Review Vienna to Nuremberg Nov.29-Dec.6 Danube Xmas Market River Cruise
This was our 8th time over to the Christmas Markets - it was our 5th Danube Xmas Market River Cruise (we've done one with Uniworld, one with Viking, one with AMA, and this was our 2nd Xmas Danube Cruise with Tauck). We have done the Rhine once and we have it booked again Dec.2023 -- the itineraries have changed each time. We have also gone to Europe twice on our own in December and done the markets and different towns by train.
The last time we did the Danube for the Xmas Markets was in 2018. Overall, our trip was great. We went with our friends who had never been to Europe or traveled with Tauck - they loved it. I have 100s of amazing photos, but I took them with an iPhone oriented vertically which means they will load sideways onto this site - so I will not be posting photos.
I did get to meet MaryFrancis from this forum - she was on the same trip - so that was fun. She went on to do the YuleTide Cruise to follow, so I'm hoping she'll post a review of that trip.
We flew Delta/AirFrance to CDG to Vienna with no issues. We did use the Apple AirTags - all bags arrived as scheduled.
We did 3 PreNights in Vienna at the Tauck hotel, Hotel Imperial -- which was fantastic. The location was very good. Walkable to everything we wanted as far as the OldTown area and the main Xmas Markets. It is VERY close to the "LOCALS" favorite Xmas Market - it is basically a couple blocks behind the hotel - it is an Arts/Crafts market, very good items and in front of a gorgeous church (Karlskirche) -- it's the Resselpark area and we highly recommend this market and cathedral (Karlskirche) to visit.
We spent lots of time in the Old Town area - the lights are gorgeous - we didn't notice any cut-backs on the lights like we had read about due to the energy crisis and war. We walked to the other Xmas Market at MariaTheresien Platz - another smaller market, but worth seeing with great photo ops. Then we walked across the street to see the Holfburg/Habsburg Palace/Museum - more amazing photo ops and a great way to enter the OldTown a different way. Turning down the road by the Opera House near the hotel is the main way to get to the OldTown - but if you have time, def enter both ways. The hotel will give you a map and mark all the markets for you.
Def spend time at St. Stephan's Cathedral - pay the 6 euros to take the elevator to the top for spectacular views. There is also a small, but nice Xmas Market around St. Stephan's.
Seems we met the Tauck TGs in the Lobby at the hotel at 3pm for transfer to the boat. We usually get the Cat 1 room as we'd rather spend our money on a longer stay in Europe, but this time we upgraded to the Cat 3 LOFT cabins and we LOVED them. We have them booked for December 2023 also. It did get dark by 4pm, so we weren't in the rooms to enjoy the window, but the larger shower and bathroom area was very nice. That evening, after a buffet dinner, they took us to the CityHall Xmas Market which has amazing lights and is also a very good market. We didn't have much time there, but enough to see the lights and get some photos. In retrospect, I wish we had gone there during the day on one of our PreDays in Vienna so we would have had time to see all the stalls. Our time there with Tauck was very short and not enough time to see everything at all.
On our 1st full day in Vienna with Tauck, we went to Schonbrunn Palace - this was our 2nd time there. They do have a private Xmas Market which is one of the best on the tour - but you only get about an hour to see the private market after a tour of the palace. We did get thru all the stalls, but we had to rush through it.
Then we boarded the motorcoach and went into the OldTown for lunch in a palace - this was a disappointment and many people agreed.
We had rather have had more time at the Private Market at Schonbrunn and had lunch there at one of the Market Stalls.
The food was buffet and it was very average at best. They also had a 'corny' family singing some very 'American-ized' songs. I wish they would have at least had a more European group there as performers - we could have seen the 'family act' anywhere here in America. I would have much preferred European Xmas music or a string quartet, etc. The food wasn't good either. If this is still offered next year, I would skip it for sure. I do hope they at least get different performers - they were cute, but silly, and not what we expected in a palace and from Tauck.
Another thing that was new since our last Tauck River Cruise were these HUGE TVs all in the lounge covering most of the windows displaying a FAKE fire making 'crackling' noises. It irritated most of us all week long. They are at every window, blocking the view, and making fake fire noises. I begged them many times to take them down (they are able to 'sink' them into the window sills and hide them) - but they never did. I paid lots of money to look out the windows and they were mostly blocked by fake fires. They even kept that crackling noise going during the two performances that Tauck brought onboard (a violinist & pianist and an acapella quartet)- I could hear the crackling more than the music and it was disrespectful to them. One of the men in the quartet even made a comment about them.
I will finish the rest of my review later. To end on a positive note - the TGs, TD, staff, and town guides were outstanding. More to follow later this week.
Comments
Terrilynn-it was great meeting you on this trip. I agree with everything in your review. We just returned from Yuletide last night, it was great - I’ll post a review soon. Interesting that on The Grace they only had the crackling fires on the back walls, not on the windows.
Cat 3 Loft- Yup!!!
Did you have Gilli? We've had her before, and this time on the Rhine, we had her good friend Heidi who we had years ago on Ultimate Alps, so I exchanged emails with both before our tour.
They didn't have the TV's (w/faux fire) up all the time on the Inspire, and I don't remember hearing crackling- I did feel the warmth!
The staff would lower the TV if we asked.
Excellent review TerriLynn. I also felt the same way about the meals in palaces. This sub par meals have happened in different tours I’ve taken. Yes, the palaces are magnificent but the meals should be skipped.
Always informative posts, Terrlynn. I look forward to your second installment.
Terrilynn, you are a go getter, my friend. Loved your review. I took Tauck's Danube Xmas Markets riverboat cruise o/a 2017 and the Rhine one the following year (2018). Quite interesting, but I was never as energetic as you folks. LOL. :-) I agree with everyone's comments re the food being less than satisfactory. This time around (2022) how was the food on Tauck's boat? Just curious.
Great review, Terrilynn. Nice to relive memories from our last trip. And I agree: the Vienna Christmas Market is one of the most festive I have ever seen! I also agree about the Schonbrunn Palace. Last time we left the tour early (since we had seen it before) and just enjoyed the market. Wonderful handmade crafts and a warm spiced wine (juice, for me) was the perfect way to start the trip and get in the spirit. I guess we were lucky on our Palace lunch because we got to meet "himself" the count! To me, a unique pre-covid experience. And I agree with you about the fake fireplaces. It reminded my wife and I of WPIX in New York and how they would show the fireplace on TV on Christmas Eve. Living in an apartment in the mid fifties, it was part of the thing city dwellers did...even though the TV was black and white.
Looking forward to hearing about the rest of the journey.
I wonder if those TVs and fake fireplaces on the boat(s) were something new that Tauck wanted done for 2022 or it was the boat owners Idea to spruce up their boats with a "holiday season theme?"
Great commentary Terrilynn.
Melk Austria - This is always one of our favorite stops. There is NO Xmas Market in Melk, but there is a fantastic tour of the Abbey which dates back to 1098. It is still an active Abbey with Monks living there and also a school. The tour is fantastic and the Abbey has one of the most beautiful Cathedrals in all of Europe. After the Abbey tour - you have time to walk thru the town back to the boat (or you can take the MotorCoach). The TGs did recommend a shop in town that sells the Melk specialty - all things 'apricot' - so most of us went in the store and purchased Apricot Liquor, chocolates with apricot liquor inside, apricot lip balms and hand creams, and honey and jams, and candies. A great place for gifts and all good things.
Salzburg - we LOVE Salzburg and have been to the Xmas Markets there 3 times before. We had also just spent 3 nights in Salzburg in September with Tauck's Ultimate Alps and Dolomites tour - so Salzburg was still very 'fresh' in our minds. The boat docks in Linz and there is a >1hr motorcoach ride to Salzburg. It also gets dark by 3-4, so our time in Salzburg was very short. We had a tour w/the Local Guides and then some free time, and then lunch at a 5star hotel (we skipped this, thankfully).
The Salzburg Cathedral does an organ concert daily at 1200- you pay 5 euros - very worth it!! Our tour ended by 1140, so we did this - it lasted 20 minutes. They did not tell us about this, but we remembered it from being there in September. I think Tauck should add this to the itinerary.
After the 'below average' lunch at the Palace in Vienna, we opted out of the lunch at the hotel in Salzburg and after speaking with others who went, we made the right choice - everyone we asked said the food wasn't good and they wished they had spent the two hours they spent eating lunch in the heart of Salzburg instead. It was a Xmas Market cruise - there is AMPLE food on the boat at breakfast and dinner, I don't see why Tauck feels the need to waste 2 hours in amazing towns feeding people below average lunches in palaces and hotels when we are there to enJOY the markets. I think they should offer the lunch for those who like those sort of things, but also offer 10 Euros to eat on the market for those of us who had rather do that. The 4 of us spent 5 euros on a specialty sausage sandwich at a place we went to while there in Sept with Tauck and I know that our lunch was MUCH better than the 5 star hotel's - PLUS, we had time to explore all 3 Xmas Markets in Salzburg while others sat in a hotel eating lunch for 2 hours. I recommend skipping the palace lunch in Vienna and the hotel lunch in Salzburg and spend time in the OldTown and Xmas Markets instead - the food and atmosphere are MUCH better.
That completes the Austria section of our tour - I will post Germany tomorrow. I have so many amazing photos I wish I could share here - if you are on facebook, you are welcome to 'friend' me and see them all from all our stops. I am under Terri Lynn Thompson in Winston Salem, NC.
terrilynn,
Please clarify...there was no option to be taken to a market area in lieu of lunches at other venues? I agree that I would much rather stay within the markets and eat there. Perhaps with enough feedback, Tauck will offer more options in the future.
Again, thanks for sharing your experiences.
Kfn… most of the markets are pretty close to the lunch venues and you can pretty much walk to the markets- I was saying that instead of only offering a 50euro, two hour lunch- that takes away from precious daylight Market hours - that they could give a second option and hand those interested 10Euros to eat at the market stalls where the food is great and festive and takes 15minutes. Give us the choice of a more authentic option. I understand you can opt out of anything- but I think they should offer two options - I know that most everyone put on their evaluations that the included lunches were very underwhelming
Terrilynn, I totally agree with you about the cumulative amount of time spent on these lunches. Like you, I would rather meander and enjoy the sights after traveling halfway around the world to see and experience Europe. Most of the time, I happen to skip most lunches while on Tauck’s vacations because the quantity of food is simply too much and the sights are more interesting to me. I take some protein snacks along to hold me over until dinner. There were people so surprised that I would rather walk, shop, and look around rather than having a 2 hour unsatisfying lunch. I agree that a choice would accommodate those who prefer not to sit for two long hours.
I also remember more than one tour director saying Tauck is all about feeding you. There was another time that people at a long table during a long lunch just got up to leave to the bus while the tour director ordered a second cup of coffee. We were all ready to explore more, but the TD wasn’t.
It's too bad that with the waste of time the food wasn't better. Our Danube cruise in 2019 (not a Christmas one) had an evening at a Palace where the food and the entertainment were excellent. I'm not going on a Christmas cruise for fancy lunches. I want to see the sights and the markets. Glad to know you can blow off the Schonbrunn tour and see the markets. I've seen that palace and honestly can't remember anything about it that was all that different from loads of others I've seen on Tauck tours.
An organ concert in Salzburg? Yes. I'm noting all this down for our trip next year.
Yes, agreed. I would just let the tour director(s) know that I am skipping their planned lunch. I wouldn't even expect to be given a few euros for a regional snack at the markets. Thanks for the clarification.
Passau Germany - always one of our favorite stops and Xmas Markets. The boat docks near the heart of town, so everyone disembarked at the same time for the Local Guide Tour -- ours was fantastic. We've been to Passau twice before, but our Local Guide took us to places we hadn't seen before. The Cathedral there is amazing. Passau had no damage from WW2, so it is all original and dates back 2000 years. Tauck gave us all a voucher for a free lunch (1/2 meter sausage sandwich) at the Xmas Market stalls (this is what I was referring to all along - we want to experience the markets and regional specialties, NOT sit in a fancy palace or hotel for 2 hours for below average food). I know some may enjoy that atmosphere, but since it's a Xmas Market cruise - they should offer both - esp since we paid for two very expensive lunches we didn't even go to. In the future, I hope they will make that an option. Yes, we can afford our own market food, but Tauck could also make it an option since that is the theme of the tour.
After the Local Guide tour, there is a Gingerbread and Advent Wreath making demo - we had seen this before, but it was fun to see it again. Gingerbread making in Germany requires extensive education and training to become a Master Gingerbread maker. 100s of years ago, before sugar was in Europe, the Gingerbread makers were also Bee Keepers - they used the HONEY for the gingerbread and the Bees Wax to make candles for Advent Wreaths. The Gingerbread molds we saw dated back to 1688. 100s of years ago, gingerbread was only made with HONEY, flour and spices -- then molasses and fruit were introduced -- then finally sugar. We got to sample all three types and the store, SIMON, still sells all three varieties.
The demo was in a church off the beaten path, but as we walked back into town most of us stopped at SIMON and bought cookies and chocolates.
We did have time at the Xmas Market to shop, have a sausage sandwich and a crepe, some Gluwein, and hot eggnog w/rum. Again, not really enough time at the Market - but we did hit up every stall. Lots of great vendors here. We did feel pushed for time in Passau, Salzburg, and Regensburg - which is why I think it's important to add time Pre and Post tour in Vienna and Nuremberg so you can savor and enjoy the markets.
I'll add to my review later this weekend.
terrilyn - I'm curious why you would go on any of the local tours since it sounds like you've been to these places multiple times. Seems like you could add hours of time for the markets by skipping the tours, especially since you've been saying you haven't had enough time in the markets.
As I may have noted earlier, on my Tauck Nuremberg to Vienna Danube riverboat tour in 2017, I got to Nuremberg a day early and just took a taxi from the Tauck hotel to the Nuremberg market and just spent the full day exploring it before taking another taxi back to the hotel. I am glad that I did since the Tauck tour only spent a short/brief time the next day at the Nuremberg market. Sigh. The 2 Tauck Christmas Markets riverboat tours that I took on the Danube and Rhine (o/a 2017 and 2018) were my only experience at European Christmas Markets and will probably be the only ones for me in the future, but I enjoyed them even though they were brief. I had been on 42 different tours with Tauck (land and river boat tours) to date and that may be the extent of my travels, both domestic and international. Tauck is an excellent company and I am very happy that I have had the experience with them in the past decade. :-)
When you say different, does that mean no repeats?
Does anyone know how many different tours Tauck offers? I know in a decade, like tomh references that some tours may have disappeared and new ones have been added.
Hang in there, perhaps you can get to the 100 mark over the next decade.
**Smiling Sam **- true - but we went with friends this year who asked us to go, they've never been to Europe or on a Tauck Tour, so we decided to stay with them - we actually had the YuleTide one booked, one we haven't done, but our friends asked us to go with them on the Danube, so we switched. We are glad we did, as we love the Danube towns - just giving my review that the days are short and the market time is shorter. No regrets, just a review.
terrilyn - You are truly a good friend and I'm glad you're still enjoying yourself. Being with your friends completely explains why you would do all the repeat stuff at the expense of time doing stuff you might enjoy more.
I understand that you're just pointing out where you think things could be improved. I believe that's a good thing, especially if you add similar comments to your comment card at the end of the tour that you provide to the TD.
Continued fun, good weather, and safe travels home.
Smiling Sam, yes, no repeats, and the tours included Tauck "special events," land and river boat tours in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, all areas that I wanted to travel to in retirement. I was fortunate, health and financial wise to be able to do so. :-). Believe it or not, I understand that there were several other folks who actually had gone on more than 100 Tauck tours, so I was not unique. The ladies had traveled with Tauck when their husbands were alive and they continued to travel with Tauck afterwards as well. There was only things that I wanted to see and do in retirement and thanks to Tauck, I was able to do so. :-). BTW, on one of my Tauck "special events" in New York City a few years ago, I was able to meet and chat with Arthur Tauck, Jr. and his wife at the Lincoln Center where the Tauck reception was held; a very interesting gentleman. :-)
Not to detract from terrilynn's thread too much, I just wanted to let tomh know that I hope he can continue to travel. My husband will be 100 in 2024 when we take our 40th tour. Age is truly just a number. I and his doctors are convinced it is the joy of travel and our little dog that keep him going.
terrilynn - thanks for taking the time to post! I'm so excited for this cruise next year. I look forward to the gingerbread demo as gingerbread is a staple in our house at xmas time. I can't wait to see the markets and will be adding your notes to my word doc.
I also hope Tauck listens to what you and others have said about the lunches and focus more time on the markets.
Thanks again!!
Regensburg Germany -
This stop has changed A LOT since our last Danube Xmas Market trip. Last time we went we spent an entire day in Regensburg and even got to stay past dark till 6.30pm, we docked in town, walked off the boat, did the Local Guide tour, had lunch on our own, explored the cathedral and Xmas market at the cathedral, then Tauck picked us up in the motor coach and took us to the Thurn & Taxis Private market (HIGHLIGHT of tour).
This year, it changed so we were only scheduled to be in Regensburg 1/2 day. Because of LOCK issues by the German Government, the locks were shut down during some hours and we had to get bused into Regensburg, not really a big deal, as we have to go along with the changes. What we didn't like, was that Tauck has also changed the hours spent in Regensburg (this was scheduled and not LOCK related, not sure why they have cut the day so short), so now it's only 1/2 day and you don't get to see the Thurn and Taxis Market at night.
Unfortunately, the local guide our group had was NOT good. This is the only time on all our Tauck tours that we got a guide we didn't care for - this was our 3rd time in this town and he didn't point out any of the highlights like the Oldest Sausage Shop in Europe, or the famous Old Stone Bridge or give us much relevant history at all.
Because we got to town so early, church was still going on, so we weren't able to go inside the Cathedral. Also, the Xmas Market around the Cathedral and in town didn't open till noon, so we missed those also. Last time we did this tour, the Cathedral and Market were a big part of our local guide tour.
Our tour of the Thurn and Taxis palace was at 11am - the private Thurn and Taxis market doesn't open till noon or we would have skipped the palace and spent all our time at their private market. This was on a Sunday, so maybe that is the reason - but if you get the chance to skip the palace and only do the private market, I would recommend that. They palace isn't anything special - it's actually pretty contemporary and the people you learn about still live there. It is not worth it - but their PRIVATE Xmas Market on the grounds is one of the BEST of the whole trip and needs more time. So - biggest take home for those who do this tour at a later date - skip the palace and spend time at the market. Be sure to see the inner courtyard market AND the outer market. Best food is on the inner courtyard part. This private market and the one in Vienna at the Schonbrunn Palace are VERY VERY good. This market is very authentic with cozy fires scattered throughout the areas and great products.
@terrilynn - THANK YOU for your detailed review. The tips you provide are very helpful and I am taking notes.
Nuremberg Germany - final stop
This is the final town on the tour and it's also the shortest allotted time.
They do give you an option of 3 different itineraries
1. WW2 tour with Rally Grounds and Courtroom 600/Nuremberg Trials and an hour stop at the entrance to the Old Wall of Nuremberg where the original hand-craft vendors are - this is open year round, is not a Xmas Market, but has crafters such as pewter, leather, glass, etc - all VERY nice and worth seeing for sure
2. Medieval walking tour of the castle and about 1-2 hours in the Xmas Market
3. City tour with time in the Xmas Market.
Nuremberg has one of the oldest and biggest markets in all of Europe and def needs time. This was our 3rd time there and it has become one of our favorites. We had booked another 2 nights here post-tour, so we opted for itinerary #1. It was VERY good and I recommend it (only if you will have extra time post cruise to see the Xmas Markets as there is no Xmas Market time for this option).
Our guide was very knowledgeable with great photos of Hilter's time there. The courtroom 600 part was so good - we saw the courtroom with a great short movie and then a museum. Very interesting to see photos of Walter Cronkite as a reporter there
From talking with others, all the itinerary options were very good -- but unfortunately, too little time in the Xmas Markets. This was another change from our last time with Tauck there - last time we had a WW2 tour in the morning and had all day to explore the Xmas Markets. Def plan to add an extra day or 2 in Nuremberg.
Post Cruise we chose not to stay at the Tauck hotel/Sheraton - we have stayed there before and it is a farther walk to the Xmas Markets and it's not within the City Wall - we love Hotel Victoria, this was our 2nd time there. It is an easy walk to the markets, right across the street from the train station, and include a very good breakfast.
As far as the cruise - we loved it. (Except for the HUGE TVs with the fake fires and crackling noises covering all the windows in the bar/lounge).
Arthur's was very good - we ate there twice.
The service in the bar and in the dining room was fantastic.
Food was overall very good - esp love their breakfast buffet.
We had a dinner buffet on the first night and a lunch buffet once (we stayed in town all the other days) - the buffets were very good.
Drinks in the bar/lounge were also good.
We've sailed with other lines before and Tauck is still our favorite for service, food, local guides, CD, TDs and we love the all-inclusiveness.
I enjoyed your very comprehensive narrative of your experiences, terrilynn. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy your holidays.
I would like to make one additional comment re the food on Tauck's riverboats. When I met and chatted with Arthur Tauck, Jr., during one of Tauck's "special events" in New York City a few years ago, I asked Arthur about the chefs and food on those riverboats being not necessarily up to highest standards. Arthur responded that Tauck, like the other river boat companies in Europe, were constantly competing for the "best" chefs, etc, over there. So, it pretty much was the same for all of them. As I noted above, Arthur was definitely an interesting guy to talk with at that "special event." :-)
Terrilynn, We will be on Danube Christmas market river cruise in December 2023. When we visited Belgium and Holland this past spring, most of the places that we shopped or ate at only accepted credit cards instead of euros. Was this the case when you were on the river cruise this past December 2022?
most of the vendors at the markets wanted Euros. The hotels and restaurants took CC. The smaller towns you stop in don't have many ATMs, so be sure and get LOTS of Euros either at an ATM in the airport - or both Vienna and Nuremberg have MANY ATMs.