Just got back from a Viking Danube Christmas Market cruise. While we hated the cruise for several reasons (too many to list here), what really let us down were the Christmas Markets. My wife was hoping for authentic handicrafts and art, but instead, we saw mostly commercialized booths and mass-produced stuff. It felt like every market was just another branch of the same chain (we saw “King Marzipan” at five different spots). There were a few genuine craft stalls, but not nearly enough. Has anyone been to smaller, more local markets in Germany or Austria? Are they more authentic, or is everything going the way of mass retail?
This is a copy of the original post, just for reference.
u/vicpylon
Just got back from a Viking Danube Christmas Market cruise. While we hated the cruise for several reasons (too many to list here), what really let us down were the Christmas Markets. My wife was hoping for authentic handicrafts and art, but instead, we saw mostly commercialized booths and mass-produced stuff. It felt like every market was just another branch of the same chain (we saw “King Marzipan” at five different spots). There were a few genuine craft stalls, but not nearly enough. Has anyone been to smaller, more local markets in Germany or Austria? Are they more authentic, or is everything going the way of mass retail?
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Can we hear more about why you didn’t like the cruise? We’ve been thinking about booking with them. Thanks!
Ali said:
Can we hear more about why you didn’t like the cruise? We’ve been thinking about booking with them. Thanks!
Here’s a quick summary:
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We’re very independent and active travelers, and this cruise didn’t fit our style at all. The excursions were slow, overly planned, and boring. The best day was when we skipped everything and explored on our own. The only decent excursion was a 6-mile city walk that was labeled “active,” and only one other couple joined us.
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The food was bland and underwhelming.
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The waitstaff struggled with basic tasks. Getting a cup of coffee during meals was a chore, let alone the food itself.
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Our suite was outdated and uncomfortable. It felt like it was decorated for a school principal’s office.
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Hot water in the shower barely worked. Even after a plumber came to “fix” it, we were stuck with cold showers the entire trip.
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The heating in our room was terrible. It was a weak ceiling system that didn’t keep the room warm during a freezing winter in Germany.
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Our suite was above the engines, so it was very noisy, especially at night. We had to use earplugs to sleep.
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The biggest issue was the cost. It was the most expensive cruise we’ve ever taken, and the experience just didn’t match the price tag. If it had been cheap and mediocre, we might have been less annoyed, but this was expensive and mediocre.
We started joking on day two: “Less Viking, More Fun.” It became our motto for the trip because the less we engaged with Viking, the better our experience was. I even thought about leaving the cruise early, but couldn’t figure out how to get a refund, so we stuck it out.
@Vance
Wow, thanks for the detailed response. Definitely gives us something to think about before booking.
@Vance
Which ship were you on?
If you’re looking for unique crafts, the markets in Nuremberg are worth a visit. I found some beautiful handmade items there that I didn’t see anywhere else. Strasbourg and Colmar also had some lovely markets with more authentic offerings.