A Christmas markets river cruise is the trip people describe afterwards as “the one.” A ship that holds a couple of hundred passengers sails the Rhine or the Danube in late November and December, docking each day in a town whose main square has turned into a market of wooden stalls, mulled wine and roasting chestnuts. The ship is your hotel; the walk from the gangway to the market is usually ten minutes. Here is how these cruises work, how the two rivers differ, what they cost and why they sell out earlier than almost anything else in travel.

The Rhine or the Danube?

The Rhine typically runs between Basel and Amsterdam, with Strasbourg, Heidelberg, Rüdesheim and Cologne along the way. Strasbourg calls itself the capital of Christmas, Cologne has seven markets, and the castles of the Middle Rhine are the scenery. The Danube usually runs between Budapest and Nuremberg or Passau, taking in Vienna, Bratislava, Regensburg and, by excursion, Salzburg. Vienna’s markets are the grandest; Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt is the most famous in Germany. If you want castles and France, choose the Rhine; if you want Vienna and the imperial cities, choose the Danube. Many people do one and come back for the other.

Who runs them

Viking has the most departures and the simplest pricing; AmaWaterways and Avalon are a step up in inclusions and cabin design; Uniworld is the luxury option; Emerald and Scenic sit in between. All include excursions in every port, meals, and wine and beer with dinner; the differences are in cabins, included drinks outside meals, and the number of optional excursions.

When they sail

From the week before Thanksgiving to about December 23, when the markets close. Early sailings have the markets at full strength with fewer crowds; the last sailings before Christmas are the most festive and the most expensive. A few lines run New Year’s sailings with gala dinners on board; the markets are mostly closed by then, so those are a different trip.

What it costs

Seven-night Christmas-market sailings are priced below the same ships’ peak-summer dates, which is one reason they sell so well; the fare includes excursions and most meals, so the on-board spend is low. Airfare from the United States to Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna or Budapest is the variable, and holiday-season transatlantic fares climb from early November. Book air and cruise together and consider a pre-cruise night in the embarkation city; it protects the sailing against a delayed flight and gives you a market the ship does not visit.

Why they sell out

Small ships, a four-week season and a trip that photographs beautifully. The popular departures are sold out by September; some by June. If you are reading this in autumn and want this year, ask about waitlists and the less-famous itineraries on the Main and the Moselle, which run the same weeks.

Practical notes

• It is cold: freezing or just above most days. Layers, a warm coat, gloves and boots with grip for cobbles.
• Days are short; markets are at their best after dark, around four in the afternoon.
• Low water or ice occasionally forces a line to swap ships or move passengers by coach; choose a line that is transparent about its policy.
• Travel insurance that covers trip interruption and medical care abroad. See the travel insurance page.
• A passport valid six months beyond the trip; no visa for US citizens for these countries.

Booking from anywhere in the country

Dove Travel & Cruises International has booked river cruises by phone and email for travelers across the United States since 1994. Tell us the river you prefer, the week and your home airport, and we come back with the sailings that are actually available, the air priced from your city and a pre-cruise night built in. No planning fee; the cruise line pays our commission. Start on our river cruise page, see Europe tours, or find your state on the locations directory.

Christmas markets cruise questions

Rhine or Danube for Christmas markets?

Rhine for castles, Strasbourg and Cologne; Danube for Vienna, Budapest and Nuremberg. Both are excellent; many travelers do both in different years.

When do Christmas markets river cruises sail?

From the week before Thanksgiving to about December 23. Early sailings are less crowded; the last ones are the most festive.

How far ahead should I book?

Nine to twelve months. Popular departures sell out by September.

Can you arrange flights from my city?

Yes. We price air from your home airport to the embarkation city, with a pre-cruise night, as part of one quote.