Need Port Activity suggestions for the Danube Christmas Market cruise

[xmaser]

The trains in Europe should be safe for single travelers - just keep an eye on your bags. Check out Rick Steves' travel tips.

 

The point I was trying to make is to stay where there are groups of people. That should be fine.

 

In Amsterdam, the Rembrandt house museum is one of my favorites. It takes you back into the 17th century with art mixed with a 'homelife' experience. For me, the best type of museum. It was busy, but not crowded. Then, I like Rembrandt. The Rijksmusem is worth a visit, but only if you buy tickets in advance and go early in the morning - otherwise it is too crowded to enjoy the art.

 

I would do Dresden over Hannover in a heartbeat. The downtown Hilton is in the middle of the historic/Christmas market area. But then I really, really like Dresden.

[xmaser]

One full day in Dresden should give you a great experience. Stopping there for a day would be more time efficient than spending hours on the highway/train from Prague to Dresden and back. I would have stayed in Dresden if I'd had the option.

[CPT Trips]

Dresden is certainly well worth visiting. Stay overnight if you can. A walk across the bridge in the evening to get a view of "the porch of Europe" is well worth it, and visit the Green Vault! Just check whether PEGITA is still holding demonstrations and avoid them.

[xmaser]

The great treasures of Dresden are the Zwinger and the Green Vaults (there are two of them). Both have priceless objects form the 17th and 18th centuries. The Old Green Vault on the ground level is my favorite because it has what remains of the original decoration scheme. It also displays the huge royal Saxon green diamond. The New Green Vault on the US second floor/European first floor also has spectacular treasures (including the birthday of the Great Moghul) but no historic interior decorations.

[Second seating]

The trains in Europe should be safe for single travelers - just keep an eye on your bags. Check out Rick Steves' travel tips.

 

The point I was trying to make is to stay where there are groups of people. That should be fine.

 

In Amsterdam, the Rembrandt house museum is one of my favorites. It takes you back into the 17th century with art mixed with a 'homelife' experience. For me, the best type of museum. It was busy, but not crowded. Then, I like Rembrandt. The Rijksmusem is worth a visit, but only if you buy tickets in advance and go early in the morning - otherwise it is too crowded to enjoy the art.

 

When I (female) travel on trains in Europe with large bags I spring for 1st class. More room for your bag and not as many people. Even when there are two of us with large bags we travel 1st. Any trips with or without small bags 2nd class.

Second seating

[caviargal]

 

When I (female) travel on trains in Europe with large bags I spring for 1st class. More room for your bag and not as many people. Even when there are two of us with large bags we travel 1st. Any trips with or without small bags 2nd class.

Second seating

 

I completely agree and do the same.

[bubbulz]

 

I completely agree and do the same.

 

Same here, and with First Class we can usually pre-reserve specific seats.

[papa B me]

Agree with this completely. Different strokes for different folks. Our priorities during our travels aren't necessarily the same as many others.

 

The one note I'd make about the lines is that even if you have tickets, it's still very slow moving since you trudge along behind the line of folks in front of you as you make your way through. For some, it's obviously worth it in spite of this. For us, not so much ...

 

It is interesting how different we all are and what we enjoy and our perceptions vs others perceptions. This is why I'm often shocked on CC when people seem to get ugly in their disagreements when we are all so different. I think it is great when people can come and get different points of view on the same cruise line, ship, food, service, excursions, etc...

 

So with that said, I'm in the camp that considered the Anne Frank house a highlight of the trip. We did get tickets on line and just rang the door bell and were let in the side door. I may have felt different if I stood in the line that was outside(at least 2 hours long). We also booked the English speaking pre tour talk. It involved a college age intern and was extremely interesting. Then we were able to go through the house in our own timing. Certainly the stairs were claustrophobic and crowded but overall we didn't perceive it crowded as they only allow so many in at a time. As Bubbulz has said though you only have so much time and so many different things to see so it is a matter of priorities. It was higher on our list then the other museums available so it was literally the first thing I booked for our pre cruise stay and then we filled in from there.

[bubbulz]

It is interesting how different we all are and what we enjoy and our perceptions vs others perceptions. This is why I'm often shocked on CC when people seem to get ugly in their disagreements when we are all so different. I think it is great when people can come and get different points of view on the same cruise line, ship, food, service, excursions, etc...

 

 

 

Well said. We'll be spending several weeks this autumn traveling throughout Tuscany and the Italian Riviera and I'm sure we won't be spending as much time in museums as many others with the same itinerary would.

 

 

 

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[claypot77]

Wow! I go away for a few days due to traveling and come back to a wealth of information and helpful suggestions!! Thanks everyone for the great advice!

 

Xmaser, SecondSeating, Caviargirl, & Bubbulz... thanks for the tips on train travel. You helped make up my mind about going the 1st class ticket route. Any suggestions of how to find the cheapest tickets ahead of time? Or is it better to wait and purchase them at the station? I will be sure to check out Rick Steve's train travel tips. I recently found an article on SoloTravelerWorld website about safety on the trains and what to watch for and what not to do that was really helpful.

 

I've added the Green Room to my to-do list in Dresden as it seems to be a must-see across the board. That was also a great point about not wasting time with traveling btw Dresden and Prague so it looks like I'll be stopping overnight in Dresden to spend more time and see as much as I can in a short time.

 

papa B me and Bubbulz.... I also agree that one of the great things about CC is getting to read advice from so many different perspectives. I feel like it gives me a much fuller, rounder picture of a place or experience. One of the things I love to do while traveling, and try to make it a priority, is to slow down and be aware of the culture and people around me. I always feel like I'm walking a fine line btw seeing the "must see" sights that all tour books talk about vs. living in the moment and taking time to appreciate the similarities and differences of the people and place I'm visiting. I use to be a History teacher so I love learning about the past of an area and how it led and impacted the present and then getting to experience it as I travel.

 

Any other thoughts, ideas, suggestions... I'm all ears.

[gnome12]

Train fares have become like plane fares. There are only a limited number of discounted tickets, when they are gone prices go up.

 

I believe in booking in advance, but in general train tickets are only available about 3 months out. The only issue for arrival is what happens if your plane is late. If your fare is flexible you can change (except that seats are generally reserved on the fast trains, and there may not be seats available on the next train. (I took the train from Amsterdam to Bruges without booking in advance, and ended up having to go first class - which is never my first choice because it is a lot more expensive - because there were no second class tickets available.

 

I swear by loco2.com, which is run by a bunch of train geeks in the UK. There is a huge amount of information on their site about routings and you can ask to be notified when booking first opens for your selected route. (I generally adjust my dates to take a look at the possibilities in advance, so I have a good idea of the full schedule even if my dates aren't yet available.

[jpalbny]

Agree with gnome12; the fares usually start out cheap and rise as the departure date gets closer because the cheap fares sell out. The exception to that rule is Switzerland, where they are always full-price unless you can find a discounted fare (they exist - sometimes). And yes, fares usually come out approximately 3m in advance but this varies. Sometimes a block is released all once. Just keep checking starting about 100 days prior to your trip.

 

You'll be traveling a lot within and through Germany so look at itineraries and sample pricing on bahn.de. Get an idea of what the fares are and what the itineraries are a few months in advance, and then when your specific dates go on sale, get tickets. With the caveat of course that if your plane is late and you miss your train you'll have to buy a full-price ticket. That is not the end of the world, BTW. We've done that. I took a chance on a ridiculously cheap E40 fare and missed it by 5 minutes when our plane was 30 minutes late coming into Frankfurt. We had to spend about E120 for the full-price tickets. Whatever. It was worth the risk.

 

One hint that may be helpful - if you're on a train that crosses between two or more countries, check EACH country's train site for the pricing. It may well be cheaper on one site vs the other, and it's the same train.

 

For example, we took the train from Prague to Berlin in May. It was cheaper to buy it from the Czech site (http://www.cd.cz) than from bahn.de. And, you could not reserve specific seats on the bahn.de site, because it was a Czech train. But I could reserve specific seats on the cd.cz site. So check EVERY site before you buy. Last year when we went from Passau to Salzburg, it was half the price if I bought on the Austrian website (obb.at) vs the German website. But Salzburg to Munich was cheaper from bahn.de. Go figure.

 

Another site that offers useful information on train travel is The Man in Seat 61. http://www.seat61.com

[bubbulz]

I agree with everything posted above re: the trains. The one thing I would add is to NOT book using Rail Europe. They are a reseller and charge more than the ticket costs directly from the rail line.

 

For our Railjet tickets from Budapest to Vienna we booked on http://www.oebb.at instead of http://www.cd.cz/eshopr since the latter didn't have an option for booking business class tickets for that route. Seat61.com is a fantastic resource.

[jpalbny]

Oops. Thanks for correcting the Austrian website, bubbulz. Forgot about the umlaut in ÖBB!

 

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[Floridiana]

I got reliable train advice from a participant on trip advisor in the Germany forum. Not all prices go up, some tickets are stable, some discount tickets are valid for a specific region and local trains.

 

Trains are generally safe, but train stations like other crowded places may be hang outs for pickpockets watching travelers who are careless with their possessions. They work in teams, the distractors (ask you a question or want you to sig a petition, pretend to be deaf mute), the actual thief, and the runaway with your stuff. I never had any problem, but I read about it.

 

One more thing, travel on public transportation only with what you can carry. Elevators may not exist, escalators may be out of order, boarding a train usually means climbing a few steps.

[bubbulz]

Oops. Thanks for correcting the Austrian website, bubbulz. Forgot about the umlaut in ÖBB!

 

I actually didn't notice that until you pointed it out. ;)

 

One other thing we do is travel with a small lock that can be passed through the handles of our luggage to bind several pieces together. We've never used it since our luggage has always been kept in clear view, but I've thought it could come in handy if needed. It's a lot more cumbersome for someone to walk off with luggage that is tied together than a single piece.

[xmaser]

Here is a list of Christmas markets in Germany with dates and times for 2017. There should be little difference for 2018. The list is on the left side of the site.

 

http://germany-christmas-market.org.uk/

[claypot77]

That's a great idea, Bubbulz, about locking the luggage together!! I was trying to figure out how to keep an eye on my separate bags and how to pack so that I only have a carry-on and suitcase, but then I'll also have my camera gear & purse. I think I'm going to have to pack very mindfully for this trip since I'll be taking so many different forms of transportation. LOL! Good thing I have a year and a half to plan. :)

[claypot77]

Thanks, gnome12, jpalbny & Bubbulz, for the train info! I've already created links for future use. This is going to make the trip an adventure as I've never traveled by train overseas by myself before. My last, and only, experience was traveling on the Trans-Siberian Railroad in 1995 as a teenager with a group there to work on an orphanage. I'm sure this is going to be an equally exciting adventure. :D

[xmaser]

In Salzburg, if time allows, take the funicular up to the Hohensalzburg (castle). There is a tiny Christmas market (vetted for traditional crafts) and there are great views across the Salzburg basin and into the Alps and Germany. A walk through the castle interior will give you access to some of the finest Gothic (14th-15th century) interiors in existence. This is not another moldy pile of rocks castle. To save energy, take the funicular back down and be prepared to fight your way through the garnet jewelry salesroom. The markets in front of and beside the cathedral are definitely worth a look as well.

[fmax]

A few years back i got a camera purse as a gift from my sister that's come in handy when travelling. I use it as my main purse/bag when travelling and it takes two cameras, ipad, passport, wallet etc. Think the company was cheeky lime but sure there's other similar items out there. I used that plus a carryon case when taking trains through italy and it worked well. And last year she gave me the retractable lock for future travel.

[caviargal]

In Salzburg, if time allows, take the funicular up to the Hohensalzburg (castle). There is a tiny Christmas market (vetted for traditional crafts) and there are great views across the Salzburg basin and into the Alps and Germany. A walk through the castle interior will give you access to some of the finest Gothic (14th-15th century) interiors in existence. This is not another moldy pile of rocks castle. To save energy, take the funicular back down and be prepared to fight your way through the garnet jewelry salesroom. The markets in front of and beside the cathedral are definitely worth a look as well.

 

This is always worth a visit and we go every time we are in Salzburg. We also enjoy the beautiful cemetery at St. Peters. It is fascinating to read the tombstones and wander the paths.

[rrgator]

If you have time in Amsterdam, take the tour of the Heineken brewery. It is very interesting with free beer. But you can get engraved bottles of Heineken beer with peoples names on them or sayings/slogans. They make great Christmas presents and look great on your bar.

[xmaser]

Updating this for the those who are just beginning to look at Christmas cruises. There's lot of good info in this thread.

 

In December you can get cold fronts in the Wachau Valley that give you beautiful views instead of the usual gray and misty (that can be romantic). Good luck for fine weather.

[dan4182]

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to reply!! Y'all provided a wealth of ideas and resources for me to go thru... I love this part of the process, all the research and planning. :D Thanks again for all the great suggestions and advice!!

 

 

 

If you stop in/around Melk the Benedictine Abbey there is definitely worth a visit.

 

 

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