It's Time to Book a Winter Cruise

By Donna Manz

How better to embrace those three foci than to sail on one of Europe's storied rivers to medieval towns that celebrate the Christmas season with market festivals featuring native crafts, local food, beer and gluhwein, and activities ranging from live music performances to amusement rides?

photo: Donna Manz

If you want to enjoy a Christmas-markets cruise, however, you need to move quickly.

Why You Need to Book Now It is important to book as early as possible since the dates and itineraries for Christmas market sailings are dictated by the Advent season and are limited to those destinations that have large marketplaces. That means that sailings are limited, as is cabin availability.

photo: Donna Manz

Although I booked far ahead, for most people this is the very best time to make holiday-season reservations - but you must hurry since deals expire in just a few days.

For example, AMA Waterways is currently running one of the most generous promotional offers in the river cruise industry.

photo: Donna Manz

Uniworld also has a promotion - it's offering passengers up to $900 off per couple on selected itineraries - which, like AMA's, expires on June 30. Other Christmas cruise deals, if they materialize, may not be as lucrative.

Why A Christmas Markets Cruise It is such a surreal feeling to wake up on a small ship gliding down a winding river and look out at a gently-falling snow blanketing the woods. Then you round a bend and fairytale houses or castles appear.

photo: Donna Manz

During the holiday season, ships sailing to Christmas market destinations are festively decked-out. Sometimes, a decorated tree sits in the reception area or lounge. Occasionally, a gingerbread house, surrounded by seasonal sweets, is laid out at the main door. There might be a Christmas party with musicians onboard or a party with a passenger sing-along. On more than one occasion, Santa has surprised partiers. And I don't recall any Christmas markets river cruise in which a little "gift" from Santa or his elves had not been left in the cabin.

My Favorite Christmas Markets Holiday market cruise itineraries are qualified, so-to-speak, to favor cities with a centuries-old market tradition. If it is identified as a holiday-market sailing, you are assured of magical excursions. I have my personal preferences but they are not typically the most famous of Christmas markets, either.

photo: Donna Manz

Nuremberg's Christmas market, anchored by a massive tannenbaum and a Gothic cathedral, is probably the most renown in Germany, the country in which so many of the season's traditions started. I find the Nuremberg market to be more expensive compared to others in Germany; even the internationally known Nuremberg lebkuchen is more expensive in Nuremberg than in other towns.

photo: Donna Manz

There's a river cruise itinerary for every taste and interest and a Christmas markets river cruise for anyone who loves the holiday season, particularly the occasional snowfall. There is no vacation I look forward to more than I do the holiday sailings in Europe.

I embark with goose bumps and a sense of anticipation. Each time I pass the complimentary lebkuchen selection onboard, I take a few for my cabin. And, while others fall asleep with visions of sugarplums in their heads, I fall asleep with visions of awakening to a white winter wonderland.

For more information on our River Cruise packages, see our Cruise page.