Christmas on the Rhine - Viking River Cruise

Yeah I concur with the insurance. I plan on booking with one of my Chase CC and they have built in travel protection with those.

I've been on 5 Viking Cruises (1 was the Viking Homelands Ocean Cruise, which was spectacular).

River / Danube: Danube Waltz / Eastern Passage
River / Seine: Paris and the Heart of Normandy
River / Elbe: Christmas Along The Elbe (Height of Omicron)
River / Douro: Portugal's River Of Gold

Doing the Rhine Getaway (Amsterdam to Basel) this November and staying in Colmar France for a week thereafter.

Some Selected Christmas Market Photos

There are other great river cruise lines, but we just stick with Viking. I can't speak highly enough about our experiences with Viking. There are some threads here with more descriptions, but essentially, they have cruising down to a science, and going at Christmas time is MAGICAL! The packaged airfare and deals they often offer make it cost effective. You can always add time before or after like we usually do.

NOW: A topic that always comes up is the age of their clientele. I've seen all age groups, BUT, it's generally going to average upper 50's low 60's with outliers either way. They're having a great time so so what to me. You'll be on guided tours most days but often have some free time to wonder around.,

We always get the "Silver Spirits" package for premium drinks and wine. Wine/beer is included with your meals if you don't want other options or more.

River Cruise Topic

We're doing the reverse in November! Expecting a great trip report along the way. Have fun!

Keep the reviews coming!!

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The food aboard is first class, the service is second to none and the staff (mostly Eastern European) are extremely attentive and well trained.

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LOL! Wonder if I know some of them. Keep in touch with a few on Facebook.

If Eastern European, and you want to goof on them, ask if they have any rakia. Probably won't, but they'll laugh.

Ask them where they're from. Betting they're Bulgarian. If you want to joke on them, say a couple of "go to phrases". I wrote a few down. You could Google. Some of these I spelled phonetically so I could remember how to say them. The expression often on their faces is worth the trip alone!

Dobre - Fine
Dah - Yes
Nazdráve (a toast)
"BlogoDAHraHia" (thank you) blagodarya
```
dobur den. Good evening.
```

Leka nosht (good night)

Serbian

"ZhiVoli" (a toast) Živeli

"VaHla" (thank you)
"Dobre YEW tro" (good morning)
Dobro Vehche ("Good evening")
Dobar dan ("Good day")
"RAHkia" (Brandy) B questions
"ShivoVitzah" (Local name for Brandy)
“Moya Zhena” My Wife we
“Lacu Nosh” Laku noc Good night
“Dosta” Enough

Romanian

"ChewCaas" (a popular beer)
Bere ("Beera") beer
"Boonah Sera" (good evening)
"Boonah"
"Boonah dimineata" (good morning)/_
"Coorhkan" (Curcan - Turkey)
"Mooltahmesk" (Thank you) mul?umesc
"Palinka" (Liquor) "RackKew"
"Nahroak" (Good luck before you drink Palinka)
"BuyYah" (bathroom)
Crema (cream)
"CaHfa" (coffee)
"VahRog" (Please)
"Forte Bien" (very good after toast)
Nota de plata (the check) "Nota"
"Soont Pleen" (I am full)
Noapte buna (good night)
"Zee buna” (good day)

Have not been on the cruise but let me add that you will really enjoy the Christmas markets. We went to markets in Prague, Vienna, Bruges, Reims and Paris last year. All fabulous. You'll become a connoisseur of mulled wine and the local beer. Great time of year to go.

blueridgeTiger: So sorry to hear about your wife. Impacting the trip is secondary to her health. Hope all works out well for you and her.

Following...

Final Report: We are back home in Texas now and the wife seems to be okay. We're going into Dallas next week to let her doctor take a look.

She had to stay in a small hospital in Emmerisch am Rhine, Germany for two nights. There were no private rooms in this hospital so I couldn't stay with her. Viking tried to find me a hotel nearby, but the few there were booked. Viking hired me a taxi to get back to the boat in Amsterdam to pack our luggage, and then they moved me to a fabulous hotel I had already paid for.

I spoke with the wife several times each day (love modern technology!) I took a taxi to visit with her on her second day in the hospital (eighty miles, seven hundred Euros r/t) and was able to speak with her doctor.

I had a disagreement with Viking when her German doctors discharged her on the third day. They said I could take a train from Amsterdam to Emmerisch (only one transfer!) and bring her back on the train. That was not satisfactory to me, so Viking arranged a limo and driver, at my expense (eight hundred Euros r/t!) to pick her up.