Cruising Through Germany: Top 3 Travel Tips

Cruising through Germany is one of the best ways to enjoy what European cruises have to offer. Several major European rivers, such as the Danube, the Elbe, and the Rhine, flow through Germany and connect with other European nations.

Most are part of the European Union, so you can practically cruise through a large section of the European continent via German river cruises. If that excites you, consider the following points before planning your trip to Germany.

1. Get a German Schengen visa

If your nation is a member of the European Union, then you don’t need a regular visa or Schengen visa to travel to Germany. If your country is not one of the Schengen nations (EU), you still need a visa to travel to Germany.

However, a visa is unnecessary for citizens of a few nations if they wish to travel to Germany only. The United Kingdom, The United States of America, and Canada are examples of countries Germany has exempted from visa requirements. Even if you do hold a passport from one of the exempted nations, you won’t be able to cruise through all the EU territories without a Schengen visa.

Since the best cruises in Germany will pass through several EU nations, ensure you arrive in Germany with your Schengen visa. Check out iVisa.com for more information on applying and getting approved for a Schengen visa without going through the German Embassy.

Additionally, a German Schengen visa allows foreigners to work and earn money in Germany. However, only UK, US, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand citizens can apply for a Schengen visa in Germany.

2. Get your vaccinations in order

Germany has high health standards to ensure that you won’t contract diseases.

However, contracting diseases in any foreign nation is still possible, so be sure to contact your local health clinic for vaccination doses against:

• Tick-borne Encephalitis
• Rabies
• Measles (only for 6 – 11 months old infants)
• Hepatitis A and B

Don’t forget that your cruise ship to Germany will pass through multiple other European nations. Therefore, vaccinations against particular diseases are highly recommended.

3. Research the best cruises

There are numerous available river cruises in Germany and most of Europe, including the Berlin Bridge Cruise, the classic Rhine River Cruise, and the Medieval German Historic Cruise across the Rhine and Danube. Include at least a few of them in your travel itinerary.

Picking up a few German words before visiting the country is never a bad idea. Besides, the German language is not that difficult to learn, especially among native English speakers.

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