Think about crusing down considered one of Europe’s iconic rivers as picturesque villages, castles and landscapes go you by, all whereas twinkling lights from close by Christmas markets dance on the water. Whereas this may sound like a fairytale, it may be a actuality on a Christmas market river cruise.
From late November by December yearly, most river cruise firms with Europe-based ships take excited passengers to idyllic cities to find out about Christmas traditions, store at native Christmas markets and check out tasty seasonal treats.
These river cruises solely run seasonally whereas the markets are open, so they have an inclination to e book up shortly with passengers starting from older adults to all sorts of households on the lookout for a winter vacation full of festive enjoyable.
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Right here, we listing the eight finest Christmas markets river cruises to soak up 2024, together with tricks to get probably the most out of every crusing and highlights to not miss.
Greatest for brief cruises: Riverside Luxurious Cruises’ Christmas on the Danube
Should you’re on the lookout for a brief crusing to tack onto the start or finish of a visit, Riverside Luxurious Cruises affords four-night Danube River sailings that begin in Vienna, Austria, and finish in Passau, Germany. Nearly all of the journey is spent in Austria, with port days in Vienna, Krems, Melk and Linz earlier than a last day in Passau.
In Vienna, you’ll be able to select to go to one of many metropolis’s 100+ museums or go to the enduring Opera Home earlier than heading to the Christmas marketplace for a glass of mulled wine and procuring. For these fascinated with wine, Krems is a must-see vacation spot recognized for a few of the finest wines within the nation. Earlier than departing from Passau, remember to discover the Christmas market in addition to St. Stephen’s Cathedral to see the spectacular organ, which is the biggest cathedral organ in the world with virtually 18,000 pipes.
Every ship within the Riverside Luxurious Cruises fleet is all-suite and comes with butler service. Ships supply an indoor pool and a Jacuzzi to make use of earlier than or after your journeys ashore.
Associated: Best river cruises in Europe
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Riverside Luxurious Cruises’ Christmas Atmosphere Along the Danube cruises depart in early and mid-December 2024. Fares begin at $1,161 per particular person, primarily based on double occupancy.
All of your meals, one tour per vacation spot, gratuities, Wi-Fi, butler service and transfers are additionally included in your cruise fare. Alcoholic drinks are solely included with the Premium All-Inclusive Package deal, which might be chosen at reserving.
Greatest for Francophiles: CroisiEurope’s Christmas within the Seine Valley
France is understood for a few of the most photogenic Christmas markets in Europe, and you’ve got the possibility to see a few of them on a five-night Christmas within the Seine Valley river cruise with CroisiEurope Cruises. These shorter cruises are nice if you would like to spend a number of days in Paris earlier than stepping onto the cruise ship and crusing to 3 different lovely cities.
The river cruise begins in Paris, the place you’ll be able to spend the day exploring town, seeing the Christmas markets in Montmartre or Saint Germain or searching for high-end presents alongside the Champs-Élysées earlier than the 5 p.m. all-aboard time.
Day two will carry you to Rouen, the place you’re invited to hitch Christmas Eve dinner and midnight mass. You will additionally get to see extra of Rouen on day 4 and take a guided tour. When you’ve got free time, remember to cease in at La Couronne, the oldest working restaurant in France and the place that impressed Julia Youngster to begin cooking.
Spend Christmas Day in Honfleur, one of many cutest cities on the voyage. Make sure to get the city’s specialty, a steaming bowl of moules frites (mussels with fries), for Christmas lunch. After three days of touring smaller cities, you may return to Paris, the place the Eiffel Tower is seen from the banks of the Seine.
CroisiEurope’s Christmas in the Seine Valley cruise departs Dec. 23, 2024. Fares begin at $1,570 per particular person, primarily based on double occupancy.
Included with the price of the cruise are your whole meals and most drinks, free Wi-Fi, all onboard actions and port charges. Headsets are additionally included for excursions should you select to go together with the group for excursions moderately than venturing off by yourself.
Associated: Best river cruise lines around the world
Greatest for households: Adventures by Disney’s Rhine River Christmas Markets Cruise
Households seeking to discover Christmas markets by Switzerland, France, Germany and The Netherlands will take pleasure in Adventures by Disney’s Rhine River Cruise: Christmas Markets crusing. The eight-day cruise permits youngsters as younger as 5 to hitch, although Disney’s instructed age is 8 or older.
What actually makes Adventures by Disney stand out is the Journey Guides, Disney-trained leaders who’re consultants in every vacation spot. Every Journey Information travels with the group all through the cruise so your loved ones actually will get to know them, they usually get to know you. This permits them to make customized suggestions about actions and meals. As you stroll by every city they share the historical past, tradition and legends of the vacation spot.
The weeklong journey begins in Basel, Switzerland. The following two days make Strasbourg, France the house port from which you’ll select to go to Europa Park in Rust, Germany, or head to Colmar, France, which is known for its Christmas Markets and Cheese Museum. You will have a lot of the second day to take pleasure in Strasbourg.
Day 4 brings the group to Mannheim, Germany, the place you’ll be able to take pleasure in a funicular trip to Heidelberg Citadel or tour the city of Baden-Baden the place the Christmas market is to not be missed.
In Rüdesheim, you’ll be able to select to participate in a espresso and sizzling chocolate tasting, marvel at one of many largest mechanical music field collections on this planet, take pleasure in a wine tasting or discover town by yourself. The night is spent crusing by the Rhine Gorge as you go 30 castles alongside the shore.
The final day in Germany is spent in Cologne, the place you’ll be able to go to the attractive Christmas markets that dot town panorama, in addition to lace up some skates to glide round an open-air ice rink. The cruise ends in Amsterdam, the place you’ll be able to select to go to the Rijksmuseum, the Rembrandt Home Museum or the Van Gogh Museum, together with taking a scenic canal cruise by town.
Adventures by Disney’s Rhine River Cruise: Christmas Markets cruise departs Dec. 19, 2024. Fares begin at $6,599 per grownup and $5,899 per little one beneath 11, primarily based on double occupancy.
Fares for the once-a-year cruise embody most meals, drinks at lunch and dinner (plus a nightly cocktail hour the place a variety of combined drinks are complimentary), excursions in every port of name, porter service, transportation in port, Wi-Fi, gratuities for onboard employees and Journey Guides, and onboard leisure.
Associated: Are river cruises right for kids?
Greatest for {couples}: Viking’s Danube Christmas Delights
{Couples} seeking to get away for the vacations ought to take into account Viking‘s Danube Christmas Delights river cruise. The seven-night cruise takes passengers to 4 nations: Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Germany. The journey combines alternatives to discover the ports of name with lectures and cultural performances onboard the ship.
In Budapest, you may spend two days exploring town at locations like Citadel Hill and the Grand Market Corridor earlier than procuring and eating on the Christmas market in entrance of St. Stephen’s Basilica. Then in Bratislava, Slovakia, the group will attend an organ live performance and procuring on the Previous City Christmas market.
In Vienna, Austria, the entire metropolis comes alive with lights and a festive spirit. One factor to not miss right here is the extra-charge tour to a neighborhood vineyard, the place you’ll rejoice the yr’s harvest and classic.
One other spotlight of the cruise is Krems, the place the group will go to Göttweig Abbey and get unique entry to the chapel within the interior courtyard to see the nativity scene. (The chapel is normally closed to guests.) Lastly, in Passau, you’ll be able to watch an Introduction wreath demonstration or take a flight to see the landmark Neuschwanstein Citadel, which impressed Walt Disney’s Sleeping Magnificence Citadel at Disneyland Park.
Viking affords Danube Christmas Delights river cruises from late November by mid-December in 2024 and 2025. Fares begin at $2,799 per particular person, primarily based on double occupancy.
Fares embody shore excursions in each port; free Wi-Fi; all meals; beer, wine and mushy drinks with lunch and dinner; port taxes and charges; and visits to UNESCO World Heritage Websites. In choose ports, passengers can join non-compulsory excursions which can be an added value. These may very well be definitely worth the upcharge, relying on the kind of expertise you wish to have.
Greatest for old-world allure: Uniworld’s Belgian Vacation Markets
Vacationers seeking to discover all the Previous World historic allure of Belgium will wish to e book Uniworld’s Belgian Vacation Markets cruise. The seven-night cruise visits Belgium and the Netherlands, with port days in iconic cities like Ghent, Bruges and Antwerp.
The cruise is a closed loop, beginning and ending in Brussels. On day one, take time to discover town by yourself after dropping your baggage off on the ship. Then on day two within the metropolis, take pleasure in all of the chocolate you’ll be able to with a tour and chocolate tasting, plus a go to to the Christmas market. On day three, you may have to resolve whether or not to go to Ghent or Bruges, each of which have lovely structure and a Christmas market and supply alternatives to attempt native meals.
The cruise continues into the Netherlands at Maastricht, the place you’ll be able to discover town and its Christmas market, or head to Aachen, Germany, for festive enjoyable. Alternatively, you’ll be able to go to Valkenburg’s underground Christmas market, positioned inside a cave. The final cease of the cruise is Antwerp, Belgium, the place you’ll be able to take pleasure in a live performance, a beer tasting and time to benefit from the metropolis at your leisure.
Uniworld affords its Belgian Holiday Markets cruise on 4 departure dates from late November by mid-December 2024 (and three December dates in 2025). Fares begin from $3,799 per particular person, primarily based on double occupancy.
The cruise fare consists of premium spirits and wine, entry to bikes and strolling sticks, health courses, Wi-Fi, enrichment lectures, and shore excursions in every port. Onboard gratuities and group transfers to and from the airport are additionally included.
Associated: River cruise packing list: What to pack when traveling by riverboat
Greatest for solo vacationers: Tauck’s Yuletide Spirit
Solo vacationers seeking to take pleasure in a river cruise with out the trouble of a single complement ought to try Tauck’s Christmas market itineraries. On all European river cruises, together with the seven-night Yuletide Spirit: Amsterdam to Brussels cruise, the road waives the single supplement on Class 1 riverview cabins.
In case your cruise begins in Amsterdam, you do not have to be on the ship till 4 p.m. so use the morning to stroll round city or get tickets to tour the Anne Frank Home. In your second day in Amsterdam, go to the Rijksmuseum and take a night canal cruise with the group. Foodies will adore it when the cruise heads to Gouda to discover the historical past of town plus get a tasting of stroopwafels, that are cookie sandwiches invented within the metropolis.
The midpoint of the cruise will carry you to the choice to go to both Ghent, which is without doubt one of the oldest cities in Belgium, or Bruges, recognized for its medieval structure and exquisite canals. The cruise additionally visits Antwerp, the place you’ll be able to discover the varied Christmas markets which can be unfold all through town. Your journey ends in Brussels, with a complete day to discover the lovable squares and charming markets and check out native fare.
Tauck affords 4 December departures of its Yuletide Spirit: Amsterdam to Brussels cruise in 2024 and 2025, that means the final cruise units sail after Christmas. Fares begin at $3,690 for solo vacationers in a Class 1 room, however e book quickly as the only rooms are already promoting out.
Solo vacationers ought to know that these cabins haven’t got a balcony and are the smallest on the riverboat at 150 sq. ft, however you doubtless will not be spending a lot time in your room on this crusing. The cruise fare consists of all gratuities, non-public shore excursions, meals, limitless drinks together with premium spirits, and primary Wi-Fi, plus airport and prepare transfers.
Greatest for an prolonged cruise: Avalon Waterways’ Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine
Vacationers on the lookout for an extended cruise that sails deep into the southern a part of Europe will wish to take into account the Avalon Waterways’ Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine river cruise, which incorporates one evening in Lucerne and three nights in Lake Como. There are additionally Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine itineraries that do not embody the land-based post-cruise days if you’d like a shorter journey.
For the longer 12-night cruise and land-based journey, friends will embark the cruise ship in Amsterdam, the place they will take pleasure in a day of free exploration earlier than boarding the riverboat, adopted by an Amsterdam canal cruise on day two. The cruise then departs for Germany, the place it is possible for you to to discover the Christmas markets in Cologne and Rüdensheim on days three and 4. Day 5 is when vacationers can take pleasure in Mainz and see the Gutenberg Museum or journey additional on a bus to Heidelberg to discover Heidelberg Citadel.
Day six brings the cruise to Strasbourg, France, the place you’ll be able to tour the La Petite France District and wander by the nice and cozy glow of the Christmas market. The cruise then heads again to Germany to go to the Black Forest, the place you’ll be able to find out about native traditions and German winemaking.
The ultimate cease on the cruise is Basel, Switzerland, the place you’ll disembark the ship to take a motor coach tour that begins in Mount Pilates, the place you’ll trip 7,000 ft up the mountain in a gondola for unbelievable views. Your journey continues with a land-based post-cruise bus tour to Italy’s Lake Como on days 9 by 12. You possibly can take a ship trip across the lake, discover town by yourself and marvel on the Duomo.
Avalon Waterways supply its Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine cruise on Dec. 8, 2024. Costs begin at $4,822 per particular person, primarily based on double occupancy.
Fares embody meals, drinks throughout meals and completely satisfied hour, Wi-Fi, a library, excursions, bike leases and a health middle. Gratuity just isn’t included for lodge stays and meals in the course of the land portion of your journey.
Greatest for distinctive locations: AmaWaterways’ Gems of Southeast Europe
Whereas many river cruises traverse the waters round France, Germany and Austria, AmaWaterways‘ Gems of Southeast Europe itinerary takes friends to Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia and Romania. The seven-night cruise sails between Budapest and Giurgiu alongside the Danube River.
In case your crusing begins in Budapest, you may have to arrive a day early should you plan to discover town; the cruise doesn’t supply excursions right here. Your first cease might be Mohacs, the place you’ll be able to benefit from the close by Christmas Markets in Pecs or enterprise to Szekszárd for a wine tasting. Day three is cut up between Vukovar and Novi Unhappy, the place you’ll be able to discover the historic cities and benefit from the vacation cheer with stay music, artisan crafts and pleasant bites of meals.
The cruise continues to Belgrade, the place you’ll be able to wander across the metropolis by yourself, take a hike to Belgrade Fortress or placed on a helmet and take a motorbike trip round city. Day 5 is thrilling for nature fanatics as you sail by The Iron Gates, which is a collection of gorges that mark the border between Serbia and Romania.
The cruise ends in Rousse, the place you’ll be able to enterprise additional into Romania to Bucharest, which is named the “Little Paris of the East” for a metropolis tour and Christmas Market.
AmaWaterways’ Gems of Southeast Europe departs on a number of dates between late November and late December in 2024 (2025 dates run mid-November to mid-December). Fares begin at $2,880 per particular person, primarily based on double occupancy.
Fares embody Wi-Fi, wellness actions, every day leisure and cultural performances, all meals, drinks at lunch and dinner plus a every day cocktail hour, excursions in every vacation spot and entry to educated guides.
Backside line
Should you’ve ever thought-about a Christmas market river cruise, 2024 is the yr to lastly cross the expertise off your bucket listing. Most of the finest river cruise manufacturers and tour firms supply Christmas markets river cruises all through Europe, whether or not you are on the lookout for a family-friendly choice, solo journey sans single complement or a cruise with distinctive locations.
It is most essential to decide on a cruise primarily based on which locations you want to go to and which journey dates and itinerary lengths work together with your schedule. However remember to contemplate the cruise line.
The inclusions on a lot of the river cruises are comparable however can range in scope, comparable to which drinks are included or value further, and what number of complimentary shore excursions you’ll be able to select from. You will additionally wish to take into consideration the general vibe of your journey and what your expectations are, whether or not you are on the lookout for a luxurious journey with extra upscale ships and better service ranges or a extra reasonably priced choice that emphasizes exploring and discovering your personal adventures.
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