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Christmas & New Year: From the Rhine to the Danube (Germany), a cruise by Riviera Travel

Cruise · 14 nights · with Riviera Travel

Christmas & New Year: From the Rhine to the Danube

A festive 14-night river cruise from Cologne to Vienna aboard Riviera Travel’s MS Riviera Resplendence, navigating the Rhine and Danube with Christmas markets, historic towns and New Year’s celebrations aboard.

Duration
14 nights
Departs
22 Dec 2027
Sails from
Cologne
Ends in Vienna
Ship
MS Riviera Resplendence
From
£3,019
per person, sharing

Highlights

What makes this one worth it

  1. Rhine Gorge sailing past Loreley Rock

  2. Visit to Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet in Rüdesheim

  3. Christmas Gala Dinner and musical concert onboard

  4. Guided tour of Würzburg ResidenceWith Baroque frescoes

  5. New Year’s Eve gala dinner and live music in Regensburg

  6. Guided tour of Melk AbbeyWith scenic Wachau Valley cruise

  7. Panoramic and walking tours of Vienna’s imperial landmarks

About the trip

This 14-night cruise aboard MS Riviera Resplendence follows the Rhine Upstream from Cologne through the Rhine Gorge to Rüdesheim on Christmas Eve before continuing along the Main and Main-Danube Canal towards the Danube. Along the way, festive stops include Koblenz’s historic altstadt and Christmas markets, the mechanical music museum in Rüdesheim, and medieval Miltenberg with its timber-framed buildings and castle ruins.

As the route turns onto the Danube, there’s a chance to explore cities like Regensburg with its Roman gate and Gothic cathedral, the ‘Three Rivers City’ of Passau, and Austria’s Melk Abbey set high above the river. The final days bring a taste of Vienna’s imperial heritage and music, with a panoramic tour and time for independent exploration. Riviera Travel’s vessel offers a traditional river cruise feel with seasonal events such as Christmas gala dinners and New Year’s Eve celebrations, plus classical music performances onboard. The itinerary marries festive cheer with river landscapes and a steady rhythm through historic towns and cities.

48°N50°N52°N
The route in outline: places are joined in the order visited, not by the roads or sea lanes taken.
  1. 1 Cologne
  2. 2 Koblenz
  3. 3 Rüdesheim
  4. 4 Würzburg
  5. 5 Rothenburg ob der Tauber
  6. 6 Bamberg
  7. 7 Nuremberg
  8. 8 Regensburg
  9. 9 Passau
  10. 10 Melk
  11. 11 Vienna

Itinerary

The route, day by day

  1. Day 1

    Cologne

  2. Day 2

    Koblenz

  3. Day 3

    Rhine Gorge

  4. Day 4

    Rüdesheim on Christmas Eve

  5. Day 5

    Aschaffenburg

  6. Day 6

    Miltenberg on Christmas Day

When to go

Departures and prices

Lowest price each month, per person.

Riviera Travel confirms exact dates, availability and prices when you book.

Need to know

Before you book

Price based on
Two people sharing a cabinThe operator confirms the exact basis when you book.
Travelling alone
Check with Riviera Travel
Flights
Not needed if you join at Cologne
What’s included
Check with Riviera Travel
Accessibility
Check with Riviera Travel

For full details of what’s included, check with Riviera Travel. See the full details on their site

Questions people ask

How long is Christmas & New Year: From the Rhine to the Danube?
Christmas & New Year: From the Rhine to the Danube is a 14 nights cruise holiday.
Where does Christmas & New Year: From the Rhine to the Danube depart from?
Christmas & New Year: From the Rhine to the Danube departs from Cologne and returns to Vienna.
Who operates Christmas & New Year: From the Rhine to the Danube?
Christmas & New Year: From the Rhine to the Danube is operated by Riviera Travel aboard MS Riviera Resplendence.
How much does Christmas & New Year: From the Rhine to the Danube cost?
Prices for Christmas & New Year: From the Rhine to the Danube start from £3,019, subject to availability.

The operator

Riviera Travel

River cruises and escorted tours

A British operator that began in 1984 with a handful of tents in the south of France. Its tours and river cruises travel with a Riviera tour manager or cruise director looking after the group.

You book with Riviera Travel directly. They confirm your place, take payment, and look after you from the moment you leave home; Atlas & Passage’s part ends when you click through.

New to Germany? Our Germany guide has the practical essentials: money, plugs, visas and when to go.

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