The reason I wanted to take a Christmas market tour was to visit the markets, particularly at night when they're all lit up and festive. This did not happen other than a quick walk through on our first stop. Our stop in Vienna was during the day, seeing all the holiday decorations that would have been amazing to see in the evening, but that was not an option for us...so very disappointing! Also, the ship was dated and the hallway carpets were filthy along the edge. The evening entertainment was nice, but it was the same every evening. Our guide was nice, but not really that engaged with our group. She also made it very clear she was expecting a nice tip from all of us, and how much she depended on her tips. I think everyone planned on tipping her and the staff (they were amazing), but it was very close to pandering regarding her tips. Dinner tables were reserved for seating along the windows...Any particular reason why those groups had the windows every evening?? I would not recommend this tour based on my comments. I have traveled with Collette previously with great experiences, but this trip was a total disappointment.

would not do December again.

The optional tour to the Palace Christmas Market was horrible.. We paid $90 for the tour. The admission price for the event was 8.5 euro. So in essence we paid $82 for a 15 minute coach ride. I'm now reluctant to book optional tours through Collette.

Was a wonderful trip. Just a few things that would have made it better.

Last day of tour was too extensive . I would like to have been able to visit the castle and then go back to the hotel . I chose not to do the walking tour- since the weather was terrible.

Poor timing of excursions. Paid for airport transport then Colette advised a week before the trip that they will not provide transport from airport and refunded the fee

WONDERFULLY PLANNED AND EXECUTED. ALL PERSONAL GREAT. ENJOYED TRIP IMMENSELY.

Simply mediocre… food was presented beautiful… quality not what i expected… too many busses …

due to the flooding, the river cruise only lasted 1 day of our scheduled 7 days/6 nights. Alternate plans were less than desirable with long bus rides and missing the biggest Christmas market of all in Nuremberg. Ship credit for two of the three lunches we had to purchase on our own forced us to buy stuff from the boat (gift shop or bar) as we couldn't use the credit towards tips. Tour manager was not friendly and didn't communicate important details to the group.

Just a truly wonderful experience.

Great Crew. Great Service. Great food.

It was a very enjoyable trip. Found the places interesting and the tour guide knowledgeable.

Wonderful Trip! Our first River Cruise and we loved It!

Delays in pickup @ airport upon arrival in Paris for our transfer to the ship. Unexpected change in original flight arrangements likely caused this. Seems the local bus driver and Collette representatives did not communicate that our wait would be delayed thus causing us to be late to board Amadeus Brilliance.

Every aspect of the trip exceeded expectations.

Everything about the trip was perfect!

I would have liked to see more Christmas decorations. I would have liked to have had other options to see & do other than Christmas Markets. Loved everything else, especially the cruise ship & sights on the river & Cathedrals!

We all had a wonderful experience !

I liked the boat,the meals and the staff. The Christmas markets would have been better lit up at night

I enjoyed the daily tours.I like history and learned a lot about the different cities

Everything was so excellent

It was a wonderful trip and I woyld do it again

Good time, good experience. However, on-ship food offerings took little benefit of regional offerings ANd tour manager was not top-notch in terms of organization and getting to know her customers. Nothing bad but nothing great either.

Prague and Vienna and Regensburg needed more time .

Post tour of Praha should be pre tour because everyone was to tire after 6 days of river cruise my opinion is pre tour of Praha.

Loved the charming cities, scenery along the rivers, and walking around the Christmas markets.

a wonderful trip and great tour directors.

I thought it was a great tour. I enjoyed the boat experience very much and also the stop at the markets.

Keep up the great job....

Service on the boat was great. Food was good. Wish we had done more history and less shopping.

She didn't have to do much, since we were on a cruise rather than motor coach.

Everything went well except for the bus connections

The experience was wonderful. Our first River cruise and it was all we had wish for. The snow was an extra bonus.

Great way to see the Christmas Markets. Ship was excellent, food and staff could not be better.

My overall experience has nothing to do with Collette, I got sick on the third day with congestion and coughing, then received word from home one of my best friends had died, after that I just did not want to continue the trip , also the weather was not as expected, it was so cold, and I could not keep myself warm. It is a good trip but my circumstances had nothing to do with collette

It was an amazing trip. The Amadeus was wonderful. The excursions were well planned out and interesting yet giving us time to shop the Christmas Markets.

Magical experience seeing all the Christmas markets and Christmas decorations! We happened to have snow during our cruise and when visiting the markets, it felt like walking around in a snow globe!

going to Prague

Prague Prague, Czech Republic

I really enjoyed seeing the different cities. The local guides were interesting and knowledgeable about the history of the places we visited.

Loved the day in Regensburg and the optional tour to the Palace and the Market at night. Would have liked to have optional seating during breakfast and lunch as one of the great experiences of traveling is to get to know persons from other places and countries.

The walking tours were my favorite. I was disappointed in the Vienna at night, since we saw the same thing the next morning.

Most memorable? Nurenburg .

Tour manager was friendly and caring, we just went to more Christmas Markets than I expected. Could not spend enough time at other sites.

Overall professionalism.

Prague was beautiful.

We really enjoyed our total experience but to choose one it would have to be Prague as our granddaughter had visited there

I really enjoyed just being on the boat. My favorite experience was cruising the through locks in the morning looking at the scenery.

Great tours. Weather was a slight problem but manageable.

Every need met.

Visiting the Christmas Markets in Vienna, Nuremberg, and Prague were the highlights of the trip!

The picture tells it all, sheer happiness

The trip was very organized, the boat was lovely, and ******* was on top of everything.

The Villages we went to we’re quite charming. Sometimes too much time allotted for a Xmas market (Erlanger) and others not enough time. Purchasing the optional tour of Prague was wonderful. Beautiful city.

Ruthenburg Christmas Market at night and the tour of the palace.

staff, guides, food, accommodations, fellow travelers were all exceptional

The crew, on board ship, was he highlight. I felt our tour guide played favorites, and we were not ne of tem.

Not enough time in markets and this is supposed to be a Christmas market tour. Never even saw a quarter of the big night market as a Saturday evening, extremely busy and had only an hour.

Going thru a lock. Walking around a town that has been around for hundreds of years.

Experiencing the Christmas markets.

the evening market at Regensburg

Guided tours and free time at the various ports.

Just cruising down the Danube. Loved it.

Seeing the sights in a number of German towns and Vienna as well as the Christmas markets in each of these places was memorable in each case! I would not be able to single out one experience as I loved it all!

We did not have hot water on the ship for showering. The complaint was logged 3 times and I spoke to the hotel manager and he basacilly brushed me aside

The ship was wonderful. The food was gourmet and the service was excellent!

pre trip communications should have been better

Cruising through the Wauchau Valley

The tour was excellent, Walking through the old towns and the Christmas Markets was my most memorable time.

Great staff, comfortable accommodations and excellent food.

Amazing scenery. Enjoyed the markets but would have enjoyed downtown Vienna at night vs the short time at market

Been there very often so there was nothing new

The Werzburg Xmas market seemed the most original and authentic.

Locations were good, though there were times when you felt like you were too rushed. Couple things were worthless like gluwein party in Emmersdorf and Heurigher in Vienna that would have been better left off and given more time for other things.

The Christmas markets . The tours were all good. excellent guides.

The Thurnund Taxis castle and Christmas Market Tour ( new tour added) and the extension 2 day trip to Prague.

Regensburg optional night tour of castle and Christmas Market.

The whole trip was amazing. The cruise ship crew were awesome. The excursions were so much fun and the landscape was beautiful. Enjoyed everything

Christmas Markets along the Danube River was an amazing experience! The Amadeus Brillant was a delight to tour on, and our tour manager Mirna was fabulous!

Passau Germany and Christmas Market in Nuremberg at night was 2 of my favorite but the entire experience was fantastic.

Each Christmas market was very different. I loved the food choices.

The towns we stopped in were great. The Christmas markets were fabulous and did not disappoint. We walked a lot and I was a little concerned having had both knees replaced in the last year, but it was great. I had no problems. The tour guide was great, very knowledgeable. Our local guides were great, very knowledgeable and you could tell they loved their country. The staff on the boat was so accommodating and the food was very good. I would definitely recommend this trip.

Christmas on the Danube was a dream come true. Austria and Germany exceeded my expectations. Collette did a great job of planning the itinerary and making sure we saw the as much as possible. I love that you also have the option to opt out of activities and explore on your own. The staff on the Amadeus were fantastic. The food was outstanding and represented so many of the regions we were visiting. I didn’t feel like I was eating American food while traveling Europe. The food added a special flavor to experiencing Europe. Colette’s travel tour manager could have been more friendly and gracious with the guests. Several times she was rude and insulted guests with insensitive comments. Maybe this is a cultural issue but Southerners typically go out of their way to be friendly, kind and hospitable and expect the same in return when paying big $$ for an experience. Mirna has a lot to learn, but she was very knowledgeable and kept our group on schedule during the tour

Good tour if you can walk a lot. Too much walking for me personally and all the on land sites we visited was a lot of rushing us thru as there was always other tour groups waiting to get thru too. Our on land tour guides - Peter and Barbara - were great. Accommodations were good, food good. Beautiful castles, cathedrals, architecture, great Christmas markets, etc. Coming home, Frankfurt and Newark airports were a nightmare. I personally don’t need to travel internationally again.

Everything was wonderful except the flights home. We checked in at Austrian Airlines and were placed on standby. We didn’t know until 30 minutes before the flight if we were going to make the 1st leg of the flight. On the connecting flight we were seated in separate sections.

For the most part, I had a very enjoyable time. The time on my own in Wurzberg, Passau, and Regensberg enabled me to get a real feeling for this area in Germany and I had a lovely time. We had far too little time in Rottenburg and Vienna. One day in Vienna is entirely too little time. The Ship crew and tour staff were Amazing.

I would recommend to anyone considering this trip to spend the extra money for a suite on the ship and also pay for a more expensive seat on the plane. The plane reservation that was done for me was horrible. I had to cross my arms and put my feet on my carryon and couldn't move for 7-9 hours, let alone eat the meal they provided or drink anything. Horrible.

Absolutely a dream come true. Every aspect was perfect. The ship, the Amadeus Queen, was comfortable and beautiful. The staff were so attentive and professional. Every meal was delicious. We felt so well taken care of. The towns and Christmas markets we visit were a delight. Every local tour guide was knowledgeable, flexible, and charming. Especially wonderful was our tour manager, Stefan. He was kind, caring, supportive, and shared his culture and life experiences with us. One of the most memorable parts of the trip was not a ‘big’ one. On the last day of the trip, I was up early and went to the Admirals Club, a lounge at the back of the ship, to get some coffee. No one else was there (the river cruise ships are not overcrowded and raucous….quiet and peaceful are the words that come to my mind), and I spent a perfect 15 minutes listening to Christmas music and enjoying my coffee, all by myself, in a very beautiful space. It was magical. And there were so many magical moments it would take days to recount them all.

During our final walking tour in Vienna, I was excited to hear we would see a part of where some is the Lipizzan Stallions were kept while being trained. I was going to be in awe just to see the area. My Father had fought in WWII and he had told me he had seen the horses. I always tried to get more information from him about his time in the war but that was the one and only thing he ever mentioned about it. I guess that came out about the time I had gotten a solid white Quarter Horse for a new competition horse. Anyway, I had also seen the Disney movie that came out about the Lipizzan Stallions and Riders escape from those who were trying to stop them from reaching Austria so I was living a childhood dream just to be near them. But, to my surprise, when we got to the small training type area, I was greeted with a wonderful sight that absolutely made my day!

I loved just cruising the river viewing the countryside then exploring the cities.

We were provided ample opportunities to visit different Christmas markets as well as beautiful towns. We had guided times but also free time which we appreciated.

Visiting the Christmas Markets especially Vienna.

I loved everything about this trip!!! The Christmas Markets, tours and especially our Collette guide - Benedikt were all amazing!! There were only two things that I would change. One was a ship situation where they didn't always provide free water - that's sinful!!! Being charged for water is absolutely criminal in my mind. The other thing - and this is a Collette thing for trying to save us money - the LONG layovers in Toronto both coming and going - ridiculous!!! Many of us were sick on the return trip and this was absolutely awful!!! The only other thing - perhaps allow for more down time - with all the Seniors on this trip it was exhausting. But again - I want to mention - LOVED IT!!!

Going through the locks on the river was interesting. Of course all the beautiful towns and villages we visited.

Disappointed as to seeing decorated places and markets at night with the people of the towns. Wasn’t able to join in the towns fun events at night either the decorations all lit up. Or singing and dancing at the restaurants or Bub. That is what I went for. I did go to see Vienna but again missed seeing the beautiful town lit up for Christmas. The town tours and History was great but sorry it stopped at that

The riverboat was wonderful, loved all the towns, Passau was the best

The ships crew was excellent!

Enjoyed the cruise, ships room we good size. Enjoyed the markets. Did not need tour man, the ship crew did all all the work

Wonderful trip. Cruise staff and tour director made it especially memorable. Major problem with air flights that Collette booked. Very long layovers when there were earlier flights that would have lessened the layovers!!

We did not tour the palace in Nuremberg which we have paid.

I want to share with you some of the challenges, difficulties, and disappointments my group and myself experienced on Collette’s December 12 Christmas Markets River Cruise. First of all, Collette changed the dates of the trip and the ship - which should have been a red flag to bail. The ship and the flights are the center of all the complaints: •Power Outages: The power went out many times the first two days and once after we had left Regensburg. We even had a power outage on the day they announced the power problem had been fixed! •Unusually high step down to ship: The concrete step down to board the ship in Regensburg was unusually high and very painful for my guests to navigate even with help. I expected the crew to who witnessed people having problems to resolve it so stepping up from and down to the ship wasn’t so dangerous. It didn’t happen. •Elevator Out of Service: It was out of service the first three days •Charging for ice water at the bar and coffee at lunch: I was under the impression from the initial details of the trip that coffee, tea, and water would be complimentary during lunch and dinner. It was only complimentary at breakfast. Eventually this issue was resolved but in my view, it shouldn’t have been a problem from the start. •Overall: The Swiss Crown, a very old ship was a poor replacement for the Amadeus Brillance. As for the flights booked by Collette, there was tremendous confusion before the trip because several people were assigned the same location reservation number, meaning no one could go on line without making changes for the other people grouped with them. I worked hours straightening this mess out with Collette and my group. I don’t understand why each stateroom didn’t have its own airline reservation location number. Also, it turns out the information I was given from Collette that my guests would be able to select their seats on our British Airways flights 8 days before the trip was incorrect. After many phone calls and complaints from people, I found out the window for picking seats was only 24 hours before the flight. Many were forced to sit separately, which is not how you want a big exciting expensive vacation to start. As for British Airways, they’re a disaster. Everyone reported a bad experience from very little leg room, rude attendants to not being able to get water. Both ways, it was the worst overseas flights I have experienced in my 30+ years of traveling the world. Fortunately, the tour manager, Daja, was fantastic.

The tour manager was excellent! Prague was the best town - safe and easily walkable. The cruise line was average, but since it was switched AFTER we booked, the book we booked was subpar - a suite on the 2th floor (not top) and didn't even have a French or real balcony - just a window - really??

Tour was good. Activity level needs to be re-evaluated as our group were mostly 60s-70s and the walking speed was to fast. Would have liked more time seeing historical sites. Worst part, the airline was very bad. Collette should have nade the flight two-legs, not three with 2-4 hour layovers.

Markus G. was excellent. Many folks had their tours cancelled before we even left the USA. Over booked?? But.....upon getting on the ship and the cruise director announcing the daily itinerary, these tours were still open......cheaper. Really Collette. You can do better. We will not be pre-booking again.

Many folks had their tours cancelled before we even left the USA. Over booked?? But.....upon getting on the ship and the cruise director announcing the daily itinerary, these tours were still open......cheaper. Really Collette. You can do better. We will not be pre-booking again.

The whole experience was awesome and our guy, Marcus was awesome. I would recommend it.. Favorite experience although old buildings churches awesome thanks.

I loved this tour. Each of the Christmas Markets were different. The shopkeepers were gracious and helpful. The crew aboard ship insisted on spoiling us, which was wonderful. I loved the guides and the city tours. Along with good food and beautiful scenery it made for an unforgettable trip.

Everything was memorable

Tours, Christmas Markets, food, drinks, and everything was much better than we had expected!

The whole experience was very memorable, I have so many was amazing.

We traveled on the Amadeus Brilliant and loved it. The ship is beautiful, relaxing and comfortable. The crew and staff are incredible. The are helpful, fun and so kind. One night, we were asked to leave one shoe for each person outside our cabin. Santa came in the night to fill our shoes with goodies! That was only one of our fun activities. See photo,

Hurried pace for age of our group was too fast. I skipped most of the long fast walks. Probably great for younger group. Just think should have been rated higher number for activity level

The reason I wanted to take a Christmas market tour was to visit the markets, particularly at night when they're all lit up and festive. This did not happen other than a quick walk through on our first stop. Our stop in Vienna was during the day, seeing all the holiday decorations that would have been amazing to see in the evening, but that was not an option for us...so very disappointing! Also, the ship was dated and the hallway carpets were filthy along the edge. The evening entertainment was nice, but it was the same every evening. Our guide was nice, but not really that engaged with our group. She also made it very clear she was expecting a nice tip from all of us, and how much she depended on her tips. I think everyone planned on tipping her and the staff (they were amazing), but it was very close to pandering regarding her tips. Dinner tables were reserved for seating along the windows...Any particular reason why those groups had the windows every evening?? I would not recommend this tour based on my comments. I have traveled with Collette previously with great experiences, but this trip was a total disappointment.

The optional tour to the Palace Christmas Market was horrible.. We paid $90 for the tour. The admission price for the event was 8.5 euro. So in essence we paid $82 for a 15 minute coach ride. I'm now reluctant to book optional tours through Collette.

would not do December again.

WONDERFULLY PLANNED AND EXECUTED. ALL PERSONAL GREAT. ENJOYED TRIP IMMENSELY.

Just a truly wonderful experience.

due to the flooding, the river cruise only lasted 1 day of our scheduled 7 days/6 nights. Alternate plans were less than desirable with long bus rides and missing the biggest Christmas market of all in Nuremberg. Ship credit for two of the three lunches we had to purchase on our own forced us to buy stuff from the boat (gift shop or bar) as we couldn't use the credit towards tips. Tour manager was not friendly and didn't communicate important details to the group.

Great Crew. Great Service. Great food.

It was a very enjoyable trip. Found the places interesting and the tour guide knowledgeable.

Wonderful Trip! Our first River Cruise and we loved It!

Simply mediocre… food was presented beautiful… quality not what i expected… too many busses …

Delays in pickup @ airport upon arrival in Paris for our transfer to the ship. Unexpected change in original flight arrangements likely caused this. Seems the local bus driver and Collette representatives did not communicate that our wait would be delayed thus causing us to be late to board Amadeus Brilliance.

Every aspect of the trip exceeded expectations.

Everything about the trip was perfect!

I would have liked to see more Christmas decorations. I would have liked to have had other options to see & do other than Christmas Markets. Loved everything else, especially the cruise ship & sights on the river & Cathedrals!

We all had a wonderful experience !

I liked the boat,the meals and the staff. The Christmas markets would have been better lit up at night

I enjoyed the daily tours.I like history and learned a lot about the different cities

Everything was so excellent

It was a wonderful trip and I woyld do it again

Good time, good experience. However, on-ship food offerings took little benefit of regional offerings ANd tour manager was not top-notch in terms of organization and getting to know her customers. Nothing bad but nothing great either.

Prague and Vienna and Regensburg needed more time .

Post tour of Praha should be pre tour because everyone was to tire after 6 days of river cruise my opinion is pre tour of Praha.

Loved the charming cities, scenery along the rivers, and walking around the Christmas markets.

a wonderful trip and great tour directors.

I thought it was a great tour. I enjoyed the boat experience very much and also the stop at the markets.

Poor timing of excursions. Paid for airport transport then Colette advised a week before the trip that they will not provide transport from airport and refunded the fee

Keep up the great job....

Service on the boat was great. Food was good. Wish we had done more history and less shopping.

She didn't have to do much, since we were on a cruise rather than motor coach.

Everything went well except for the bus connections

The experience was wonderful. Our first River cruise and it was all we had wish for. The snow was an extra bonus.

Was a wonderful trip. Just a few things that would have made it better.

Great way to see the Christmas Markets. Ship was excellent, food and staff could not be better.

My overall experience has nothing to do with Collette, I got sick on the third day with congestion and coughing, then received word from home one of my best friends had died, after that I just did not want to continue the trip , also the weather was not as expected, it was so cold, and I could not keep myself warm. It is a good trip but my circumstances had nothing to do with collette

Last day of tour was too extensive . I would like to have been able to visit the castle and then go back to the hotel . I chose not to do the walking tour- since the weather was terrible.

It was an amazing trip. The Amadeus was wonderful. The excursions were well planned out and interesting yet giving us time to shop the Christmas Markets.

Magical experience seeing all the Christmas markets and Christmas decorations! We happened to have snow during our cruise and when visiting the markets, it felt like walking around in a snow globe!

going to Prague

Prague Prague, Czech Republic

I really enjoyed seeing the different cities. The local guides were interesting and knowledgeable about the history of the places we visited.

Loved the day in Regensburg and the optional tour to the Palace and the Market at night. Would have liked to have optional seating during breakfast and lunch as one of the great experiences of traveling is to get to know persons from other places and countries.

The walking tours were my favorite. I was disappointed in the Vienna at night, since we saw the same thing the next morning.

Most memorable? Nurenburg .

Tour manager was friendly and caring, we just went to more Christmas Markets than I expected. Could not spend enough time at other sites.

Overall professionalism.

Prague was beautiful.

We really enjoyed our total experience but to choose one it would have to be Prague as our granddaughter had visited there

I really enjoyed just being on the boat. My favorite experience was cruising the through locks in the morning looking at the scenery.

Great tours. Weather was a slight problem but manageable.

Every need met.

Visiting the Christmas Markets in Vienna, Nuremberg, and Prague were the highlights of the trip!

The picture tells it all, sheer happiness

Ruthenburg Christmas Market at night and the tour of the palace.

The trip was very organized, the boat was lovely, and ******* was on top of everything.

The Villages we went to we’re quite charming. Sometimes too much time allotted for a Xmas market (Erlanger) and others not enough time. Purchasing the optional tour of Prague was wonderful. Beautiful city.

staff, guides, food, accommodations, fellow travelers were all exceptional

The crew, on board ship, was he highlight. I felt our tour guide played favorites, and we were not ne of tem.

Not enough time in markets and this is supposed to be a Christmas market tour. Never even saw a quarter of the big night market as a Saturday evening, extremely busy and had only an hour.

Been there very often so there was nothing new

Going thru a lock. Walking around a town that has been around for hundreds of years.

Experiencing the Christmas markets.

Great staff, comfortable accommodations and excellent food.

the evening market at Regensburg

Guided tours and free time at the various ports.

Just cruising down the Danube. Loved it.

Seeing the sights in a number of German towns and Vienna as well as the Christmas markets in each of these places was memorable in each case! I would not be able to single out one experience as I loved it all!

We did not have hot water on the ship for showering. The complaint was logged 3 times and I spoke to the hotel manager and he basacilly brushed me aside

The ship was wonderful. The food was gourmet and the service was excellent!

pre trip communications should have been better

Cruising through the Wauchau Valley

The tour was excellent, Walking through the old towns and the Christmas Markets was my most memorable time.

Amazing scenery. Enjoyed the markets but would have enjoyed downtown Vienna at night vs the short time at market

The Werzburg Xmas market seemed the most original and authentic.

Locations were good, though there were times when you felt like you were too rushed. Couple things were worthless like gluwein party in Emmersdorf and Heurigher in Vienna that would have been better left off and given more time for other things.

The Christmas markets . The tours were all good. excellent guides.

The Thurnund Taxis castle and Christmas Market Tour ( new tour added) and the extension 2 day trip to Prague.

Regensburg optional night tour of castle and Christmas Market.