Thinking of booking a river cruise in Europe? - hiccups to 24/7 or 7/7 to consider

Working in tourism myself I know how important it is to be available 7/7. River cruise itineraries are supposed to run smoothly and the itineraries are the same throughout much of the season. Yet, the countries in Europe differ a bit from each other and such differences, also compared to North America, can be forgotten when choosing a date for your cruise. Often seemingly identical itineraries have slight differences from week to week and seasonal variations, sometimes deliberate as in the Christmas market cruises, sometimes owing to custom in the countries you will visit:

 

Here for a start are those occurences that will affect what churches you may be able to visit and your shopping experience - public holidays: http://www.feiertagskalender.ch/index.php?hl=en

 

Other things to consider will follow.

 

Have you experienced a disappointment due to such a tiny fact that did not think of? Has a river cruise company let you down, i.e. not mentioned a planned change of itinerary due to such a pre-known fact like the above?

 

notamermaid

Thanks for that link, notamermaid, I'm sure many of us will find it handy. Just checked for our cruise, and looks like we may be ok.

 

 

Sent from my SM-T810 using Forums mobile app

Here is another small thing to consider: museum closure dates

 

It is one of the topics in this article by Rick Steves: http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0109/rick_steves_on_european_museums.shtml

 

Museums in Germany are closed on Mondays.

 

Large museums do not close for a longer period of time but small museums might well do especially those run by volunteers.

 

River cruise companies will know this but it can be overlooked by the potential cruiser when such details are mentioned in the "small" print in company brochures.

 

notamermaid

We will be arriving in Amsterdam on Ascension Day, but fortunately, I found out that I can get my sim card at the airport through a vending machine, and the Hotel sells the transit pass. We don't plan to do anything that day, so won't bother us if everything is closed...as long as we can get a meal we will be fine.

That's the spirit Daisi! There is always plenty to do in a large town and museums tend to be open on public holidays, after all that is when people (i.e. the locals) have time for that sort of thing during the day. But if one has a "must-do" plan for a specific day I find it is good to check beforehand to avoid disappointment.

 

In Germany, by the way, there is a distinction between a Christian strictly observed public holiday or a normal public holiday. Tourist areas have allowances for shopping on standard Sundays and public holidays. So you may find a clothes shop is open in one town but no such shop is open in the next town 5km away.

 

notamermaid

Holidays also offer opportunities. Was in Tarascon, France on Easter Sunday. Shops closed but church was decorated for Easter and we got to hear the organist and choir rehearsing celebratory Easter music. Good experience.

Holidays also offer opportunities. Was in Tarascon, France on Easter Sunday. Shops closed but church was decorated for Easter and we got to hear the organist and choir rehearsing celebratory Easter music. Good experience.

 

Indeed! I "ran into" Easter celebrations on my river cruise. It was the orthodox Easter Sunday and we went into the Church in Szentendre in Hungary where there is an orthodox Christian community. Very nice to see the difference to our customs.

 

notamermaid

Thank you so much for this useful information! I guess I'll be in Cologne on German Unity Day. I assume many businesses will be closed, but will there be any special events in Cologne, such as street fairs, fireworks or outdoor concerts?

We were disappointed that the Colgne Cathedral was closed to tourists on Nov 1 for All Saints Day masses. We had hoped to see the magnificent interior and the Shrine of the Three Magi. However, we contented ourselves with more time in the Roman museum next door. When one door closes, often another one opens.

 

Thanks, notamermaid, for the links to holidays and museum closures.

Hello skybluewaters,

 

yes, the shops will be closed on 3rd October unless they have been licenced to open using the "excemption rule for touristy businesses". Close by the cathedral is an information centre with gifts: https://www.cologne-tourism.com/service/koelnshop.html There will be a flea market on that day along the embankment according to the official Cologne website. For other events have a look around the site or send them an e-mail perhaps: http://www.cologne.de/ You might also find more info under the first link I gave you.

 

 

Thank you so much for this useful information! I guess I'll be in Cologne on German Unity Day. I assume many businesses will be closed, but will there be any special events in Cologne, such as street fairs, fireworks or outdoor concerts?

 

notamermaid

Hello jklc,

 

We were disappointed that the Colgne Cathedral was closed to tourists on Nov 1 for All Saints Day masses. We had hoped to see the magnificent interior and the Shrine of the Three Magi. However, we contented ourselves with more time in the Roman museum next door. When one door closes, often another one opens.

 

Thanks, notamermaid, for the links to holidays and museum closures.

 

A real pity. I have not been inside the cathedral for many years so do not know the rules on such a day but I seem to remember that somebody said they could get in inbetween mass just not walk around, i.e. you can sit quietly in a pew. Worth enquiring about the possibility on the day if one happens to be able to fit in some downtime for taking in the scale of the building and dedication of its builders, even if one cannot get to see the shrine.

 

notamermaid

A rare occurence

 

In Germany we have two church holidays that follow another, 31 October and 1 November. The first one is the Protestant "Reformationstag", the second one is the Catholic "Allerheiligen". Both days are not general holidays throughout my federal country but are observed with shop closures in states with either predominantly Protestant or Catholic population. A complicated business to remember - I certainly would not know if asked and would have to look it up. Well, this year it is just a little easier. Reformationstag - in honour of 500 years of Martin Luther's Reformation - is a public holiday in all of Germany.

 

This means that if you are on a river cruise on both days on the Rhine you will have to put up with no shop closures in Basel (but with lots of day trippers from Germany), closures on 1 November in France, closures on both days in Germany and no closures in the Netherlands.

 

For a trip on the Main, Danube or the Elbe this is different, not only in the other countries that the rivers flow through but also in those other German states and at this point I get a bit exhausted and give up...

 

notamermaid

Christmas market cruise... or not

 

Thanksgiving is a public holiday that seems to have established itself as a date for going on a river cruise with seeing Christmas markets in mind. Yet, the holiday does not coincide with the start of Christmas markets. It varies from year to year. The season in 2017 was a short one for Christmas markets as the 24th of December was also the 4th Sunday in Advent. Advertising in company brochures can lead further to misunderstandings as was partly the problem it appears with this recent past cruiser: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2581676

 

Unfortunately it also shows that even choosing a knowledgeable TA will not automatically keep you from experiencing such a problem.

 

More on the subject on another day.

 

notamermaid

While some companies may call their river cruise itineraries around Thanksgiving Christmas market cruises, others do not. It is worth looking into this as you may only go to four Christmas markets (or four towns with overall seven markets for example) on a seven-day-cruise, depending on where you are headed and how much time you are able to spend in a specific place. On a river cruise that only straddles the Chrismas market season you may nevertheless be able to visit a couple of them if you add time pre-cruise. Check dates and itineraries carefully before you book. And remember: while Christmas markets may be open in large cities after Christmas, in the smaller places they close on the 23rd of December for the season. Christmas decorations (mainly lights) in the streets usually stay up till 6 January.

 

But as we are approaching Easter here is a reminder that those days are public holidays as well as church holidays with often strict observence of laws that restrict shopping, dancing, events, etc. In tourist destinations there can well be exceptions but one would need to check individually if one is interested in a particular place. Museums are usually open, but as Monday is a standard day for closure, again, one would need to check individually if a particular place is nevertheless open on Easter Monday.

 

notamermaid

Here is another small thing to consider: museum closure dates

...

Museums in Germany are closed on Mondays.

...

River cruise companies will know this but it can be overlooked by the potential cruiser when such details are mentioned in the "small" print in company brochures.

On a GCT cruise stop in Mainz on a Monday, the Gutenberg Museum was indeed closed to the public, but GCT had made arrangements for it to be open for maybe an hour for their passengers. This was some years ago, so I have no idea what's happening currently. Like all things river cruising flexibility is the key. The small St. Stephan zu Mainz church a few blocks away with the magnificent Marc Chagall windows was open to the public. There is always something of interest around the next corner.

 

Thom

How good of GCT to do that, Thom. Quote: "There is always something of interest around the next corner." :):) That's the spirit with one should approach river cruising, and it helps with other types of holiday as well.

 

notamermaid

Thanks, notamermaid! The links you posted were helpful, especially the one listing all the European events and holidays. I have bookmarked it for future reference. Luckily, our upcoming October river cruise will not be impacted. What peace of mind you have provided!

Thank you Cruisen Elf,

 

happy to help :). Easter is behind us but the next public holidays are just round the corner...

 

A lot of public holiday are kind of universal because they either have a special, long tradition or they are church holidays and those are the ones that spring to mind more quickly than others. National, country specific holidays are trickier at times. While looking at the quite well-known Labour Day (usually 1 May) I came across Koningsdag in the Netherlands on 27 April 2018 for example. Speaking of Royalty: unless one is into Royal Weddings the area around Windsor in Great Britain one should avoid on 19 May. :D

 

 

Back to 1 May, an example as you travel downstream on the Rhine: it is a public holiday in parts of Switzerland, yet a day equivalent to Sundays meaning not a normal working day; a public holiday in France and Germany, but not a public holiday in the Netherlands. Sort of still easy to remember. Church holidays that are related to one of the large Christian faiths are sometimes trickier as they are observed by one part of a country but not the other.

 

But unto another subject: strikes! Unlike the current strikes in France that are particular to one section of workers mainly, the national railway, and that have been announced well in advance - I mean the coming strike days - some strikes are handled differently. One union representing the the public sector in Germany is notorious for announcing where they want to hit brutally at short notice (in my opinion). Most people take it in their stride but if you need to catch a plane and are told "your" airport personnel will be on strike the following day this will not leave you happy. It is not something one can plan for, really. Unfortunately, a lot of lock personnel can go on strike as well... Again not plannable. But lock closures for maintenance are announced well in advance and known to river cruise companies (otherwise many itineraries would not be possible to schedule).

 

notamermaid

Most of the public and church holidays are over in Germany for a couple of months and no shopping madness is coming up (sometimes feels like that - "oh no, got to get to the shops and buy stuff for three days") and we are anticipating our Summer holidays. School holidays are staggered and the first parts of the country start on 25 June.

 

 

When people have returned from their holidays and one feels that the days are getting shorter again, sort of around end of August, beginning of September, large retailers think we have already developed an appetite for Christmassy sweets and treats again. The shops gradually fill with chocolates, gingerbread, and so on. At that point I make a sort of mental sound of "ooahhh, oh no". I have made it a rule for myself to never buy the stuff before 1 November!

 

 

But as river cruisers need to plan ahead and need clear answers as to what to expect around Christmas time here is some info. While the stuff may be in the shops, Christmas markets do not exist before middle of November. Most start just before or just after Sunday of the Dead. Most observe (in Germany they have to by law) closure on that religious holiday. I have mentioned the potential misunderstandings about Christmas markets earlier in this thread. Another term that can lead to potential disappointment is this: Christmas time. Christmas time would normally equal "Christmas and holiday season" as described in wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_and_holiday_season

 

 

It more or less equals the time frame that in Germany is "Weihnachtszeit", however the German word implies a closer adherence of Christian tradition.

 

 

What is important for river cruisers to realize is that Christmas time cruising you need to look closely at and make sure you are aware of the fact that Christmas markets are not there for the whole Christmas season from end of November to Epiphany but only before Christmas. Christmas markets after Christmas are for the most part a modern invention and they mostly exist in large towns. Some places these days have Christmas markets before Christmas, close them on the 23/24 December but keep other attraction like an ice (scating) rink open into January. Paris and Koblenz spring to mind, but there are many more in Europe. Usually Christmas decorations are taken down on Twelfth Night or 6 January (depending on your tradition or how you count the days from Christmas) and that is when most Christmassy activities stop. So in short, if you think to yourself or talk to a travel agent "I want a river cruise at Christmas time", specify what you would like to do, see Christmas markets and / or be away from home over Christmas.

 

 

notamermaid

Notamermaid, your posts are always most helpful. Keeping in mind that most folks in the US think of Christmas season as beginning the weekend after US Thanksgiving, it is helpful to say that Christmas markets generally begin the weekend of the fourth Sunday before December 25th, called the first Sunday of Advent. For those not sure about the Christian Calendar, find December 25th and then count the four Sundays before that date. The first Sunday of Advent is not always the first Sunday after US Thanksgiving.

The weekends of those four Sundays have Christmas Markets in most larger cities. Usually the larger cities' markets' are open daily. Smaller places may have Christmas markets on only one or two of the weekends.

Maybe this helps clarify for US travelers.

 

If you search this forum for - Christmas Markets - you will find much helpful information. Searching for 'Market', the singular, you will find very little.

 

Happy Christmas Market Visiting !!!

xmaser,

 

 

Thank you, you have reminded me about a point I had forgotten in my post. Smaller places that are not so touristy often have Christmas markets only at the weekend. Charitable ones with (often) handicraft are usually only one day. For example: Bernkastel-Kues on the Moselle (7057 inhabitants says wikipedia) for example is small but has a Christmas market in 2018 from 23 November till 23 December (closed 25 November, the said Sunday) but Linz on the Rhine (5962 inhabitants says wikipedia) that is quite pretty and old, but a little less touristy, has its Christmas market only at the weekends in December. The opening times also vary, a core time of day is usually 11am to 6pm.

 

 

notamermaid