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Save $3,000 on 2025 Avalon Waterways Mekong River Cruises
Save $3,000 on 2025 Avalon Waterways Mekong River Cruises
Promotion Details
*Book a select 2025 Avalon Waterways Mekong river cruise to receive $1500 off per person on the cruise/land or cruise only price. Offer available on select dates in 2025 and on select cruises ONLY. Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied between May 9, 2024 and JUne 30, 2025 for travel at select times in 2025. Not applicable to custom tours. Not applicable on TBA space. Combinable only with the Welcome Back Credit. Promotional discount will apply to Groups of 8 or more who provide their Group Block Deposit within the promotion's booking dates and will apply to all individual members of the Group until the due date of the passenger names/non-refundable individual deposits. Applies to new bookings only and offer will not be applied to pre-existing bookings. Offer reliant on space availability at time of booking and may be withdrawn at any time. This promotion is inventory managed and subject to availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply; see Travel Terms & Conditions for details. Offer applies to participating GFOB offices only. PRMW1115 PRMW1146
This Christmastime river cruise is a unique and unforgettable way to celebrate the season! Board your Avalon Suite Ship® in Frankfurt, Germany, then sail up the Rhine River to Basel, Switzerland, passing beautiful views and quaint villages festively lit and decorated. This one-of-a-kind Christmas river cruise through France and Germany takes you on an excursion to Heidelberg, Germany, to visit the fascinating ruins of Heidelberg Castle, towering magnificently over the city. At this time of year, an ice rink can be found at the foot of the castle and the Christmas market is spread over five town squares. Delight in the holiday cheer with Glühwein (hot mulled wine), bratwursts, and other regional delicacies. You’ll also find an array of crafts, Christmas decorations, and gifts. Strasbourg, located on the border of France and Germany, perfectly blends the cultures of both countries. Strasbourg is home to one of the oldest and finest Christmas markets in Europe—dating back to the 16th century. Take in the aromas of mulled wine, spice cakes, and biscuits. Bask in the holiday atmosphere as you visit the Strasbourg Cathedral, a gothic masterpiece made of red sandstone, and containing ancient murals and fascinating astronomical clock. Your Christmas river cruise along the Rhine River takes you to Breisach, considered the gateway to Germany’s Black Forest—an area of unrivaled natural beauty, best known for Black Forest ham, cherry cake, and the cuckoo clock. There is no better setting than this time of year when smoke curls from the chimneys of the traditional Black Forest houses. Your delightful holiday cruise ends in Basel, Switzerland. Don’t miss this experience to savor the holiday season in traditional and beautiful Christmas traditions of European winter markets and festivities!
- Day 1FRANKFURT, GERMANY (EMBARKATION)Fri, Dec 18, 2026Welcome to Germany. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding.Flights into Frankfurt must arrive by 3 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO SPEYER (D)
- Day 2SPEYER. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERGSat, Dec 19, 2026Winter Wonders and a Wine Barrel Fit for a King DISCOVERY Take a Guided Tour that includes the magnificent Heidelberg Castle and the Great Vat—the world’s largest wine barrel. After the tour, visit the local German Christmas markets in Heidelberg.Alternatively, enjoy a relaxing sailing morning and explore the sights and sounds, tantalizing treats, and seasonal handiwork of Speyer Christmas markets. This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board EVENING/OVERNIGHT TO STRASBOURG (B,L,D)
- Day 3STRASBOURG, FRANCESun, Dec 20, 2026A Gothic Cathedral, Heaven’s Time, and Joyeux NoëlCLASSIC Come along for City Sightseeing, including the city’s gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France District.You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to beautiful Alsace, for an afternoon in a French wine-country village. Savor the warmth and glow of Christmas tradition by spending your free time this afternoon wandering the French winter markets of Strasbourg. Take in the lights, music, and the pleasures of the season.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BREISACH(B,L,D)
- Day 4BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FORESTMon, Dec 21, 2026German Winemaking and the Beautiful Black ForestCLASSIC Join a Guided Tour to explore Freiburg’s medieval city center, sheltered by the Black Forest amid vineyards and gardens of the Upper Rhine Valley, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour to the magical Black Forest to experience local traditions and the vibrant Christmas mood.In the afternoon you may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar, with its half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings, or to spend your free time to enjoy the Breisach’s Christmas Markets.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BASEL (B,L,D)
- Day 5BASEL, SWITZERLAND (DISEMBARKATION)Tue, Dec 22, 2026Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.Flights shouldn't leave Zürich airport before 10 am or Basel airport before 8 am. (B)
Countries Visited
Rivers Visited
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Inclusions
- In the event of technical or water level issues, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or alter the program, including hotel overnight when necessary.
- Guided Tours, Optional Excursions, activities, sailing and docking schedules may be contingent on weather conditions or other issues outside of our control and could therefore be subject to change at any time.
- Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.
- Christmas markets generally operate from late November until the third week of December.
Accommodation Information
Gateway city for departures is Zürich
Port charges:
$132 are included.
Avalon offers the opportunity for solo travelers to sail with no single supplement (subject to availability).
Please call for single accommodation price. Triples not available.
OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-342-0019
Ship Information
Cabins
Life on Board
Questions & Answers Ask A Question
Question: Will the day-by-day itinerary change?
Question: In what language is the river cruise conducted?
I can not say enough to praise the hospitality and professional service aboard the Avalon Illumination! Everyone was so helpful and engaging from our tour guide to our housekeeper. the food and food service staff were equally amazing!
Don't be afraid to try the active excursions. They were amazing and they were honest if they felt a guest wouldn't be comfortable with the level of difficulty.
The overall dining experience was ok, not great
We enjoyed the Avalon Magnificent Europe River Cruise very much. It was everything we expected and more. The crew and staff on the ship were outstanding.
Avalon was wonderful to us. The staff was extremely friendly and willing to help in anyway. Very positive experience. The food also was delicious.
Great Food, Great Room, Great Tour Guide and Crew! Outstanding to all that worked so hard and always presented a smile!
Nico, Cruise director, made this trip extra special. He is very organized and knows the history of the areas we traveled.
This was our first river cruise and our first experience with Avalon. The entire trip was very enjoyable and we look forward to traveling on another river cruise with Avalon. Our tour included the Christmas Markets along the Danube and it would be fun to return to the same places during the spring and summer months. It was very nice to unpack only once.
The changes to my itinerary, due to the low water level of the Danube, were well beyond acceptable and made my trip that much more enjoyable. Mother Nature has a mind of her own and Avalon kept me informed prior to and on the trip. I highly recommend Avalon.
This trip covers a longer stretch of the Danube and many of the tours off the ship are an hour or more by bus. Average age on this trip was older than many other European river cruises. It was a fascinating trip.
Affordable Tours and Avalon did a great job. Everything perfect.
Aga was extremely helpful in booking our trip and in providing valuable information about the excursions and Amsterdam. We would like to work with her again in the future.
Everything was wonderful! The Avalon Illumination river boat was beautiful and our cabin was nice with a panoramic view. The tour director and staff were super. The places we visited for the Christmas markets were beyond description -- absolutely fabulous! Very relaxing trip aboard the river boat.
The cruise was just as advertised - even better.
My 1st river cruise. It was handled professional and smoothly. My consultant and her team did a great job. I will definitively book again.
A truly wonderful vacation. Everything was first class - the hotel in Prague, the Avalon Illumination, and all the excursions. Our cruise director was outstanding.
Once we were booked, everything was seemless.
My only comment of concern was that when on ship we were asked to leave dining room rather abruptly when it was closing and the bar would be closed during all performances. And bar drinks were super expensive other than happy hours...I felt like we had to conform more than was necessary...could have been more customer sensitive...it was the cruise director who at times treated us this way. Otherwise excellent and I would encourage others to use Avalon.
I couldn't have asked for more with Avalon. The whole staff and crew were so friendly and helpful. The trip was a trip of a lifetime thanks to Avalon!
Every aspect of this trip was top notch!
The trip was fine, but we wished we would have had more 'side trip' choices, or actually, transportation choices. We wanted to take the tour bus places, but once there we would have rather gone in a different direction, I mean, it seems every tour brought us to a church/cathedral, and once you have seen 3 or 4, it got real old. The tour to the winery in Serbia (I think - maybe Bulgaria) was terrible, the wine was awful, I did not see a single person buy any of it. This is one tour where we wanted to go elsewhere but could not. Same with the tour to Tera Nova in Bulgaria - we wanted to wander the town, instead we had to follow the tour to yet another church. But this was OUR thoughts, for many others I am sure it was fine.
The agent was a delight to work with because of her top of the line service. Had a wonderful trip on Avalon Waterways up the Danube and Rhine Rivers from Vienna, and Salzburg was great! Thanks again for a wonderful trip.
We had a wonderful time and are very grateful to our agent for her professional assistance