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Christmastime from Basel to Vienna 2027

From Basel, Switzerland to Vienna, Austria
Length: 16 Days - Departs: Tue, Nov 30, 2027
Operator
Ship
Departure
Nov 30, 2027
Arrival
Dec 15, 2027

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River Cruise Itinerary

Step aboard your Avalon Suite Ship® festively decorated and beautifully dressed in Christmas colors of the season. Embark on this festive Christmastime river cruise from Switzerland to Austria. Experience the holiday season like never before, from the beauty of the Black Forest to the glistening lights of Strasbourg’s Christmas markets. Discover traditions and tastes that warm the heart. With views like no other, your Avalon Suite Ship® is decked out for the holidays, brimming in holiday spirit. See the shining stalls with crafts, cuisine, and curios come alive with music, peace, and merriment. Visit glowing German Christkindlesmarkt stalls as you cruise on the Rhine and Main Rivers from Heidelberg to Passau—and quaint villages in between. Continue in the holiday glow in Austria to visit the magnificent Benedictine Abbey in Melk, then spectacular Vienna for a tour through the Christmas markets to get a taste of all the best flavors Austria offers during this sparkling time of year on the Danube River. A perfect ending to a festive river cruise showing you some of the best that Germany and Austria have to offer this time of year!

  1. Day 1
    BASEL, SWITZERLAND (EMBARKATION)
    Tue, Nov 30, 2027
    Welcome to Switzerland. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding.

    Flights into Zürich or Basel must arrive by 3 pm.

    Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.

    Stroll through the city centre, enjoy the festive illumination and savor Christmas delicacies like waffles, gingerbread, sweets and Swiss raclette.

    EVENING CRUISE TO BREISACH

    (D)

  2. Day 2
    BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST
    Wed, Dec 01, 2027
    German Winemaking and the Beautiful Black Forest

    CLASSIC 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.

    Alternatively, spend your afternoon leisurely browsing Breisach’s lovely Christmas market to sample pretzels, mulled wine, and Black Forest cake.

    This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board including the best Christmas carols.

    Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.

    OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO STRASBOURG

    (B,L,D)

  3. Day 3
    STRASBOURG, FRANCE
    Thu, Dec 02, 2027
    Joyeux Noël in Strasbourg

    CLASSIC 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 in a wine country village in beautiful Alsace. Spend free time this afternoon strolling through the glowing winter markets of Strasbourg.

    EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO SPEYER

    (B,L,D)

  4. Day 4
    SPEYER, GERMANY. HEIDELBERG EXCURSION
    Fri, Dec 03, 2027
    Winter Wonders 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 morning and explore the sights and sounds, tantalizing treats, and seasonal handiwork of Speyer Christmas markets.

    EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO FRANKFURT

    (B,L,D)

  5. Day 5
    FRANKFURT. EXCURSION TO RUDESHEIM
    Sat, Dec 04, 2027
    Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country

    CLASSIC Tour the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience in Rüdesheim.

    EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MAIN RIVER VILLAGE

    (B,D)

  6. Day 6
    MAIN RIVER VILLAGE
    Sun, Dec 05, 2027
    Hidden Gifts and Holiday Delights

    DISCOVERY Join a German Cookie Baking Demonstration on board your ship while sailing.

    CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of a picturesque village along the Main River.

    DISCOVERY Get into the holiday spirit as cheerful carolers come aboard to fill the air with beloved Christmas songs.

    Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.

    AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO WÜRZBURG

    (B,L,D)

  7. Day 7
    WÜRZBURG
    Mon, Dec 06, 2027
    Old Saint Nick and Nutcrackers Sweet

    CLASSIC Take a Guided Sightseeing Tour of the “Pearl of the Romantic Road” with its Old Main Bridge, towering fortress, and baroque Bishop’s Residence.

    You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to the beautiful Bavarian town of Rothenburg. Visit the Käthe Wohlfahrt German Christmas museum—the world’s most extensive collection of traditional German Christmas decorations.

    Spend free time enjoying the festive, warm glow of Wurzburg’s Christmas markets.

    EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BAMBERG

    (B,L,D)

  8. Day 8
    BAMBERG
    Tue, Dec 07, 2027
    Christmas Customs and Cradle Scenes

    DISCOVERY Enjoy an onboard Christmas Traditions Lecture while sailing.

    CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Bamberg—medieval home of Germany’s Roman Empire dynasties. Stroll through dozens of Bamberg’s nativity scenes—from miniature to life-size.

    Take free time to enjoy the quaint Christmas markets, and warm up with traditional German dumplings, sausage, and a glass of hearty Bavarian ale.

    Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.

    EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO NUREMBERG

    (B,L,D)


  9. Day 9
    NUREMBERG
    Wed, Dec 08, 2027
    Legends and History Lessons

    CLASSIC Choose a Guided Tour of Nuremberg’s medieval architecture, gilded fountain, Gothic cathedral, and Kaiserburg Castle, OR:

    CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of the historic Nuremberg Rally Grounds—used by the Third Reich.

    Spend free time browsing the spruce stalls of the Christmas Markets of Nuremberg. Sample favorite Bavarian fare—bratwurst, gingerbread, mulled blueberry wine, and countless other Christkindlesmarkt culinary delights.

    DISCOVERY Join an onboard workshop to learn how to create beautifully decorated candles.

    OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN NUREMBERG

    (B,L,D)


  10. Day 10
    NUREMBERG (DISEMBARKATION). EXCURSION TO MUNICH (EMBARKATION)
    Thu, Dec 09, 2027
    This morning disembark the vessel which has brought you to Nuremberg and drive to Munich

    CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Tour which will show you the highlights of fascinating Munich. See Nymphenburg Palace—a former residence of Bavarian monarchs, along with the Old and New Town Halls of Marienplatz.

    Return to Nuremberg in the late afternoon and embark on the ship which will take you to Vienna.

    OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN NUREMBERG

    (B,D)

  11. Day 11
    NUREMBERG
    Fri, Dec 10, 2027
    Living Heritage and History Lessons

    A day to relax and enjoy Nuremberg at your own pace. Stroll through the festively lit streets, buy those last-minute Christmas gifts, or ask your Cruise Director for suggestions of things to do.

    Enjoy live entertainment as you sail.

    EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO REGENSBURG

    (B,L,D)

  12. Day 12
    REGENSBURG
    Sat, Dec 11, 2027
    Christmas Magic in Bavaria

    CLASSIC Join a Guided City Walk and see Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) and Porta Pretoria—entrance to the Castra Regina fortress built in 179 AD.

    Take time to browse Regensburg’s sparkling Christmas markets. Enjoy hot-mulled wine, candied almonds, gingerbread, or bratwurst.

    DISCOVERY Enjoy a Christmas Traditions Lecture on board.

    EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO PASSAU

    (B,L,D)

  13. Day 13
    PASSAU
    Sun, Dec 12, 2027
    Saint Stephen’s, Salzburg, and the Story of Silent Night

    CLASSIC Join a Guided City Walk to learn more about this beautiful “City of Three Rivers.”

    You may like to join a Guided Optional Excursion to Salzburg, Austria. See the setting of The Sound of Music, and learn the story behind the beloved Christmas hymn, Silent Night.

    Spend free time in Passau’s charming Christkindlesmarkt near magnificent St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

    Take a brief evening cruise to Linz.

    Enjoy live entertainment on board.

    OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MELK

    (B,L,D)

  14. Day 14
    MELK, AUSTRIA
    Mon, Dec 13, 2027
    Frescoes Above the Wachau Valley

    CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of Melk’s magnificent Benedictine Abbey to marvel at its frescoed ceilings.

    DISCOVERY Enjoy an Austrian Cookie Tasting while sailing through the splendid Wachau Valley to Vienna.

    VIENNA

    Vienna’s Winter Wonderland

    This evening, you may choose to attend an Optional Excursion to a Royal Waltz Concert for an unforgettable evening of music in an elegant hall.

    OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN VIENNA

    (B,L,D)

  15. Day 15
    VIENNA
    Tue, Dec 14, 2027
    Royal Collections and Amusing Attractions

    DISCOVERY Explore the Habsburg empire this morning on a Guided City Tour of Vienna’s gilded landmarks. See the Imperial Palace complex—the winter residence of the Imperial Family, the iconic Vienna Opera House and stunning St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

    Spend free time on your own to enjoy the Christkindlesmarkt or relax by the fire’s glow in a Viennese café this evening.

    You may join a Guided Optional Tour of Schönbrunn Palace—summer home of the Habsburg dynasty for 300 years.

    OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN VIENNA

    (B,L,D)

  16. Day 16
    VIENNA (DISEMBARKATION)
    Wed, Dec 15, 2027
    Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.

    (B)

Countries Visited

Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland

Rivers Visited

Danube, Main, Rhine

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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.

OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-342-0019

Ship Information

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Cabins

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Life on Board

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Questions & Answers
  Ask A Question

Question: Will the day-by-day itinerary change?

Yes, the river cruise itineraries may change due to reasons such as inclement weather or unforeseen events. Your safety is the number one concern aboard and all precautions necessary will be taken in order to ensure passenger safety, including changing itineraries. Please note that when itineraries do change, the ship staff will do their best to substitute any missed port with an alternative destination.

Question: In what language is the river cruise conducted?

The river cruise will be conducted in English only.

Customer Reviews

Overall Rating
4.4
Accommodations
4.5
Itinerary
4.4
Professional Staff
4.6
Repeat with Operator
4.3
Value for Money
4.1

Ratings based off 94 reviews - currently showing 32 reviews with comments only

Avalon services were above expectations. Cruise director was very engaged with passengers.

We had a great trip on our Rhine River Cruise with Avalon Waterways. Everything went according to plan and the ship, accommodations, dining, staff, and itinerary were great! We loved Avalon and would certainly book with them again.

Our stateroom was well appointed and comfortable and clean. Furnishings are starting to show their age. Service staff was fine but not quite at the level we experienced on previous cruises with Avalon. Food and beverage was very good.

Our trip exceeded my expectations. The staff were very friendly and I could tell they had a great team commitment to their mission.

The ship and staff were caring, well organized, and knowledgeable. All aspects of the tour went as planned. The Rhine cruise has some very pleasant and interesting excursions, most were included. Adding two extra days in Amsterdam rounded out a good vacation.

Avalon was excellent in every way.

Avalon did a good job on most fronts. Staff, food and accommodations were all fine. Although they appeared to have some coordination issues with the hotel regarding baggage handling and definitely needed to improve traveler communication aboard the ship. Their reliance on the AvalonGo application for communication was misplaced since the wifi aboard ship worked only intermittently, leaving passengers to wonder about event times and procedures. The ship broke down near the end of the voyage, which suggested that the downtime during covid might have been used more effectively to maintain the propulsion system. Nightly briefings were helpful, but long-winded and repetitious.

This was our first river cruise. The ship was nice and the staff exceptional. We were told that river cruises are more about the included tours than the ship. That was clearly true. There isn't much to do on the ship other than eat and sleep. I thought the tours were just okay. The guides were great, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, but they were mostly walking to take pictures. We paid for several optional tours and based on feedback from other cruisers our tours were more interesting than theirs. Overall I think ocean cruising may be a better fit for us.

I'm very glad I chose Avalon. They will be my first choice in the future. Great crew and staff, nice tours, great food, wonderful ship.

Basically a great trip but a few exceptions. Some of the excursions (Black Forest Cuckoo Clock and Heideberg Castle) had very long bus rides for a somewhat short visit to the site,. The Cuckoo Clock stop was just a tourist trap store with many clocks. Most of the Local Guides were great except one at Heidelberg Castle named Charlotte, who had the Gentle Walker Group. SHe stood in one place in the hot sun and talked talked talked, then ran to the next spot leaving her group in the dust. The "First Class High Speed Train" was neither first class or high speed. Tight seating, no food and long stops at stations. Our guide in LucerneUrsula was a delight! Lake Como for 3 nights was great to have free time to do what you pleased. Don't miss the boat tour and stop in Belagio!

The Avalon staff were very professional and courteous. The trip was full of adventure and a packed itinerary. The ship was nice but if I were to book another river cruise I would pick the top floor and closer to the front to avoid the noise from the engines. The rooms were spacious and I loved the balcony doors that opened up. And the food was delicious!

Tulip Time lead one to believe there would be more experiences with gardens than Keukenhof. That garden was spectacular, but was the only time we saw tulips or other spring blooms. Could have used more time in Amsterdam to tour the old section by foot as well as the cruise through the canal. That cruise was very good by the way. The tour guides were great. They had a vast knowledge of the area we were touring and very pleasant. Berthe, Lupii and Willem in particular were very good guides.

WE were happy with our river cruise and the staff was very attentive.

Wonderful crew, good food and wine, nice boat size (164 passengers), good tours with informative, pleasant guides. Staterooms a little small but necessary for the narrow river boats, but nicely appointed, comfortable beds and very clean.

Avalon Vista is a nice ship. The cabins are well designed with storage and stowaway conveniences to feel it bigger than the square footage. The food variety could be better (as compared to AMA WATERWAYS and Viking River cruises for the dinners (food was somewhat bland and needs more international flavors!). The staff was wonderful and extra tour guides knowledgeable with excellent communication skills.

I would highly recommend this River Cruise to everyone. Everything from the ship staff, the accommodations, entertainment, shore tours and meals were high class and top notch. The variety of food offered was very good and plentiful. All the shore tours were wonderful and informative by the expert and friendly tour guides. A wonderful experience.

More entertainment needed in the evening on board ship.

Everything went very smoothly. As changes became a possibility, due to low water levels, we were kept informed. They did everything g they could to ensure our trip was pleasant and met our expectations.

Food and staff were excellent. Bed was very comfortable and room was sufficiently spacious. On the last day, we were forced o spend our last night in a hotel due to water levels, which is understandable. However, there were no food choices at the hotel dinner.

WiFi issues Lack of water in Danube above Passau- Avalon did compensate us for this problem. Vlad was great as the cruise director. Tour guides very informative. Hotels wonderful.

Trip was fantastic. Exceeded our expectations!!

The Intercontinental in Budapest was wonderful - location and comfort. The river cruise was wonderful with high quality entertainment, food and staff. I especially enjoyed hearing about the locks. My only complaint is the hotel Andel in Prague. This location was not acceptable even though a shuttle was provided. We understood that some other Avalon travelers were staying at the Intercontinental in Prague and that was a much better location. The Andel was clean, but after arrival in the AM and being on a walking tour for a few hours, our luggage had not arrived in our room. We did not feel comfortable with it sitting (not secured) in the lobby next to the door. There was no orientation to the room. This hotel seemed to be more for business travelers. We traveled with friends who highly recommended Affordable Tours and they, as we, were very disappointed with our stay in Prague. This made for a less than desirable end to an otherwise great trip. I can't imagine that you have used this Hotel in the past.

The cruise was superb. Avalon Waterways cruise director was the perfect host and the staff was most attentive to the passengers. The Danube river experience was breathtakingly beautiful. The before and after trips to Budapest and Prague, also hosted by our cruise director, were memorable.

Great trip. I have to give it a 10 plus. Service, food and accommodations on the ship was a 10.

Our travel consultant at Affordale Tours was an excellent travel consultant, answered all of our questions, e-mails, and telephone calls. She was very detail-oriented. The accommodations on board the ship were amazing, and the excursions were informative, historical and fun. We had excellent local tour guides. Our cruise director was amazing. I have never seen a woman work so hard to accommodate so many different personalities and she did it with a smile on her face.

Avalon was terrific and the cruise was fabulous. I want to particularly note that the wait staff, the cabin steward and, the Cruise Director were outstanding in their service.

This Danube River Cruise was absolutely fabulous in every respect. The stateroom accommodations on board the Vista were premier. The entire boat was immaculate and the crew were the friendliest and most helpful I have ever experienced while at a vacation facility. My wife and I took almost every included as well as optional tour and we felt at the end of the vacation, each tour we took was better than the previous one and considering the first one was perfect. One can understand the level of appreciation my wife and I felt at the end of the 12 days. The guides were well informed and very entertaining and I felt the experience was worth every penny spent. Avalon River Cruises and Affordable Tours (specifically my travel consultant) are simply outstanding and have earned my travel loyalty!

Avalon exceeded our expectations! Clean, well maintained and well appointed ship. The staff was outstanding! I was afflicted with laryngitis for the duration of this cruise and the staff was so kind!

this is our fourth river cruise with avalon waterways and they always exceed our expectations

Great river cruise experience. Absolutely fantastic experience.

The trip was wonderful! I would certainly go on another river cruise.

The ship was very nice, with plenty of room in our cabin and in the bath. The staff members were extremely courteous and efficient. Excellent food and very good guides at the various places we visited. 

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  • Ship Image
    Cruise Line
    Avalon Waterways
    Ship
    Vista
    Starts
    Basel
    Ends
    Vienna
    Days
    16
    From
    $10,087

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