The 8 finest Christmas market river cruises for 2024

Think about crusing down one in all 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 would possibly sound like a fairy story, it may be a actuality on a Christmas market river cruise.

From late November by December yearly, most river cruise corporations with Europe-based ships take excited passengers to idyllic cities to study Christmas traditions, store at native Christmas markets and take a look at 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 kinds of households in search of a winter vacation stuffed with festive enjoyable.

Right here, we listing the eight finest Christmas markets river cruises to soak up 2024 and 2025, together with tricks to get probably the most out of every crusing and highlights to not miss.

Finest for brief cruises: Riverside Luxurious Cruises’ Christmas on the Danube

In the event you’re in search of a brief crusing to tack onto the start or finish of a visit, Riverside Luxurious Cruises provides a number of three- and four-night Danube River itineraries into and out of Vienna, Austria. Nearly all of the road’s four-night Dreaming of Christmas on the Danube sailings is spent in Austria, with port days in Vienna, Krems, Mauthausen and Linz earlier than a remaining day in Passau, Germany.

In Vienna, you’ll be able to go to one of many metropolis’s 100-plus museums or the enduring Opera Home earlier than heading to the Christmas marketplace for a glass of mulled wine and buying. For these enthusiastic about wine, Krems is a must-see vacation spot recognized for a number of the finest wines within the nation. Mauthausen brings a sobering cease; it was house to Austria’s largest focus camp in World Battle II. Linz is understood for its historic previous city and foremost sq., in addition to its jammy deal with, the Linzer torte.

In Passau, you should definitely discover the Christmas market, however do not miss St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Its spectacular organ is the most important cathedral organ on the earth, with nearly 18,000 pipes.

Every Riverside Luxurious Cruises ship is all-suite and comes with butler service. Vessels additionally function an indoor pool and a Jacuzzi to be used earlier than or after journeys ashore.

Associated: Finest river cruises in Europe

Riverside Luxurious Cruises’ Dreaming of Christmas on the Danube cruises depart in late November and December in 2024 and 2025. Fares begin at $1,732 per particular person, based mostly on double occupancy.

Your cruise fare consists of all meals, one tour per vacation spot, gratuities, Wi-Fi, butler service and transfers. Alcoholic drinks are solely included with the Premium All-Inclusive Package deal, which you’ll be able to choose at reserving.

Finest for Francophiles: CroisiEurope’s Christmas within the Seine Valley

France is understood for a number of the most photogenic Christmas markets in Europe, and you’ve got the prospect 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 just a few days in Paris earlier than stepping onto the cruise ship and crusing to a few 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 purchasing for high-end items alongside the Champs-Elysees earlier than the 5 p.m. all-aboard time.

Day two will deliver you to Rouen, the place you might be invited to affix Christmas Eve dinner and midnight Mass. You may additionally get to see extra of Rouen on day 4 with a guided tour. If in case you have free time, you should definitely cease in at La Couronne, the oldest working restaurant in France and the place that impressed Julia Little one to begin cooking.

Spend Christmas Day in Honfleur, one of many cutest cities on the voyage. Make sure you 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 within the Seine Valley cruise departs Dec. 23 in 2024 and 2025. Fares begin at $1,560 per particular person, based mostly on double occupancy.

Your whole meals and most drinks, free Wi-Fi, all onboard actions and port charges are included in the price of the cruise. Headsets are additionally included for excursions for those who select to go along with the group for excursions reasonably than venturing off by yourself.

Associated: Finest river cruise strains world wide

Finest for households: Adventures by Disney’s Rhine River Christmas Markets

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 affix, although Disney’s advised age is 8 or older.

What actually makes Adventures by Disney stand out is the Journey Guides, Disney-trained leaders who’re specialists 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, and so they get to know you. This permits them to make personalised 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. You may then go to Breisach, Germany, the house port from which you’ll be able to select to go to Europa Park in Rust, Germany, or head to Colmar, France, which is legendary for its Christmas markets and the Cheese Museum. You may have the following day to take pleasure in Strasbourg, France, by way of boat and vacationer practice rides.

Day 4 brings the group to Mannheim, Germany, the place you’ll be able to take pleasure in a funicular trip to Heidelberg Fort or go ice skating at Heidelberg’s Christmas market.

In Rüdesheim, you’ll be able to participate in a espresso and sizzling chocolate tasting, marvel at one of many largest mechanical music field collections on the earth, take pleasure in a wine tasting or discover town by yourself. You may spend the night crusing by the Rhine Gorge, passing 30 castles alongside the shore.

The final day in Germany is spent in Cologne, the place you’ll be able to go to the gorgeous 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 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 $8,299 per grownup and $7,499 per baby beneath 11, based mostly on double occupancy. Plan forward for higher charges. Fares for the Dec. 18, 2025, cruise begin at $6,599 per grownup and $5,899 per baby beneath 11.

Fares for the once-a-year cruise embrace 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 workers and Journey Guides, and onboard leisure.

Associated: Are European river cruises proper for households?

Finest 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 international locations: Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Germany. The journey combines alternatives to discover the ports of name with lectures and cultural performances on board the ship.

In Budapest, you may spend two days exploring town at locations like Fort Hill and the Grand Market Corridor earlier than buying 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 store on the Previous City Christmas market.

In Vienna, the entire metropolis comes alive with lights and a festive spirit. One factor to not miss right here is the extra-charge tour to an area vineyard, the place you’ll have fun the 12 months’s harvest and classic.

One other spotlight of the cruise is Krems, the place the group will go to Gottweig Abbey and get unique entry to the chapel within the interior courtyard to see the Nativity scene. (The chapel is often closed to guests.) Lastly, in Passau, you’ll be able to watch an Creation wreath demonstration or take a flight to see the landmark Neuschwanstein Fort, which impressed Walt Disney’s Sleeping Magnificence Fort at Disneyland Park.

Viking provides Danube Christmas Delights river cruises from late November by mid-December in 2024 and 2025. Fares begin at $2,799 per particular person, based mostly on double occupancy.

Fares embrace 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 optionally available excursions which are an added price. These might be well worth the upcharge, relying on the kind of expertise you wish to have.

Finest 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. On day two, you may must resolve whether or not to go to Ghent or Bruges, each of which have lovely structure, a Christmas market and supply alternatives to strive native meals.

The cruise continues to Hasselt, the place you’ll be able to take a guided strolling tour of town or head to the French-speaking city of Liege, which hosts the oldest Christmas market in Belgium. Day 5 brings you to Maastricht within the Netherlands, 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 next day in Antwerp, Belgium, you’ll be able to take pleasure in a live performance, a strolling tour and time to benefit from the metropolis at your leisure. Then it is again to Brussels for a full day within the metropolis, the place you’ll be able to bask in your favourite vices with metropolis excursions that embrace chocolate tastings or a visit to the Belgian Beer Museum, plus a go to to the Christmas market.

Uniworld provides its Belgian Vacation Markets cruise on 4 departure dates from late November by mid-December 2024 (and three December dates in 2025). Fares begin from $3,999 per particular person in 2024, based mostly on double occupancy, and $3,689 in 2025.

The cruise fare consists of premium spirits and wine, entry to bikes and strolling sticks, health lessons, Wi-Fi, enrichment lectures and shore excursions in every port. Onboard gratuities and group transfers to and from the airport are additionally included.

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Finest for solo vacationers: Tauck’s Yuletide Spirit

Solo vacationers seeking to take pleasure in a river cruise with out the effort of a single complement ought to take a look at 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 only complement on Class 1 river-view 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 like 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 deliver you to the choice to go to both Ghent, which is likely 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 are unfold all through town. Your journey ends in Brussels, with a complete day to discover the lovable squares and charming markets and take a look at native fare.

Tauck provides 4 December departures of its Yuletide Spirit: Amsterdam to Brussels cruise in 2024 and 2025, that means the final cruise units sail after Christmas. The 2024 sailings are both fully bought out or have restricted availability; fares for 2025 cruises begin at $4,190 for solo vacationers in a Class 1 room, however the majority of these cabins are booked. Your finest wager is to attend for Tauck to announce its 2026 departures and e book these fashionable river-view rooms as quickly as they grow to be out there.

Solo vacationers ought to know that these cabins haven’t got a balcony and are the smallest on the riverboat at 150 sq. toes, however you seemingly will not be spending a lot time in your room on this crusing. The cruise fare consists of all gratuities, personal shore excursions, meals, limitless drinks together with premium spirits and fundamental Wi-Fi, plus airport and practice transfers.

Finest for an prolonged cruise: Avalon Waterways’ Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine

Vacationers in search of an extended cruise that sails deep into the southern a part of Europe will wish to take into account Avalon Waterways’ Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine river cruise, which incorporates one night time in Lucerne and three nights in Lake Como paired with a weeklong crusing. In the event you choose a shorter journey, various Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine itineraries do not embrace the land-based post-cruise days.

For the longer 12-night cruise and land-based journey, your journey will start with a three-night, precruise bus tour to Italy’s Lake Como. You possibly can take a ship trip across the lake, discover town by yourself and marvel on the Duomo. You may then have a day within the lovely metropolis of Lucerne. Journey to Mount Pilates, the place you’ll trip 7,000 toes up the mountain in a gondola for unimaginable views earlier than persevering with on to Basel, Switzerland, to board your river ship.

Your first cease might be in Germany to go to the Black Forest, the place you’ll be able to study native traditions and German winemaking. The subsequent day 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.

Again in Germany, vacationers can take pleasure in Mainz and see the Gutenberg Museum or journey farther on a bus to Heidelberg to discover Heidelberg Fort. Peruse the Christmas markets in Cologne and Rudensheim through the days that observe. The final cease is Amsterdam, the place you’ll be able to take pleasure in an Amsterdam canal cruise on day two or an optionally available tour to Zaanse Schans for scenic views of historic windmills and Dutch homes.

Avalon Waterways provides its Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine cruise Dec. 8, 2024. Costs begin at $4,958 per particular person, based mostly on double occupancy. You will not discover a 2025 choice, however in 2026, two departures on Nov. 20 and Dec. 4 supply beginning charges of $5,379 per particular person.

Fares embrace meals, drinks throughout meals and blissful hour, Wi-Fi, a library, excursions, bike leases and a health heart. Gratuity just isn’t included for lodge stays and meals through the land portion of your journey.

Finest 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 company 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 must arrive a day early for those who 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 Szekszard 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 sequence of gorges that mark the border between Serbia and Romania.

The ultimate cease is Rousse, the place you’ll be able to enterprise farther into Romania to Bucharest, which is called 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 mid-November and late December in 2024 (2025 dates run mid-November to mid-December). Fares begin at $2,723 per particular person, based mostly on double occupancy, in 2024, with 2025 fares beginning at $3,939.

Fares embrace Wi-Fi, wellness actions, day by day leisure and cultural performances, all meals, drinks at lunch and dinner, plus a day by day cocktail hour, excursions in every vacation spot and entry to educated guides.

Backside line

In the event you’ve ever thought-about a Christmas market river cruise, now could be the time to lastly cross the expertise off your bucket listing. Lots of the finest river cruise manufacturers and tour corporations supply Christmas markets river cruises all through Europe, whether or not you are in search of a family-friendly choice, solo journey sans single complement or a cruise with distinctive locations.

It is most necessary to decide on a cruise based mostly on which locations you want to go to and which journey dates and itinerary lengths work together with your schedule. However do not forget to contemplate the cruise line.

The inclusions on many of the river cruises are related however can differ in scope, comparable to which drinks are included or price additional and what number of complimentary shore excursions you’ll be able to select from. You may additionally wish to take into consideration the general vibe of your journey and what your expectations are, whether or not you are in search of 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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