Roll Call - Christmas Markets 2009 - all dates, all lines

[Topaz_M]

Hey all,

 

Have just booked on the Viking Pride, Danube Explorer 13 Dec 2009 - Vienna to Nuremberg for the Christmas Markets. :)

 

Really excited about taking this cruise as it will be part of a trip back to UK/Europe to spend Christmas with my family in England.

 

My 15 year old daughter will be going with me and I can't wait to see her experience the Christmas traditions and visit my favourite parts of the world so far - Bavaria and Austria. Hoping for some light snow too as we get very little down this way unless they are hailstones in the summer storms!

 

Cheers,

Moira :)

[Topaz_M]

Does anyone have any suggestions for pre- and post- cruise accommodation in Vienna and Nuremberg?

 

As our cruise starts and finishes on a weekend (Sunday), I'm keen to book my accommodation (probably two extra nights each end) to avoid the last minute rush and allow more options for travel mid-week. We'll be travelling to and from London.

 

I'm looking for something central to other sights or near to public transport, price about mid range.

 

There are many reviews online, some of which I've read, but there is nothing more valuable than another's viewpoint :)

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Cheers,

Moira

[caviargal]

We stayed at the Vienna Marriott last December and it was a very nice hotel, well located and quiet yet in the center and on a tram line.

 

If you prefer small, check out Pension Aviano.

[caviargal]

We booked the new Nh Nuremberg for this year's Christmas market visit at a great rate. Gets very good reviews and is well located.

[Topaz_M]

Thanks for your feedback caviargal - I'll look those up. Have heard of the Vienna ones through travel sites previously.

 

Cheers,

Moira :)

[catkoe1]

Well, we are all set... AMA AMALYRA on the Christmas Markets trip starting on 12/4 with two days in Prague and then on to NUE to board the ship. Booked the cabin 326, booked two hotel days in Prague, two days after disembark in Budapest and finally got all of our flights using miles.. THAT WAS HUGE.

So we are set to see those wonderful markets again.

 

Looking very forward to the planning of the rest of this trip and can't wait for the gluhwein and brats...

 

Happy Cruisin:cool: To All!!!

[patkat]

With the money we saved on the two for one air fare we decided to stay post-cruise in Munich. I read that Munich is known for its manger market. Has anyone been to this market? Does this market feature Nativity items?

 

Cindy

Cambridge, Ontario - Canada

 

This is the Krippenmarkt at Rinderplatz - just behind the Marienplatz. It sells only Nativity items (figurines, bits and bobs, mangers, etc.) plus has a giant Weihnachtspyramid and the best kartoffelpuffers (potato pancakes). Cute market.

 

Here is a link to the Munich tourist office and if you click on Further Christmas Markets in Munich you can see all that are on offer in Munich besides the big ones - Christkindlmarket, Krippenmarkt, Tollwood, etc. There is no lack of Christmas markets in Munich alone to keep you busy for a few days.

 

http://www.muenchen.de/Rathaus/tourist_office/veranst/christkind/88127/index.html

 

Of course living in Munich, I am partial to the ones here, but I have to say that the most charming I ever saw was in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The town itself is adorable and so the markets are just icing on the cake.

[KarlS]

We're booked on Uniworld's 1-week Paris river cruise 12/27 on their River Baroness. Hope it won't be bitter cold in Paris when we're there, as we're not used to that here in San Diego!

 

Hi Gary & Carol,

 

We're booked on this Parisian Winter Holiday itinerary on River Baroness departing December 12th.

 

This will be our fourth Uniworld European river cruise in four years, and it will be our first non-warm-weather cruise ever, so it will definitely be a change. We love Uniworld, and we know how terrific the ships, crews, itineraries, staff, cruise managers, and local guides are, so there's no fear this cruise won't be every bit as fun as the prior three.

 

We have a few pictures on our home web site at http://www.hillrisefarm.us/Cruising.html . If you go to the bottom of that page, there are links to our Uniworld cruises. On some of those pages, there are also links to the daily bulletins and port handouts, so those might give you some clue as to what to anticipate on board.

 

Cheers!

 

...Karl

[tban]

Topaz_M,

"Does anyone have any suggestions for pre- and post- cruise accommodation in Vienna and Nuremberg?"

 

we have been on two AMA Christnmas Time cruises and loved them both so much that we are seriously thinking of a third one this winter.

On our last one we spend extra time in Vienna and stayed at the GRABEN Hotel right in the center of the city. There is hardly a better location. The hotel is quite cozy and also very reasonable. I think we paid around $ 186 per room and night including all taxes and a fantastic buffet breakfast.

I hope this helps.

[gnld]

Hi Gary & Carol,

 

We're booked on this Parisian Winter Holiday itinerary on River Baroness departing December 12th.

 

This will be our fourth Uniworld European river cruise in four years, and it will be our first non-warm-weather cruise ever, so it will definitely be a change. We love Uniworld, and we know how terrific the ships, crews, itineraries, staff, cruise managers, and local guides are, so there's no fear this cruise won't be every bit as fun as the prior three.

 

We have a few pictures on our home web site at http://www.hillrisefarm.us/Cruising.html . If you go to the bottom of that page, there are links to our Uniworld cruises. On some of those pages, there are also links to the daily bulletins and port handouts, so those might give you some clue as to what to anticipate on board.

 

Cheers!

 

...Karl

 

Hi Karl -

Glad to see someone else from CC will be taking this cruise; too bad it's not the same date. It's our first river cruise and, aside from an Alaska cruise, our first truly cold weather cruise, too. From your website, I see you've done a tulip river cruise. We've been talking about doing that, pairing it with with a Benelux land tour.

Gary & Carol

[Topaz_M]

Topaz_M,

"Does anyone have any suggestions for pre- and post- cruise accommodation in Vienna and Nuremberg?"

 

we have been on two AMA Christmas Time cruises and loved them both so much that we are seriously thinking of a third one this winter.

On our last one we spend extra time in Vienna and stayed at the GRABEN Hotel right in the center of the city. There is hardly a better location. The hotel is quite cozy and also very reasonable. I think we paid around $ 186 per room and night including all taxes and a fantastic buffet breakfast.

I hope this helps.

 

Hi Tban,

 

Thanks so much for the information. I will check that one out as well. It's always a bonus when breakfast is included as that's one less meal to organise when not cruising ;)

 

Cheers,

Moira :)

[patkat]

This is also a lovely hotel in Vienna right near the Opera (and the Sacher hotel where you must get cake) - http://www.zurwienerstaatsoper.at/ Christmas market time with 3 people in the room for under 150 EUR.

[KeyOfSea]

I want to go again! You guys are going to have a great time!

 

Soooooo jealous!!!!

 

 

Me too!!! :D

[catkoe1]

Hi All,

We are on the AMA MS Amalyra December 4th starting the two days early in Prague... Any must sees in Prague and Budapest? We will stay on a couple of days extra in Budapest also and want to sightsee some more.. Please let us know what you found interesting or of special interest in these two magnificent cities. Thanks

 

Happy Cruisin:cool: To All!!

[caviargal]

Just finalized our booking and ended up choosing Avalon's Christmas Markets cruise on 30 November from Frankfurt as we could not get the cabin category we wanted on AMA same week from Budapest.

 

We are excited to be seeing all new cities in Germany and also about the potential to visit Prague should we be able to change our flights (the inventory for mileage seats at the minimum level is miniscule).

 

So we are set to begin our trip with 4 nights in Berlin (will visit Dresden from there) and then wrap up after the cruise with 2 nights in Heidelberg if Prague does not work out.

 

Can't wait!:)

[Topaz_M]

Sounds like a good plan caviargal!! Fantastic when it all comes together.

 

It's great to visit new places and have different experiences.

 

I was in Heidelberg many moons ago now and it's very pretty.

 

As you are starting your cruise I'll be leaving Brisbane for KL for a couple of days, then on to London.

 

My flights from London to Vienna and back from Nuremberg to London are now booked and paid for. Still deciding on hotels or pensions, but will also be spending 4 nights in Vienna pre-cruise (just so many great things to do there) and 2 nights post-cruise in Nuremberg avoiding the weekend rush. Then back to my Mum's place in England on 22nd December in time for the family Christmas celebrations.

 

Cheers,

Moira :)

[swamp1sg]

My wife and I have booked our first river cruise, Uniworld Basel at Cologne 7 to 14 December. We will fly out of Atlanta on the 6th. Look forward to hearing from members with more experience in this arena or those whom will be fellow passengers.

[catkoe1]

Hello All,

Is anyone else on this wonderful Christmas Market Cruise with us? There are actually four of us and we are doing Two Pre days before we do our Pre-Prague days, Pre Cruise.... we are looking so forward to this. We are staying at the Bishops House and will be packing many clothes to stay warm. I did this similiar trip last Christmas, and really only got really cold once. Hopefully, I won't even get cold this year. Hope to bring home some unique ornaments for gifts again this year as everyone loved them!

 

Really we only have four months to plan for this trip and tons of places to see. Hope we have a great crowd on here when we actually sail. Some friends on the Tulip Trip this past spring, only had 66 people on a ship built for 137.

Happy Cruisin:cool: To All!

[hysterian]

We are considering a Christmas cruise with AMA but wondered if we should pay for an upgrade. Someone said you have to stand up to see the shore on the lowest level. Has anyone sailed down below?

[odblnt]

Hello All,

Is anyone else on this wonderful Christmas Market Cruise with us? There are actually four of us and we are doing Two Pre days before we do our Pre-Prague days, Pre Cruise.... we are looking so forward to this. We are staying at the Bishops House and will be packing many clothes to stay warm. I did this similiar trip last Christmas, and really only got really cold once. Hopefully, I won't even get cold this year. Hope to bring home some unique ornaments for gifts again this year as everyone loved them!

 

Really we only have four months to plan for this trip and tons of places to see. Hope we have a great crowd on here when we actually sail. Some friends on the Tulip Trip this past spring, only had 66 people on a ship built for 137.

Happy Cruisin:cool: To All!

 

Yes, we will be on that cruise with you. We are taking our time on getting to Prague. We're flying to Munich (spending the night), taking the train to Dresden (staying the night), and then on to Prague arriving the normal arrival day.

 

After the cruise, we're going to spend a couple of nights in Budapest and then go on to Garmisch for a week before heading back to Munich and then home.

 

It will make for a busy December.

 

Wow - only 66 on one of those boats! That does make for an uncrowded experience.

[odblnt]

We are considering a Christmas cruise with AMA but wondered if we should pay for an upgrade. Someone said you have to stand up to see the shore on the lowest level. Has anyone sailed down below?

 

Because of the location of the water line, the windows are in the upper part of your wall. One deck up an you get a full French balcony.

 

The windows in the dining room are a little above table level and you can see out of them even while seated, but that section of the boat is a half-deck above the lower level cabins.

[catkoe1]

So has anyone planned any excursions, not a part of the cruise besides the Prague Pre-Cruise? Where is everyone staying if you are doing a pre, pre-cruise in Prague? I haven't made up my mind yet, so I would love to have input and most especially, how close to the old town is the hotel you might describe? Thanks in advance for any information!

 

Happy Cruisin':cool: To All;)

[Topaz_M]

Hi everyone,

Today it is 18 weeks until my daughter and I leave Brisbane on the first leg of our six week holiday. This will be to Kuala Lumpur for a couple of days before flying on to London.

 

After much research, checking reviews, locations, prices and value for money I have now booked our pre- and post-cruise accommodation in Europe.

 

We'll be staying at the Pension Pertschy in Vienna and the Burghotel in Nuremberg. Both are central to the sights and to public transport for getting around.

 

How is everyone else going with their plans and bookings?

 

Cheers,

Moira :)

[catkoe1]

Last year this Christmas Markets Website was "hoppin'!" This year, maybe not so many people are travling? Anyone out there going on the AMA AMAYLRA on December 2nd, 2009 starting in Prague? Hope to meet you. There are four of us and we have two cabins on the top deck... Looking forward to "bundling up" while we do the Christmas Market shopping in those fabulous Christmas Markets!

[rtc50]

We are boked on GCT's Christmas Market Cruise - will do 3 days pre-cruise in Basel (Dec.2-5), then the 14 day cruise. Have done similar on Vantage a couple of years ago and it was just magical! Hope someone else will be joining us!

We are doing the same GCT cruise but earlier, Nov. 21. It is the only date that didn't get in the way of football games. Three years ago we went to Vienna with the Christmas market, and we had a great time. Lookin forward to this trip also.