Abiding

5 hours ago, MagnoliaNC said:

When I went on my cruise, we started in Prague as a pretrip. It was a great city to visit. Then we were bussed to Nuremberg to board the Avalon Illumination. I enjoyed Nuremberg but it had a totally different vibe from Prague. Our trip ended in Budapest, and it felt like a very high note. I can see how ended in Nuremberg might feel a bit of a let down. Can you do the post cruise to Prague? It was on my bucket list.

That’s a great idea!  Or start in Nuremberg and end in Budapest. For me, Nuremberg wasn’t so much a let down, but more profoundly sad and upsetting.

For me, I found  that while immensely informative, and not to take anything away from the importance and profoundness of the city, most of the historic sites visited on the Viking tours were were centered on the horrors of WWII.  First we went on a tour of the cave which the Nazis used to hide the precious artwork  so they wouldn’t be destroyed by bombing (depicted in the George Clooney movie “Monument Men”).   It’s hard to absorb the amount of destruction; different than reading about it in a textbook. Then we did the bus portion of the included tour, where the guide pointed out and commented on the significance of the various sites. We went on our own to the Christmas markets. I’m glad I went there, but it’s hard to leave there and go to our comfortable homes...  

Forgot to mention that one of the differences between ocean and river cruises is that  they don’t have any spa amenities, or even a swimming pool (at least on.the  Viking longships.). When I ocean cruise, that’s my favorite part of the trip, so  it might be something to consider. 

I took a Viking  Romantic Danube Christmas Market River Cruise early December 2018.  It was a trip of a lifetime!  I’ve been on several ocean cruises and this was completely different;  more like a floating 5star all inclusive hotel. The smaller size made it a more personal experience and we were able to get to know people from mostly English speaking countries.  Honestly, my aunt treated me to this trip- I could never have afforded it myself, and I was a bit apprehensive at spending a week with “rich folks” but all the passengers were just regular people!  Definitely with more life experiences but never in a flashy way. It was a casual atmosphere. The crew were mostly from Europe, including Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Portugal, but also from the Phillipines. We got to know them well;  they shared an insiders view of the countries we visited.  It was really special!  And it’s amazing at how the crew knew just how we liked our meals and favorite drinks. They were amazing!  I was also a little hesitant about going to Europe in December, usually vacationing in the Caribbean, but it was totally worth it!  The cities just glistened with all the holiday decorations- magical!  Our tour guides were knowledgeable and personable. My favorite spot was Budapest. They have several Christmas markets and were easy to get to from the hotel. One word of advise:  The Christmas markets are in the Pest side of down, and they’re easy to get to by walking down the steep hill, crossing over the Chain Bridge, and right into town. Getting back to the hotel was different. Unless you’re an athlete, I wouldn’t attempt climbing back uphill.  And don’t take a cab- the cabbie took us for a “ride”!  Next t time we went we walked back over the Chain Bridge and took the lift up the hill. Just st cost about  $4. Well worth it!  We stayed at the Hilton Castle in the Buda section for a 3 day pre-cruise and it was outstanding!  Vienna was a beautiful city and Krems, Passau and Regensberg were all special in their own way. The only thing I didn’t care for so much was ending in Nuremberg. While we went to some historical locations, and will be forever remembered, the trip ended on a profound emotional downer.  Might have been better to end the trip at a different location.  I hope this wasn’t more info than you wanted, but I wanted to give you a feel of how a river cruise was different than a traditional ocean cruise. Safe travels😊

We were at Blue Lagoon 2 years ago and it was wonderful. Our kids are grown but I know our preschool grandchildren would love it there. I think it would be safer there (as opposed to a public beach) as there are no waves and it's more contained than an open beach. They have some playtoys but they're for older kids. I'd just bring a bucket and shovel-have fun building sand castles. There were plenty of beach chairs and shade if you want. Food is included and was grill type and delicious. They have a small gift shop with reasonably priced souvenirs. While the main beach is on a sheltered "Lagoon" (small waterway) the ocean with large waves is just a short walk. Not a swimming beach but a nice view. The sand was beautiful and it's very clean island overall. Were looking forward to going again on our Dec 11 NCL Breakaway cruise

We were at Blue Lagoon 2 years ago and it was wonderful. Our kids are grown but I know our preschool grandchildren would love it there. I think it would be safer there (as opposed to a public beach) as there are no waves and it's more contained than an open beach. They have some playtoys but they're for older kids. I'd just bring a bucket and shovel-have fun building sand castles. There were plenty of beach chairs and shade if you want. Food is included-grill fare and delicious. They have a small gift shop with reasonably priced souvenirs. While the main beach is on a sheltered "Lagoon" (small waterway) the ocean with large waves is just a short walk. Not a swimming beach but a nice view. The sand was beautiful and it's very clean island overall. As an aside, the boat ride over was really fun!!! Were looking forward to going again on our Dec 11 NCL Breakaway cruise

I believe they only sell Thermal Spa passes for the entire cruise. We're considering it for the week 12/11-12/18/16. I like the idea of being away from the crowds but one post mentioned that it was crowded. What have been others experiences?

Fantastic! Thanks!

Thanks for all that! Sounds like it would be a good investment! Any recommendation on which location to choose? We prefer a quieter area.

Thanks for all the responses! It's disappointing to hear that Melia has construction now. Not so sure about the Hilton as $65 is a lot when we don't really need a big lunch-just really the beach, chairs, pool and hot tub. We leave in 3 days...

Thanks so much, Barb! Seems like it would be worth it.

Does anyone know the cost of a clam shell on GSC? How available are they-should I try to get on the island early to get one? thanks!

Hi, We'll be on the Breakaway on Nov 30 with a stop in Nassau. We were thinking about doing a resort day pass, probably at the Melia. Anyone have thoughts on this? Thanks!