Suggested Terms
    Featured Tours
      View All Results
      River Cruising

      Christmas Markets Along the Rhine

      Select...
      ?

      Direction and year

      Select the cruise direction, and the year, you would like to travel.

      Days
      8
      From
      $2,890
      Journey Type
      River Cruising
      Time of Year
      Nov - Dec
      Cities & Landmarks
      Basel, Strasbourg, Köln, Heidelberg, Baden-Baden, Lucerne
      Rhine River Christmas Market Cruise
      Basel Christmas Market, Switzerland
      Select...
      Or Call 800-788-7885

      TEXT SIZE

      Tour Overview

      Christmas Market Cruises MORE DETAILS

      EXPERIENCE WITH TAUCK

       

      Visits to Christmas Markets in Rüdesheim, Heidelberg, Baden-Baden and Strasbourg

       

      TAUCK VALUE INCLUDES

       

      All gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors & Tauck Cruise Director

       

      All private Tauck shore excursions – $1,294 Value!

       

      Walking tours of market cities and towns with local guides

       

      Visits to Old Town Heidelberg and historic Heidelberger Schlöss (Heidelberg Castle)

       

      Read More

      Activity

      2
      ?

      Guests should be able to easily walk one to two miles, which may include climbing one or two flights of stairs and walking over uneven pavement, groomed hiking trails or cobblestones. Standing up to one hour or more may be required.

      Pace

      2
      ?

      Moderately paced, and may include some early morning hotel departures, one or two on-tour flights, and extended motor coach travel.

      View Full Itinerary

      What better way to spend the holidays than Christmas Market cruises through Western Europe?

      Exclusively inclusive river cruising

      Travel along the Rhine for the holiday season, from Basel to Köln aboard ms Inspire, both perfect ways to capture all the magic of Christmas Markets in Germany and France.

      Along with all the inclusions that are part of every Tauck river cruise, Tauck's Christmas market experience wows you with special holiday touches like an onboard tree-trimming party... glühwein and other treats aboard the riverboat, decorated in a festive seasonal theme... a traditional European Christmas dinner with all the fixings... special evenings of onboard holiday-themed entertainment... walking in the footsteps of celebrities at the Kurhaus casino in Baden-Baden... a lecture on Alsatian storytelling traditions in Strasbourg... a cookie-making demonstration and a visit to the fanciful Siegfried's Mechanisches Musikkabinett in Rüdesheim... a traditional German lunch in Heidelberg and much more! Read Less

      Old World Europe awaits on a Rhine River cruise

      Holiday cookies in Rüdesheim

      Learn holiday cookie-making secrets during a demonstration in Rüdesheim

      During the holidays, the romantic German wine-producing town of Rüdesheim on the Rhine is all done up in green and gold... and not only in its Christmas Markets, but also along its famous Drosselgasse, a narrow cobblestone lane lined with wine bars. And it is here that you'll learn the secrets of Rüdesheim bakers, renowned for their traditional holiday treats like lebkuchen and stollen – which are particularly delicious when washed down with special Rüdesheim coffee ("flavored" with local brandy) – during a cookie-making demonstration.

      Siegfried's magical music machines

      Discovering Siegfried's whimsical musical legacy in Rüdesheim

      Housed in a centuries-old castle in the charming Rhine Valley wine town of Rüdesheim, Siegfried’s Mechanisches Musikkabinett really must be seen – and heard – to be believed. It's the legacy of the late Siegfried Wendel, who founded his first museum dedicated to antique self-playing musical instruments in the 1970s. The current Musikkabinett in the 14th-century Brömserhof display's Siegfried’s mesmerizing collection of mechanized musical clocks, player pianos, fairground organs, self-playing violins and many more... including the world’s largest automated doll orchestra!

      After several land tours with Tauck, this was our first on one of their riverboats. Even with our very high expectations, this trip exceeded them by a wide margin!

      Tauck Traveler Review

      01
      12

      Itinerary

      Day-By-Day

      Download, Print Or Share

      Take The Details With You

      Download Day-by-Day Details

      All the information you need to begin your travel plans is right at your fingertips – day-by-day details, map, hotel descriptions, key highlights, a personalized quote, and more; download, print or share and your cruise dreams become reality!

      Learn More

      Deck Plans

      Download, print or share deck plans and additional information for your vessel, such as specifications and cabin descriptions. 

      Learn More

      01
      12

      Deck Plans

      Welcome Aboard

      Select...
      • ms Inspire

      Ship Specifications

      Sun Deck

      View Cabin Categories

      Diamond Deck

      View Cabin Categories

      Category 5

      Category 7

      (Note: All Category 7 cabins are three-guest capacity suites with a pull-out couch)

      Ruby Deck

      View Cabin Categories

      Category 2

      Category 4

      Category 5

      Category 6

      Emerald Deck

      View Cabin Categories

      Category 1

      Category 3

      01
      12

      Overnight Accommodations

      Hotel Highlights

      Extend your stay

      Arrive Early

      Extend your stay

      Stay Later

      Your Journey

      Pricing & Availability

      {{{{raw}}}}

      {{month}}

      {{year}}
      {{date}}
      {{ship}}
      {{departure}}
      {{direction.direction}}
      {{price}}
      {{{{/raw}}}} {{> molecules-tooltip title=false copy="{{tooltip}}"}} {{{{raw}}}}
      {{availability.label}}
      {{{{/raw}}}}
      Departure By
      Select
      • 1 Room, 1 Guest
      • 1 Room, 2 Guests
      • 1 Room, 3 Guests
      Select
      • Ship: ALL
      • Ms Grace
      • Ms Inspire
      Select
      • Direction: ALL
      • Northbound:
        Basel         Cologne
      • Southbound:
        Cologne         Basel
      Select
      • Cabin Type: ALL
      • MS GRACE Cat 1, Emerald Deck, 150 SqFt
      • MS GRACE Cat 2, Ruby Deck, 150 SqFt
      • MS GRACE Cat 3, Emerald Deck, 225 SqFt
      • MS GRACE Cat 4, Ruby Deck, 190 SqFt
      • MS GRACE Cat 5, Ruby/Diamond Dk, 225/190 SF
      • MS GRACE Cat 6, Ruby Deck, 225 SqFt
      • MS GRACE Cat 7, Diamond Deck Suite, 300 Sqft
      • MS INSPIRE Cat 1, Emerald Deck, 150 SqFt
      • MS INSPIRE Cat 2, Ruby Deck, 150 SqFt
      • MS INSPIRE Cat 3, Emerald Deck, 225 SqFt
      • MS INSPIRE Cat 4, Ruby Deck, 190 SqFt
      • MS INSPIRE Cat 5, Ruby/Diamond Dk, 225/190 SF
      • MS INSPIRE Cat 6, Ruby Deck, 225 SqFt
      • MS INSPIRE Cat 7, Diamond Deck Suite, 300 Sqft
      Date
      Ship
      Departure
      Direction
      From
      Availability
      Pricing & Dates are not available yet. Please check back soon.

      Pricing & Dates are not available yet. Please check back soon.

      Or

      Want More Detailed Information?

      Call 800-788-7885

      All Inclusive, One Upfront Price

      Distinctively "inclusive" means just that – virtually every cruise cost is included in one upfront price, from shore excursions (private to Tauck), all gratuities, premier hotels on land stays, port charges and more. There are no options sold – no extra charges, no hidden costs, no "surprise" expenses.

      Solo Traveler Savings

      Traveling solo doesn't mean traveling alone – with Tauck, it means camaraderie, traveling with like-minded travelers who share similar interests. Solo Travelers enjoy special savings on all departures – no single supplement in Category 1; and on select departures in select cabins, savings of $1000 per cabin. See details on Pricing & Availability.

      Book Your Air

      Traveling with Tauck ensures more than a memorable travel experience; it also enables you to take advantage of additional do-it-for-you travel services that take the hassle out of arranging them yourself. As an added service, we can make flight arrangements for your journey, if your travels originate in Canada or the United States, offering you a number of welcome advantages. With Tauck, you can reserve your flights now and pay later when tickets are issued; benefit from Tauck’s lenient change and refund policies; earn Frequent Flyer mileage on most airlines; and more.

      What you need to know

      Before You Go

      Required

      Travel Documents, Booking and Deposits, and more

      No matter where your destination may be, you should bring identification with you; a valid passport is always an appropriate form of identification. Contact your booking agent for information about all necessary documents required for your journey, such as passport and visa information or documentation required for transportation security measures.

      Learn more

      Important Information

      Health and Activity

      You'll find Activity and Pace Levels on all of our trips to give you a better idea of physical activity level – higher numbers mean a more active journey. To fully enjoy most journeys, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances; some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot and may include unpaved and uneven surfaces. Please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice.

      Learn more

      Protect your travel investment

      Guest Protection Product

      Your vacation is an important investment – and to help you protect it, Tauck's Guest Protection Product provides you with important benefits before your trip and while you are traveling, including 24-hour worldwide emergency assistance services; truly peace of mind travel at its best!
      01
      12

      The Tauck Experience

      Why Tauck?

      Leave Your Worries At Home

      Learn More

      One Upfront Price – No Hidden Costs

      Learn More

      Tauck Directors – Simply The Best

      Learn More

      Never Settle For Ordinary

      Learn More
      01
      12

      Forum Topics

      {{{{raw}}}}

      {{ reviewContent }}

      Most Memorable Moment:

      {{ reviewBestPart }}

      {{{{/raw}}}}
      {{{{raw}}}} {{{{/raw}}}}

      From the Forum

        View Tauck's Community Message Board

        Book Today... And Travel Dreams Begin

        Discover The World

        Call us, or call your travel advisor, to book your preferred departure date today – and explore our beautiful brochures to find your inspiration for your next journey.

        Tauck 2020 European River Cruising Brochure

        Book Today... And Travel Dreams Begin

        Discover The World

        Call us, or call your travel advisor, to book your preferred departure date today – and explore our beautiful brochures to find your inspiration for your next journey.

        Call to Book Call To Book

        About the Weather

        To help you plan your trip, here's an overview of average temperatures, weather conditions, and what you might expect from Mother Nature. 

        Learn More

        Conditions of Tour

        Take a look at some general travel information that will be helpful to you as you plan your Tauck journey.

        Learn More

        Related Journeys

        Other Journeys You May Enjoy

        Christmas Markets Along the Danube

        8 Days

        From $2,890

        River Cruising

        Christmas Markets Along the Rhine

        8 Days

        From $2,890

        River Cruising
        01
        12
        Home • Tours • Rhine River Christmas Market Cruise
        800-788-7885 or your travel advisor
        Ⓒ2019 Tauck All Rights Reserved CST# 2016001-20 Privacy PolicyTerms and Conditions
        LOADING...