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“A River Danube river cruise is the perfect example where the stops might include Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. All of these incredible festive destinations have the most fantastic Christmas market programmes. These include floating market stalls in The Netherlands and the opportunity to experience a walk back in time to a Victorian Christmas in California. Explore Cologne’s seasonal holiday markets and shop for colorful gifts, arts and crafts.
Christmas Markets
“Few people realise though that a Christmas markets cruise can be a very effective way of visiting some of the hardest to reach markets. If your cruise package includes a group departure transfer or if you have purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to the Nuremberg International Airport for your flight home. If your cruise package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship. If your cruise package includes a group departure transfer or if you have purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to the Frankfurt International Airport for your flight home.
Bonus: Memphis to New Orleans Holiday Christmas Markets Cruise (American Queen Steamboat Company)
The river cruise starts in Paris, where you can spend the day exploring the city, seeing the Christmas markets in Montmartre or Saint Germain or shopping for high-end gifts along the Champs-Élysées before the 5 p.m. 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. Even if you don’t go on a Christmas markets cruise, Europe is hands down one of the best winter cruise destinations. It’s cold outside but cozy inside, and the charming historic city centers are decorated with Christmas lights and sumptuous holiday ornaments. 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.
Best for families: Adventures by Disney's Rhine River Christmas Markets Cruise
This is a leisurely paced itinerary and is full of cultural and interesting sightseeing and some free time to relax. Some excursion days may include reasonably early starts, some longer coach travel and possibly walking over uneven terrain. The American Queen Steamboat Company offers a Christmas-market itinerary with a nine-day cruise from Memphis to New Orleans.
The city’s central square comes alive with wooden market stalls plus a massive Christmas tree. Santa Claus also keeps a house here where children can drop off their letters to the good Saint in the run up to Christmas. Cruise ships stop in Puerto Montt which is circa 3 hours away from Bariloche by coach. Whilst the excursion is longer than most, the views of the mountain landscapes, alpine lakes, fjords and glaciers along the route make the journey very worthwhile. Vilshofen on the River Danube is perhaps the perfect stop for any Christmas river cruise due to the fact that the main venue for this market is actually afloat! Housed within a large three storeyriver barge, this incredible market is adorned with a huge Christmas tree and thousands of lights and baubles.
A cruise for those wanting to experience the quintessential magic of the holidays.
However, just like each Christmas market has its own vibe and style, each cruise line will offer a different itinerary. We recommend taking some time to do research and pick the itinerary and cruise line that makes the most sense for you. Sample favorite Bavarian fare including bratwurst, gingerbread, mulled blueberry wine, and countless other Christkindlmarkt culinary delights. After sampling gingerbread beer in Wurzburg, guests will make their way to Wertheim to explore the glasswork and wines that line the stalls of its Market Square. Hit all the top spots on Crystal Cruises' Grand European Christmas Markets cruise, which takes travelers through Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands during a 16-day trip.
Day 13
Are you ready to step onboard our private, chartered ship with the women of Sisterhood Travels? Imagine the extraordinary bonds and lifelong friendships that will be made as we journey together on our exciting Christmas Markets Land and River Cruise. Wander the stalls of the Weinachtsmarkt, brimming with tasty treats and festive handicrafts. We'll keep you up-to-date with our latest news, travel inspiration and special promotions. 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. 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.
Snack Your Way Through Christmas Markets and Indulge in Local Specialties
Beautifully decorated wooden booths are illuminated by the soft glow of Christmas lighting, and the air is filled with the scent of roasted chestnuts and the sound of Christmas carols. One of the best ways to embrace a different culture is through encounters with local residents, which you’ll experience this afternoon in a typical Franconian village. Beautiful at any time, Nuremberg’s Old Town is especially magical when dressed in all of its holiday splendor.
Treasure the magic of Europe's Christmas Markets along the Rhine or Danube
Your first stop will be Mohacs, where you can enjoy the nearby Christmas Markets in Pecs or venture to Szekszárd for a wine tasting. Day three is split between Vukovar and Novi Sad, where you can explore the historic towns and enjoy the holiday cheer with live music, artisan crafts and delightful bites of food. 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.
Although more of a common sight in Britain, a Victorian Christmas has made its way to the west coast of America, with a Charles Dickens theme to it. The Dickens Fair offers visitors a step back in time with theatres, pubs, shops, stalls and music halls. With regular entertainment shows acting out Dickens’ stories, the Fair is a wonderful place to experience a Victorian-themed Christmas. Located less than 10 miles from San Francisco’s main cruise terminal at the unusually named ‘Historic Cow Palace’, this annual event opens in late November and is open every weekend until the end of December. Given that many cruises start and finish in San Francisco at this time of year, this is one attraction that should not be missed. Easily reached from the ports of Antwerp and Amsterdam, Leiden’s famous floating Christmas market is consistently rated one of the world’s best.
When we began blending our land experience with our strong passion for cruising in our first European river cruise back in 1992, we knew that no "ordinary" river cruise experience would do for our guests. 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...
The year ahead for ... river cruising - Travel Weekly
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The cruise also includes several wine tastings, and a tour of Nuremberg's Old Town, which becomes illuminated with festive lights and bustling stalls during the holidays. Visiting a Christmas market wearing shorts instead of coats and flip flops instead of gloves does not conjure up the normal image of Christmas. Bondi Beach is easily accessed from Sydney’s main cruise terminal at Circular Quay in downtown Sydney. Christmas markets can also be found at ‘The Rocks’ at weekends (a short walk from the cruise terminal) or at Martin’s Place in the city centre. France is known for some of the most photogenic Christmas markets in Europe, and you have the chance to see some of them on a five-night Christmas in the Seine Valley river cruise with CroisiEurope Cruises. 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.
A Viking Christmas Market Cruise: Everything You Need to Know - CruiseCritic.co.uk
A Viking Christmas Market Cruise: Everything You Need to Know.
Posted: Mon, 02 Oct 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. Though most of Avalon Waterways' Christmas-themed cruises for the year have sold out, travelers can still snag a room on this nine-day river cruise from Vienne to Prague on the Danube. The trip begins and ends in Paris, traveling through Northern France with stops at Christmas markets in Rouen and at the Champs-Élysées. Each holiday season, the streets of Rouen come alive with holiday lights and street performers. This 14-night cruise takes travelers through five different countries, through medieval towns and to Europe's countryside.
