Rudesheim German Dinner - to go or not to go?

I'm trying to decide whether to go to this optional evening dinner. I understand Viking and Avalon both use the same venue for this. Is it really something that shouldn't be missed?

It sounds crowded, noisy and a little obnoxious to me, but maybe people are just having a really good time? I just don't know what to think of it. I don't like sausage or alcohol, so obviously I'll have to grab a bite before we leave but I do like to laugh and have fun. What are your experiences and thoughts on this excursion?

It's not obnoxious, it's more like hokey. The meal isn't sausage it's smoked pork roast or chicken. We had a fun time acting silly and dancing. If you rather participate in the festivities instead of watching, then join the fun. The ship will be docked and there is nothing else in Rudesheim except to sit at another Biergarten or stay on the ship. If you are traveling with others this can be fun also but I have found that the more the merrier is what makes a fun time. You will be seated with others from the ship.

I'm trying to decide whether to go to this optional evening dinner. I understand Viking and Avalon both use the same venue for this. Is it really something that shouldn't be missed?

 

It sounds crowded, noisy and a little obnoxious to me, but maybe people are just having a really good time? I just don't know what to think of it. I don't like sausage or alcohol, so obviously I'll have to grab a bite before we leave but I do like to laugh and have fun. What are your experiences and thoughts on this excursion?

If I had another chance to do this optional dinner, I would pass on it and enjoy the peace and quiet of the ship, perhaps sitting on the top deck watching the sun set or something, anything!!! Don't know if you're going to the same place Vantage used, but if you are, the food was supposed to be sauerbraten, which I love and make at home and was dying to try in Germany, what we had was NOT sauerbraten and not even close. Food was mediocre at best. If all you need to be entertained is listen to 250 people clinking beer steins and trying to sing along with the accordian player, then you'll like it. But only way I would do this again would be if it was FREE.....and raining so I couldn't enjoy sitting outside anyway. Oh and FYI: we were not the only ship at this restaurant so we were sitting with other people from our ship, but not necessarily together. The beergarten setting was nice though :D

There are some charming restaurants in Rudesheim. I would have dinner on my own personally and not with a group from the boat. I cannot imagine it being either personal or genuine. JMO.

Thank you all so much. I appreciate the comments and experiences, both good and bad! :)

We were on a Uniworld Holiday cruise a few years ago and chose not to go with the group. We went to the same restaurant (good review in Fodors) and ordered what we wanted, it was very good. We could hear the music but were not in the middle of it.

Second seating

We were on a Uniworld Holiday cruise a few years ago and chose not to go with the group. We went to the same restaurant (good review in Fodors) and ordered what we wanted, it was very good. We could hear the music but were not in the middle of it.

 

Second seating

Great idea. I found a video of that restaurant and all the dancing & music. Definitely not our thing. We'll go to a restaurant on our own. Thanks again!

There are some charming restaurants in Rudesheim. I would have dinner on my own personally and not with a group from the boat. I cannot imagine it being either personal or genuine. JMO.

Too true!!!

There are some charming restaurants in Rudesheim. I would have dinner on my own personally and not with a group from the boat. I cannot imagine it being either personal or genuine. JMO.

You have mentioned in past posts that you do not enjoy socializing with new friends from the boat. Some of us enjoy socializing. What is not genuine about having a good time with new friends. I don't understand your personal comment at all. It's a social experience. Different strokes for different folks. But to give an opinion about something you didn't experience is strange.

We walked around Rudensheim a bit and looked for a place to have dinner. We ended up at the same place (Redesheimer Schloss) as the Viking optional tour dinner. We ordered off the menu and still go to listen to the music. Friends from the ship did the Viking optional tour dinner and said it was fun and there was a lot of food but it also was a long night.

I loved the food at Redeshemeir Schloss but was glad we didn't do the organized excursion.

On our Tauck cruise the dinner in Rudensheim was an included excursion and although you could have asked for and received a dinner on board everybody and I mean everybody went to the dinner at the Schloss. Sure the food was not what we'd been getting on the boat but it was plentiful, tasty and authentic. We all had a great time and were even invited to a wedding reception in an adjoining room. I really enjoy meeting and socialising with new friends on a river cruise and to be able to have a drink and a chat with Rudensheim locals was an added bonus.

I'm so glad we could take part in this outstanding evening.

You have mentioned in past posts that you do not enjoy socializing with new friends from the boat. Some of us enjoy socializing. What is not genuine about having a good time with new friends. I don't understand your personal comment at all. It's a social experience. Different strokes for different folks. But to give an opinion about something you didn't experience is strange.

We are not anti social, and we have made new friends on river cruises. Most of the time we travel with good friends who we enjoy spending our time with.

We know that we are not fans of large group activities. And we like choosing who we spend our time with.

Kitschy dinners with music are not our thing, period. I do not see what is strange about expressing my opinion that we avoid those evenings and enjoy the time on our own. Having been to Rudesheim and wandered into a couple of cute restaurants there, we would enjoy choosing one and dining on our own.

Apparently the OP made that decision as well after seeing a video of the dinner excursion being sold by the cruise line.

We enjoy having dinner in a local restaurant, ordering what we want from their menu, and with friends if that is our preference. I would always choose that over a group, set menu experience.

On our Tauck cruise the dinner in Rudensheim was an included excursion and although you could have asked for and received a dinner on board everybody and I mean everybody went to the dinner at the Schloss. Sure the food was not what we'd been getting on the boat but it was plentiful, tasty and authentic. We all had a great time and were even invited to a wedding reception in an adjoining room. I really enjoy meeting and socialising with new friends on a river cruise and to be able to have a drink and a chat with Rudensheim locals was an added bonus.

 

I'm so glad we could take part in this outstanding evening.

You had an exceptional "adventure" made so more by the wedding invitation than the food. Only thing I disagree with was that IMHO the food was NOT authentic, but made for the tourist crowd, and lost something on the way. But had we been invited to a wedding reception all would have been forgiven!!!

We are not anti social, and we have made new friends on river cruises. Most of the time we travel with good friends who we enjoy spending our time with.

 

We know that we are not fans of large group activities. And we like choosing who we spend our time with.

 

Kitschy dinners with music are not our thing, period. I do not see what is strange about expressing my opinion that we avoid those evenings and enjoy the time on our own. Having been to Rudesheim and wandered into a couple of cute restaurants there, we would enjoy choosing one and dining on our own.

 

Apparently the OP made that decision as well after seeing a video of the dinner excursion being sold by the cruise line.

 

We enjoy having dinner in a local restaurant, ordering what we want from their menu, and with friends if that is our preference. I would always choose that over a group, set menu experience.

 

I agree with you on the "kitschy" stuff and we usually pass on that too, we usually travel as one couple and generally meet people on the ship that we enjoy seeing sights and having dinner with on and off the ship. One of the things I most like about cruising (river and ocean) is the freedom to mingle or not as I choose. We've met 3 couples on separate cruises that we now often travel with, but the downside to that is it's harder to meet new people when you're traveling with friends because you tend to stay together. It's not intentional, it just happens.

I agree with you on the "kitschy" stuff and we usually pass on that too, we usually travel as one couple and generally meet people on the ship that we enjoy seeing sights and having dinner with on and off the ship. One of the things I most like about cruising (river and ocean) is the freedom to mingle or not as I choose. We've met 3 couples on separate cruises that we now often travel with, but the downside to that is it's harder to meet new people when you're traveling with friends because you tend to stay together. It's not intentional, it just happens.

DH and I work long days at our jobs. Weekends at home are busy with catching up on what needs to get done around the house, and spending time with family and friends. We don't get a lot of time to just spend together and relax and have fun, with the exception of travel, which we do as much as possible.

If we do take a trip alone we enjoy catching up on our together time. It is a nice surprise when we make new friends but it is not something we seek out.

We enjoy a table for two more than having to work at making conversation with people we might not have anything in common with. On the occasions we have made new friends while on a river cruise, we very much enjoyed spending time with them on and off the boat. We still keep in touch with several.

Caviargal, you sound like my DH and I 15 years ago!! Two professionals and 5 kids doesn't leave much "me" or "us" time! All I can say is be patient....it gets waaaaaayyy better after you retire!! :D

A little off the original topic ... Everyone has the right to do their own thing when they travel but for me the ship on a river cruise is more the just a floating hotel. I enjoy meeting new people and walking and talking with them. If I wanted an independent trip I would take a land tour.

On topic....I very much enjoyed my Rudeshiem dinners. I've been to three of them and each was a little different due to PDs and passengers involved.

Ok so if you don't do the dinner what little restaurant should we go to???

A little off the original topic ... Everyone has the right to do their own thing when they travel but for me the ship on a river cruise is more the just a floating hotel. I enjoy meeting new people and walking and talking with them. If I wanted an independent trip I would take a land tour.

 

We enjoy land trips as well but not tours and not with a group. We DIY our land vacations in Europe.

We also enjoy a river cruise when it is just the two of us. Not everyone needs the social interaction to have a great vacation, though it is definitely available for those who want it.

It is certainly possible to have a great time on the river traveling as a couple who enjoys spending time with each other.

We are all different and free to enjoy a river cruise in whatever way makes us happy.