as the “hottest” (geilster) market—there were some interesting tree decorations and other things to buy.

That is definitely a market "not for kids"...

 

Thank you for sharing your impressions. Hamburg is such an interesting city, especially as it is so different from inland Germany, like along the Rhine and the Bavarian landscape.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

notamermaid