In short
There are two ways to combine a cruise with Christmas markets. A river ship on the Rhine or Danube moors by a market town almost every day, from Cologne to Vienna. December ocean cruises leave mainly from Hamburg and Rotterdam: you catch a market before boarding and in port. Most markets run from late November to 23 December.
Two ways: river or sea
These are two different holidays, and the choice depends on what matters most: the markets themselves, or a cruise with a market added as a festive bonus.
| River cruise | December ocean cruise | |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | Almost every day — the ship moors close to the old town | In your departure city before boarding and in ports of call such as Bruges, Hamburg and Rotterdam |
| From | Rhine — from Amsterdam or Basel; Danube — from Budapest, Nuremberg or Passau | Mostly Hamburg; you can often join the same ship in Rotterdam |
| Ship | Around 150 guests, quiet and intimate | A large ship: indoor pools, spa, shows, restaurants, kids' club |
| Rhythm | A town to explore every day, sailing on in the evening | Port days alternate with sea days on board |
| Best for | Couples and groups of adults who love towns and history | Families with children, and anyone who wants both a festive city and entertainment on board |
You can also have both: a river cruise for the markets in November or December, and an ocean cruise for New Year. How the holidays work on a cruise ship →
River cruise: a market almost every day
For river cruise lines, late November and December are a season of their own, with dedicated Christmas market sailings. AmaWaterways and Emerald Cruises, the river lines the club has worked with since September 2026, both have them in their 2026 schedules — usually 7 nights.
- Rhine: Amsterdam — Basel. The easiest option from the Netherlands and Belgium, as one end of the route is Amsterdam. Along the way: Cologne with its market by the cathedral, Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Strasbourg, and often a trip from Breisach to Colmar in Alsace. Sailings run in both directions.
- Danube and the Main-Danube Canal: Nuremberg — Budapest. Nuremberg's famous Christkindlesmarkt, Regensburg, Passau, Vienna with markets by the City Hall and at Schönbrunn Palace, and Budapest. There are shorter sailings too, from Passau or Vilshofen to Budapest.
- Dutch and Belgian waterways. In the festive season AmaWaterways also has round trips from Amsterdam along the rivers and canals of the Netherlands and Belgium.
Small river ships moor close to the centre, so the market is usually a short walk or a quick transfer away. In these weeks many excursions are simply walks through the festive squares.
December at sea: markets before boarding and in port
In December most ocean ships head for warmer seas, but week-long city cruises carry on in Northern Europe. Their main winter port is Hamburg: MSC Preziosa sails from here every week on 7-night cruises, calling at ports such as Zeebrugge (Bruges and its market are about half an hour away), Rotterdam, Le Havre, Cherbourg and Southampton. That makes a week of ports dressed for Christmas, with Hamburg's markets before you board.
From Hamburg
Northern Europe's main winter port. Arrive the day before: the Überseequartier market is right by the HafenCity terminal, and the City Hall market is a couple of metro stops away.
Cruises from Hamburg in December →Hamburg in November
Late-November sailings catch the markets as they open. In November Hamburg also has long voyages to the Canaries and across the Atlantic.
Cruises from Hamburg in November →From Rotterdam
Fewer sailings in winter, but week-long Northern Europe cruises call here too — you can board after a train and metro ride, with Hamburg and its markets on the route.
Cruises from Rotterdam in December →Kiel and Copenhagen
To be honest: almost nothing sails from these ports in winter — their season runs from spring to autumn. Copenhagen and Tivoli in December make a lovely trip, but separately from a cruise.
Cruises from Copenhagen →Boarding in Rotterdam
The ship that sails from Hamburg in winter calls at Rotterdam on the way, and many guests from the Netherlands join it there. Hamburg then becomes a port day in the middle of your cruise, and you can go ashore to the markets. Check the cruise programme for how long the ship stays in Hamburg and whether you can go ashore on changeover day.
More on the ports: Hamburg, Rotterdam, Kiel, Copenhagen. All winter cruise options →
A night in a market city before or after
The simplest way to add a market to any cruise is to arrive a day early. As a bonus, a delayed train on embarkation day stops being a worry.
Hamburg
The main market is on the City Hall square, usually from late November to 23 December. The Überseequartier market by the HafenCity terminal usually stays open into early January, and St. Pauli has its own lively one.
Cologne
If your river cruise starts in Basel, Cologne is a handy stop on the train from the Netherlands. In 2026 the cathedral market runs from 16 November to 23 December, with several more nearby.
Rotterdam
There is no single big market, but on December weekends there are Christmas markets, in the Markthal and in Katendrecht next to the cruise terminal. Pair them with a walk through the festive centre.
Copenhagen
Christmas in Tivoli — announced for 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 — plus the market in Nyhavn. Hardly any cruises sail from here in winter, so think of it as a weekend away.
When to go
- Late November to 22 December. The main window: in 2026 the Cologne Cathedral market is open from 16 November to 23 December, and Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt and the Strasbourg market from 27 November to 24 December.
- After 24 December most markets close. Only a few stay open, such as the Überseequartier market in Hamburg. If the markets are the main goal, choose a sailing that ends before Christmas.
- Weekdays are calmer than weekends. On Saturdays the big markets get crowded, especially on the first Advent weekend.
Where to cruise in December — cruise calendar →
Practical tips
- Dress in layers. In December it is around freezing on the Rhine and the North Sea, damp and windy. Warm shoes matter more than smart ones: at the markets you stand and walk on cobbles a lot.
- The mug deposit. In Germany mulled wine comes in a ceramic mug with a deposit (Pfand): hand it back or keep it as a souvenir.
- Book early. River ships have around 75 cabins, and the Christmas weeks are among the most popular of the year.
- Short days. In December it gets dark between four and half past four — but that is exactly when the markets look their best.
- Documents. If your ocean route calls at Southampton, check the UK entry rules for everyone travelling in good time.
Where the club comes in
In the club there are three ways to pay for an ocean cruise, and you choose one per booking — they do not add up:
- Member price (INsider Pricing) — roughly 17% below the listed price, paid in cash.
- Points plus payment — accumulated points cover up to half of the cruise price.
- Entirely in points — possible when you have accumulated enough points and book 270 days or more before departure.
For river cruises, a new product in the club, inCruises announced the familiar ways to pay: the member price, or points covering up to half the cost of qualifying bookings. The exact terms for each sailing are in the club's member area.
The Christmas weeks sell out early, and points build up gradually, with every paid month of membership. So next year's markets are worth planning now. The 270-day rule explained →
Common questions
River or sea: which cruise is better for Christmas markets?
If the markets are the main point, a river cruise is the easier choice: the ship moors in the centre of a new town almost every day. If you want a big ship with pools, shows and a kids' club, pick a December cruise from Hamburg or Rotterdam and add a night in a market city before you board.
When are the Christmas markets open?
Usually from late November until 23 or 24 December. In 2026 the market at Cologne Cathedral runs from 16 November to 23 December, and the markets in Nuremberg and Strasbourg from 27 November to 24 December. Most markets close after Christmas, so aim for a sailing that ends by 22 December.
Can I do a Christmas market cruise without flying?
Yes. Rhine river cruises start or end in Amsterdam, a direct ICE runs from Amsterdam to Hamburg in about five hours, and Rotterdam's cruise terminal is easy to reach by train and metro.
Are there December cruises from Kiel or Copenhagen?
Hardly any: from November to March almost nothing sails from these ports. In winter, Northern Europe cruises leave mainly from Hamburg, and you can often join the same ship in Rotterdam.
Can I book a Christmas market river cruise through the club?
In September 2026 inCruises announced river cruises with AmaWaterways and Emerald Cruises, and both lines have Christmas market sailings in their schedules. It is a new product, so check the club's search to see which sailings are available.
Routes and dates are taken from cruise line schedules for 2026–2027 and from market organisers' announcements, and may change; check the club's search for which river sailings are available. Percentages describe the club's rules and are indicative. Reislite is an independent information site run by partners, not a website of inCruises.