Love Christmas? You Will Be Obsessed With This Festive River Cruise

Late last year, spurred on by a major case of the winter blues, I started planning a last-minute Christmas getaway for my partner and I. Time was ticking, and we couldn’t agree on a destination: I wanted a fast-paced city break, preferably with top-notch shopping, he wanted total relaxation. 

The perfect solution to our dilemma came in an email: Would I—along with a plus-one—be interested in spending the week leading up to the holidays on a river cruise to visit some of Europe’s most famous Christmas markets? Eager to let someone else take over the planning and looking forward to some much-needed festive cheer, I signed us up for an eight-day voyage on the Danube with Emerald Cruises, with stops in Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Germany, the birthplace of the Christkindlesmarkt. Cue visions of twinkle-light-trimmed gingerbread-house stalls jam-packed with artisan-crafted goods and steaming mugs of glühwein. 

Ships typically dock in the city centre, so it's easy to get around and explore on foot. (Photo: Courtesy of Emerald Cruises)

Planning a trip—especially during the holiday season—is stressful. A river cruise offers respite from the inevitable decision fatigue that comes from curating a multi-stop itinerary: tours and attractions are booked on your behalf, shuttles are arranged, meals are provided and you’re whisked from one destination to the next, often overnight. Waking up in a new city every day without having to navigate train stations, airports and hotel check-ins—suitcases in tow—is a vacation in itself. (Ships typically dock within walking distance of the city centre, making it easy to get around.) Over the course of eight days, we visited Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Krems, Passau and Regensburg before heading to Munich for our flight home—and we unpacked just once. The only decision we had to make was which excursions to book and whether we wanted the drinks package. (Yes, please.) 

With a maximum occupancy of 180 guests, the Emerald Luna—our home for the week—had more in common with a boutique hotel than with the “floating city” vibe of an ocean liner. The common areas, including a lobby, a restaurant, a lounge and a heated pool, were decked out for the holidays with Christmas trees, poinsettias, layers of garlands and handmade gingerbread houses topped with colourful sweets and shiny icing. On every surface, there were platters piled high with chocolate-glazed gingerbread cookies and truffles. (The soft, spicy gingerbread cookies were the best I’ve ever tasted.) 

We stayed in a Panorama Balcony Suite and enjoyed watching the scenery as we floated by. (Photo: Courtesy of Emerald Cruises)

Every cabin featured wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows that frame rolling hills dotted with quaint villages and steepled churches, each vignette more postcard-worthy than the last. We stayed in a Panorama Balcony Suite, a bright and cozy room with an “indoor balcony” (meaning that the top half of the window can be rolled down) and a surprising amount of storage space for its 180 square feet size. The ship—as with all of Emerald's river cruises—has eliminated 95 percent of single-use plastics. Reusable stainless steel water bottles were provided for each guest and could be refilled at filtered water stations located in common areas.

The meals were a highlight, with a mix of buffet-style spreads and à la carte offerings in the main restaurant, and snacks in the lounge. We opted for the chef’s recommendation most days, a rotating menu designed to highlight each region’s specialties. In Vienna, we dined on schnitzels, cheesy käsekrainer and kaiserschmarrn, a dish of caramelized pancakes shredded into bite-sized chunks, topped with powdered sugar and served with jam. As we drifted through Bavaria in southeastern Germany, we filled our lunch plates with traditional bratwurst and sauerkraut.

The Christmas market in Bratislava, where we tried lokše. (Photo: Courtesy Emerald Cruises)

There were plenty of opportunities to experience local fare in each city, too. In Budapest, we set out in search of Tokaji Aszú, a sweet local wine, on the recommendation of our Hungarian cruise director, Armin. In Bratislava, we sampled lokše, thin potato pancakes topped with jam and poppyseeds, from one of the market stalls. In the Slovakian capital, we also visited Konditorei Kormuth, a patisserie with stunning Renaissance-style decor and a selection of extremely decadent cakes. (There’s a minimum 13-euro spend per person, but it’s well worth the splurge.)

Wine, beer and sodas are complimentary during lunch and dinner on board, but it’s worth getting the drinks package for a truly all-inclusive vacation feel. We loved coming back to the ship’s cozy upstairs lounge for spiked hot chocolates or espresso martinis to warm up after a day of sightseeing.

Each day’s itinerary appeared on our stateroom’s TV the night prior, outlining meals, excursion options, evening entertainment—which ranged from local acts to Christmas-themed trivia to movies—and the all-important ship’s departure time. 

The sprawling Christmas market in Vienna's Rathausplatz is a must-see. (Photo: Courtesy Emerald Cruises)

Most days started bright and early with a walking tour led by a local guide, leaving plenty of time for everyone to go off on their own to explore the city’s landmarks and Christmas markets. Despite spending just a few hours in each city, I came home satisfied that I’d seen the highlights and made time for what was important to me. In Bratislava, I stopped by Textile House, a charmingly eclectic second-hand store filled with well-priced designer labels and one-of-a-kind jewellery and homeware pieces. (I brought back a silver bangle and a sweet ceramic bird for my mantle, but I was also tempted by their extensive blazer collection.) In Vienna, we enjoyed the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s impressive collection of Old Masters’ works with our tour group, checked off a few items from our Christmas shopping list at the sprawling Wiener Christkindlmarkt in Rathausplatz square (I still regret the cat-themed linocut print I left behind) and stopped by Café Landtmann—one of Freud’s favourite spots—for a cup of extra-strong coffee and a slice of Sachertorte, a Viennese chocolate cake layered with apricot jam. The private concert by the Vienna Imperial Orchestra is a must-see—their rendition of the Blue Danube waltz alone was worth the price of the excursion (from $124 per person).   

Most cities have multiple Christmas markets. In Regensburg, I came across three different ones. (Photo: Courtesy Emerald Cruises)

Each Christmas market was magical in its own way, with some focused on food and drinks and others on handmade goods. At each one, we drank glühwein and mulled apple cider, served piping hot in reusable cups, which you can either keep as a souvenir or return to get your deposit of a couple of euros back. The most spectacular market was in the medieval town of Regensburg, on the grounds of the Thurn und Taxis Palace. We bought wood-carved ornaments for ourselves and our families, kitschy fridge magnets to add to our collection and I treated myself to a few pieces of jewellery by local makers.

The mention for the most Hallmark-worthy Christmas market however goes to Passau, where we sheltered from an unexpected snow flurry at a stall roasting chestnuts on an open fire, feeling like the leads in a holiday romcom. When we came back to our suite that night, the crew had left a tiny glass Santa on our bed, a thoughtful nod to the region, which is renowned for its glassmaking. 

What to pack

• Warm clothing. Most days are spent outside, so a warm winter coat, scarf, hat, gloves and waterproof boots are essential. During my trip in December, temperatures varied wildly with a mix of rain and snow.
• A Christmas sweater. Crew members donned festive sweaters, and a few guests joined in as well. (One family even came to dinner one night in matching Grinch onesies.) I found myself wishing I had my own to join in on the fun. 
• Euros (and any other currency you might need). Most market stalls took credit cards, but a few didn’t. I was grateful to have euros and forints on hand. 

Travel Tip

• Plan on flying in a day early to experience the embarkation city. I flew into Budapest on the day I checked in, and didn’t have enough time to visit its famed thermal baths. (It’s also a good idea to be there a day or so early in case of flight delays.)

This trip was provided by Emerald Cruises. All opinions are the writer’s own.