Classic Christmas Markets River Cruise

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients

• 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 7 dinners

• Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions

• Customized LGBTQ Entertainment & Themed Events

• Welcome and Farewell Gala Dinners

• Unlimited beverages onboard, including fine wine, beer, spirits, specialty coffee and tea, soft drinks, and mineral water

• 6 days of excursions, all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts

• Guided “Taste of Christmas” and “Village Day” programs

• State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio-headset system on all shore excursions

• Use of Nordic walking sticks

• 7-night cruise in a river view stateroom on the regal River Duchess

• Lavishly appointed river view staterooms and suites have handcrafted Savoir® Beds of England, high thread count 100% Egyptian cotton sheets and European duvets, and a menu of pillow options

• Free Wi-Fi

• 1 country: Germany

• 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites

• Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager

• Group Transfers are included on arrival and departure days (please see terms and conditions for transfer guidelines)

• Gratuities for onboard personnel (ship staff, crew, Cruise/Tour Manager) are included during the cruise/tour

• Cultural enrichment, including captivating onboard local entertainment

• Pricing starts at $4799* CLICK HERE for more details.

*Prices are per person based on double occupancy. All prices and itineraries are subject to change without prior notice. Reservations are subject to availability.

ITINERARY

Day 1: FRANKFURT (Embark)

Arrive at Frankfurt International Airport. If your cruise package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship.

Day 2: FRANKFURT

Frankfurt is known as the “Mainhattan” of Europe, a financial powerhouse with soaring skyscrapers, but that’s done nothing to diminish the cultural heart of the city. Frankfurt’s old town, the Altstadt, is as charming as it gets, and has hosted some of the best Christmas markets on the continent for centuries. Choose to stay in town today for a “Taste of Christmas” walking tour featuring all sorts of sugary and savory treats, or alternatively, head out of town on an excursion to the Christmas market in Wiesbaden.

Day 3: CRUISING THE MAIN RIVER, WERTHEIM

Located at the confluence of the Tauber and Main rivers, Wertheim is a lovely village dating back over a thousand years. It epitomizes the friendly, slow-paced small-town atmosphere of many German villages; here, residents greet each other by name as they do their daily shopping for fresh bread and sausage in tiny shops. On your guided walking tour of the village, you’ll hear a lot about daily life in Wertheim, as well as facts about the town and its history. Its many well-preserved medieval buildings—complete with low doors and tiny windows—attest to the inconveniences of life in the Middle Ages.

Day 4: WÜRZBURG

This morning, you’ll head off to see the Würzburg Residence, a baroque-style palace famous for its gigantic ceiling fresco. Later, visit the town’s renowned Christmas Market, held in front of the old City Hall, for some one-of-a-kind gifts for friends back home. Beautifully decorated wooden booths are illuminated by the soft glow of Christmas lighting, and the air is filled with the scent of roasted chestnuts and the sound of Christmas carols. One of the best ways to embrace a different culture is through encounters with local residents, which you’ll experience this afternoon in a typical Franconian village. Make new friends over hot drinks and homemade seasonal treats.

Day 5: KITZINGEN (ROTHENBURG), SCHWEINFURT

Rothenburg looks like something straight out of the pages of a storybook, with its medieval walls, cobbled streets, Gothic churches, and Hansel-and-Gretel houses. Join a local expert for an insightful walking tour, and then wander amongst the stalls at one of Germany’s oldest Christmas markets

Day 6: BAMBERG

The fact that Bamberg still exists today is something of a miracle—it survived WWII bombing virtually unscathed. It’s a superb example of a medieval German city, one compact enough to explore on foot with a local expert. You’ll also have free time to visit not just one but four Christmas Markets and a captivating amount of nativity scenes located along nativity trail.

Day 7: NUREMBERG

For a holiday extravaganza, look no further than Nuremberg, which boasts the largest and grandest Christmas Market in all of Germany— and that’s really saying something. The “Gingerbread Capital of the World” pulls out all the stops during the holidays, as you’ll see for yourself on a panoramic tour guaranteed to put you in a festive mood. Stroll through the castle gardens and enjoy breathtaking views of the city, then walk through a maze of cobblestone lanes down to the central Market Square. There, spread out before the Church of Our Lady, is the largest Christmas Market in Germany.

​Day 8: NUREMBERG (Disembark)

Disembark the ship in Nuremberg and transfer to the Airport for your flight home.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

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Cruise Planners - ExplorerVacations.com is excited to offer you this unforgettable CLASSIC CHRISTMAS MARKETS RIVER CRUISE hosted by KelliGregg Travel on the luxurious Uniworld River Duchess. At KelliGregg Travel, “everyone is welcome” and there is “something for everyone”!  They are the first travel company to create vacations for LGBT families and their friends.  KelliGregg Travel began this exciting journey with their inaugural cruise in 2004.  Since then, more than 20,000 guests have traveled with them around the world.

​KelliGregg Travel has now expanded to offer LGBTQ adult-only options including fully chartered river cruises, tours to Thailand and Ireland, and exciting partnership with Travel100 Group to assist you with your personal travel plans.  When you travel with them, their promise is that you will make friends for life. 

LEARN MORE

To LEARN MORE about Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and the luxurious River Duchess, including deck plans and detailed pricing, CLICK HERE.