Holiday River Cruise in Germany

The #1 question most people asked me regarding my river cruise was “Why on Earth would you go in December?” Well, I’m a sucker for Nuernberger Lebkuchen, Gluehwein, and German nutcrackers. I couldn’t resist a river cruise to all of Germany’s most wonderful Christmas markets.

At first, I regretted my decision. We were cursed with nonstop rainfall and below freezing temperatures. After an eleven hour flight and a three hour train ride, I could not wait to finally board the ship. Unfortunately, when I arrived in the port of Nuernberg, there was no ship! All of the rain and therefore high waters did not allow the captain to maneuver the ship to its original departure port of Nuernberg. Upon arrival, we were immediately transported by bus 1 ½ hours to Wuerzburg where the ship awaited us.

For the next few days, we were transported by bus back and forth between Wuerzburg and the cities of Nuernberg, Bamberg, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Everyone was starting to joke that we were no longer on a river cruise but a bus tour instead!

On the 4th day, the rain finally let up and the sun came out. Although the temperatures were of course still low, we were blessed with beautiful sunshine for the next 5 days. The water finally went down and the ship was able to start its voyage. I have been up and down the Rhein a couple of times by car as well as train, but nothing compared to the beauty of taking it all in aboard our beautiful ship.

The River Duchess is a ship built in 2003 and recently renovated. The rooms and common areas were nice and spacious. Although there are no over- the- top amenities like casinos, pools, and shopping malls, it did have a lounge and bar, restaurant, library, gym, small gift shop, and the top deck is filled with lounge chairs so you can comfortably view all of the surroundings. Another great advantage to these small ships was the fact that you share it with about 120 other people, as opposed to 2000. That meant lines were nonexistent, noise was minimal, and the entire crew knew your name and preferences by the second day of the cruise.

And as on any cruise line, the food was outstanding. There were many choices including breakfast and lunch buffets as well as 5-course a la carte menus for dinner. Just when we thought we couldn’t possibly stuff one more bite in, a delicious mouth-watering dessert was served. The wait staff delivered outstanding service. Each and every server was hard-working and incredibly pleasant. We left the cruise hugging and thanking them, and most of all, wishing we could have taken them all home with us!

While in port, we had the option of taking the tours (all included in the price of the cruise) that were escorted by well-informed and entertaining hosts. We toured the Residenz in Wuerzburg, visited the famous Cologne Cathedral, enjoyed the Christmas markets, wine tasting tours, and much more. Other days, we opted to discover the towns on our own at our own pace, such as Wertheim and Ruedesheim.

When we felt the pains of jet lag or sore feet from walking, we stayed onboard. We chatted with fellow passengers, played games in the library, and sipped delicious cups of coffee while splurging on desserts. We relaxed and enjoyed watching German architecture, culture, and daily life simply glide by us through the windows. It was a magical experience and one that anyone can enjoy.

I can recommend and answer any questions that you might have regarding river cruises. Hopefully, we will see each other onboard one next summer!