Tauck: Yuletide Spirit: Brussels to Amsterdam

[CathyP4]

Tauck has added a new Christmas cruise from Brussels to Amsterdam or reverse.  Is anyone familiar with the area and what river/rivers would it travel?

[laverendrye]

I'm familiar with the area, having visited Belgium and the Netherlands many times over the years both for business and pleasure, including in the winter.

 

Essentially, the cruise will be on the Scheldt, Maas and Lek rivers along with various connecting canals.

 

Personally, I wouldn't choose a cruise there at that time of year as it is likely to be mostly cold and wet.  It will also be dark with less than 8 hours daylight  because of the latitude (Amsterdam is further north than Calgary, Canada).

 

The time to take a cruise on the rivers and canals of the Netherlands and Belgium is April when the tulips, daffodils, and other spring flowers are in bloom.

 

 

[CathyP4]

5 minutes ago, laverendrye said:

I'm familiar with the area, having visited Belgium and the Netherlands many times over the years both for business and pleasure, including in the winter.

 

Essentially, the cruise will be on the Scheldt, Maas and Lek rivers along with various connecting canals.

 

Personally, I wouldn't choose a cruise there at that time of year as it is likely to be mostly cold and wet.  It will also be dark with less than 8 hours daylight  because of the latitude (Amsterdam is further north than Calgary, Canada).

 

The time to take a cruise on the rivers and canals of the Netherlands and Belgium is April when the tulips, daffodils, and other spring flowers are in bloom.

 

 

Would a Christmas Market Cruise on the Rhine be any different weather/daylight hours?  

[laverendrye]

The daylight hours would only be marginally longer and this is the case with Christmas cruises whether in the Netherlands, or on the Rhine or Danube.  Remember that Basel, for example, is at about the same latitude as Seattle.

 

As for weather, a Rhine cruise would likely be somewhat better as the upper and middle Rhine valley is not so directly affected by the winds and storms coming off the North Sea as are Belgium and the Netherlands.

 

I'm not greatly attracted to Christmas Market cruises, but if I were, I think my choice would be one on the Danube.  On the Rhine, there is a wonderful market in Strasbourg, my favourite city in France after Paris.

[Host Jazzbeau]

One benefit of Christmas Market cruises is that the market are lit up after dark, and many report this is the most enchanting time of day to visit them.

[notamermaid]

CathyP4,

I have had a look at the itinerary on the Tauck website. It sounds nice and I am sure Tauck will do an excellent job of making it a great experience, but I have my reservations about that area in winter. I have been to Brussels and the Christmas market is great. I also know Bruges in winter. Nice and not quite as busy as in Summer. But, one thing that I could not do was a boat tour there. Perhaps they run in winter now, might have changed since I was there. I mention this because there could be variations in what you can see in Summer or Winter in that area. I tend to agree that those countries are better experienced in Spring, but I would not be averse to seeing them in Summer and Autumn (I partly have).

 

I do not associate The Netherlands with Romantic Christmas time, which is probably just my perception. For a Christmas experience, if it has to be the Rhine and adjoining areas, I would go for a five-day cruise on the Rhine and add post-cruise days, which could take me to Brussels as well. But I am quite partial to the Alsace and Lorraine areas in France in winter, so would probably go more for that. For a long Christmas market cruise the Danube might be preferable, I would look into it.

 

laverendrye has already answered you about the rivers and canals. My estimate is that it could be more sailing time on canals than on the rivers, but for that one would need even more details. To get an idea of the waterways in the area, here is a map: https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/main/sc3/European_inland_waterways_-_2012.pdf

The insert top left gives you Belgium and the Netherlands in more detail. Just zoom in.

 

For daylight hours check here: https://www.timeanddate.com/

 

Again, I agree with laverendrye, that the weather tends to be a little more favourable further upstream in the Rhine valley.

What I find more a problem is the grey, rainy days than the lack of daylight in winter. As hostjazzbau said, you get the Christmas lights after dark, which very much tips the balance in favour of winter sailing.

 

Have fun planning.

 

notamermaid

 

[CathyP4]

Thank you laverendrye, hostjazzbau & notamermaid for the information.  The European waterways map is great, Notamermaid. I filed it away for future reference.

My husband & I are going on the Danube with the Oberammergau play addition; so I do not want to repeat the Danube.  The Christmas market cruise is with a girlfriend so I will look closer at the Rhine Cruise.