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Day by Day Summary and Map
Cruise Segment of Itinerary
Friday - Dec 6, 2024
Day 1
Basel (Saxon), Switzerland
Tour begins: 5:30 PM, Basel. Transfers are included from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg to the riverboat where embarkation begins at 4 PM. Guests enjoying a pre-stay in Basel will receive a transfer from the hotel to the ship. Guests can also fly into Zurich airport and will be transferred to their ship. If you arrive earlier than 4 PM, you might want to go into the city to see the Christkindlmarkt - said to be the largest and most traditional in Switzerland - and perhaps have your first taste of the traditional gluhwein that is so much a part of the Christmas market scene. Back onboard the riverboat, meet your Tauck directors at a discovery/welcome briefing, and enjoy a casual captain's welcome reception followed by dinner - and your Christmas market cruise begins! ... Read More
Saturday - Dec 7, 2024
Day 2
Basel (Saxon), Switzerland
Bus Travel
Lucerne, Switzerland
Bus Travel
Basel (Saxon), Switzerland
Awaken aboard the riverboat in Basel, then set off on an excursion to Switzerland's lakeside "city of lights", Lucerne. On an orientation tour with your Tauck director, highlights include the Kapellbrucke, a covered wooden footbridge crossing the Reuss River that dates back to the 1330s; an octagonal Water Tower once used as a prison; and lovely squares like the Kornmarkt, Weinmarkt, and Hirschenplatz. In Altstadt Luzern (Old Town), narrow cobblestone lanes lead to picturesque squares lined with houses painted with frescoes. From town, you'll head out for the heights of Mt. Pilatus via gondola; after descending the mountain by gondola, catch up with the riverboat in the late afternoon. Back onboard, join us for dinner, then celebrate with your fellow travelers at our tree-trimming party as you help decorate the riverboat's Christmas tree, a highlight of our Christmas market cruises! ... Read More
Sunday - Dec 8, 2024
Day 3
Strasbourg, France
Strasbourg - Steaming mulled wine... gingerbread... Advent wreaths... a towering Christmas tree, dwarfed by soaring Strasbourg Cathedral... nearly every street and building aglow with lights and decorations... Bredle, the tiny traditional holiday cakes of Alsace... the unmistakable sights, sounds, flavors, and smells of the Alsatian holidays surround you at Strasbourg's Marches de Noel, the oldest and largest in France. A dozen themed markets fan out from the cathedral along the Grand Rue - the original Christkindelsmarik... the Bredle Market... the Kingdom of the Wine Growers... the Children's Village... the Village of Sharing and others. Artisans show off their wares in stalls that stretch on as far as the eye can see... and the ancient heart of this canal-crossed city is bathed in gold! A lecture on local storytelling traditions is part of your unforgettable day in Strasbourg. Strasbourg would like you to think of it as the "Capital of Christmas" and it is, after all, the "Capital of Europe" in a sense - being the home of the European Union. Before a walking tour through this ancient French Alsatian city, whose entire center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, gain some insights about storytelling traditions with an expert local guide during a lecture aboard the riverboat. The setting of Tauck's Christmas market tours - around Strasbourg's Gothic Cathedral de Notre-Dame - is breathtaking. After a walking tour of the Christkindlmarkt, you'll have leisure time to explore on your own - and have lunch in town or return to the riverboat on one of the shuttles that will run between the city and the dock for most of the afternoon. Back aboard the riverboat, join your Tauck directors for a discovery briefing before a festive dinner tonight. ... Read More
Monday - Dec 9, 2024
Day 4
Karlsruhe, Germany
Bus Travel
Baden-Baden, Germany
Bus Travel
Karlsruhe, Germany
Baden-Baden - The Black Forest's special magic casts its spell over the Christmas market of this famous spa town, set adjacent to its sumptuous Belle Epoque casino complex - the Kurhaus - which screen icon Marlene Dietrich called "the most beautiful casino in the world". Cheered by the strains of local choirs and bands performing holiday music - or perhaps by the baaaas of bleating sheep from the market's "living Nativity" - wind your way to a booth upon booth of carved wooden toys and ornaments, silver jewelry, decorative candles, and goodies galore. Join us for a guided visit inside the 19th-century Kurhaus, and explore more of Baden-Baden's holiday charms as you wish. A favorite destination of our Christmas market tours along the Rhine. The riverboat docks for an excursion to Baden-Baden; this famous Black Forest spa town is the ideal setting for a winter fairy tale at Christmastime. The tempting aromas of gluhwein and gingerbread linger among the labyrinth of stalls in the Weihnachtsmarkt. With its natural springs reputed to have healing powers, Baden-Baden has long attracted the wealthy elite, who come to take the waters and play in the magnificent Belle Epoque casino, the Kurhaus, adjacent to the Christmas market; get a taste of what being one of "the in-crowd" feels like as you visit the complex. Discover more of Baden-Baden on your own, perhaps indulging in more gingerbread and gluhwein. Continue cruising this evening; you'll visit Heidelberg tomorrow. ... Read More
Tuesday - Dec 10, 2024
Day 5
Mannheim, Germany
Bus Travel
Heidelberg, Germany
Bus Travel
Mannheim, Germany
Heidelberg - With thousands of stars twinkling in the trees... hundreds of booths sprawling across five city squares... and an ice rink glistening in the shadow of Heidelberger Schloss... you'll think you've stepped inside a snowglobe at this shining Weihnachtsmarkt! Festooned with figures from the city's history, the glowing Christmas Pyramid dominates the Marktplatz. On the Universitatsplatz, a carousel turns, and the scent of almonds and gluhwein fills the air. Watch skaters whirl to holiday tunes at the rink on the Karlsplatz... hunt for crafts at the Anatomiegarten... or stroll past the creche on the Kornmarkt. Explore iconic Heidelberger Schloss (Heidelberg Castle), ride a funicular to the medieval Old Town for a walking tour, and enjoy a traditional German lunch at a local restaurant. A day in Heidelberg promises both holiday cheer at its Weihnachtsmarkt and insights about life here past and present. A tour of Heidelberger Schloss high above the city reveals the ruins of this mighty medieval castle and a sense of what it might have been like to live there so long ago. A funicular ride leads to a walking tour of the city's Old Town and Heidelberg's Christmas markets, winding up with a traditional German lunch - featuring award-winning local beer - in the heart of the city. Spend some free time in the hometown of Germany's oldest university before catching up with the riverboat for tonight's cruise; enjoy live jazz onboard this evening. ... Read More
Wednesday - Dec 11, 2024
Day 6
Rudesheim, Germany
Rudesheim - Holiday carols, children's laughter, carousels... the season's joyful noises reverberate across this little town on the Rhine as you browse the shops and stalls of its Weihnachtsmarkt, winding their way through its quaint cobblestone streets; the largest nativity scene in Europe adorns the market square. Even the Drosselgasse, a narrow lane famed for its wine bars, is all done up in yuletide green and gold. Heart-shaped lebkuchen, local favorites like Schweinebraten and Jagerschnitzel - and especially Rudesheim coffee, laced with locally produced brandy - tempt your taste buds. While in Rudesheim, visit the whimsical Siegfried's Mechanisches Musikkabinett, housed in a castle - a unique inclusion on Christmas market tours and cruises! After a leisurely morning spent cruising along the Rhine and enjoying your riverboat's amenities as you please, there's more Weihnachtsmarkt fun waiting for you in the romantic town of Rudesheim in the Rhine Valley. After a stroll through the Christmas market near the pier, walk or ride a mini-train (weather permitting) to Siegfried's Mechanisches Musikkabinett, a museum featuring an impressive collection of mechanical musical instruments, some dating back centuries, housed in the Bromserhof, a 16th-century manor house. A cookie-baking demonstration shares secrets of traditional treats like lebkuchen and stollen, which are very tasty when accompanied by special Rudesheim coffee with a touch of local brandy mixed in. After some free time, return to the riverboat for the chef's signature dinner tonight; maybe you'll want to take a stroll ashore later. ... Read More
Thursday - Dec 12, 2024
Day 7
Cologne, Germany
Travel back in time as you make your way from Rudesheim to Koln on a historic cruise along the River Rhine... Glide past rolling green hillsides and see the magnificent castles of centuries past... each with its own unique story to tell... Your Tauck director will give you insights into that history, before sharing the tale of the enchantress Lorelei, who lured lovelorn sailors to their demise with her beauty and song... See lasting remnants of the Altstadte, or Old Towns, of German cities, many restored to their former glory after World War II... Experience what the river has to offer... from the comfort of your riverboat. Spend the morning cruising, arriving in Koln (Cologne) in the early afternoon. Enjoy a guided tour of this historic cultural center of the Rhineland in Koln - with its Christmas market adjacent to the Gothic twin-spired Kolner Dom. Join us for the captain's farewell reception followed by dinner tonight... and you may want to raise one last cup of gluhwein and toast the wonderful time you've had discovering Christmastime along the Rhine. ... Read More
Friday - Dec 13, 2024
Day 8
Dusseldorf, Germany
Tour ends: Dusseldorf. Fly home anytime. Transfers are included from the riverboat to Dusseldorf Airport or Dusseldorf Train Station. Guests enjoying a post-stay in Dusseldorf will receive a transfer from the hotel to the airport. Please allow three hours for airport check-in. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey home. ... Read More
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Unless otherwise indicated above, all cruise rates are per person, double occupancy, cruise-only without airfare, do not include government taxes and fees and quoted in in U.S. dollars. Ponant Cruises rates are based on foreign currencies that are converted to USD based on today's exchange rates. Rates are subject to availability, can vary by ship and sailing date, and for new bookings only. Fares are capacity controlled, and subject to change without notice. Port charges are included. Prices do not include additional service charges; Travel Insurance; and applicable government taxes & fees unless otherwise specified in the offer. Surcharges and fees implemented by a travel supplier, even after the reservation is made, will be the sole responsibility of each traveler and is due and payable in full prior to departure. Certain promotions which may include amenities like shipboard credits, pre-paid gratuities, drink packages or other packages may be available by category, room type or fare code and may not be combinable with other promotions. For any questions, please consult one of our cruise specialists for applicability and verification. All prices, inclusions & promotions listed on the web-site are current at the time they we published and are subject to change without advance notice. Arrivia, Inc., its subsidiaries, and partners are not responsible for last minute changes to price or itinerary by cruise lines, or for any errors or omissions in the content of this website.
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