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If you’re thinking of going on a European river cruise, here’s everything you need to know about your first river sailing, writes Tiana Templeman. I'm a self proclaimed home body that quit her job, moved abroad, and more often than not, lives out of a carry-on bag. If I'm not traveling, I'm most likely re-reading Harry Potter or watching "Midnight in Paris" while snuggling my dogs. I'm a digital marketing expert who turned my love of travel into a full-time career. There are port talks each day that let you know about what's to come as well as engaging lectures you can attend. Because you're sometimes docked overnight you have the option to take control of your trip and have substantial time to explore on your own.
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This is just one example we will use to illustrate that there's less to do in terms of sightseeing during winter in Europe than during late spring, summer, or fall. While you're at the market, try the rievkoche, a potato pancake traditionally served with applesauce at Christmas, and a glass of local Kolsch beer. 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. 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. Each ship in the Riverside Luxury Cruises fleet is all-suite and comes with butler service.
Legends of the American West
Their styles are fashionable, well made so they'll last for years, and comfortable. During warmer seasons, the Kurfürstliches Schloss (Electoral Palace) on the Rhine River's western bank and the Koblenz-Ehrenbreitstein fortress on the eastern bank are open during the day. Call it a Christmas miracle, but regardless of how many treats you will consume, you'll never seem to ruin your appetite.
The 5 Best Holiday Cruises: Which One Should You Pick?
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. While the popular Tulips and Windmills voyages herald in the start of the spring river cruise season, these Christmas Markets river cruises are a spectacular way to celebrate the holidays. If you’re finding it hard to know where to start when it comes to choosing the best river for your first cruise, it can be helpful to think about what you enjoy most and choose your river cruise itinerary accordingly. For example, the Danube is widely regarded as one of the most scenic river sailings in Europe; or you could indulge your love of food and wine along the Seine in France. We've sailed on Christmas Markets river cruises and are often asked about them.
Be sure to try a sugar-coated chimney cake, a traditional Hungarian pastry, or a warm honey cookie with a glass of mulled wine. If you've ever considered a Christmas market river cruise, 2024 is the year to finally cross the experience off your bucket list. On day one, take time to explore the city on your own after dropping your luggage off at the ship. Then on day two in the city, enjoy all the chocolate you can with a tour and chocolate tasting, plus a visit to the Christmas market.
Accessories like a warm hat or ear warmers, gloves and a scarf were also helpful. Middle and Eastern Europe is often colder than Western Europe, the latter of which has a milder winter season. The later in the Christmas market season you travel, the more likely you are to get rain or snow since winter is setting in across the continent. The more desirable balcony and suite rooms often sell out first, followed by rooms with only upper windows.
Head to the Markets at Both Day and Night
You'll have your pick of river cruise lines, as nearly any that traverse the Rhine stop here. The cruise continues into the Netherlands at Maastricht, where you can explore the city and its Christmas market, or head to Aachen, Germany, for festive fun. Alternatively, you can visit Valkenburg's underground Christmas market, located inside a cave.
A river cruise to Europe's Christmas markets: Here's what it's like - Travel Weekly
A river cruise to Europe's Christmas markets: Here's what it's like.
Posted: Sun, 11 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Holiday Hours and Winter Season Affect Tourism Hours for Sightseeing
All your meals, one excursion per destination, gratuities, Wi-Fi, butler service and transfers are also included in your cruise fare. Alcoholic drinks are only included with the Premium All-Inclusive Package, which can be selected at booking. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
The Ultimate Guide to Christmas Markets on a River Cruise
Be sure you're not signed up for a cruise after December 24 unless you specifically want to spend New Year's Eve in Europe on a river cruise, and the Christmas markets aren't as important to you. Sometimes we would return to the ship and then explore the markets again at night when they came alive with holiday lights and more people. Even if you are in a port overnight, you'll need to get your shopping in during the allotted time on a day tour, or make a point to shop on your own during the afternoon and early evening.
Sailing down one of Europe's stunning rivers is a dream trip no matter the time of year, but at Christmas time it's even more special. Many North American travelers may be unaware of these, as Christmas Markets are not a North American tradition. Usually set up outdoors, Europe’s Christmas Markets can offer an incredible variety of local crafts and wares and – perhaps best of all – delicious local Christmas delicacies. Mulled wine and cider are popular wintertime beverages, and are typically sold in these markets as well.
In each port, you'll want to be sure there are more activities and attractions to fill the rest of your time in port. If you're thinking about booking a Christmas market river cruise but don't know where to start, we've got you covered. Here, we've answered the most popular questions about Christmas market river cruises and shared our top tips and tricks to get the most out of the trip. What is absent is the throngs of tourists that crowd cities and attractions during the popular summer months. Chances are your exploration time ashore will be more relaxed and enjoyable than in the hot, crowded heat of summer.
12 best Christmas cruises for 2024 and 2025 - The Points Guy
12 best Christmas cruises for 2024 and 2025.
Posted: Wed, 28 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Rest up from your portside adventures during five days of scenic river cruising. Next, during a call at Kingston/Hyde Park, you can tour the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, home to the 32nd U.S. president's library and museum. You can also head to the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, featuring an American Beaux-Arts mansion completed in 1899. The United States Military Academy at West Point, founded in 1802, is also on the itinerary, as is Sleepy Hollow. The Sleepy Hollow legend comes to life during a tour of the local cemetery where author Washington Irving is buried.
Many, many Christmas markets end the day before Christmas or two days before Christmas. While it's fun to splurge on some must-haves (it is a season of generosity and good cheer, after all), don't run through your Christmas market fund halfway through your cruise. You want souvenirs that give a well-rounded representation of everywhere you visited and not just one stand. The market held in the Volksgarten Gardens in Linz is a magical place for adults and children alike. It features Austria's largest wooden nativity scene, featuring life-size, hand-painted figures. Every 30 minutes in the late afternoon there is a short nativity play with special effects and a classical music soundtrack.
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. On my seven-night river cruise, I visited six ports and enjoyed a half day of scenic sailing through the Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our ports of call were Budapest; Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna; Krems, Austria; Linz, Austria; and Passau, Germany. At one time, Christmas voyages were only offered along a handful of European rivers; today, nearly every major river cruise line offers sailings that traverse the Danube, Main, Rhine and beyond.
While markets are beautiful at night, typically the only stands that will be open will be for food -- a brat is a must -- and a mug of something warm and alcoholic. For something a little bit different, U.S.-based river line American Queen Voyages has worked with the city of Natchez, Mississippi in developing Christmas markets in the southern U.S. Cruisers can enjoy traditional music performances on the levee, as well as traditional Cajun/Creole holiday traditions. Most Rhine River cruise itineraries make a stop in Cologne no matter what time of year.
So I used the tours to help navigate to the city center, then ventured off on my own with my travel companion. We used walking directions on Google Maps as a way to get to destinations we were interested in and to get back to the ship once we were ready to warm up for a while. Always try to arrive at least a day early for any river cruise, especially if you're flying overseas.
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