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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. Onboard gratuities and group transfers to and from the airport are also included. Travelers looking to explore all of the Old World historic charm of Belgium will want to book Uniworld's Belgian Holiday Markets cruise. The seven-night cruise visits Belgium and the Netherlands, with port days in iconic cities like Ghent, Bruges and Antwerp. The last day in Germany is spent in Cologne, where you can visit the beautiful Christmas markets that dot the city landscape, as well as lace up some skates to glide around an open-air ice rink.
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Christmas Market Itinerary
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Before or after visiting the Christmas market, you can spend your time exploring the city, dining in a local restaurant, sipping hot coffee in a cafe or popping into shops. Some river cruise lines offer pre-cruise extensions that you can bundle with the cruise booking and allow you to arrive early at the embarkation port. These extensions include a hotel stay, and some include a few meals and a guided tour, plus transfers from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the ship.
Best for old-world charm: Uniworld's Belgian Holiday Markets
Also, don’t rule out the extra for-a-fee excursions, as these often cater to special interests. This 8-day itinerary takes travelers on a Christmas-themed journey through the Danube. Starting in Budapest and ending in Nuremberg, the cruise stops at several charming markets, including the one at Regensburg. Additionally, travelers can enjoy a traditional Bavarian dinner and take a tour of the Baroque library at the Benedictine Abbey in Melk. 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.
Blue Danube: Family Riverboat Adventure
Though you can certainly find other drinks at the markets, beer is less typically drunk at the markets. You can find different varieties of gluhwein, including white and rose. But our favorite is red, and when we've talked to other cruise passengers who have tried the other varieties, we all seem to agree red is the best. Larger cities like Munich typically have museums and tours running as usual all year. Simply research the cities you're going to and what they will have or will not have open to plan your day aside from what the river cruise is providing. Making multiple trips to town and coming back to the river cruise ship in between depends on how closely your ship is docked to the center of town and your mobility.
Christmas Markets: Best Holiday Cruises for Those with Christmas Spirit
On day three, you'll need to decide whether to visit Ghent or Bruges, both of which have beautiful architecture and a Christmas market and offer opportunities to try local food. Our itinerary traversed across the most enchanting and best Christmas markets in Europe. Each village boasted handmade holiday decorations, plus an array of goods crafted by local artisans!
Drinks to Try at the German Christmas Markets
It’s a wonderful way to ring in the holiday season and make lasting memories. Your home is a luxurious ship filled with a number of fantastic amenities. So, you can travel in comfort with a cozy cabin and onboard entertainment and enrichment. The markets are a great place to pick up gifts that will feel extra special when you give them to family and friends. We hopped on for a carousel ride in Frankfurt and had smiles from ear to ear as we spun around the middle of the town square to take in all the lights and sights.
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. 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.
In Vienna, Austria, the whole city comes alive with lights and a festive spirit. One thing not to miss here is the extra-charge excursion to a local winery, where you will celebrate the year's harvest and vintage. 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. This allows them to make personalized recommendations about activities and meals. As you walk through each town they share the history, culture and legends of the destination.
Located along the Rhine River, the market has over 170 vendors selling everything from handmade ornaments to Swiss chocolate. But the real draw is the “Luminaria” – a tunnel made up of 120,000 LED lights. Visitors can walk through the tunnel and take in the holiday spirit from a completely unique perspective. Strasbourg’s Christmas market is one of the oldest in Europe, dating back to 1570. The market is spread out over several locations throughout the city, but the most popular is in the Place Kleber.
Riverside Luxury Cruises' Christmas Atmosphere Along the Danube cruises depart in early and mid-December 2024. While many of the vendors will take credit cards or Apple Pay, others only want cash. My favorite Christmas market was the one at City Hall in Vienna, which happens to be one of the most popular in Europe. It had everything from ice skating and photo-worthy backdrops to prepackaged sweets and plenty of Christmas decorations to try to fit into my already full suitcase. For days exploring the ports, I wore jeans and waterproof boots with long cozy socks, plus a thermal long-sleeved shirt under a sweater.
We ventured into Amsterdam city center for one last night of fun and enjoyed the beautiful city lit up at night. Our cruise director told us the best places to go to make for a memorable night. Throughout the trip, we were treated to gourmet meals featuring local cuisines, breathtaking panoramic views from the ship, and sightseeing opportunities galore.
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. You'll also get to see more of Rouen on day four and take a guided tour. If you have free time, be sure to stop in at La Couronne, the oldest operating restaurant in France and the place that inspired Julia Child to start cooking. While touring one of the Linz markets, I stumbled upon a small carnival where rides and games were set up for kids to enjoy.
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