What are the best Christmas market river cruises?
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 10 November 2026
These 6 river cruise lines name a Christmas market or advent sailing dated from November 2026 on their own websites, read 10 November 2026. Each card gives what the line says about it, with the ship, sailing, length, price or number where it names one, then why to choose it, what to ask for and the limits it publishes.
What are the best Christmas market river cruises?
6 river cruise lines in the Uncompromised Travel table say on their own websites that they name a Christmas market or advent sailing dated from November 2026; Phoenix Reisen, Thurgau Travel and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises have the most Google reviews under the line's own name.
Century Cruises
- Best for
- Yangtze, Danube and Rhine cruise tours
- Christmas sailing
- Sails The Christmas Cruise from Budapest to Passau on Century Star, 7 nights, with departures listed on 7 December 2027, 21 November 2028 and 5 December 2028.
- Why choose them
- Century Star will host 174 guests in 87 cabins on the Danube.
- Ask for
- Ask which cabin categories on its European tours come with complimentary international flights.
- Not the fit if
- your plans may change: the $500 per person deposit is non-refundable and cancelling within 30 days of departure costs 100% of the full fare.
- Website
- centurycruises.com
nicko cruises
- Best for
- River cruises for German-speaking travellers worldwide
- Christmas sailing
- Sails Advent on the Danube on CELINA, 6 days from 26 November to 1 December 2027, from €599 per person, among its Advent, Christmas and New Year sailings.
- Why choose them
- Sails a fleet of 22 ships and says it has been market leader for river cruises in Germany since 2007. Trustpilot (whole company): 3.2 out of 5 from 387 reviews, newest 5 November 2026. Read 10 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a Single-Spezial departure, where the single supplement is cut by 50%.
- Not the fit if
- you want an English-only ship: most river ships run in German and English; CYRANO DE BERGERAC runs in French and German.
- Money protection
- Insurance certificate naming the insurer, required before any payment under its package travel terms.
- Website
- nicko-cruises.de
Phoenix Reisen
- Best for
- German-speaking river voyages at published euro fares
- Christmas sailing
- Sails Donau und Weihnachtsmärkte on the Amelia, 7 days from Passau, 21 to 28 November 2026, all inclusive, with a Budapest Christmas market, from 599 € per person.
- Why choose them
- Says it has nearly 40 river ships in its fleet. Google: 4.6 out of 5 from 1,259 reviews. Read 10 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a voyage marked Singles sparen, with heavily reduced single cabins.
- Not the fit if
- you do not speak German: there is only one language on board, German.
- Website
- phoenixreisen.com
Plantours Kreuzfahrten
- Best for
- German-language river cruises with themed events
- Christmas sailing
- Sails Adventszauber auf der Elbe on MS Sans Souci, 5 days from 26 to 30 November 2026; Weihnachten in Belgien & Holland on MS Elegant Lady runs 7 days from 22 December 2026.
- Why choose them
- Its flagship MS Lady Diletta carries 173 passengers and has 11 single cabins.
- Ask for
- Ask for the Single Special on selected Christmas voyages, which opens more single cabins for booking.
- Not the fit if
- you want to book shore excursions by phone, as they are booked only online through the customer portal.
- Money protection
- Deutscher Reisesicherungsfonds GmbH, with a Sicherungsschein issued with the booking confirmation.
Thurgau Travel
- Best for
- Swiss river voyages on its own ships
- Christmas sailing
- Sails Die Seine im Adventszauber, Paris to Rouen and Caudebec and back to Paris, 8 days from CHF 1'790 per person in December 2027.
- Why choose them
- Founded in December 2001, it sails 19 ships on over 50 waterways in more than 25 countries. Google: 4.4 out of 5 from 181 reviews; Trustpilot (whole company): 4.6 out of 5 from 1,004 reviews, newest 8 November 2026. Read 10 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for the excursion package with audio guide when you book, as most excursions are sold that way.
- Not the fit if
- you cannot leave the ship on your own in an evacuation, as guests must be able to do so and must tell Thurgau Travel before booking if not.
- Money protection
- Garantiefonds der Schweizer Reisebranche (Swiss travel industry guarantee fund).
- Website
- thurgautravel.ch
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
- Best for
- River cruises with drinks and gratuities included
- Christmas sailing
- Sails Moselle Holiday Markets, 8 days from Trier to Düsseldorf, departing 23 November 2028, from $3,599 per person, double occupancy (early booking offer; regular $4,499); it also sails Danube Holiday Markets, 8 days from Budapest.
- Why choose them
- Its cruises of 7 nights or more include onboard meals, premium beverages, onboard gratuities and scheduled excursions. Google: 3.6 out of 5 from 33 reviews; Trustpilot: 2.6 out of 5 from 34 reviews, newest 13 October 2026. Read 10 November 2026.
- Ask for
- Ask for a Generations programme departure if you are travelling with children.
- Not the fit if
- you need mobility devices or personal care on board: it provides neither and cannot guarantee full accessibility in all locations.
- Money protection
- Travel Industry Compensation Fund, TICO registration number 50018458 (Ontario); California Seller of Travel CST #2075415-20.
- Website
- uniworld.com
Which of these show a dated price on this page?
4 of the 6 cards show a price for a sailing of this kind, with its currency and a date or season. Plantours Kreuzfahrten publishes fares on its own website without a sailing date, a per-person basis or a currency on the pages read, so no figure is shown for it. Ask every line for a written quote with the departure date and what it includes.
Which of these lines name a scheme that protects your money?
4 of the 6 lines name a scheme, bond, licence or account that protects payments for some or all bookings; check the number with the scheme before you pay.
- nicko cruises: Insurance certificate naming the insurer, required before any payment under its package travel terms
- Plantours Kreuzfahrten: Deutscher Reisesicherungsfonds GmbH, with a Sicherungsschein issued with the booking confirmation
- Thurgau Travel: Garantiefonds der Schweizer Reisebranche (Swiss travel industry guarantee fund)
- Uniworld Boutique River Cruises: Travel Industry Compensation Fund, TICO registration number 50018458 (Ontario); California Seller of Travel CST #2075415-20
Who to contact first
Start with the 2 lines on this page that publish both a sailing price and their cancellation terms on their own websites, then add any other card that fits your dates and the sailing you want.
What to ask each one to set out in writing:
- What the fare includes, line by line: excursions, drinks, gratuities, wifi, flights, transfers and hotel nights before and after.
- The ship: how many guests it carries, the cabin size and whether it has a French balcony, a full balcony or a window.
- The deposit, when the balance is due, what you lose if you cancel and what the line does if low or high water changes the route.
- Which scheme or licence protects your money and what you need to walk on the excursions if mobility matters to you.
Christmas market river cruises: the questions people ask
What should I ask a river cruise line before booking?
What the fare includes, line by line; how many guests the ship carries and the size of the cabin; the deposit and what you lose if you cancel; what happens if low or high water changes the route; and which scheme protects your money.
Can I book with these lines directly?
Yes. Each card links the line's own website or enquiry page; ask for a written quote that lists what the fare includes and the cancellation scale.
Do these lines all sell the same kind of river cruise?
No. Each card names the sailing, ship or offer the line's own website gives; ship sizes, lengths, rivers and prices differ, so compare the cards before you ask for quotes.
What happens if the river is too low or too high to sail?
2 of the 6 lines set out on their own websites what they do when water levels change a sailing, such as a ship swap, a coach transfer or a refund. Ask each line in writing before you book.
Which of these have the most Google reviews?
Phoenix Reisen, Thurgau Travel and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, in that order. A count says how many people reviewed a line, not whether it fits your sailing; each card gives the rating and count, read 10 November 2026.
Which of these have Trustpilot profiles?
3 of the 6: nicko cruises, Thurgau Travel and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises. Each card gives the TrustScore, the review count and the newest review date, read 10 November 2026.
Which of these publish their cancellation terms?
3 of the 6: Century Cruises, nicko cruises and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises. Ask each for the full scale in writing before you pay a deposit.
Where can I check these facts myself?
Each card links the pages of the line's own website its lines were read from, with the date they were read.
How were these lines chosen?
Each one is in the Uncompromised Travel river cruise lines table, built from the river cruise lines ChatGPT names most often. On its own website it names a Christmas market or advent sailing dated from November 2026. A line is on the page because its published facts fit the question, never because it paid.
Is any company on this page paying to be here?
No. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel; none paid to be on it.
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Companies are added at each update. Want to be the company this page features?
Built to answer the question in the main heading. What is shown: what each line published on its own website, read on 10 November 2026, with links to the pages read, with its Google and Trustpilot figures where the listing carries the line's own name, from the Uncompromised Travel river cruise lines table. Cards are in alphabetical order. No company on this page is a partner of Uncompromised Travel. How this site earns · How we work.