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For example, if you’re an art lover and want to spend a full day exploring the Louvre, the ship’s one-hour walking tour will be a disappointment, no matter how great it is. Sometimes it’s smarter to book an independent tour or go as you please for the day. No matter what line you sail on, river cruise cabins tend to be smaller than those you’ll find on ocean-going ships.
Day 5: Rudesheim-Rhine and Koblenz
Festive Season: Cruising to Europe's Best Christmas Markets - Luxury Travel Advisor
Festive Season: Cruising to Europe's Best Christmas Markets.
Posted: Mon, 24 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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). 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. Most of the larger markets, like the ones in Bratislava and Budapest, have live music playing from a bandstand that you can enjoy. In Budapest, the market near St. Stephen's Basilica had a projection show on the exterior of the church, too. Here are my favorite sweet and savory treats from each Christmas market I visited on my Viking cruise.
Photo-Worthy Wooden Vendor Stalls or Kiosks
The town center is within walking distance of the ship, as is the Christmas market. We’ve done more than half a dozen Christmas Markets cruises, and we’d assign a 50/50 chance of seeing snow on any given cruise. If you love the holiday season and want to make the most of this time, opt for a cruise that encompasses both Christmas and New Year's celebrations. There are 10-day cruises that catch both December 25 and January 1 in almost every region of the globe, including the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Asia. Some far-flung destinations will have celebrations and decorations, while others (like those in Asia) may have little or no sign of the holidays. Either way, you'll find celebrations onboard and lots of relaxation, away from the cold.
The Sun Sets Early During Winter in Europe
For us here at River Cruise Advisor, this remains our favorite time of year to travel to Europe. You will also find the holiday spirit in abundance in the ports of call, making this one of the best winter cruises for those who enjoy the season. Unless you sail with an adult-only cruise line, there will be lots of children onboard due to having off from school. You can avoid some of the crowds by sailing earlier in December, when prices are also lower. Count on holiday decor for Christmas and Hanukkah throughout the ship plus traditional meals and treats served onboard. Holiday sailings to the Caribbean are popular choices for cruisers, and a wide range of lines offer December cruises from Florida.
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For some river cruises, the embarkation port is just that, a place to get on the ship and leave. If you arrive the day your cruise begins, you could miss out on exploring the city. Because of the short season for Christmas market river cruises, getting a deal can prove to be a challenge.
Europe in the winter can be as exhilarating as it is cold (more on the weather in a moment). Squares are lit up with decorations, a light dusting of snow may cover the ground, and the Christmas markets are in full swing. And, as luck might have it, river cruise lines have been operating voyages through Europe in the winter months, dubbed Christmas Markets voyages. As with sailings at any other time of the year, a holiday cruise can be as rowdy or as mellow as you wish, but be warned that most cruise lines go all out for the end-of-year cruising crew. This means that even if each cruise line has its own dress code and vibe, as a rule of thumb, plan to join the festivities donning your smartest attire -- especially if you’re spending New Year’s Eve onboard.
American Cruise Lines' 8-night Music Cities Cruise
The standard of dress on river ships tends to be more relaxed, even when you’re sailing with the same cruise line. For example, on my Viking River sailing in Portugal, most of the gents wore polo shirts to dinner, but long-sleeved collared shirts and dressy slacks were the norm on my Viking Ocean cruise. I’m convinced that this is the absolute best way to thoroughly enjoy the Christmas Markets. As I mentioned, we went with new cruise line Transcend Cruises on our trip in Germany. I also have cruise on a Viking Christmas Markets river cruise on the Danube, and most other river cruise companies feature fantastic Christmas river cruise programs.
You'll have your choice of the full spectrum of European river cruise lines here. The largest Christmas market on the Pest side takes place at Vorosmarty Square, which is considered one of the best Christmas markets in Europe and has more than 100 stalls, a giant tree and nativity scenes. The market on St. Stephen's Square, also on the Pest side, specializes in crafts made by skilled local artisans. If you're after something more local, you can also hop the river to the Buda side of the city to visit the Obuda Christmas Market. Book a late fall cruise along the Danube if you'd like to visit Vienna's Christmas markets. Nuremberg is a tour stop on many Danube River cruises and some itineraries that include the Rhine River.
Cruises in the Caribbean and Mexico: Holiday Cruises to Skip the Cold
Holiday sailings to the Caribbean also vary in length, from quick four-day itineraries to the Bahamas to 10-day cruises around the Eastern Caribbean. The outdoor markets themselves include a variety of handmade items, as well as an abundance of food and beverages. The atmosphere is far more relaxed and congenial than your average crowded shopping center at home, making it easy to shed the holiday stress and slip into a jolly attitude. Whether you need a break from festive overkill or are contemplating a new family travel tradition, a Christmas cruise or Hanukkah cruise may be exactly what you need.
The best way to ensure you get the type of cabin and sailing date that you want is to book early. The travel season in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia is in full swing in December, so it's easy to find yourself on a beach in Bali, far from the last-minute holiday frenzy. Some of the best cruises in December for those who want to escape the more traditional seasonal festivities involve beaches a little farther from home. From Memphis blues and Elvis Presley's "Blue Suede Shoes" to Kentucky bluegrass and New Orleans jazz, American Cruise Lines' eight-night Music Cities Cruise sails you through a chronology of the U.S. music scene. You'll traverse three rivers (the Mississippi, Ohio and Cumberland) en route from Memphis to Nashville, or vice versa.
Rising in the Czech Republic and flowing through Germany, the cruise is book-ended by overnight moorings in the respective capital cities of Prague and Berlin. Prague Castle is the world's largest ancient castle and the narrow streets leading down from the stronghold are lined with small shops, which are particularly colorful at Christmas. Medieval Wenceslas Square and Old Town Square, with its ornate 600-year-old astronomical clock, provide wonderful backdrops to seasonal markets. Look out for cut glass ornaments, delicate decorations made from straw and try the special Christmas fish soup. The cruise then departs for Germany, where you will be able to explore the Christmas markets in Cologne and Rüdensheim on days three and four.
While many people flock to the tropics during the holiday season, there’s something magical about visiting the charming Christmas markets of Europe. Instead of surfing and sand, think mulled wine, gingerbread, and hand-crafted ornaments. In this guide, we’ll focus specifically on the Danube and Rhine Rivers, detailing the best markets to see and some of the best itineraries to see them.
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