A Viking Christmas Market Cruise

what is the best christmas market river cruise

Ships offer an indoor pool and a Jacuzzi to use before or after your trips ashore. Generally, the Christmas markets open in midmorning, anywhere from 9 to 10 a.m., and close between 8 p.m. Every Christmas market is different in the overall vibe and what it has to offer for visitors. Do some research before you leave home to see what the highlight of each Christmas market is.

what is the best christmas market river cruise

Holiday Magic: Danube Family River Cruise

The drink is normally served in cute mugs that you can keep as a fun and cheap souvenir. If you don't want to keep your mug, you can return it and get back a euro or two. Before you cruise, make a list of regional foods you wish to try in each market. Once at the market, look around to see which food stands are popular with locals. On my Viking cruise, we were told that some markets are starting to sell mass-produced goods from China.

Day 5: Rudesheim-Rhine and Koblenz

This site focuses on small-format cruises and ship-within-a-ship concepts on large cruise ships, including special cruise experiences you can enjoy during your next vacation. Truly they are so successful in Europe that most cities that have one no matter how big or small do a great job. Even small cities along the Danube River, like Passau where three rivers converge, have great holiday markets. If you're going on a river cruise during December because you want to experience the Christmas Markets, make sure that your cruise starts during the first two and a half weeks of December.

But Save Some Spending Money for Later Christmas Market Ports

Uniworld offers its Belgian Holiday Markets cruise on four departure dates from late November through mid-December 2024 (and three December dates in 2025). Spend Christmas Day in Honfleur, one of the cutest cities on the voyage. Be sure to get the town's specialty, a steaming bowl of moules frites (mussels with fries), for Christmas lunch.

Canada's Capital Cities plus Niagara Falls

But if you want a Christmas cruise that hits all the highlights, you can’t go wrong with a Danube River cruise. Itineraries vary between cruise lines, but most call on top destinations like Vienna and Budapest. Walking around the beautifully decorated markets with family, friends, or as a solo traveler, and trying all the delicious treats on offer is perfect for those wanting something different to your average vacation. We currently offer two Christmas Market cruises, which give the chance to see exciting cities and towns along the Rhine or the Danube, while you explore and shop for that perfect yuletide souvenir. Already a classic river cruise destination, the Hungarian capital Budapest -- divided into Buda and Pest by the Danube River -- is particularly beautiful during the Christmas market season. The two largest Christmas markets take place on the Pest side, and both could double as a foodie tour of Hungary with the amount of local eats on offer.

Our festive river cruises

All ingredients will be sourced from within 250 miles of the ship's route. A naturalist, historian and geologist will be on hand to guide you on excursions by foot, kayak, Zodiac and jet boat. Launched in 2022, it's currently the largest river ship in the U.S. and features three restaurants and an aft infinity pool.

The markets feature a different feel depending on whether you visit during the day or at night. The bustling European Christmas markets offer a mix of rides and attractions, and they’re not just for the kids. We saw carousels at pretty much every one of the larger markets that we visited. Plus, you might find cute little train tracks (perfect for the kiddos) or even a Ferris wheel. Regensburg’s Christmas market is held in the Thurn and Taxis Palace, a former Benedictine monastery. The palace, which dates back to the 19th century, provides the perfect backdrop for the market’s 150+ vendors.

Cologne, Germany: Best European Christmas Market for Rhine Views

If your ship has a plunge or spa pool on the top deck, don’t forget your swimmers. European river cruises offer year-round adventures, from autumn hues along the Douro River to Christmas markets in winter. This warm holiday spirit flows throughout the towns and cities, as visitors and residents descend upon beautifully decorated town squares to celebrate. There are carousel and train rides, delicious foods, holiday-themed drinks and hand-made ornaments and other crafts that make delightful Christmas gifts. This 7-night itinerary takes travelers on a journey down the Rhine, stopping at several must-see Christmas markets along the way, including Cologne and Heidelberg.

The Ultimate Guide to Christmas Markets on a River Cruise

Six of the best Christmas market cruises - - Cruise Adviser

Six of the best Christmas market cruises -.

Posted: Thu, 14 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]

If you’re planning on going on a Royal Caribbean, Norwegian or a Carnival holiday cruise to the Caribbean, chances are you’ll be departing from the Sunshine State. While cruising, you'll enjoy nightly entertainment that celebrates the region's musical heritage. American Cruise Lines offers this itinerary on four ships from April to October 2024, 2025 and 2026.

On the Pacific end of your voyage, you'll visit Astoria, Oregon — the oldest American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. This coastal city at the mouth of the Columbia River is known for its Victorian homes, wineries, brew pubs, and Lewis and Clark heritage. Next, from Kalama, Washington, you can join an excursion to visit the remnants of the area around Mount St. Helens, which suffered a devastating eruption in 1980. We walked a short distance from the boat, through the pretty, winding alleyways up to the Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum to see and hear instruments from eras passed. We then enjoyed the lovely Christmas market and dined on potato soup in bread bowls – a departure from typical Christmas market food.

These shorter cruises are great if you'd like to spend a few days in Paris before stepping onto the cruise ship and sailing to three other beautiful towns. Avalon Waterways offers a more affordable way to see the Christmas markets, with cruises starting at $2,167 for six days of traveling from Budapest to Vienna. CroisiEurope cruises are also more affordable and offer closed-loop cruises where you start and end in the same destination, which is not something that most other river cruise lines offer for Christmas market cruises. Although holiday river cruises are offered right through until January 1, Europe’s fabled Christmas Markets typically open around November 25 and stay operational until December 23 or 24th. It’s the sailings that fall within these dates that can offer a truly one-of-a-kind experience along the waterways of Europe. The transformation between the summer months to winter is remarkable, as cities like Vienna, Strasbourg and Cologne take on an entirely different look and feel during the run-up to the Christmas holidays.

The Christmas on the Danube sailing runs between Budapest and Regensburg, with the chance to see the Hungarian and Austrian capitals. Germany is the undisputed heartland of Europe's festive holiday market scene and Cologne is undoubtedly among the best European Christmas market destinations. It has seven holiday markets in total, with the most famous held against the magnificent backdrop of the city's UNESCO-listed Gothic cathedral.

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