Danube Christmas Markets Cruise or Summer Cruise?

[giantwiant]

We are currently doing the 12/15 Danube River cruise, but I'm having second thoughts about going in December. We homeschool, so we try to avoid travel in the summer if possible. Everything is just so busy (roads, sites, airports, etc..) so we booked a December cruise.

Now I'm thinking my kids will be miserable if their cold all of the time on our cruise. We live in NY so are no strangers to cold weather, and we have all of the winter weather clothing. However, I just can't picture my kids being happy outside in 30 degree weather all day. Eventually, no matter how bundled they are, their hands & face get cold.

Should we move the trip to June? I guess I'm debating crowds vs cold.

 

[sun_seekin]

I just moved my Danube Cruise from December 2019 to July 2020. I had the same thoughts...as beautiful as the Christmas Markets are, I felt for the money we were spending, the warmer weather would be more enjoyable. Another reason I decided to move it was less chance of sickness in the summer. My family was sick the whole month of December this past year.

 

[giantwiant]

Oooh. I didn’t even think about illness. We’ve been good so far this winter. But two of us caught the flu at Disney in December 2017 & it was terrible. The other two family members quickly succumbed & it took weeks to recover.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

How old are your kids? My son and I are booked on the June 27, 2020 cruise. He’ll be 9. We’re doing the Budapest short escape, too. We live in CT and will be flying from NYC. Come join us!

 

[laceltris3]

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[sayhello]

I would seriously consider not doing the Danube in July, but trying to do one of the earlier departures in June. Some of the sites were horrifically hot in July. I loved where we went, and what we saw & did, but the heat was not fun, and robbed a bit of the enjoyment out.

Sayhello

 

[OhanaCuz]

I feel what you're saying on this one. The Christmas markets look beautiful but I would just be miserable in that weather. Sitting on the top deck or your porch and watching the world go by was a huge portion of the enjoyment of the cruise for me. I'm glad we did summer for both cruises.

 

[tink1970]

I feel what you're saying on this one. The Christmas markets look beautiful but I would just be miserable in that weather. Sitting on the top deck or your porch and watching the world go by was a huge portion of the enjoyment of the cruise for me. I'm glad we did summer for both cruises.

LOL! I enjoyed both of our Holiday cruises (Danube and Rhine) so much, partly because of the weather (I like to visit cold, not live in it) and partly for the slightly different itineraries and activiites-it's so fun to decorate gingerbread and trees and sing carols with 140 of your new friends and the ships are so beautiful in their Christmas finery! When we watched the castles cruising down the Rhine, the staff brought out hot chocolate and hot adult beverages, we stacked on the blankets, and it was so nice and cozy. The Christmas markets were fun and spending time in the Black Forest with snow all around was magical.

We're going on the Danube again in June and it will be interesting to see how it's different. I'm sure it will be enjoyable in the summer, but my current preference is going in the winter. We'll see how I feel after June, though.

 

[OhanaCuz]

LOL! I enjoyed both of our Holiday cruises (Danube and Rhine) so much, partly because of the weather (I like to visit cold, not live in it) and partly for the slightly different itineraries and activiites-it's so fun to decorate gingerbread and trees and sing carols with 140 of your new friends and the ships are so beautiful in their Christmas finery! When we watched the castles cruising down the Rhine, the staff brought out hot chocolate and hot adult beverages, we stacked on the blankets, and it was so nice and cozy. The Christmas markets were fun and spending time in the Black Forest with snow all around was magical.

You make a very compelling case!!

 

[tink1970]

You make a very compelling case!!

Thanks...but since I don't have to deal with cold and snow normally, I completely understand not wanting to deal with it on vacation, even if it's in awesome AMA/ABD style. There's no wrong way

 

[sun_seekin]

LOL! I enjoyed both of our Holiday cruises (Danube and Rhine) so much, partly because of the weather (I like to visit cold, not live in it) and partly for the slightly different itineraries and activiites-it's so fun to decorate gingerbread and trees and sing carols with 140 of your new friends and the ships are so beautiful in their Christmas finery! When we watched the castles cruising down the Rhine, the staff brought out hot chocolate and hot adult beverages, we stacked on the blankets, and it was so nice and cozy. The Christmas markets were fun and spending time in the Black Forest with snow all around was magical.

We're going on the Danube again in June and it will be interesting to see how it's different. I'm sure it will be enjoyable in the summer, but my current preference is going in the winter. We'll see how I feel after June, though.

It does sound amazing and was why I originally chose the Holiday departure! You do make it sound like heaven! I loved the idea of Christmas on the ship away from the to-do list at home and Holiday craziness. Just enjoying each other’s company for the Holidays instead of a million obligations. I think we’ll eventually do a Christmas Markets Cruise one day. For our first time though I decided I wanted to enjoy our balcony and enjoy sitting on top of the boat watching the scenery go by, and having the bike riding options as well.

 

[tink1970]

It does sound amazing and was why I originally chose the Holiday departure! You do make it sound like heaven! I loved the idea of Christmas on the ship away from the to-do list at home and Holiday craziness. Just enjoying each other’s company for the Holidays instead of a million obligations. I think we’ll eventually do a Christmas Markets Cruise one day. For our first time though I decided I wanted to enjoy our balcony and enjoy sitting on top of the boat watching the scenery go by, and having the bike riding options as well.

It was wonderful- just DH and I went on the Danube 2016 and we were so impressed took DD on the Rhine in 2017-she had such a good time she begged to do the Danube last Christmas, but it sadly didn't work out. For a well traveled, hard to impress (but aren't they all?) 17 year old to call it "the best vacation ever" you know it was pretty special. I hope you're able to do one --sounds like you would enjoy it.

 

[FoodieFriend]

This is the same dilemma I'm facing for our projected river cruise in 2020! We're Hawaii residents born & raised & I really wanted to see the Christmas Markets after watching the review of them on the Dreams Unlimited Travel show. I reviewed all the cruises & itineraries last year but only researched the average temperatures today & ACK! I don't know if we'll be able to survive in 35 degree highs and below 30 at night. Currently it's 74-65 at my house & I'm freezing! It occurred to me that we would have to buy snow clothes to take this cruise & I don't even know where we could find that locally! I'll have to do more thinking on this for sure!

 

[tink1970]

This is the same dilemma I'm facing for our projected river cruise in 2020! We're Hawaii residents born & raised & I really wanted to see the Christmas Markets after watching the review of them on the Dreams Unlimited Travel show. I reviewed all the cruises & itineraries last year but only researched the average temperatures today & ACK! I don't know if we'll be able to survive in 35 degree highs and below 30 at night. Currently it's 74-65 at my house & I'm freezing! It occurred to me that we would have to buy snow clothes to take this cruise & I don't even know where we could find that locally! I'll have to do more thinking on this for sure!

I don't know if it makes you feel better but we had kind of similar concerns since we're from FL. I went online and waited for Land's End (primarily) to have end of season sales or 50% off sales and got basics: coat/leggings/base layers (a couple of each except the coat) for reasonable prices. That said, if you're only going to use it once, it might still feel too expensive. My DD is likely heading North to college so I'm going to hit up Land's End for more cold weather clothes soon. Normally I'd also recommend consignment shops or thrift stores but don't know how successful you'd be in HI!

Also yes you're outside for some activities but the buses, your room and the boat is heated so you're not freezing all the time .