Christmas markets river cruises 2024 infos and tips

[notamermaid]

The heating is running, the patio plants are coming back into the house and the gingerbread is in the shops. We are celebrating wine and general harvest in Germany now but fast the thoughts will turn to preparations for Christmas. For us here on the board that means Christmas markets river cruises.

 

So here it is - this year's thread for everything related to the markets and the cruises over Christmas.

 

Enjoy the colourful foliage, grab a hot chocolate or beverage of your choice and share your tips, what you are looking forward to or just join in the general fun.

 

This is last year's thread: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2968897-christmas-markets-river-cruises-2023-infos-and-tips/#comment-66265847

 

Over to you.

 

notamermaid

 

[HoneyJan]

You will need cash in the markets! Some vendors take credit cards but at least half do not. Certainly food is always cash. This is from personal shopping last year. Have fun and bring your euros!

[notamermaid]

Perhaps other companies have this but I have only seen it advertised by Uniworld: a dedicated festive season sailings brochure. Article from May, but perhaps you have not decided on a sailing yet: https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/travel-agents/uniworld-unwraps-its-first-christmas-brochure

 

Other companies may well have free cabins still, remember that there are many cruise lines that offer itineraries at that time of year. Look beyond the North American ones as well.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[notamermaid]

And just in today from CC's LauraS, the Viking article: https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles/viking-greetings-christmas-markets-river-cruises?stay=1&posfrom=1

 

notamermaid

 

[Steelers0854]

We leave in just under 2 months, very excited for our Christmas Markets cruise!

[notamermaid]

18 hours ago, Steelers0854 said:

We leave in just under 2 months, very excited for our Christmas Markets cruise!

Great! Which river(s) will you be on? Have you done a river cruise before?

 

notamermaid

 

[beavismom]

Is anyone doing an Emerald Christmas Market cruise from Amsterdam to Zurich this year?  If so, could you share your detailed itinerary?  We are sailing next year and just want an idea of how it might time out.  I know all of this is subject to change. :)

[Steelers0854]

On 10/20/2024 at 12:35 PM, notamermaid said:

Great! Which river(s) will you be on? Have you done a river cruise before?

 

notamermaid

 

we are doing the Danube. We have been to Amsterdam before and wanted to go to places we have never been. It will be our first river cruise. 
 

we will be on Viking with a Prague extension on the front end and a Budapest extension on the backend. 
 

couldn’t be more excited. 

Edited Thursday at 05:37 PM by Steelers0854

[notamermaid]

1 hour ago, Steelers0854 said:

we will be on Viking with a Prague extension on the front end and a Budapest extension on the backend. 

Both extensions, that sounds really good. I am sure you will have a magical time.

 

Budapest - that reminds me. There is this speciality food in Hungary (I think it is Hungarian) that I saw in Koblenz being offered, something with dough on a spit, I think cinnamon flavour. Have not tried it. Does anyone know what it is called?

 

notamermaid

 

 

[gnome12]

6 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Both extensions, that sounds really good. I am sure you will have a magical time.

 

Budapest - that reminds me. There is this speciality food in Hungary (I think it is Hungarian) that I saw in Koblenz being offered, something with dough on a spit, I think cinnamon flavour. Have not tried it. Does anyone know what it is called?

 

notamermaid

 

 

It's called a chimney cake.

[steamboats]

Just for the records... Yesterday - so two months prior to Christmas Eve (which is more important in Germany than Christmas Day) - the first market opened on Laubach Castle, the Winterzauber Laubach. But anyway it´s just a 3 day event.

 

steamboats

[AvidCruiserToo]

We will be on the Elbe with Viking. We have a pre extension in Berlin. This will be our first Christmas market cruise and are very excited. We had to sign up two years ago for this one as it sells out quickly.

I have read that the ship swaps have been seamless so far around Dresden.

[pontac]

8 hours ago, gnome12 said:

It's called a chimney cake.

 

Great work @gnome12. That rang a bell.

 

@notamermaid may like to read @Australia08 's post which has great photo's of chimney cakes being made.

 

 

Click on top link to go directly to the post for May 2 and scroll down.

[notamermaid]

14 minutes ago, AvidCruiserToo said:

I have read that the ship swaps have been seamless so far around Dresden.

Ah, yes. These will run into December. I wonder if that will affect the market? Should not do really but traffic is of course worse having lost a river crossing for cars.

 

As a side note for those contemplating the Elbe and Viking is sold out for 2025. Check out Viva Cruises for more actual sailing on the river: https://www.viva-*****/en/reise/adventsreise-nach-prag

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

@pontac,yes that is the one. Thank you for the link. I am getting hungry. 🙂 I guess the chimney cake is not just a winter food then.

 

As in the last few years, so far I have been able to withstand the temptation of buying Christmas stuff early in our shops. But Gewürzkuchen, spice cake, I think I will get next week. It is not necessarily something associated with Christmas but winter.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The news article on Viva Cruises: https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Viva-cruises-adds-christmas-market-cruises-Germany

 

notamermaid

 

[pontac]

1 hour ago, notamermaid said:

The news article on Viva Cruises: https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Viva-cruises-adds-christmas-market-cruises-Germany

 

Funny. Seems a special. One sailing on a river they don't usually cruise on.

[bhwestgrove]

We had a great time sampling lots of chimney cakes on last year's Viking Christmas Markets cruise on the Danube in Budapest.  Some were cooked over an electric heater and were just ok.  Those were in more permanent shops that sold other foods.  The best ones we found were at a small Christmas market outside the large church in the castle district on the hill (by Fisherman's Bastion.)  Our Viking tour took us to see the church and we had free time to roam the small market.  The chimney cakes were PHENOMENAL there-large, and fresh made.  Yum!

 

This year we'll be sailing on Viking on the Rhine exploring those markets.  We've sailed the Rhine before, but this will be our first time for the Rhine Christmas markets cruise.  I'm sure it will be as good as the Danube was.  We just need to find the Rhine equivalent to the chimney cakes!!

Edited 16 hours ago by bhwestgrove

[notamermaid]

4 hours ago, bhwestgrove said:

We just need to find the Rhine equivalent to the chimney cakes!!

There is an interesting thought. I wonder what that could be? Not sure that anything comes close. You could always check Koblenz market at the Forum for it. Or you may find it in Cologne. I think most of our food stuff in winter is heavier in the dough judging from the photos that pontac linked to.

 

Have a great  cruise.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

5 hours ago, pontac said:

 

Funny. Seems a special. One sailing on a river they don't usually cruise on.

I think the article is misleading. Viva Cruises has several sailings on the Elbe, not always the standard route in that area: https://www.viva-*****/en/river-cruises/germany?rivers[0]=elbe-moldau&isBookedOut=false&journeyDates[gte]=2024-10-25

 

As the small Swiss Ruby can navigate most rivers and canals she is not always deployed on the Elbe. She can do the Northern route and change to the Rhine river basin. She is 85m by 10.6m. The two Viking ships are 109.9m by 11.45m. Which makes them too big and they cannot explore the Northern German Christmas markets that lie beyond the Elbe. Not a big deal I would say.

 

notamermaid