hugueys

Great information. Thank you!

Thank all y'all again for your suggestions. I will go with a consumable/disposable gift. Do you think a box of bourbon chocolates would make it through security (smile)? I was raised in the South and I would never hear the end of it from my Mom if I didn't bring something. Flowers would be ok, but I would be anxious about finding a place to buy them and who wants to worry on a vacation.

His name is Bjorn Goemaes and he is from the area around Brussels. Any one out there sailed with Bjorn? Funny stories?

We're from Louisville KY and the specialty here is bourbon and horses. Wasn't sure of bourbon was an appropriate gift and didn't think I could fit a horse in my 26 Lb luggage limit. Thanks for all the help on this thread.

Thanks for the updates. Got a personal message from our upcoming program director with GCT. It is so nice to get a welcome letter with last minute updates (nothing yet about low water levels causing delays, yeah!)

Have all my clothes picked out and now just working on alternate plans if river levels fall even further.

Our river cruise has a home hosted Kaffeeklatsch in Speyer. What would be appropriate as a thank you gift?

Thank you for your posting of the GCT. We are very interested in your daily activities and how you feel so far about GCT. How is the river level?

We are taking the 6 or 7 PM train to Brussels. We are planning on returning to Amsterdam some time in the spring when everything is blooming. That is why we are limiting our time there this trip. I said we are crazy, right?

Great info, thanks!

We are going Nov 25 to Dec 6 on Grand Circle Basel to Amsterdam Rhine (if it ever rains) and I will posting a review when I get back. We booked June 1 and it seemed like about half the rooms were still available, all types.

I believe they are designate M/S River.....(something). Our boat is the M/S River Melody and I think the M/S River Harmony is also on the Rhine. According to Marinetraffic the draught(?) is 1.5m. Hope this info helps and thank you.

Yes, we are the ambitious types! We will need to leave our (minimal) luggage at the train station after we get off the ship (we are early risers and will get off as soon as possible). So which museum first? We are thinking maybe 3 hours each with an hour lunch; any recommendations for a Sunday lunch in the museum area?

On Sunday, Dec. we are going to end our river cruise in Amsterdam. Since weather is iffy, we are planning on going to the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh museum during our only day in Amsterdam. Which one first? Is Rick Steve's book the best way to go? When we have visited the US National Gallery of Art, we loved the tour guide's personal stories. We have also used multimedia guides and enjoyed them. Will just be DH and me and we both love art museums.

Does anyone know how Grand Circle has fared this year?

GCT.... first river cruise, I hope I made a good choice.

Thanks anyways! First river cruise and whatever happens, it will be wonderful. I will follow all your reports. Thank you so much for keeping all of us worriers updated. We just need to learn how to let go.

Any long term prediction of Rhine River levels for Nov 25 - Dec 6? I was worried but now I am beginning to......

Just got my cruise documents for Nov 25 Rhine Christmas Markets leaving from Basel. Was a bit disappointed in that I expected more details on daily itineraries. Just seemed like the same info on the web site. We also were not told who our PD was. Does anyone know approximately what time River Melody will leave Basel?

Thanks for the reminder. DH and I fly into Paris 6 am and then catch flight to Zurich arriving 9 am. There, plans are to board the train to Basel and get on GCT River Melody all in the same day! Oh to have read this post 6 months ago!!! We do only travel with carry ons. Have the rules about weight and size changed in the last 2 years since we flew to Berlin? I am in the market for a new suitcase but DH isn't. Any suggestions for a new Euro friendly carry on?

DH and I did a bus tour 2 years ago (no snarky comments please, it was wonderful for us) that went to Berlin, Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, and Prague with many wonderful stops in between. We loved every minute of it!!! Our guide grew up behind the iron curtain and was fabulous. It was a tour of a lifetime. We so loved Poland and all the people we met were fantastic and so proud of their country. Poland has a very rich and varied history.

In Auschwitz there are many pictures on the wall of its first prisoners dressed in prison stripes holding their numbers in front of them. They were mainly the local Polish officials from the towns who were all arrested after the **** arrived. As we were walking down the long aisles I happened to glance over and saw a picture of a man with the last name of Gadomski which was the maiden name of my DH mother! Found out later that he (a distant cousin) was the head of the Bar association in Krakow and the Germans told him to disbar all Jewish attorneys and he refused and was sent to Auschwitz. Talk about coincidences.

Most everyone we met along the way was so polite and happy to share stories with us. It is an incredible trip and I know you will have a wonderful time.

I am allergic to cigarette smoke and never thought I might have a problem on a river cruise. We did a Caribbean cruise in the 90's on, I, think Carnival Legend that was smoke free. So glad to hear that it won't be an issue. Just to be sure, any one who has done GCT, how do they handle smoking on board?

Thank you all for your responses. We love exploring so while waiting for slower members, we will be popping in and out of stores and exploring side streets. It is all good.

45 days and counting

Thanks for all the information! A general question about GCT: do they split you into groups based on your activity level? I have read that other river cruise companies will have slow walker group, etc, does GCT do this? My DH and I are very active and would rather not spend time waiting for the slower walkers (though we will love to spend time at dinner getting to know everyone). DH is doing Louisville Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, then 26.2 mile run. on Sunday - go Jim!!!!

This is a bucket list trip for us too. I am also very interested in hearing more details about your experiences good and bad (?) More details, please.

Absolutely you can use the Referral code with other GCT discounts. I am so excited our upcoming river cruise and read CC posts almost every day. There is so much useful info about all aspects of river cruising: clothing, transfers, ports, pre and post, etc. I have had a hard time waiting for 5 months, can't imagine waiting a year!