Christmas Markets Cruises in Europe

christmas market cruise

Whether you’re travelling with family, friends or by yourself, you’ll find unlimited amounts of festive fun on a Christmas Market cruise. Our travel advisors will ensure that you receive every AmaWaterways river cruise offer that you qualify for, including complimentary shore excursions and beverages. Our travel advisors can also help you book hotel stays at ports on either side of your voyage. Experience Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Germany (including the iconic capital cities of Budapest, Bratislava, and Vienna). Peruse some of the best holiday markets in Europe, including Regensburg and Salzburg.

Why Viking

American Queen Voyages Brings Christmas Markets to Natchez - Cruise Industry News

American Queen Voyages Brings Christmas Markets to Natchez.

Posted: Sat, 29 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Starting in Memphis, the cruise takes guests through towns like Greenville, where the authors of the Muppets grew up, and cities like Vicksburg, with festive holiday shops and décor. After a day at sea, guests will head to Bruges to explore the city's famous Christmas market. The market is filled with festive ice sculptures, horse-drawn carriage rides, and an array of wooden chalets offering dainty ornaments, toys, and more. The Christmas market in Strasbourg, France, is the oldest one in Europe, dating back to 1570, and this four-day cruise from CroisiEurope takes you into the heart of it. Stops along the way include tasting the bredeles — biscruits that are traditionally baked during the holidays — at the Maison du Pain d'Alsace.

Christmas on the Rhine & Moselle

Day two will bring you to Rouen, where you are invited to join Christmas Eve dinner and midnight mass. If you have free time, be sure to stop in at La Couronne, the oldest operating restaurant in France and the place that inspired Julia Child to start cooking. Each ship in the Riverside Luxury Cruises fleet is all-suite and comes with butler service. Ships offer an indoor pool and a Jacuzzi to use before or after your trips ashore. Wander the stalls of the Weinachtsmarkt, brimming with tasty treats and festive handicrafts. Whether you seek natural beauty, storybook castles, or historic medieval villages, here are the reasons why you should choose to join a Rhine River Cruise.

Budapest Christmas markets

Viking offers Danube Christmas Delights river cruises from late November through mid-December in 2024 and 2025. On arrival in Koblenz, located at the confluence of the Rhineand Moselle rivers, we enjoy a guided walking tour of the town'smost famous sights. We see Deutsches Eck where you'll be surroundedby inspiring vistas including the mighty Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.After our tour, there's time to explore at your own pace. You mightlike to visit one of the popular taverns or explore the Christmasmarkets. You'll sail on one of Viking's state-of-the-art Longships which moor in the heart of towns so you're close to all the sights.

Day 7

Back onboard, the ships are beautifully decorated and the daily program will feature special events such as Christmas music performances, tree trimming and cookery demonstrations. Christmas market stops include Nuremberg, where travelers can taste bratwurst and dark beers. The itinerary also offers time to explore medieval towns like Miltenberg, in Germany, and enjoy wines in Austria. These cruise itineraries give you the chance to explore holiday markets dating back to the Middle Ages, and to discover the villages with local treasures like traditional winemaking and artisan crafts. 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. The seven-night cruise sails between Budapest and Giurgiu along the Danube River.

Christmas Markets River Cruise: Christmas on the Rhine with Transcend - Justin Plus Lauren

Christmas Markets River Cruise: Christmas on the Rhine with Transcend.

Posted: Thu, 10 Aug 2023 14:57:43 GMT [source]

Taking place on the cobblestone Vorosmarty Square, this handcrafts-only market is a great place to find one-of-a-kind gifts. With over 150 vendor stalls, Vienna’s Christkindlmarkt takes place in front of its 19th-century town hall. Rooms are filling up fast on this eight-day cruise from Tauck, which takes guests along the Rhine River. The itinerary has several market visits, including Aachen, Rudesheim, Heidelberg, Baden-Baden, Strasbourg, Colmar, and Riquewihr.

AmaWaterways' Gems of Southeast Europe departs on multiple dates between late November and late December in 2024 (2025 dates run mid-November to mid-December). The cruise continues to Belgrade, where you can wander around the city on your own, take a hike to Belgrade Fortress or put on a helmet and take a bike ride around town. Day five is exciting for nature enthusiasts as you sail through The Iron Gates, which is a series of gorges that mark the border between Serbia and Romania. In Budapest, you'll spend two days exploring the city at places like Castle Hill and the Grand Market Hall before shopping and dining at the Christmas market in front of St. Stephen's Basilica. Then in Bratislava, Slovakia, the group will attend an organ concert and shopping at the Old Town Christmas market. Day four brings the group to Mannheim, Germany, where you can enjoy a funicular ride to Heidelberg Castle or tour the town of Baden-Baden where the Christmas market is not to be missed.

Christmas Markets Hours Are Limited, So Plan Your Day Well

In Vienna, you can choose to visit one of the city's 100+ museums or visit the iconic Opera House before heading to the Christmas market for a glass of mulled wine and shopping. 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. Imagine sailing down one of Europe's iconic rivers as picturesque villages, castles and landscapes pass you by, all while twinkling lights from nearby Christmas markets dance on the water.

Do Your Research: Not All Christmas Markets Cruises Are the Same

christmas market cruise

It's most important to choose a cruise based on which destinations you wish to visit and which travel dates and itinerary lengths work with your schedule. If your cruise starts in Amsterdam, you don't have to be on the ship until 4 p.m. So use the morning to walk around town or get tickets to tour the Anne Frank House. On your second day in Amsterdam, visit the Rijksmuseum and take an evening canal cruise with the group. Foodies will love it when the cruise heads to Gouda to explore the history of the city plus get a tasting of stroopwafels, which are cookie sandwiches invented in the city. The cruise fare includes premium spirits and wine, access to bikes and walking sticks, fitness classes, Wi-Fi, enrichment lectures, and shore excursions in each port.

Immerse yourself in the festive spirit of picturesque cities before setting sail, or continue the merriment after disembarking. Our meticulously designed extensions allow you to relish in the holiday splendor, explore charming markets, and create cherished memories that linger far beyond the season. Elevate your yuletide adventure and make your Christmas Market River cruise truly unforgettable by indulging in the beauty and wonder of these captivating destinations. Immerse yourself in the enchanting spirit of the season with our Christmas Market cruise aboard the AmaViola. Set sail on a journey where luxury meets tradition, as you glide through picturesque waterways, adorned with festive lights.

Viking Cruises, a Switzerland-based luxury cruise line, is known for the distinct modern touches it brings to sailings. Considering the capacity of riverboats, which is significantly less than that of oceangoing cruise ships, cabins quickly fill for prime sailings. Booking a year in advance for a Christmas market cruise isn't crazy; it's common (and encouraged). Christmas market cruises, which are offered by a number of river cruise lines, are the perfect way to absorb this special holiday experience. The ships slowly sail from port to port, and market to market, allowing passengers to get a feel for each city's twist on tradition. If you've ever considered a Christmas market river cruise, 2024 is the year to finally cross the experience off your bucket list.

Onboard gratuities and group transfers to and from the airport are also included. The last day in Germany is spent in Cologne, where you can visit the beautiful Christmas markets that dot the city landscape, as well as lace up some skates to glide around an open-air ice rink. The cruise ends in Amsterdam, where you can choose to visit the Rijksmuseum, the Rembrandt House Museum or the Van Gogh Museum, along with taking a scenic canal cruise through the city. The next two days make Strasbourg, France the home port from which you can choose to visit Europa Park in Rust, Germany, or head to Colmar, France, which is famous for its Christmas Markets and Cheese Museum.

Sip on a warming glühwein and enjoy the seasonal festivities of Koblenz’s Christmas market. Don't stay home for the holidays this year; there are so many incredible places to explore, and our array of Christmas and New Year's Vacations can take you there. After breakfast this morning, our cruise comes to an end and wemake our way to the railway station. We continue by rail toBrussels and join the Eurostar to London St Pancras, where ourfestive holiday ends. We leave Rüdesheim behind this morning to set sail for Koblenz.Cruising back through the enchanting Rhine Gorge, we enjoy agingerbread making demonstration in the lounge. The entire city is wrapped in a “Winter Glow” through the festive season and transforms into a festival that celebrates light, Christmas cheer and unforgettable experiences.

To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below. Yes, please keep me updated with the latest special offers, travel inspiration, product updates, and event invites. Berlin hosts more than 60 festive markets and the biggest is in central Potsdamer Platz where there's an open-air skating rink. This cruise also showcases Dresden, known as the "Florence of the Elbe" and Meissen where you'll learn about the city's world-famous porcelain.

These river cruises only run seasonally while the markets are open, so they tend to book up quickly with passengers ranging from older adults to all types of families looking for a winter holiday filled with festive fun. As if never-ending shrimp and beautiful coastlines weren’t enticing enough, cruise lines go all out each winter for holiday celebrations. These special sailings bring cheer to the high seas with seasonal activities, festive decor, and even more delicious treats than usual. This 7-night cruise from Nuremberg to Amsterdam sets sail starting as early as September.

Originating in Germany, dating back to the late Middle Ages, Christmas markets are popular in northern Europe. The cruise ends in Rousse, where you can venture further into Romania to Bucharest, which is known as the "Little Paris of the East" for a city tour and Christmas Market. Keep an eye on your inbox to verify your email, and for exciting offers and news.

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