With December 2022 departures of Riviera River Cruises’ popular holiday season cruises now available, plan ahead to celebrate Europe’s Rhine and Danube Rivers in all their wintry splendor. Riviera’s holiday season cruises include Yuletide Markets itineraries that depart in the weeks before Christmas, departures over Christmas itself with the ship decked in lush garlands and a grandiose tree, and celebratory sailings to ring in the New Year. In all, six itineraries with 20 departures are available to book.
I’ll be hosting one of those cruises, departing Cologne on December 21, 2022 and cruising along the Rhine for eight days. You can view the full itinerary on Riviera’s website, but return here and complete the form at the bottom of this post for special pricing and to join our group. We’ll also enhance Riviera’s program with pre- and post-trip activities as well as special events and excursions along the way. Riviera is providing incentives for booking, including a limited selection of solo cabins with no single supplement and a complimentary drinks package for anyone who books and deposits up until the end of January 2022.
“We offer a wonderful variety of festive cruises for the holidays to help guests celebrate before, during and after Christmas,” said Marilyn Conroy, Riviera River Cruises’ Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing North America. “Get into the spirit of the season by visiting some of Europe’s best yuletide markets, wake up Christmas morning with a tree and other trimmings on board, or raise a glass alongside other passengers and toast the arrival of 2023. With 2022 departures now on sale, it’s even possible to give someone special in your life the gift of a European river cruise for next year.”
Riviera’s Rhine River holiday cruises pass through the dramatic Rhine Gorge in Germany, where the swifter current sweeps between narrowing valley sides that tower above. Rüdesheim’s market stalls glow with hundreds of fairy lights, the Christmas bakery in Koblenz serves its famous stollen and the Cologne Cathedral market features the largest tree in the Rhineland.
Danube River holiday cruises navigate the mountainous Danube Bend in Hungary and continue on to Slovakia and Austria. Budapest’s markets are filled with the smells of spiced gingerbread and peppery goulash, artisan decorations are available in Bratislava and the windows of Vienna’s city hall are transformed into a giant Advent calendar.
Riviera River Cruises’ Yuletide Markets itineraries include:
- Enchanting Rhine & Yuletide Markets River Cruise: Five-day cruise on select dates in December 2022 with guided tours of Bonn, Rüdesheim and Koblenz, and a visit to Cologne.
- The Danube’s Imperial Cities & Yuletide Markets River Cruise: Six-day cruise on select dates in December 2022 with guided tours of Budapest, Vienna and Bratislava.
Christmas itineraries include:
- Christmas on the Rhine: Eight-day cruise departing Dec. 21, 2022, with guided tours of Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Speyer, Strasbourg, Boppard and Cologne. Also includes a Christmas Day gala dinner, a Christmas musical performance, a folklore show and a classical music concert on board.
- Christmas on the Blue Danube: Eight-day cruise departing Dec. 22, 2022, with guided tours of Vienna, Salzburg or Linz, Budapest and Bratislava, and visits to Esztergom, Melk Abbey and Schönbrunn Palace. Also includes a Christmas Day gala dinner, a Christmas classical quartet recital and a Hungarian Christmas folklore show on board.
And New Year’s itineraries include:
- New Year on the Rhine: Six-day cruise departing Dec. 28, 2022, with guided tours of Rüdesheim, Frankfurt, Koblenz and Cologne. Also includes New Year’s Eve gala dinner, midnight drinks and canapés, a New Year’s Day brunch, a classical music recital and a folklore show on board.
- New Year on the Blue Danube: Six-day cruise departing Dec. 29, 2022, with guided tours of Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna and Schönbrunn Palace. Also includes New Year’s Eve gala dinner, midnight drinks and canapés, a New Year’s Day brunch, a classical music recital and a folklore show on board.
Riviera River Cruises offers 20 itineraries on 10 rivers and waterways, including dedicated departures for solo travelers with no single supplement. Riviera’s fleet of 12 ships is one of the youngest in Europe, with spacious cabins and suites, and its cruises include fine culinary experiences, from splendid breakfasts to four-course dinners featuring international and regional specialties, as well as expert-led excursions to classic sights and lesser-known places.
Riviera guarantees exceptional value, promising never to add hidden surcharges or fees, and it doesn’t automatically include gratuities or drinks, so the choice is up to guests.
For more information about Riviera River Cruises, call 888-838-8820 or visit https://www.rivierarivercruises.com.
This article was originally published at River Cruise Advisor.
An avid traveler and an award-winning journalist, Ralph Grizzle produces articles, video and photos that are inspiring and informative, personal and passionate. A journalism graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Ralph has specialized in travel writing for more than two decades. To read more cruise and port reviews by Ralph Grizzle, visit his website at www.avidcruiser.com.
