Danube Christmas Markets

Celebrate the magic of the holiday season on the Danube with this festive Christmas river cruise, sailing from the charming Bavarian city of Passau to the iconic Hungarian capital of Budapest. Step aboard the elegant Trafalgar Reverie and immerse yourself in a journey filled with twinkling lights, historic towns, and the rich traditions of Central Europe during the festive season.

Stroll through medieval streets and Baroque squares adorned with seasonal decorations, browse bustling Christmas markets brimming with handcrafted gifts, and taste regional specialties from mulled wine to freshly baked treats. Explore Austria’s picturesque Wachau Valley, marvel at imperial Vienna, and discover Bratislava’s unique charm. Experience local culture firsthand with Be My Guest visits, MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experiences, and expert-led walks, all while enjoying the comfort and elegance of your floating boutique hotel. This cruise blends festive cheer, cultural discovery, and the cozy spirit of Christmas along one of Europe’s most celebrated rivers.

Highlights

• Sail the Danube River from Passau to Budapest aboard the elegant Trafalgar Reverie during the festive season
• Explore Passau, Linz, Krems, Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest, with guided walks and local insights
• Browse Christmas markets in each city, from Baroque squares to riverside chalets
• Be My Guest experience in Bratislava at a celebrated microbrewery, enjoying traditional lagers and lunch with local brewers
• MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience in Bratislava, hearing stories from the communist era and Velvet Revolution
• Cruise through the UNESCO-listed Wachau Valley, famous for terraced vineyards, hilltop castles, and festive riverside villages
• Discover imperial Vienna with guided tours, festive displays, and optional experiences including Schönbrunn Palace and classical concerts
• Explore Budapest with a Local Specialist, including Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Heroes’ Square, and Christmas markets
• Optional experiences throughout the journey, including Salzburg day trips, Jewish district tours in Budapest, and classical concerts in Vienna

Pricing

8 days in a Classic Cabin

from

$4,699*

per person twin share

Based on 16 Dec 26 departure

Available in alternative cabin type. Enquire for pricing

What's Included

7 Night Cruise

Experience Director, Experience Manager & crew
    
Be My Guest and MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experiences
    
Daily included experiences & local tours
    
Buffet breakfast & lunch, à la carte dinner with local flavours
    
Wine, beer & soft drinks with lunch and dinner
    
Teatime during an afternoon sailing
    
Lounges and sundeck for relaxing, socialising or games
    
Full morning service & evening turndown
    
Onboard entertainment
    
Self-service laundry

Itinerary

Day 1 -Embark in Passau

Step aboard the Trafalgar Reverie, your floating home for your Danube Christmas river cruise, and settle in for the night. This evening, get to know your fellow travellers over dinner hosted by your Experience Director.

Day 2 - Discover Passau

Join a Local Specialist for a walking tour through Passau’s medieval lanes and baroque squares before browsing the city’s Christmas markets, where merry stalls line the cobbled streets. Alternatively, choose a guided hike along the Ilz River and enjoy a more active perspective on this scenic region. Later, you can opt to join a Bavarian beer experience, complete with traditional folk music and freshly baked pretzels. Raise a stein with locals and take in the warm, welcoming spirit that makes Bavaria so memorable during the season.

Day 3 -See Historic Linz

Spend the day in Linz, Austria’s third-largest city, known for its elegant main square and riverside charm. Join a Local Specialist for a guided walk through the old town and enjoy time to browse the Christmas markets, where handcrafted gifts and seasonal treats bring the square to life. Alternatively, choose an Optional Experience to Salzburg and step into the story of The Sound of Music. Visit Maria’s church in Mondsee and explore Salzburg’s baroque streets. Along the way, discover the city’s musical heritage and enjoy one of Austria’s most enchanting Christmas markets.

Day 4 -Cruise the Wachau Valley

Cruise through Austria’s Wachau Valley, a UNESCO-listed landscape of terraced vineyards, hilltop castles and riverside villages. Arrive in the historic town of Krems an der Donau and join a Local Specialist to visit the Kremser Adventzauber, where the old town glows with seasonal lights and stalls showcase regional crafts and Christmas specialities.

Day 5 - Culture and Architecture in Vienna

Welcome to Vienna, the former capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Get to know this buzzing city with a drive along the Ringstraße before exploring the old town’s Baroque architecture on foot with a Local Specialist. Pass imperial landmarks, admire festive displays in shopfronts and visit Vienna’s Christmas markets, where wooden stalls, mulled wine and hand-blown ornaments fill the historic streets. There’s free time to explore the Christkindlmarkt in front of the town hall, one of Europe’s most iconic settings. Choose to visit Schönbrunn Palace for an Optional Experience, where the courtyard transforms into a picture-perfect Christmas village. After a day of discovery, why not end the evening with an optional classical concert featuring the music of Strauss and Mozart?

Day 6 - Onto Bratislava

Arrive in Bratislava and choose between two included options to explore the city. You can join a Local Specialist for a walking tour through the old town, passing through Michael’s Gate to see the Town Hall and St. Martin’s Cathedral. You’ll wander among wooden chalets as you explore Bratislava’s Christmas markets, filled with handmade gifts and local delicacies. Or choose a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience to hear powerful stories from the communist era and Velvet Revolution. For your Be My Guest experience, visit one of the city’s most celebrated microbreweries, you’ll meet head brewers Tomáš and Mário. Taste traditional lagers, dark beers and local ales before sitting down to lunch.

Day 7 -Cruise the Danube Bend

Discover both sides of Hungary’s capital today with your Local Specialist on a city tour. In historic Buda, head up Castle Hill and admire the Gothic spires, of Matthias Church before stepping onto Fisherman’s Bastion for sweeping views across the Danube. Cross into Pest to see Heroes’ Square, a tribute to Hungary’s national identity. Later, join your Experience Director and Experience Manager to explore Budapest’s Christmas markets at your own pace, where you could find local pastries, roasted nuts and mulled wine. Or choose an Optional Experience to explore the Jewish district, including a visit to the Dohány Street Synagogue.

Day 8 - Farewell Budapest

This morning, disembark the Trafalgar Reverie and bid farewell to the captain and crew, taking with you memories of the Christmas magic you’ve experienced along the Danube.

Your Ship - Trafalgar Reverie

The Trafalgar Reverie accommodates an average of 128 guests and boasts one of the highest staff-to-guest ratios in river cruising. Each stateroom features sweeping river views, while the ship’s elegant, carefully designed interiors create an inviting and distinctive atmosphere. Guests can relax in the lounge or soak in the scenery from the sundeck as the timeless beauty of the Danube River drifts by.

Terms and Conditions

All prices are per guest in New Zealand Dollars based on double occupancy unless otherwise noted. Fares are capacity controlled and are subject to change at any time without notice. All applicable discounts are applied sequentially. Fixed savings amounts are deducted prior to applying any percentage-based discounts. Availability of all stateroom categories cannot be guaranteed. Additional restrictions may apply. If you have booked air travel and/or a cruise package that includes air travel through Trafalgar, the price of your entire package will be guaranteed at the time of making the initial payment required by it. For current pricing, please refer to our website.

Reservations and Payments:A deposit of at least 10% of the cruise/tour fare (cruise/tour plus port charge plus pre and/or post land extensions, less applicable discounts), per person is required at time of booking. Final payment is due at least 120 days prior to departure, and for bookings made within 120 days of departure full payment is due at time of booking. For all new bookings, a courtesy hold of up to 72 hours is allowed but cannot extend past the final payment due date. Reservations will be cancelled if payments are not received in a timely manner.

For all guests booking air travel through Trafalgar, promotional or otherwise, an additional non-refundable deposit of $500 per person, unless otherwise stated, is required at the time of booking. Upon receipt of air deposit your airfare, tax and fuel surcharges are final. Your travel advisor shall, on receipt of any monies, hold such monies for each and every person named in the booking until the booking is confirmed, at which times those monies shall be remitted by your travel advisor to us. All such monies received by us will be deposited as required by law. We will be entitled to keep any interest earned on such monies. It is a condition of our confirmation of your booking and acceptance of your cruise that the monies held may be disbursed by us as and when we see fit or in respect of the services to be provided or fees payable under the cruise, and the payment of a deposit or otherwise for your cruise, shall be deemed to be a direction to disburse such monies as aforesaid.

For further T & C's visit trafalgar.com