A journey that will make you believe in holiday magic all over againOnce upon a time, people gathered on cobblestone squares to buy the special tools and ingredients they needed to make the treats of the season. They kept warm with hot spiced wine, music and games while they shopped and chatted with the local tradesmen. Those were the first Christmas markets, 500 years ago. Today, though the light comes from twinkling electric bulbs rather than torches, bonhomie and fun still prevail.Discover villages with fairytale houses and a friendly, festive atmosphere. Share traditional holiday goodies with the people who made them. Watch as modern children abandon their usual electronics and discover the enchantment of hand-carved wooden toys, as scents of cinnamon and roasting nuts fill the air. Sail through Christmas country, trying Frankfurt’s famous apple cider, Bamberg’s specially brewed holiday beer and Nuremberg’s gingerbread. Throughout, cozy up to steaming mugs of glühwein (warm spiced wine) and do as the locals do by collecting different mugs from each stall and town you visit. Embrace the holiday spirit in Germany, the land where many Christmas traditions began, and find the magic of the season in the smiles that you meet along the way.Who will enjoy this cruiseThose wanting to experience the quintessential magic of the holidays while shopping for one-of-akind treasures and discovering the legends behind some of our most popular holiday traditions.Generations Family Program (select sailing)Share the magic of a European holiday with the special young people in your life on this multigenerational “Classic Christmas Markets” cruise filled with lots of family holiday merrymaking.
Highlights
YOUR CRUISE PACKAGE INCLUDES:
TRAVEL
7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the regal River Queen
All transfers on arrival and departure days
TASTE
All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 7 dinners
Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions
Welcome and Farewell Gala Dinners
Unlimited beverages onboard, including fine wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, specialty coffee and tea, and mineral water
EXPLORE
1 country
6 days of excursions, including “Choice Is Yours” options, all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts
Guided “Taste of Christmas,” “Village Day,” and “Gentle Walking” programs
2 UNESCO World Heritage sites
Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager
State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio-headset system on all shore excursions
Use of Nordic walking sticks
EXPERIENCE
Captivating onboard local entertainment
Cultural enrichment, including a Signature Lecture: “Christmas Traditions in Germany”
Exclusive Multigenerational Family-Friendly Program in December