Christmas markets NB from Basal December 5, 2015

lealea

Celebrating our 30th anniversary on the Rhine, really looking forward to the trip. Let's open a discussion on what to bring and not to bring. Keep your luggage light and manageable.

Claudia Sails

Yep, keep your luggage light, especially if you want to take advantage of shopping. Be sure to check out the web page for the cruise and the "Before You Go" and "Packing Tips" sections. Lots of very useful info. No one cares if you wear the same outfit multiple times.

Swish

Hi, we are arriving in Basel on the 5th. In looking at flight options, rather than trying to make tight connections, at CDG or AMS, we are considering flying into Zurich and taking the train. How would we get to the boat from the Basel train station?

TravelingGals

Hello - we are two women traveling on the 12/5/15 Christmas Markets Along the Rhine cruise. Would like to introduce ourselves to our fellow travelers. We are excited to take this trip, our first "cold weather" cruise. Any packing tips will be appreciated.

lovestravel

As I'm sure you already know, you need to dress warmly. I wore lightweight long underwear under my slacks and top along with Merino wool socks. I had warm gloves. My coat with attached hood was a quilted parka. I was fine. On our first Christmas Market cruise on the Rhine I took boots, but never needed to wear them. Two years later on a Danube Christmas Market cruise I again took the boots and wore them every time I got off the boat because it snowed periodically. That just shows you that the weather can vary during the same month from one year to another. The second winter was 2010 and it was unusually cold for that early in December, but you need to be prepared no matter what weather conditions you face. The Christmas Markets are enchanting! You'll love your trip.

Girard

We are scheduled for the Christmas Markets trip - south route starting on Dec. 6. Did anyone read the Wall Street Journal article this morning about the impact of ISIS and other terrorists on the Christmas markets? Very cautionary tone about travel in that region. Most airlines and hotels are waiving cancellation fees. Has anyone heard what Tauck's view is on the current terrorists crisis in Germany, France, Belgium, etc. ???

crackers54

Girard wrote:

We are scheduled for the Christmas Markets trip - south route starting on Dec. 6. Did anyone read the Wall Street Journal article this morning about the impact of ISIS and other terrorists on the Christmas markets? Very cautionary tone about travel in that region. Most airlines and hotels are waiving cancellation fees. Has anyone heard what Tauck's view is on the current terrorists crisis in Germany, France, Belgium, etc. ???

You should call Tauck with any concerns. They will constantly be monitoring the situation, as they always do and cancel if it is needed. If you would like to cancel they will probably let you use the deposit for a future trip. Did you get travel insurance, hopefully, will get any other money back if terror alert.

The year riverboat cruises had to be cancelled do to low river levels we saw alerts at top of page. Have not seen anything this year.

Tweetywit

I am also scheduled on the 12/5 n/b Christmas market trip. I have traveled with Tauck in the past and have been very pleased at their handling of difficult situations. That said, I think Tauck is remiss in this situation by not, at minimum, publishing/emailing/contacting in some fashion all travelers on the Christmas tours to state their position on the advisability of going forward with these cruises. I don't feel each traveler should be obligated to call Tauck to negotiate possible alternative arrangements, cancellations, etc. I think a fair solution for all concerned would be for Tauck to offer a full refund to those travelers who wish to cancel (due to terrorist activity); said refund to be applied to a future Tauck journey.

AlanS

Tauck is great about handling cancellations and providing refunds for "covered" situations. We had to cancel a Tauck trip this past September just a few days before departure due to an illness in the family. Tauck's Guest Protection Plan policy obviously covers you and your spouse, but also other, non-traveling family members, even in-laws, etc. We received a refund from Tauck for the cost of the trip and extra days lodging in a day or two. It took longer because we had to fill out paperwork, get a doctor's certification, and file a claim, but Aon Affinity, the insurance broker for Guest Protection Plan, refunded the cost of airline tickets we purchased on our own a few weeks later (we promptly applied the refunds to next year's trips. :~) )

All that being said, please read what it says in the full Guest Protection Plan policy (you'll need to search, but the full text of the policy can be found on the Tauck website). I may be wrong and can't say what qualifies and what doesn't, but I believe cancellation due to certain types of armed conflict or civil unrest may not be covered.

British

Tweetywit wrote:

I am also scheduled on the 12/5 n/b Christmas market trip. I have traveled with Tauck in the past and have been very pleased at their handling of difficult situations. That said, I think Tauck is remiss in this situation by not, at minimum, publishing/emailing/contacting in some fashion all travelers on the Christmas tours to state their position on the advisability of going forward with these cruises. I don't feel each traveler should be obligated to call Tauck to negotiate possible alternative arrangements, cancellations, etc. I think a fair solution for all concerned would be for Tauck to offer a full refund to those travelers who wish to cancel (due to terrorist activity); said refund to be applied to a future Tauck journey.

Tauck is a business, they always handle situations like this with great integrity. if you do not feel safe, stay in your home, being mindful that even you own home is one of the top places to come to harm. Certainly, do not drive your car.
While I am as cautious as the next person, we do not know when or where another attack may occur, it certainly is likely to be somewhere unexpected. Personally, we risked travel by plane within days of 9/11 happening, we travelled to Africa knowing there had been bombings, we just flew back and forth to Europe in the past week, we were impressed at the added security questions at Manchester UK airport, one of the most efficient airports we fairly regularly use. They were asking people about where they work and what they do at the check in desks. It was pretty interesting eavesdropping on nearby people's answers. By continuing to travel in this beautiful planet, we are showing our spirit to live our lives on our terms not on the terms of would be terrorists. If Tauck cancelled every tour after every terrorist threat or occurrence, they would go out of business. I like to use Tauck, I don't want that to happen to them. It must be chaos for them every time an incident like this occurs or a flood or an earthquake and so on.

Tweetywit

HI, Gerard - just checking back to see if you decided to go or canc l; hope you'll be joining us.