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About those bikes and canals - we took a nice canal tour around Amsterdam and tried our best to stay out of the bike paths (but it was hard). Heidelberg is a charming town located on the Neckar River, with mountains on both sides. It’s an optional excursion that we highly recommend, as the guide is a local who has lots of interesting tidbits about the town and life there. Some differences between this and an Ocean cruise is that there are shorter meal windows, more chances to interact and socialize with your cruise-mates, and with the river being very stable - the ship doesn’t rock at all. We provide uplifting stories in the home, life, entertainment, travel and food categories. The famous Lebkucken, or a German gingerbread with a glaze, has been baked in Nuremberg for more than 600 years.
Highlights of Danube River Cruises
Uniworld offers its Belgian Holiday Markets cruise on four departure dates from late November through mid-December 2024 (and three December dates in 2025). In Budapest, you'll spend two days exploring the city at places like Castle Hill and the Grand Market Hall before shopping and dining at the Christmas market in front of St. Stephen's Basilica. Then in Bratislava, Slovakia, the group will attend an organ concert and shopping at the Old Town Christmas market. 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. 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.
Tromso Boat Tour in Norway: A Favorite Excursion in the Arctic Circle
I ended up going on Viking's Rhine Getaway, which sails down the Rhine between Amsterdam and Basel, making stops in both Germany and France. You can book this same cruise at any time of year, but in December the focus is almost entirely on the region's Christmas markets. For larger destinations like Vienna, Paris or Amsterdam, you might want to do extra research on what there is to do in the city for free or at a discount. Many museums offer free or discounted entry on select days or to select ages. On my Viking cruise, we were told that some markets are starting to sell mass-produced goods from China.
Highlights of Christmas Markets
Christmas market river cruises: What to expect on a holiday sailing - The Points Guy
Christmas market river cruises: What to expect on a holiday sailing.
Posted: Fri, 09 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Our next day was really the first day I was able to see the ship in sunlight and view its beauty. There are a lot of things I really like about river cruising, from the small ships to the freedom to sit wherever you want at dinner. But the thing that impressed me the most was definitely the Viking Idi's staff and crew and how seamlessly everything seemed to run.
Viking Cruise Reviews for River Cruises to Europe River from Paris (2024 UPDATED): Cruise Ratings - Cruise Critic
Viking Cruise Reviews for River Cruises to Europe River from Paris (2024 UPDATED): Cruise Ratings.
Posted: Sat, 06 Apr 2024 13:15:10 GMT [source]
The only things not included are alcohol and soft drinks outside of meal times, and any optional tours you might want to sign up for. It's also up to you to leave additional tips for the awesome staff and crew at the end of your cruise. The amount of free time varies – for example, we had an entire free day in Cologne, and only about 4-5 hours in the evening in Speyer.
Put the name of the city and the words "Christmas Market hours" into your preferred online search tool to get the operational hours for each market. Viking is known to be slower-paced than its competitors, with a relaxed vibe. Picking a river for your cruise can be a challenge, especially if you're not familiar with the destinations on the itinerary. Cruises on the Danube and Rhine are the most popular at this time of year because their ports of call are where most of our Christmas traditions were first created. Explore Cologne’s seasonal holiday markets and shop for colorful gifts, arts and crafts.
Celebrate the holiday season as you immerse yourself in French, German and Czech traditions. Explore Christmas markets in quaint German towns and enjoy the scent of spiced gingerbread and glühwein as they fill the air amid colorful stalls. River cruises include a lot of perks, including docking right at the edge of most of the towns you visit. This means that in many destinations, you can walk from the ship to the middle of town in mere minutes. 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.
Charming Holiday Markets in Passau, Germany on Our Christmas River Cruise
Another eight-day option from Budapest, Hungary, to Regensburg, Germany, takes passengers along the Danube River, with a two-day stop in Vienna, Austria, being a major highlight. One of the best ways to check out the Christmas Markets is via a river cruise. This way, you get a chance to see multiple markets in several cities and villages.
Night Jewels Of Europe With Prague & ParisDetails
Even though I'm sure plenty of stressful things happen behind the scenes, you would never know it. Everyone was always friendly and professional, and you felt like they really cared about your trip. And, of course, if you skip all the guided tours and just go off on your own, you end up with lots of free time.
For lovers of the holidays, you really can't find a more immersive way to celebrate. 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. Sometimes Sailing is a cruise-focused website by Dan and Mikkel Woodruff, a couple passionate about cruising. The most famous attraction here was Benediktinerstift Göttweig, an abbey run by a few dozen monks situated on top of the hill. Later that night, I enjoyed a performance showcasing Mozart and Strauss, arranged specifically for guests of the Viking cruise that evening. The Vienna Residence Orchestra was there, live, and their singers were of the highest caliber.
The holiday market located in the center of the city has a host of artisans selling bespoke trinkets and Scottish crafts (including traditional tartan ornaments!). Take a ride on the sparkling ferris wheel for impeccable views of the capital and Edinburg Castle. Passengers frequently overnight for one day or more in Prague before journeying by bus to meet their ships. Prague is one of a number of European cities that serve as departure and arrival points for major river cruises, but the ships do not dock there. Passengers meet at designated hotels and are bussed to their embarkation points.
(Since I had to leave the cruise early I wanted to make the most of my time in Europe.) I flew to Budapest from Munich to start the Christmas river cruise. And if you're worried about price, definitely sign up to get Viking's special offers sent to you – they're always having great sales. In the past couple of months, I've seen free airfare, 2-for-1 deals, early booking discounts, and more. So if you've always thought river cruising was too expensive for you, have another look.
In Austria, Vienna's "December Market" can be considered a forerunner to Christmas markets, dating to 1298. Located at the doorstep of City Hall, revelers flock here to enjoy punch and war, chestnuts and a hist of other delightful Austrian Christmas traditions. 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. 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). 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. Day five is exciting for nature enthusiasts as you sail through The Iron Gates, which is a series of gorges that mark the border between Serbia and Romania.
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