Sail through Christmas country on this 8-day classic holiday cruise aboard River Queen, trying Frankfurt’s famous apple cider and Nuremberg’s gingerbread. Throughout, cozy up to steaming mugs of glühwein (warm spiced wine) and do as the locals do by collecting different mugs from each stall and town you visit. Embrace the holiday spirit in Germany, the land where many Christmas traditions began, and find the magic of the season in the smiles that you meet along the way.
Highlights
Explore Frankfurt’s markets and sample local Christmas delights
Wander Wertheim's medieval streets, sampling mulled wine and stollen
Visit Würzburg’s baroque palace, admiring its famous ceiling fresco
Experience Nuremberg’s grand market, savoring gingerbread and holiday ambiance
Activity options vary depending on destination and operator. Activity level is determined by the range and intensity of activities you choose to participate in. Discuss with your Trip Planner which options are best for you.
Frankfurt is often called the "Mainhattan" of Europe due to its impressive skyscrapers and solid financial influence. Despite this, the city has a rich cultural core. The Altstadt, Frankfurt's old town, is incredibly charming and has been home to some of Europe's best Christmas markets for many years. Today, you can enjoy a "Taste of Christmas" walking tour in the town, where you can sample various sweet and savory treats, or opt for an excursion to the Christmas market in Wiesbaden.
Featured Excursion:
“Taste of Christmas” Frankfurt Walking Tour
Wiesbaden Twinkling Star Christmas Market
A special Captain's Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.
Wertheim is a lovely village dating back over a thousand years, located at the confluence of the Tauber and Main rivers. It epitomizes the friendly, slow-paced, small-town atmosphere of many German villages; here, residents greet each other by name as they shop for fresh bread and sausage in tiny shops. On your guided walking tour of the village, you can hear much about daily life in Wertheim and facts about the town and its history. Its many well-preserved medieval buildings—complete with low doors and tiny windows—attest to the inconveniences of life in the Middle Ages.
Featured Excursion: Wertheim Walking Tour with Mulled Wine and Christmas Stollen Demonstration
This morning, head off to the Würzburg Residence, a baroque-style palace famous for its gigantic ceiling fresco. Later, visit the town’s renowned Christmas Market, held in front of the old City Hall, for some one-of-a-kind gifts for friends back home. Beautifully decorated wooden booths are illuminated by the soft glow of Christmas lighting, and the air is filled with the scent of roasted chestnuts and the sound of Christmas carols. One of the best ways to embrace a different culture is through encounters with residents, which you can experience this afternoon in a typical Franconian village. Make new friends over hot drinks and homemade seasonal treats.
Featured Excursion:
Würzburg Residence visit
Village Day: Franconian Christmas
Würzburg Christmas Market Night Stroll
Rothenburg looks like something straight out of the pages of a storybook, with its medieval walls, cobbled streets, Gothic churches, and Hansel-and-Gretel houses. Join a local expert for an insightful walking tour, then wander amongst the stalls at one of Germany’s oldest Christmas markets.
Featured Excursion: Full-Day Rothenburg with Walking Tour and Christmas Market
The fact that Bamberg still exists today is a miracle—it survived WWII bombing virtually unscathed. It’s a superb example of a medieval German city compact enough to explore on foot with a local expert. You can also have free time to visit not just one but four Christmas Markets and a captivating number of nativity scenes along the nativity trail.
Featured Excursion: Bamberg Walking Tour with Christmas Market
For a holiday extravaganza, look no further than Nuremberg, which boasts the largest and grandest Christmas Market in all of Germany— and that’s saying something. The “Gingerbread Capital of the World” pulls out all the stops during the holidays, as you can see for yourself on a panoramic tour guaranteed to put you in a festive mood. Stroll through the castle gardens and enjoy breathtaking city views, then walk through a maze of cobblestone lanes down to the central Market Square. There, spread out before the Church of Our Lady, is the largest Christmas Market in Germany.
Featured Excursion:
Nuremberg City Tour with Christmas Market
Nights Out: Christmas Market Illuminations
A special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.
Day 8: Nuremberg | Disembark
1 Dinner
Disembark the ship, then transfer to the Nuremberg International Airport for your flight home.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$2,4992-3 travelers
Rates are dynamic and fluctuate based on capacity. Contact us for a specific quote.
Please confirm embark/disembark locations before reserving flights, as this itinerary operates in reverse on alternating departures.
Classic
Magnificently appointed riverview stateroom (151 sq ft - 14 sq m) located on Moselle Deck. Handcrafted Savoir Beds of England, built-in closet, safe, hairdryer, individual thermostat, flat TV screen, and bottled water. Marble bathroom with Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, waffle bathrobes, and slippers
Deluxe
Sumptuously appointed riverview stateroom (151 sq ft - 14 sq m) located on the Danube deck and Main Deck. Handcrafted Savoir Beds of England, built-in closet, safe, hairdryer, individual thermostat, flat TV screen, and bottled water. Marble bathroom with Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, waffle bathrobes, and slippers.
French Balcony
Luxuriant appointed riverview stateroom (151 sq ft - 14 sq m) located on the Rhine Deck with a French balcony. Handcrafted Savoir Beds of England, built-in closet, safe, hairdryer, individual thermostat, flat TV screen, and bottled water. Marble bathroom with Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, waffle bathrobes, and slippers.
Suite
Lavishly appointed riverview suite (214 sq ft - 20 sq m) located on the Rhine Deck with a French balcony. Handcrafted Savoir Beds of England, built-in closet, safe, hairdryer, individual thermostat, flat TV screen, and bottled water. Marble bathroom with Hermès bath and body products, plush towels, towel warmer, waffle bathrobes, and slippers. Additional special amenities and services.
Notes
Please Note: Fares are capacity controlled and are subject to change at any time without notice.
- All fares are per guest in US Dollars based on double occupancy unless otherwise noted.
- Single Supplement applies for single accommodation. Solo occupancy pricing is dependent on cabin type, contact us for details.
Initial deposit is 15% of cruise fare plus any additional port charges, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 130 days prior to departure by Check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
I’m so glad we found AdventureLife. Jess, our planner, was such a pleasure to work with. She readily shared her extensive knowledge about Panama, she offered good suggestions and creative ideas, kept everything organized and handled the details each step of the way.
Tim King
1 day ago
Jessica was wonderful! She made every effort to ensure our trip was just what we wanted.
Celine Krafft
1 day ago
Erin was easy to work with and very helpful. She was patient and helped us figure out the adventure tour we were hoping for in Belize. Can’t wait to go on this trip!
Sam Wedll
2 days ago
Jason has gone above and beyond. We have so much appreciation for him!
Jackie Smedley
2 days ago
My travel planner, Jeff, who is on top of his field (based on travel industry awards), is a highly professional, very effective and, at the same time, personally nice individual. What was also critical to me is that he has a first hand experience traveling in the region that I am going to.
On top of that, the customer relations director, Sarah, has personally followed up to make sure I'm happy.
