Christmas tours are plentiful and are offered by just about all the well-known, reputable river crui

Tired of doing the same old thing during the winter holiday seasons? Many people get stuck in a rut when it comes to celebrating the holidays. So, if you're up for doing something new and different this year, think about spending Thanksgiving or Christmas floating down the Rhine or one of Europe's other great rivers on a cruise that will surely make your holidays memorable.
European river cruises are ideal for singles, couples, or groups of adult friends or family members who are keen on spending the holidays together but want to try something a little vacation travel mart different than just gathering around the table for the traditional celebration. They allow you to experience holiday traditions of a different culture and provide the opportunity to get away at a time of year when you might be more likely to stay home. In addition, experiencing Europe in November/December is entirely different than at other times of the year as the cities and towns are filled with holiday cheer and river cruises let you get close to the festivities.
While Thanksgiving is a decidedly American holiday, companies like Viking River Cruises have arranged it so that you can enjoy a bountiful Thanksgiving feast while sailing the rivers of Europe. The thing that's extra cool about such a cruise is the fact that the items in your feast will come from some of the many towns you pass through. For example, this year's Viking Thanksgiving cruise through the "Heart of Germany" includes vegetables from Germany's market gardens and pumpkin pie made from gourds grown in northern France. A truly international American holiday!
vacation travel mart Guests on a Thanksgiving river cruise may also catch the beginnings of the Christmas madness in Europe, depending on their sailing dates. You may get a look at a few Christmas markets, have the opportunity to attend holiday concerts, or perhaps enjoy the lighting of the town Christmas tree. Check out various vendors to see which have a tour that'll make your Thanksgiving extra special.
Christmas tours are plentiful and are offered by just about all the well-known, reputable river cruise companies including Viking, Avalon, vacation travel mart AMA, and boutique cruise lines like Uniworld. These holiday cruises are super festive and certainly provide a wonderful start to such a joyous season.
You'll be able to choose from a variety of sail dates, usually vacation travel mart beginning shortly after Thanksgiving and continuing right through to a few days after Christmas. This way, if you wish, you can experience the beauty of Europe at Christmastime but still be home to spend the official holiday with family and friends. Or you can actually spend Christmas day cruising with new friends aboard these lovely vacation travel mart ships.
If you travel before Christmas, you'll have the opportunity to explore Europe's many Christmas vacation travel mart markets, which generally close on or around December 23. The markets are one of the prime attractions for river cruisers and are found in many of the cities and towns you'll encounter on cruises of the Danube, the Rhine, and other such rivers. Truly, they're magical! You'll be enticed by the smell of gingerbread and mulled vacation travel mart cider, can shop for wonderful handmade vacation travel mart items like ornaments, clocks, and other artisan-made treasures, and – no doubt – you'll be treated to the music of the season via carolers that stroll through vacation travel mart the markets to get you "in the mood" for the holidays.
You might also have the chance to enjoy a gala Christmas concert vacation travel mart at one of Europe's vacation travel mart most magnificent cathedrals, an experience you won't soon forget, or to attend some sort of Christmas gala with your sailing buddies. But along with Christmas activities, you can also enjoy others that aren't necessarily vacation travel mart linked with the holiday, including beer tasting in one of Germany's small towns, wine tasting in the Wachau Valley, a visit to the Hradcany Castle in Prague, or perhaps a guided walk around Vienna. The activities aboard a river cruise are many and varied.
If you do indeed choose to be onboard on Christmas Day, the ship's chef will treat you and your fellow passengers to a grand meal with all the traditional trimmings of the holidays and perhaps some new ones, too.
Some holiday vacation travel mart river cruises also include New Year's Eve. What a great way to celebrate the coming of a new year! Each cruise line marks the holiday in a different way. Uniworld – for example – on its Grand Christmas and New Year's Cruise, ushers its passengers to a Viennese vacation travel mart castle where they are treated to a sumptuous dinner, private concert, and plenty of room to dance to the strains of Johann Strauss's great waltzes. Unforgettable!
Obviously, prices for these holiday cruise experiences vary with each cruise line and itinerary, but you may find that you can nab some good prices during November or December when river cruising isn't quite as popular because of the cold weather. But do plan as early as possible for your optimal choice of cabin and itinerary.