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The Mississippi river sailing includes stops along the river at Nottoway, Louisiana; Natchez, Mississippi; St. Francisville, Louisiana and an overnight in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The journey begins with a five-day land tour of Costa Rica, taking guests to the Arenal volcano and Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. Then it's on to ports in Isla Parida and Balboa (for Panama City) in Panama before sailing through the Panama Canal. The "door-to-door" rate for this sailing starts from $24,400 per person, including port fees and taxes. It includes a transfer service to the airport, airfare, shore excursions, premium alcoholic beverages, all gratuities, butler service and a return transfer back home at the end of your trip. The line understands its family-forward "fun" ships are built for cheery escapes, and its Christmas celebrations fit perfectly into that world.
Choosing the Right Itinerary
To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. Enjoy lovely autumn décor, take part in a Turkey Calling Contest, and add a special message to our annual Tree of Thanks in the ship's Atrium. Debuting in February 2024, Sun Princess is the first of Princess Cruises' brand-new Sphere-class series of ships.
Viking Cruises
The sailings also will feature a holiday gala, treats like gingerbread, and a traditional Réveillon dinner from culinary ambassador Regina Charboneau. The allure of the open seas, the promise of new horizons, and the warmth of shared celebrations weave together the enchanting tapestry of a Christmas cruise. It’s not just about swapping snowflakes for sandy shores or cityscapes for serene waters; it’s about reimagining the festive spirit, crafting new traditions, and immersing oneself in a world of shared joy and wonder. Ensure you have passports, cruise tickets, travel insurance documents, and any necessary visas.
Holiday Magic: Danube Family River Cruise
THE 25 BEST December 2025 Cruises (with Prices) on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE 25 BEST December 2025 Cruises (with Prices) on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Tue, 24 Oct 2023 13:39:09 GMT [source]
On the Main there's another unique beverage to try in Bamberg, which is famous for producing a beer using smoked malt. The itinerary ends with a transfer to Prague and an overnight stay in the Czech capital known as the "city of a hundred spires". Flowing through grand capital cities, including Budapest, Vienna and Bratislava, the Danube is another big Viking river cruise Christmas markets destination. So much so, the line has a pair of all-new week-long festive itineraries to choose from. The Christmas on the Danube sailing runs between Budapest and Regensburg, with the chance to see the Hungarian and Austrian capitals. The river cruise starts in Paris, where you can spend the day exploring the city, seeing the Christmas markets in Montmartre or Saint Germain or shopping for high-end gifts along the Champs-Élysées before the 5 p.m.
If you're in town around 20th December, you'll see carp frequently offered - dining on it is Prague's Christmas Eve tradition. Visitors seek for unusual drinks and food rather than decoration and gifts - in the week leading to Vanoce (Christmas) holiday, streets sport enormous water tubs filled with carp (Czech Christmas dish). Every night the Christmas tree lights are switched on and provide a stunning sight. Dressed in traditional costumes carol singers all around from Czech Republic complete the enchanting market. Lille has great activities during holiday season - it's situated along the northern border of France and is capital of French Flanders. The whole town around Christmas market is covered with huge garlands' crown.
Stops along the way include tasting the bredeles — biscruits that are traditionally baked during the holidays — at the Maison du Pain d'Alsace. With only 24 guests onboard, this cruise offers a more intimate experience. A resident tour director is on-hand to guide guests through a tour of Munich's old town and its Christmas market, the Christmas market in Austria's Domplatz, and a private linzer torte baking class in Linz. A Christmas market cruises can get you into the winter spirit, provide a relaxing getaway, and offer opportunities for getting one-of-a-kind gifts for friends and family. However, it’s not uncommon for ships to be fully sold out and more expensive than normal. And in some cases, you may be limited on tours or activities in port if they fall on a holiday, so you’ll want to check options in advance.
Despite the fact it's one of the younger European Christmas markets, in 2010 the '12 Days of Christmas' in Dublin attracted the record number of 145,000 visitors. Stained glass, wooden toys, craft jewellery and artwork can be found at the regenerated Dublin Docklands. German themed and carol-singing bar, as well as the carousel, mean the relative newcomer is family crowd pleaser.
Marella Cruises
Christmas market stops include Nuremberg, where travelers can taste bratwurst and dark beers. The itinerary also offers time to explore medieval towns like Miltenberg, in Germany, and enjoy wines in Austria. Generally speaking, cruises are more expensive when traveling over Christmas compared to identical sailings on alternate dates. If you are specifically trying to travel over the holiday, make sure you’re gathering costs for your exact dates since they do tend to rise for Christmas or New Year’s. Flexible travelers may prefer to offset their Christmas cruise by a week or two to find cheaper options.
Christmas Markets: Best Holiday Cruises for Those with Christmas Spirit
Instead of layering up in woolens, you could be donning a swimsuit, sipping on a cocktail by the pool, and still revel in the Christmas spirit. The ships are decked out in festive décor, so even as you sunbathe or swim, the atmosphere remains cheerfully Christmassy. A Christmas cruise offers a refreshing change from traditional celebrations, allowing passengers to immerse themselves in a variety of cultures, festivities, and landscapes. For many, the idea of Christmas conjures up images of snowflakes, pine trees, and families gathered around a roaring fireplace. This 14-night cruise takes travelers through five different countries, through medieval towns and to Europe's countryside.
Looking for Christmas markets? A new cruise sails to 20 of France’s markets this winter - CNBC
Looking for Christmas markets? A new cruise sails to 20 of France’s markets this winter.
Posted: Thu, 14 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Onboard services won't stop, so if all your top lunch spots in port are closed, you're always guaranteed a hot meal on the ship. If you do, they might be on windowless inside cabins or guarantee cabins, where the cruise line picks your room location. From Wurzburg can be visited Rothenburg (Germany's best-preserved walled city). From Kehl (Germany) is visited Strasbourg (France) - located just across the river. These are called "Christmas tree worms" (Spirobranchus giganteus / translated "giant spiral gills").
All cruise prices were accurate when this article was written, but may change due to special promotions, personalized offers, changes in demand or if certain cabin categories sell out. Government taxes, port fees, gratuities and other expenses are not included. Celebrate the festive season on the high seas with these Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year's cruises. Special holiday events include a holiday music show by the ship's performers, caroling around the ship and Christmas-themed movie screenings.
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. Fares include meals, drinks during meals and happy hour, Wi-Fi, a library, excursions, bike rentals and a fitness center. Gratuity is not included for hotel stays and meals during the land portion of your trip. 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.
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. 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. You can utilize the kids' long winter break to explore new cultures or escape on your own while letting the cruise line handle the party planning. Berlin hosts more than 60 festive markets and the biggest is in central Potsdamer Platz where there's an open-air skating rink.
This trip departing from Long Beach, California is perfectly balanced with time to enjoy onboard amenities and Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Carnival's four-day Western Caribbean sailing is the best way to experience all the joys of the holiday without breaking the bank or being gone for too long. Carnival Conquest sails round-trip from Miami with stops in Key West, Florida, and Cozumel, Mexico, for some much-needed beach time and warm weather. This year, Royal Caribbean's newest ship (and the world's largest), Wonder of the Seas, is sailing a special cruise from Christmas Eve to New Years' Eve. Sail through the Caribbean, round-trip from Port Canaveral, Florida, with a special Christmas Day stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, the line's private island in the Bahamas, before heading to St. Thomas and St. Maarten.
Uniworld offers its Belgian Holiday Markets cruise on four departure dates from late November through mid-December 2024 (and three December dates in 2025). The line will sail from New Orleans to Memphis on Dec. 11 with stops in St. Francisville, Louisiana, and Natchez, Mississippi, among others, and make a similar reverse journey on Dec. 18, according to its website. Guests can also spend Christmas with the cruise line on a round-trip sailing from New Orleans on Dec. 25. So, as the festive season beckons, perhaps it’s time to consider a new backdrop for your celebrations – one where horizons stretch endlessly and where every sunset promises a new adventure. While you’ll be packing your regular cruise wear, don’t forget some holiday-themed clothes. Whether it’s an ugly Christmas sweater for themed nights, a Santa hat, or a fancy outfit for the Christmas gala dinner, having the right attire can add to the festive mood.
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