We don’t usually host group trips here on Live And Let’s Fly, but I found one worth sharing. A Uniworld river cruise down the Rhine stopping at the Christmas markets in Germany, France, and Switzerland. Care to join us?
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We Love The Christmas Markets
I have written about the Christmas markets and my family’s love for them, but we have never seen the German Christmas markets and it’s time we do. This time of year, I start thinking about going back and it’s time that others who haven’t been might consider them as well. I’ll tell you why we love them first.
The Christmas Markets are full of small shopkeepers with handmade gifts in time for the holidays. It’s crisp air, mulled wine, hot chocolate, and cold beer. It’s stodgy food like sausages, cheesy potatoes, and Dutch mini pancakes. It’s an opportunity to share some time with people you care about and fully embrace the holidays.
It’s as much a part of Christmas for us as the Night Before Christmas or Home Alone (1 and 2.)
The Group Cruise
I hadn’t considered a river cruise before, but I found one that we are having trouble resisting. River cruises have not appealed to us before but for a trip like this one it seems like the only obvious choice. The cruise we found touches several small to medium-sized cities, a new one each day, and we rejoin a floating five-star hotel moving during our sleeping hours rather than wasting time during the day. It makes a lot more sense than picking just one destination or taking trains and planes through Europe for a couple of weeks. We simply don’t see as much by plane, train takes a while, there are checked bags and carry-ons – it’s hard to do.
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises is a luxury river cruise line with an average capacity below 150 passengers and a nearly 1:1 crew-to-passenger ratio. Its cruise ships are designed for the destination it serves, all ships are equipped with wi-fi, and cuisine seems to be a focus.
The Rhine Holiday Markets cruise starts in Cologne, Germany and terminates in Basel, Switzerland. This year’s sailings are sold out, but next year, there are some opportunities. We will join the December 9th-16th sailing, here’s the itinerary:
- Cologne
- Koblenz
- Rüdesheim, Mainz
- Germersheim (Baden-Baden)
- Kehl (Strasbourg)
- Basel
Included on the journey that touches three countries are shore excursions like guided walking tours through the markets, a lecture onboard, and many alternative options like Riesling wine tours, and others.
Want To Join Us?
The top suite category is already sold out for next year, but the lead-in pricing is reasonable at $3,699/person. That price includes all meals on the ship along with the accommodations. If we were to arrange something similar ourselves, we would struggle to see as many places, fit in meals, and a hotel suite for the same budget. Deluxe suites with a balcony top out at $7,399/person for the journey.
If you want more information or to join our trip, fill out the contact form at this link. We hope to see you there.
Too steep for me. Nicko cruises for the rest of us!
Christmas markets in Europe are perhaps the biggest scam ever perpetuated on the traveling public. They rank just a few notches above local American carnivals in authenticity. Well, at least Carnivals are authentically bad and own it.
I guess if you like faux Christmas themed shacks selling the same Chinese made ornaments and cheap holiday Knick knacks, while eating from food stalls manned by sketchy carnie types selling overpriced “local” crap, have at it. But why you would spend thousands to take a cruise catered to retirees from The Villages to explore them, is beyond me.
On another note, is this blog turning into a front for selling travel packages? Sunday is starting to feel like checking into a timeshare, lol
I’ve enjoyed seeing Kyle develop as a writer. He’s a much better pitchman than travel blogger.
I’ve never done a cruise but our family of five had a boat with a captain for a week in Croatia. Was an awesome way to see the islands without having to pack and unpack as you say.
Makes me contemplate a river cruise in Europe for the same reason.
“The product is good. The cruise that’s being provided is good. It’s high quality, and it’s affordable,” Matthew Klint announced. “People can save money — significant money — by getting Christmas market access that’s being provided through these cruises.”
How much would you pay for an opportunity like this? Before you answer, listen to this:
“No one who decides to purchase a cruise has to pay their first deposit until February 15. And unlike the day after Thanksgiving sales for the latest PlayStation or flat-screen TVs, these cruise cabins don’t run out.”
Wait! That’s not all.
“The Christmas market cruise is not just a cruise. It’s much more,” Klint said. “Thousands of dollars have been saved by LALF readers already. That’s part of the deal. It’s already in place. It’s happening right now.”
Travel codex is essentially an Antarctic cruise travel agent now.
Boarding trains with carry-on bags is hard.
@Jerry – Boarding trains by yourself with a carry-on is not hard. Dealing with the other stuff with two kids as a family and perhaps a checked bag – is less easy. That and after living in England and riding trains throughout Europe for years, the trains are not always on time, express trains are expensive and not always available, leaving those with lots of stops, changing trains, etc. The reality of traveling by train over an extended journey is not as romantic and simple as a one-way journey by yourself with a carry-on.
Went to Vienna for my 50th birthday in 2015. Loved the Christmas markets there! So festive and
Fun!!
I did this same cruise by Uniworld a couple of years ago and it was wonderful! The crew provided so many different Christmas touches from bed time Christmas cookies, advent calendars, different Christmas movie playing each dinner. the food was delicious for a cruise. The crowd was a little older but I would go back in a heartbeat!
During work trips I have visited a number of the European Christmas markets, and while there is some truth to what Stuart says, there are also stalls selling local food specialties, local products, and my personal favorite, the stalls selling local Christmas beers. The places are just cheerful. I think if you find things like Oktoberfest and the Auer Dult to be fun, you will love Christmas markets. But that’s not everyone.
This is pathetic. One week he’s hawking hotels, another week he’s hawking cruises….is this what this blog has become?