Rhine Holiday Markets

8 days
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5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews  
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Cancellation Policy
River Cruise
A festive journey destined to delight travellers of all ages. Switzerland, France and Germany provide the perfect backdrop for this true connoisseur’s Christmas markets cruise. Discover the roots of our Christmas traditions as you explore some of Europe’s most charming towns on a luxury, all-inclusive Rhine River cruise. Browse for unique ornaments in Basel...

Overview

Trip type
River Cruise
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

    • Explore Basel and its marvelous Christmas Market
    • Visit the magnificent Notre-Dame Cathedral
    • Discover Germany’s most beautiful city Heidelberg
    • Enjoy Cruising through the romantic Rhine River
    • Visit Cologne and its famous Gothic cathedral

What's this trip about?

    A festive journey destined to delight travellers of all ages. Switzerland, France and Germany provide the perfect backdrop for this true connoisseur’s Christmas markets cruise. Discover the roots of our Christmas traditions as you explore some of Europe’s most charming towns on a luxury, all-inclusive Rhine River cruise. Browse for unique ornaments in Basel’s Christmas Market. Sip vin chaud as you stroll to Place Kléber to behold the enormous, brilliantly lighted tree that Strasbourg offers modern celebrants. See how the baroque town hall of Koblenz is transformed into an Advent calendar and find unexpected treasures in the red-roofed stalls clustered around Cologne’s magnificent cathedral.

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeIntimate group - 12 max
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityBasel
End CityCologne

Travel Themes

  • 50 plus
  • Cultural
  • Small Ship Cruise
  • Festivals & Special Events

Destinations

  • Europe
  • Switzerland
  • Germany
  • France

Attractions

  • Heidelberg
  • Heidelberg Castle
  • Koblenz
  • Notre Dame Cathedral
  • Strasbourg

Activities

  • Culture
  • Festivals & Special Events
  • Historic sightseeing
  • River cruise
  • Ruins & Archaeology

Trip includes

    • Dining All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
    • 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners
    • Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions
    • Welcome and Farewell Gala Dinners
    • Unlimited beverages onboard, including fine wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, specialty coffee and tea, and mineral water Excursions 6 days of excursions, including “Choice Is Yours” options, all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts
    • Guided “Taste of Christmas” and “Gentle Walking” programs
    • State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio-headset system on all excursions
    • Use of Nordic walking sticks Accommodations 7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the exquisite S.S. Antoinette
    • Lavishly appointed riverview staterooms and suites have handcrafted Savoir® of England beds, high-thread count 100% Egyptian cotton sheets and European duvets, and a menu of pillow options
    • Free Internet and Wi-Fi access Experiences 3 countries: France, Germany, Switzerland
    • 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites
    • Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager
    • All transfers on arrival and departure days
    • Captivating onboard local entertainment
    • Cultural enrichment, including a Signature Lecture: “European Christmas Traditions, from the Nutcracker to the Tannenbaum”

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: Basel (embark)

Arrive at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, where you will be transferred to the ship.

Day 2: Basel

FEATURED EXCURSION: Basel walking discovery tour with Christmas Market

Your walking discovery tour will introduce you to Basel and its marvelous Christmas Market, located in the heart of the Old Town. With more than 150 stands, it offers many locally made craft...

Day 3: Kehl (Strasbourg)

FEATURED EXCURSIONS: Choice of Strasbourg by canal with Christmas Market OR exclusive “Taste of Christmas” walking discovery tour

Strasbourg is particularly picturesque during the festive holiday season, as you’ll discover on a canal cruise through Petite Franc...

Day 4: Mannheim (Heidelberg)

FEATURED EXCURSIONS: Choice of full-day Heidelberg tour with Christmas Market OR exclusive Doktorenhof vinegar estate visit and tasting

Your tour of Heidelberg—one of Germany’s most beautiful cities—will take you past the romantic ruins of Heidelberg Castle and...

Day 5: Mainz, Rüdesheim

FEATURED EXCURSION: Siegfried’s Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments with Christmas Market

Enjoy a leisurely stroll through Mainz and its St. Nicholas Christmas Market before cruising to Rüdesheim, located in the heart of the fabled Rhine Valley. There, you...

Day 6: Cruising the romantic Rhine River, Koblenz

FEATURED EXCURSION: Koblenz walking discovery tour with Christmas Market

En route to Koblenz, your ship will cruise along a spectacularly scenic 40-mile stretch of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape lined with dozens of fa...

Day 7: Cologne

FEATURED EXCURSION: Cologne walking discovery tour with Cologne Cathedral visit and Christmas markets

Christmas is the perfect time to visit Cologne and its famous Gothic cathedral. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has a shrine said to contain relics of the Magi...

Day 8: Cologne (disembark), transfer to the airport

Disembark the ship and transfer to Cologne Bonn Airport for your flight home.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,399
Price per day$300
Last Updated: 3/23/2023

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Uniworld.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Uniworld Reviews & Ratings

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Other Uniworld Reviews

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Bradley Acuff

Jan 2023

Provided byUniworld

Personnel were all very polite and happy to serve.

Personnel were all very polite and happy to serve. Service was timely and ...

M

Marie Rossiter

Jan 2023

Provided byUniworld

The staff is most efficient and kind.

The staff is most efficient and kind.

L

Leslie Gleiser

Jan 2023

Provided byUniworld

The service on the Tosca was OUTSTANDING.

The service on the Tosca was OUTSTANDING. The crew was very attentive, concerned always that we had what we needed and wanted. They could not be more helpful! It was...

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Tour Operator

Uniworld

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Award-winning Uniworld—the world's ONLY authentic boutique cruise line™—offers itineraries in spectacular destinations throughout Europe, Russia, and Asia. The company’s European fleet features luxurious ships with an average capacity of 130 guests, the highest staff-to-guest ratio in the river cruise industry, enticing shore excursions, world-class gourmet cuisine, impeccable hospitality, and numerous other all-inclusive benefits.

In 2004, Uniworld was acquired by The Travel Corporation (TTC), a highly successful international travel group founded by Stanley Tollman. TTC has more than 30 top brands, including Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, and Contiki, as well as Red Carnation Hotels, a renowned collection of four- and five-star luxury properties.

TTC has made major investments in Uniworld's ships, crew, and staff, with an eye towards providing guests with all the elements of an unforgettable Six-Star Experience: Expertise; Service; Luxurious Ships, Uniquely Designed; Culinary; Choice; and Truly All-Inclusive. Combining the tour planning and hotel management expertise of TTC’s sister companies with Uniworld’s decades of superior nautical experience has created an entirely new category of luxury river cruising.

In partnership with its sister company, Red Carnation Hotels, Uniworld takes pride in its long-lasting relationships with guests, for whom there is “No request too large, no detail too small.” Uniworld employs a professionally trained, dedicated, English-speaking staff, so guests never have to worry about communication.

Why we love this operator
They have the highest staff-to-guest ratio in the river cruise industry and a reputation for excellent service.
What they’re known for
Posh all-inclusive river cruises with fascinating shore excursions in destinations across Europe and Asia.

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Logistics

What's excluded

    • International Flights
    • Passport and Visa Charges
    • Personal Expenses
Ship & cabin information
S.S. Antoinette
The luxurious décor of the 443-foot, 154-passenger S.S. Antoinette—Uniworld’s first Super Ship—features fine Brazilian marble on the walls and floors, a 19th-century Venetian glass mirror, a stylish Bar du Leopard with full-service bar, and an onboard cinema. The two-story foyer boasts a 10-foot blue Strauss Baccarat chandelier with huge sapphires—a stunning piece that once hung in New York's famous Tavern on the Green—and a collection of original artwork is displayed throughout the ship.
Rivers:  Rhine River Guests: 154 Staff: 57 Suites: 9 (294-391 sq ft) Staterooms: 64 (163-196 sq ft) Length: 443 ft Width: 37.5 ft
Cancellation policy

We hope nothing will come between you and your Uniworld vacation. Should you need to cancel your booking or any portion of it, your cancellation must be received in writing. It will be effective on the date of receipt. Cancellation charges, per person and based upon the date of cancellation, are as follows:

Below are the Cancellation Notice Received Before Tour Start Date and regarding Cancellation Charges Per Person

  • 90 days or more - $300 nonrefundable deposit
  • 89 – 60 days - 35% of the fare**
  • 59 – 30 days - 50% of the fare**
  • Less than 30 days - 100% of the fare**
  • No Show - 100% of the fare**

**Fare is defined as the cost of any cruise, land, or air element purchased from Uniworld. Port charges are fully refundable if they have been paid prior to cancelling your trip.

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included

7 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches and 7 Dinners

Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Optional Activities

Basel & Lake Lucerne

Included in your 3-day stay:

  • 2 nights at the deluxeGrand Hotel Les Trois Rois (or similar)
  • Breakfast daily and all service charges, taxes, and porterage
  • Lucerne walking tour with chocolate experience and Christmas markets
  • Basel walking tour
  • English-speaking expert
  • All transfers

For pricing, please call for more information.

Note: This extension is for cruises that begin or end in Basel. Arrival and departure transfers will be provided to/from the Basel airport.

Additional Information
Trip ID
Uniworld-RhiHolUni

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