Monday, April 1, 2024

12 Holiday Cruises That'll Take You to Christmas Markets Around Europe

christmas market cruise 2024

Beautifully decorated wooden booths are illuminated by the soft glow of Christmas lighting, and the air is filled with the scent of roasted... 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. 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. This morning, after breakfast, join our guided sightseeing tour of the “Pearl of the Romantic Road” with it’s Old Main Bridge, towering fortress and baroque Bishop’s Residence.

Viking River Cruises

christmas market cruise 2024

The “Gingerbread Capital of the World” pulls out all the stops during the holidays, as you’ll see for yourself on a panoramic tour guaranteed to put you in a festive mood. You could not ask for a more perfect place to begin an exploration of Christmas traditions than Nuremberg. There, spread out before the Church of Our Lady, is the largest Christmas Market in Germany. 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. 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.

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

American Queen Voyages Brings European-Style Christmas Markets to Natchez - Travel Agent Central

American Queen Voyages Brings European-Style Christmas Markets to Natchez.

Posted: Fri, 28 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Unlock the allure of a winter wonderland as you embark on a journey to explore the mesmerizing European Christmas markets. Wander through cobblestone streets adorned with twinkling lights, where charming stalls beckon with handcrafted treasures and aromatic delights. Indulge in the festive atmosphere, as the air is filled with laughter and the aroma of mulled wine. From the grandeur of historic cities to the intimacy of quaint villages, each market offers a unique tapestry of traditions and flavors waiting to be discovered.

Christmas Markets

christmas market cruise 2024

The cruise then heads back to Germany to visit the Black Forest, where you can learn about local traditions and German winemaking. Uniworld offers its Belgian Holiday Markets cruise on four departure dates from late November through mid-December 2024 (and three December dates in 2025). What really makes Adventures by Disney stand out is the Adventure Guides, Disney-trained leaders who are experts in each destination. Each Adventure Guide travels with the group throughout the cruise so your family really gets to know them, and they get to know you. As you walk through each town they share the history, culture and legends of the destination.

Included Amenities For All Staterooms and Suites

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. 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. 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.

‘Tis the season to be joyful

Onboard the AmaViola, indulge in exceptional comfort, savor gourmet delights, and partake in festive activities. The midpoint of the cruise will bring you to the decision to visit either Ghent, which is one of the oldest cities in Belgium, or Bruges, known for its medieval architecture and beautiful canals. The cruise also visits Antwerp, where you can explore the various Christmas markets that are spread throughout the city.

Explore More With Pre- and Post- Cruise Extensions

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. In Rüdesheim, you can choose to take part in a coffee and hot chocolate tasting, marvel at one of the largest mechanical music box collections in the world, enjoy a wine tasting or explore the city on your own. The evening is spent sailing through the Rhine Gorge as you pass 30 castles along the shore. Included with the cost of the cruise are all of your meals and most drinks, free Wi-Fi, all onboard activities and port fees. Headsets are also included for excursions if you choose to go with the group for tours rather than venturing off on your own.

Riviera Travel releases festive river cruises for 2024 - Cruise Trade News

Riviera Travel releases festive river cruises for 2024.

Posted: Wed, 02 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Experience More

Many people choose to take the short one hour flight from New York to Toronto to visit the Canadian city’s fantastic Christmas decorations as part of their wider cruise holiday. This morning, you’ll head off to see the Würzburg Residence, a baroque-style palace famous for its gigantic ceiling fresco. Later, visit the town’s renowned Christmas Market, held in front of the old City Hall, for some one-of-a-kind gifts for friends back home.

Great stone walls surrounding the medieval core stand tall, linking towers, bastions, and parapets, and timber-framed houses decked out for the holidays line the narrow cobblestone streets and tiny squares. Walk with a local expert to the magnificent Town Hall, whose Gothic, Renaissance, and baroque features reveal its long history. The Gothic Franciscan Church is revered for its famous Tilman Riemenschneider altarpiece depicting St. Francis receiving the stigmata. A city unlike any other, Prague offers a wonderful addition to your holiday cruise. Wander its old-world streets and enjoy the opportunity to compare the festivities of the classic German Christmas Markets to the unique yuletide traditions of the Czech Republic. 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.

For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the itinerary schedule provided with your final documents.

Watch as modern children abandon their usual electronics and discover the enchantment of hand-carved wooden toys, as scents of cinnamon and roasting nuts fill the air. Glittering cities across France, Germany, Austria and beyond light up with Christmas markets offering hand-carved toys and ornaments. Be sure to get the town's specialty, a steaming bowl of moules frites (mussels with fries), for Christmas lunch. After three days of touring smaller towns, you'll return to Paris, where the Eiffel Tower is visible from the banks of the Seine. Day two will bring you to Rouen, where you are invited to join Christmas Eve dinner and midnight mass.

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. For a holiday extravaganza, look no further than Nuremberg, which boasts the largest and grandest Christmas Market in all of Germany— and that’s really saying something.

This eight-day river cruise through four different countries is geared towards travelers aged 18 to 35. A Christmas market cruises can get you into the winter spirit, provide a relaxing getaway, and offer opportunities for getting one-of-a-kind gifts for friends and family. To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below. Fares include Wi-Fi, wellness activities, daily entertainment and cultural performances, all meals, drinks at lunch and dinner plus a daily cocktail hour, excursions in each destination and access to knowledgeable guides. Day six brings the cruise to Strasbourg, France, where you can tour the La Petite France District and wander through the warm glow of the Christmas market.

Let the enchantment of these markets ignite your holiday spirit, creating cherished memories that will warm your heart for years to come. Those in Toronto know Christmas is coming when the city’s lifesize gingerbread house is put up at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Consisting of almost 9,000 gingerbread bricks, visitors can actually walk through the two-storey gingerbread display and fight the temptation to have a nibble on the walls. Although Toronto cannot be accessed by cruise ship in December, it is an easy ‘add on’ especially if your cruise starts or finishes in New York.

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