... And what about the Christmas market cruises?

[sjde]

Blue Eyes-We were so disappointed too. Four of our group of six cancelled. The younger ones (40 and 50) still went. We received a credit good for 2 years.

[Coral]

2 hours ago, Blue Eyes said:

Pulled the plug today and cancelled our trip…all 6 of us.  According to Tauck rep they plan to go forward with all of the Yuletide Spirits trips. They did refund our money minus the trip insurance premiums. We can book a trip within 2022 and use that insurance credit.  Delta gave us a credit for our airfare with no penalty for canceling. We are all so sad as we planned this trip in January 2019.  We’ve done two previous CM tours and loved them both….

I think it was the right decision.

 

Glad they are allowing the insurance credit to transfer. Do you know if this is standard policy (as their trip insurance is expensive)?

[texasmomoftwo]

We have to make a decision on our river cruise as we are supposed to leave next week.  I want to make sure I am accurate in the following market status as of now 

 

Strasbourg open.  
Cologne open.  
Rudesheim closed

Riquewihr is open

Freiburg closed
Heidelberg ????? 
Speyer open??? 
basel Open

amsterdam closed 

 

can someone help verify my info?   I realize things can change.  Just trying to make this decision as I really want to go.  But I am struggling. Thanks 

[worldtraveller99]

Sorry to hear your news Blue Eyes and sjde. I don't think it would have been so much fun this year if you had gone. Hopefully we can all go next year - maybe see some of you there? We are booked on Tauck Dusseldorf to Basel on 29/11/22.

 

[notamermaid]

@texasmomoftwo New regulations. Heidelberg Christmas market will close: https://www.heidelberg-marketing.de/en/event/heidelberger-weihnachtsmarkt

 

Every able-bodied person in the South will run to Strasbourg...

 

Fun? Probably not.

 

I strongly advise talking to the cruise line. 

 

Federal government of Germany has set out new regulations, too.

 

Sorry, gotta go. No more info at present.

 

notamermaid 

 

 

[steamboats]

Thurn und Taxis announced that they want to reopen just the food stalls yesterday. But the city of Regensburg did not allow this. So they had to stay closed. There´s still a lawsuit pending.

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

1 hour ago, steamboats said:

Thurn und Taxis announced that they want to reopen just the food stalls yesterday. But the city of Regensburg did not allow this. So they had to stay closed. There´s still a lawsuit pending.

 

steamboats

I hope they win. Thankfully they have enough money to do this and I am sure backing from all their vendors.

 

From tomorrow we have an official two tier society. I am looking forward to more lawsuits. Of course FIFA and the other elites are the last ones to suffer - if at all.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[notamermaid]

@texasmomoftwo Riquewihr still on as of three days ago according to the regional newspaper there. Perhaps watch this site as there is no guarantee of anything right now: https://www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com/manifestations/noel-alsace.htm?genre=1900009&categorie=1900076s1900202&sessionalea=&action=&commune=&modalites=&nom_recherche=&page=2

 

notamermaid

[texasmomoftwo]

2 hours ago, notamermaid said:

@texasmomoftwo Riquewihr still on as of three days ago according to the regional newspaper there. Perhaps watch this site as there is no guarantee of anything right now: https://www.ribeauville-riquewihr.com/manifestations/noel-alsace.htm?genre=1900009&categorie=1900076s1900202&sessionalea=&action=&commune=&modalites=&nom_recherche=&page=2

 

notamermaid

Thank you . I am so conflicted on what to do  I really want to go, but I want to see the markets.... UGH  

[notamermaid]

52 minutes ago, texasmomoftwo said:

Thank you . I am so conflicted on what to do  I really want to go, but I want to see the markets.... UGH  

A difficult decision, I know. Koblenz is missing in your list. Perhaps you are not stopping there. That market is still running but I imagine will be full as those from the area will now congregate there. Also see the new rules in the thread: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2815171-germany-moves-to-level-4-for-us-citizens-very-high-risk/page/3/#comments

 

Cologne markets are still open.

 

Germany has again declared Switzerland a high risk country. This does not have a direct effect on tourism if you are fully vaccinated. It just tells you the situation in our neighbouring country is not good.

 

Edit: Speyer has announced today (late afternoon) that they will close their Christmas market probably during the course of next week. It is closed this Sunday for one day.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited December 3, 2021 by notamermaid
Speyer

[sjde]

Blue Eyes- Amsterdam has an 8 pm closure. 
 

Do Amsterdam and Trier have Christmas markets? 

Edited December 3, 2021 by sjde

[Psoque]

Actually, last time I checked all restaurants/bars and most non-essential businesses in the Netherlands must close by 5 PM now.

[Host Jazzbeau]

20 minutes ago, Psoque said:

Actually, last time I checked all restaurants/bars and most non-essential businesses in the Netherlands must close by 5 PM now.

Has it turned into Florida?  'Early Bird Special' or no dinner for you...

[Canal archive]

At the moment the Bath Christmas Market is still on!

[notamermaid]

45 minutes ago, Canal archive said:

At the moment the Bath Christmas Market is still on!

They say that everyone close to the Rhine in Baden-Wurttemberg will cross over to Alsace to see the markets. Another German invasion 😜. 

 

Perhaps more Germans will come to Bath and Edinburgh and even Birmingham! The German Christmas markets in Britain are supposed to be very good. I am sure others are nice, too. Canterbury is a mix of standard market and British Christmas market, decent as an alternative. Off to Britain, jawoll!

 

I really want to see Bath - the Baths, the Crescent... I miss England 😭 even the overexcited children in the Eurotunnel terminal. 

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

My abiding memory of the Bath Christmas Market pre pandemic was being assaulted by selfi sticks wielded by our Japanese and Korean friends I do tend to steer clear of Bath during heavy visitor times. (Killjoy me) The best times were mooring up our narrow boat and walking in it only took a few minutes. Although 15 minutes by road and a good few hours by canal but pleasant.

[notamermaid]

1 hour ago, Canal archive said:

My abiding memory of the Bath Christmas Market pre pandemic was being assaulted by selfi sticks wielded by our Japanese and Korean friends

I can picture that. Have never been hit, but have certainly seen some dangerous wielding.

 

1 hour ago, Canal archive said:

The best times were mooring up our narrow boat and walking in it only took a few minutes.

You could market that as a Christmas market cruise by narrowboat. That must be great, sailing the canal on a decorated boat, sipping glühwein. Or mulled wine of course. Either is fine .

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

How did you guess a few years ago we did it with our boat club, 6 boats dressed overall gluhwein from Aldi and boat made mulled wine a superb time was had by all.

[cruisr]

5 hours ago, Canal archive said:

My abiding memory of the Bath Christmas Market pre pandemic was being assaulted by selfi sticks wielded by our Japanese and Korean friends I do tend to steer clear of Bath during heavy visitor times. (Killjoy me) The best times were mooring up our narrow boat and walking in it only took a few minutes. Although 15 minutes by road and a good few hours by canal but pleasant.

Going a little OT but I am addicted to all the Narrow Boat videos on YouTube.  I love seeing all the different canals.  My favorite is FoxesAfloat.  I love seeing the videos that do tours of the boats,   You live in one of my favorite areas in England and now I find out you have a narrowboat.  Well done you.

[notamermaid]

Oh, those videos are entertaining. And quite calming at times.

40 minutes ago, cruisr said:

 My favorite is FoxesAfloat.  

I like them too. Fun guys.

 

Talking of videos. I am sure there are some nice Christmas market videos around. I should have a look at Alsace ones.

 

Trivia bit: the oldest mention of a Christmas tree in written records, is supposed to be in/from Sélestat.

 

notamermaid

 

[sjde]

notamermaid-What is the difference between gluhwein and mulled wine?

 

cruisr-Are all narrowboats self-piloted?

[sjde]

Maybe this calls for starting a new thread , but I am unable to private message others on here. When I try,  it says it is disabled, but I don't see any way to change that in my settings?

[cruisr]

37 minutes ago, sjde said:

notamermaid-What is the difference between gluhwein and mulled wine?

 

cruisr-Are all narrowboats self-piloted?

All the ones I have seen are.  You get a short training from the rental yard and a bit of a try out before you are let loose.  Everybody says that they are easier to pilot than they thiught it would be.  i wish we had the ability to send PMs also.  

[notamermaid]

1 hour ago, sjde said:

notamermaid-What is the difference between gluhwein and mulled wine?

 

cruisr-Are all narrowboats self-piloted?

Sorry if this was a bit confusing. I mainly said it to emphasize geography, i.e. German traditions, glühwein on a market and British traditions, mulled wine. The basic drink is very much the same, there are few differences. Here is a good website I find, that gives a recipe of each country: https://vincarta.com/blog/gluhwein-vs-mulled-wine/

 

Here is a short (as the whole is subscription only) article in German with a photo on an alternative version, a drive-in at Iffezheim on the Galopprennbahn (horse races). That is where the last lock (downstream direction) on the Rhine is located: https://bnn.de/mittelbaden/rastatt/iffezheim/drive-in-weihnachtsmarkt-iffezheim-galopprennbahn-autofahrer-gluehwein-besucher

So, a bit more horsepower than usual.

 

notamermaid

 

[CPT Trips]

The Philadelphia Christmas Market is open. https://www.philachristmas.com/food-beverage.html
 

Nonstops from both FRA and LHR.