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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.
Christmas on the Rhine
Berlin hosts more than 60 festive markets and the biggest is in central Potsdamer Platz where there's an open-air skating rink. This cruise also showcases Dresden, known as the "Florence of the Elbe" and Meissen where you'll learn about the city's world-famous porcelain. On my Viking cruise, we were told that some markets are starting to sell mass-produced goods from China.
Day 2
Additionally, the cruise director on board acted more like a personal concierge for guests who had questions, giving suggestions for things to do, places to eat and what each Christmas market was known for. Experience a delightful evening of Viennese culture in the "City of Music." Attend a recital featuring the classical masterpieces of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Strauss, two of Vienna's most famous citizens. The chamber orchestra is accompanied by a professional dance performance, recalling the golden age of the 19th-century Viennese ballrooms.Approximate tour duration is 2.5 hours.
Pack for winter and walking
I brought a pair of fleece-lined Crocs to wear off the ship in a few ports where the weather was warmer with no precipitation. For days exploring the ports, I wore jeans and waterproof boots with long cozy socks, plus a thermal long-sleeved shirt under a sweater. I also brought a midweight puffy winter jacket to wear off the ship. Accessories like a warm hat or ear warmers, gloves and a scarf were also helpful.
Best for an extended cruise: Avalon Waterways' Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine
There are hundreds of river cruises to choose from, so you should have no problem finding one that's right for you. These expeditions can be as short as a few days or as long as a few weeks, so choose one based on how much time you have available. There are several companies to choose from and different ports to stop at, so it's helpful to chart your travel priorities and what you'd like to see and book based on that.
Day three is split between Vukovar and Novi Sad, where you can explore the historic towns and enjoy the holiday cheer with live music, artisan crafts and delightful bites of food. Already a classic river cruise destination, the Hungarian capital Budapest -- divided into Buda and Pest by the Danube River -- is particularly beautiful during the Christmas market season. The two largest Christmas markets take place on the Pest side, and both could double as a foodie tour of Hungary with the amount of local eats on offer. Be sure to try a sugar-coated chimney cake, a traditional Hungarian pastry, or a warm honey cookie with a glass of mulled wine. Each river cruise company has its own policy when it comes to gratuities.
The year ahead for ... river cruising - Travel Weekly
The year ahead for ... river cruising.
Posted: Tue, 26 Dec 2023 02:10:23 GMT [source]
Because of the short season for Christmas market river cruises, getting a deal can prove to be a challenge. 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. The Lady that took care of our room, Irena was the sweetest lady. The food was very good, the presentation was amazing.I look forward to take another river cruise on the Monarch Queen. Bart was very professional, accommodating and willing to help everyone.
I did a lot of my research on TikTok and Instagram so I could see what the person was talking about. I used the weather app on my phone to help me determine what to pack. Even 10 days out from my trip, the app was fairly accurate with what the temperatures would be, which ranged from the 20s to the high 40s, and what the day would look like.
There's also a foodie walking tour in medieval Vernon, stopping along the way for steaming mulled wine and festive treats. She was highly organized, friendly and had a wonderful sense of humor. I am quite certain that some days she felt like she was herding cats, but she was ALWAYS so caring and kind. Amsterdam is a beautiful, vibrant city.The whole river cruise was wonderful, and they are always feeding you so much great food and drinks!! Our favorite cities on the cruise were Cologne and Speyer Germany and Strasbourg France.
I always have Gate 1 trips available on my phone to show people where you go and how inexpensive they are. My first gate 1 trip with my fiancé who had traveled many times with gate 1. He is funny, kind, caring, talented and I could go on and on. I would take a cruise with him again no matter the destination. I always felt they truly cared about your enjoyment and safety. The bartender Marius was so kind, fun and remembered everything.
All the crew took such good care of us and went out of their way to make sure everyone was having an amazing time! A special thank you to our cabin steward Farjai for all of the adorable towel animals he made for us every day and folding the washcloths to look like shirts. It's all the extra little things that really make your Gate 1 vacation extra special. Starting in late November through Christmas every year, the cities and towns along the Danube, Rhine, Seine and other rivers set up markets that display each region's holiday traditions.
Most times, you might not even realize the cruise has set sail — that's how smooth it can be. Still, it never hurts to be prepared, as the feeling of floating or gliding along a river can be disorienting at first. Feel free to pack some motion sickness remedies, but don't feel like you have to overdo it. If you start feeling queasy, go up to the top deck for some fresh air, keep your gaze on the horizon, and try to stay as still as possible. With some simple precautions, motion sickness should not prevent you from thoroughly enjoying everything a magical Christmas river cruise offers. 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.
If you're looking for a more active cruise, consider AmaWaterways, where bikes are always available to use in port. On the Danube Christmas Markets tour, you can bike from Weissenkirchen to Melk, passing picturesque villages and vineyards. On the Danube, you can visit destinations like Vienna, Austria and Passau and Regensburg, Germany. Alternatively, on the Rhine, destinations of interest include Amsterdam; Cologne, Germany; Mannheim, Germany; and Strasbourg, France. Our recent Danube River Cruise was more than I anticipated in terms of how much we saw and accomplished. Explore this multicultural city’s highlights and shop for gifts at the Christmas market.
8 Things to Know for Singles Cruising During the Holidays - Cruise Critic
8 Things to Know for Singles Cruising During the Holidays.
Posted: Thu, 19 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
While you shop, sample hot chocolate, spicy glühwein and aromatic gingerbread. It's most important to choose a cruise based on which destinations you wish to visit and which travel dates and itinerary lengths work with your schedule. 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.
If you want a sneak peek at what awaits you at each port, you're in luck — a lot of the cities you'll visit have official websites that provide great info for visitors. These will be able to inform you about the city and the culture and highlight sites you might want to visit when you have free time to explore. Destination websites will also be able to answer practical questions like what currency is used.
Keep in mind that many Christmas markets, especially ones that stop along multiple markets in the same country, sell the same kinds of items or variations of them. If you miss out on a cuckoo clock ornament in one German town, you can likely find something similar in the next one. If you're on the hunt for items that can only be purchased in a particular place, ask your cruise staff if there is anything unique in the markets you're seeing to focus on those specific things.
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