Embarking On Our Christmas River Cruise: Visiting Europe's Best Markets in 2023 (part one)

[@tonyhicks2612]

We love the tui cruises and have been on a few river cruises and looking forward to our Christmas cruise on Maya over Christmas 🎉💃💃🤠

[@suzanneb6150]

Loved watching. You two always make me giggle and smile! Great information too x❤x

[@RobCadenElkins]

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it 🎄🎄🎄

[@kellybrown8790]

Only just came across you both and subscribed straight away. Love your videos❤ really enjoy watching you both and taking me on your holidays. Amazing. A good insight to everything and explained well. Make me laugh aswel. Kel x

[@RobCadenElkins]

Ahhh thanks so much Kel! Have you / are you looking at doing a river cruise? Or was it just a random video that you liked the look of? I LOVE Christmas so much so this cruise was perfect, although just wait to see what we have booked for this year 🤩🥰🎅

[@robertvarley8740]

Dropped this at a perfect time! Looking forward to watching ❤

[@RobCadenElkins]

Thanks Rob, hope you enjoyed it 🎄❄️

[@hippychicken82]

Love your vlogs and exciting to it being something a bit different

[@RobCadenElkins]

Ahhh thanks, it was a great trip! And like you say, something different 😜

[@pennyoakman5940]

Loving the bloopers 😂❤

[@RobCadenElkins]

Haaha thanks!

[@triciabrodie1015]

a good vlog.Yes very different to a marella cruise..

[@RobCadenElkins]

Thanks 🙏 I think both types of cruise offer some aspects that I liked, I wouldn't turn down any invite for either 🤣🤣

[@NewMexico-FrankJen]

New subscribers! Love your vibe! Just happened upon you tonight….looking forward to your vlogs!

[@RobCadenElkins]

Ahhhh thanks 🙏 I'm excited about so much we have booked and planned for this year so hopefully something fun for you to come. Happy New Year!

[@NewMexico-FrankJen]

@@RobCadenElkins definitely looking forward! We have 4 cruises booked so far…trying for one cruise per quarter. Lol!

[@TraceyShallcross125]

Ahh another fab vlog ❤ we’ve not done a river cruise before so was nice to see 🥰 loved the German markets 😜 you need a big beer 🍺 in the next one 😂Your ship looks small and friendly and the food looked good you even got a window seat 😍 looking forward to the next one now ❤

[@RobCadenElkins]

Oh yes, definitely small and friendly! That spot became OUR table for most meals 🤣🤣🤣

[@TraceyShallcross125]

😂

[@louisecresswell9026]

Rob you really need to let the toucan bauble go 😂 Looks like a completely different cruise experience from your last one? All that food! Loving it ❤❤

[@RobCadenElkins]

The toucan was snatched away too early in his short life, I will NEVER be over it 😭🤣🤣 Yep, a very different experience. I think overall I like something a bit bigger and more options, but did really enjoy the quiet and how personal the service felt onboard the TUI Maya. X

[@AnniStores]

‘Tou-can play that game’ 🤣🤣 Lovely vlog and the start of your cruise looks incredible! Is there a difference between a ‘big’ cruise ship and a riverboat cruise? I get horribly seasick but generally do okay on the big boats, how does this one compare? I’m ready for more sausage puns!! Also love the addition of the bloopers at the end 🤣

[@RobCadenElkins]

I'd say from my limited experience that river boat cruising is better for sick sickness as there's only the little motion of the river as opposed to the motion of the ocean 😄 and river cruises move a lot slower.. Thanks for watching! 🤩

[@oldFltAttndnt]

Morning guys from sunny LA. This was your best vlog yet !! Can you explain to a dumb American the meaning of the pineapple bagtag?

[@RobCadenElkins]

Oh WOW hey! That's really nice of you to say, I did try to film and edit well but I wasn't sure 🤷‍♂️☺️ so on cruises the pineapple / upside pineapple apparently means that the person is down to wife-swap / swinging / be friendly with others.

[@Emma-mk8jv]

​​@@RobCadenElkinsholy crap, must pick up dropped pineapple 😂

[@RobCadenElkins]

@@Emma-mk8jv 🤣🤣🤣

[@Emma-mk8jv]

The markets seem very quiet, is it still good? Is there a good atmosphere? Too much red wine, been there😂 x

[@RobCadenElkins]

Frankfurt was bigger and busier but not as busy as other markets, which we liked! I think being there during the week helped, I imagine the weekend would be a lot busier. We were only in Worms mid-afternoon but it was a smaller market. The next place we visited was a lot busier!!

[@magnoliabelle047]

Was it as horribly, bone crushing cold as we hear about in the US? Have to wear several layers?

[@RobCadenElkins]

It was varied, at some of the time it was mild but when it was cold it was COLD 🥶❄️ we definitely were glad to have scarves, hats and gloves, plus the copious mulled wine available 🍷

[@5877user]

Would this cruise be good for a senior with limited walking ability? How far is the cruise ship from the Christmas markets?

[@RobCadenElkins]

Hi! Onboard the ship there are no lifts so passengers need to be able to manage small flights of stairs, even if at leisurely pace. As for in ports, I'd say it can be a 15-20 minute walk along flat / level streets from the ship into the markets. Overall we certainly saw a diverse passenger profile with a range of mobility and whilst we didn't personally have to give it much consideration we did see that everyone was having a fun time!