Danube River Cruises

Author Message   Jim Smuckatelli Member Username: Gittist Post Number: 8 Registered: 05-2008 Posted on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 - 04:09 pm:    My wife and I also did a GCT Christmas Market cruise 2 years ago (Vienna to Nurnberg). I concur with Phyllis. You didn't have to go with the boat people but it would be hard to hire another guide cosidering your time in port. Most times our group was about 20 unless we went on a paid tour (Salzburg).   Phyllis DeLancey Senior Member Username: Phyllis Post Number: 2101 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 01:08 pm:    Robert, it has been about 4 years since out tour, we did the Christmas Markets. We had about 100 folks on board and we were divided up into 3 groups, not all folks took the tours. We had a nice guide, the same one each day. She did say some of the cities make the boats hire local quides too, and we did have one in one of the cities. We were with Grand Circle Tour.   Robert Putlock Advanced Member Username: Putlock Post Number: 29 Registered: 02-2007 Posted on Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 10:41 am:    For anyone who has been on a recent Danube River Cruise: 1.When on an "Included Tour" city tour from the vessel about how many were in each group? 2.Would a "Private Guide" as described in Rick Steeves Travel Books allow you to see and do more than the bigger group tours whether on "included" or "optiional" ones? I'm weighing whether to skip "included tours" and using "Private Guides" at places like Prague, Vienna and Budapest for our group of eight.