When Is the Best Time for a Christmas Markets River Cruise? (2026 Dates and Prices)

By Nicole Damiano, ASTA Verified Travel Advisor with FG Luxury Travel · Updated October 2026

Christmas market river cruises sail from late November to mid December, and the 2026 departures run from about November 23 to December 13. A 7 night Danube sailing was listed from $2,999 per person on Viking and $3,697 on Avalon in October 2026.

The Budapest Parliament lit up at night on the Danube — Photo via Unsplash

The first week of December is the one I’d pick. The markets are open and it isn’t Christmas week yet.

AmaWaterways’ Christmas Markets on the Danube leaves on November 23, November 29 and 30, December 6 and December 13, 2026. That’s Budapest, Vienna and the towns in between.

The Rhine side is Cologne and the castles. AmaWaterways has a December 8, 2026 Rhine sailing that’s 12 days with time in Zurich, listed from $7,209 per person.

Watch the calendar on the back end. Most German markets close December 23 or 24, so a sailing after the 20th misses a lot of them.

It’s cold. Pack layers, gloves and boots you can walk all day in.

Quick answers

What are the 2026 Christmas market river cruise dates?

Most sail between November 23 and December 13, 2026.

Which is better, the Danube or the Rhine?

The Danube for Budapest and Vienna, the Rhine for Cologne and the castles. First timers usually love the Danube.

How much does a Christmas markets river cruise cost?

A 7 night Danube sailing was listed from $2,999 per person on Viking and $3,697 on Avalon for 2026. Longer cruise and land trips run higher.

Can kids go on a Christmas markets river cruise?

On some lines. AmaWaterways takes kids from 4 and Avalon from 8. Viking is adults only.

When do the Christmas markets close?

Most German markets close December 23 or 24. Prague and Vienna’s Schönbrunn run to January 6.

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Keep planning: Europe’s Christmas market dates for 2026, Budapest with kids and Vienna with kids.

Nicole Damiano, ASTA Verified Travel Advisor with FG Luxury Travel. Adventures We Seek is my travel blog and planning resource. Trips are booked through Favorite Grampy Travels. Prices and dates last checked October 2026 and change often.