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Solo travelers should know that these cabins don't have a balcony and are the smallest on the riverboat at 150 square feet, but you likely won't be spending much time in your room on this sailing. The cruise fare includes all gratuities, private shore excursions, meals, unlimited drinks including premium spirits, and basic Wi-Fi, plus airport and train transfers. Viking offers Danube Christmas Delights river cruises from late November through mid-December in 2024 and 2025. You’ll call at Paris, sail through (hopefully!) snow-covered Normandy and admire the fairytale-worthy villages along the way.
Best for old-world charm: Uniworld's Belgian Holiday Markets
As you walk through each town they share the history, culture and legends of the destination. Whether you embark on a river rendezvous or sail the seas, cruises are a perfect way to spark romance and create memories that will last a lifetime. Sample a taste of the Danube with Amadeus on a seven-day cruise departing round-trip from Passau and calling in Linz, Emmersdorf, Durnstein, Vienna and Bratislava. Enjoy Christmas stories, decorating the Christmas tree and a joyous celebration on board. As for New Year cruises, there’s six-day New Year on the Rhine with guided tours of Rüdesheim, Frankfurt, Koblenz and Cologne; and six-day New Year on the Danube including guided tours of Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna and Schönbrunn Palace. Bringing the right clothing for your trip is important – we've partnered with New Headings who provide an "easy-to-use, one-stop shop" for your Tauck travel needs, specifically selected for this trip.
Christmas talesAmadeus River Cruises
The seven-night cruise sails between Budapest and Giurgiu along the Danube River. There are also Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine itineraries that don't include the land-based post-cruise days if you want a shorter trip. Here, we list the eight best Christmas markets river cruises to take in 2024, along with tips to get the most out of each sailing and highlights not to miss. Christmas cruise holidays evoke sparkling city lights, steaming mugs of hot chocolate on deck gazing out at the beautiful scenery and stocking up on festive goodies at some of Europe’s most famous Christmas markets.
Planning Your 2023 Christmas Market Cruise
Sail along the scenic Danube and see stunning landscapes unfurl as you pass quaint towns. Originating in Germany, dating back to the late Middle Ages, Christmas markets are popular in northern Europe. Another highlight of the cruise is Krems, where the group will visit Göttweig Abbey and get exclusive access to the chapel in the inner courtyard to see the nativity scene. Become the first to know about win-a-cruise competitions, on-trend vacation inspo and don’t-miss travel advice from the experts.
Best for families: Adventures by Disney's Rhine River Christmas Markets Cruise
Embrace the magic of the holiday season aboard a Christmas market river cruise as you discover the Christmas markets in Germany and Austria and participate in age-old holiday traditions aboard your cruise along the Rhine and Danube rivers. More days means more to discover, with extension packages you can add before or after your Viking cruise or cruisetour. Enjoy additional days to explore your embarkation or disembarkation city, or see a new destination altogether with a choice of exciting cities.Pre & Post Cruise Extensions vary by itinerary and are subject to change. While many river cruises traverse the waters around France, Germany and Austria, AmaWaterways' Gems of Southeast Europe itinerary takes guests to Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia and Romania.
For those interested in wine, Krems is a must-see destination known for some of the best wines in the country. Before departing from Passau, be sure to explore the Christmas market as well as St. Stephen's Cathedral to see the impressive organ, which is the biggest cathedral organ in the world with almost 18,000 pipes. MSC Cruises is offering a raft of Northern European itineraries onboard MSC Euribia from Southampton. Prices include all meals, wine with lunch and dinner, onboard entertainment, complimentary use of onboard bicycles and port taxes. Prices include all meals and drinks, onboard entertainment, Christmas Eve dinner with cocktails and wine, Christmas presents and port fees. Download the details to make planning your trip easier - including an itinerary overview, pricing based on your selected departure date and accommodations, plus protection plan costs.
Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the ship for the duration of your cruise. As the evening light fades, amble back on board to enjoy a sumptuous dinner in the ship’s excellent restaurant. To really get in the Christmas mood, nothing beats waking up on board to find you’re already cruising through an entrancing winter wonderland. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning and relax while a kaleidoscope of riverside views drifts by in all their seasonal glory.
Viking Announces New River Cruise and Christmas Market Departures - Cruise Industry News
Viking Announces New River Cruise and Christmas Market Departures.
Posted: Mon, 29 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour. The deposit and the fees for the optional Protection Plan or Cancel Fee Waiver [CFW] coverage are due at time of booking. You will be issued a boarding card, which you must present before embarking the ship in each port. As night falls, a sumptuous dinner is followed by an on-board classical music concert - the perfect finale to this memorable Christmas cruise through the romantic River Rhine. Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt is the quintessential German Christmas market to visit.
This morning we cruise gently upstream, passing through two spectacular locks, whose elaborate engineering never ceases to fascinate. After breakfast why not find a comfortable chair in the lounge and enjoy a relaxing morning – the perfect start to Christmas Day. For this special day, we’re on our way to Strasbourg, hailed the capital of Christmas. During its history, Strasbourg has been both German and French, and you see the influences of both in its language, cuisine and appearance, creating a truly individual ambience.
From exploring idyllic cities and tasting local specialties to shopping for unique gifts and enjoying festive onboard activities, these cruises create unforgettable memories. Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is amongst the most beautiful cities to visit during the Christmas season. With fairy lights draped around Christmas trees and market stalls selling traditional wooden toys and decorations, it creates a magical atmosphere. Visitors can also enjoy delicious food and drinks from these stalls, including specialties like pancakes, sausages, and cakes. Available rooms on the Christmas on the Rhine cruise start at $2,299 and at $2,499 for Christmas on the Danube, per person based on double occupancy, though prices may vary depending on the dates.
We wanted them to travel Europe's rivers in the same beyond-the-ordinary Tauck style they experienced on our land trips. With that in mind, we searched to find a company to partner with that would share our values and our commitment to "do the right thing" by our guests... Together, we crafted a river cruise experience that was ahead of its time and inspired by the destinations we explore.
Within the first 10 days after you place your initial deposit, you may cancel your reservation for any reason with no cancellation fees. We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your cabin while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents or cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.
In every stop on your Christmas Markets cruise along the Rhine or Danube, you'll enjoy all the magic of your destination's holiday markets, each of which has taken on a distinctive character of its own over the centuries. You'll discover those local traditions… like the hot mulled wine known as glühwein, served in collectible mugs unique to each market… that have caught on to become an indispensable part of the holiday celebration. And on our Rhine Christmas Markets cruise, you'll experience some special holiday magic on an exclusive visit to the Thurn und Taxis family's Palace of St. Emmeram in Regensburg.
On day one, take time to explore the city on your own after dropping your luggage off at the ship. Then on day two in the city, enjoy all the chocolate you can with a tour and chocolate tasting, plus a visit to the Christmas market. On day three, you'll need to decide whether to visit Ghent or Bruges, both of which have beautiful architecture and a Christmas market and offer opportunities to try local food. The inclusions on most of the river cruises are similar but can vary in scope, such as which drinks are included or cost extra, and how many complimentary shore excursions you can choose from.
Forest-covered hillsides dominate the skyline, whilst the lower slopes are strewn with the pretty, half-timbered buildings so typical of the Rhineland. Koblenz is also known for the Deutches Eck, translating as German Corner, a point between the Rhine and Moselle with a spectacular view. Enjoy a guided tour, seeing the principal monuments, discovering ancient squares, admiring beautifully restored historic house frontages and quaint hidden passageways.
