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Land and River Cruise

Festive Christmas with Magnificent Europe and Paris

2025

River Cruise

Festive Christmas Markets with Magnificent Europe and Paris

Festive Christmas with Magnificent Europe and Paris

Treat yourself to an early Christmas gift as you wander in awe of Europe’s festive markets, including Striezelmarkt – the oldest of its kind in Germany. Then it’s time to explore the best of Europe on a river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam, before a stay in romantic Paris.

25 day River Cruise

Itinerary

25 days / 24 night River Cruise

Day 1

Arrive Berlin

Day 2

Berlin

Day 3

Berlin, Potsdam

Freedom of Choice

Day 4

Berlin, Meissen, Dresden

Freedom of Choice

Day 5

Dresden, Prague

Signature Experience

Day 6

Prague

Day 7

Prague

Signature Experience

Day 8

Prague, Velké Bílovice, Budapest, Embark Ship

Day 9

Budapest

Freedom of Choice

Day 10

Vienna

Day 11

Vienna

Freedom of Choice

Day 12

Durnstein, Melk

Freedom of Choice

Day 13

Linz, Salzburg, Passau

Signature Experience

Day 14

Regensburg

Day 15

Nuremberg

Day 16

Bamberg

Day 17

Wurzburg

Freedom of Choice

Day 18

Miltenberg

Day 19

Rüdesheim

Freedom of Choice

Day 20

Andernach

Signature Experience

Day 21

Amsterdam

Freedom of Choice

Day 22

Amsterdam, Disembark Ship, Ghent, Paris

Day 23

Paris, Versailles

Day 24

Paris

Freedom of Choice

Day 25

Depart Paris

Trip Inclusions

Discover the inclusions provided on your all-inclusive tour, ensuring a stress-free journey where every detail is taken care of.

Experiences in 21 destinations
Freedom of Choice inclusions
A total of 60 meals and a wide range of onboard beverages
Expert Tour and Cruise Directors
Butler, room service and laundry (select suites)
Transfers, porterage, port charges and gratuities
Visit a Nutcracker toy workshop in Dresden
Encounter French elegance at the Palace of Versailles with lunch at Ore Restaurant

Tour Highlights

These exclusive or unique experiences are thoughtfully curated to take you on an inspiring journey beneath the surface of local history, culture and traditions. What's more, these once-in-a-lifetime moments are often not available to a regular traveller. The following highlights are just a taste of what we have prepared, especially for you.

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Nutcracker Workshop

Visit an enchanting Nutcracker workshop and perhaps try your hand at making their famous wooden Christmas toys.

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Chateau Jemništĕ

Savour a day out at Chateau Jemniště, originally designed by the renowned Czech architect, Frances Maxmilián Kaňka. Be greeted by descendants of the Czech Republic’s oldest aristocratic family. Explore the 18th-century estate on a private guided tour and soak in the spectacular baroque architecture. Indulge in a delicious lunch before watching an awe-inspiring display as impressive birds of prey free fly during a falconry display.

Cocktail Party and Private Performance at Vienna’s City Palace

After dinner, head to the princely family of Liechtenstein’s City Palace in the heart of Vienna, where we have arranged an exclusive cocktail party and private recital, just for you. A full orchestra will perform classical masterpieces by Mozart and Strauss. You will also be enchanted by an operatic recital.

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Gaisberg Mountain Lunch and ‘Sound of Music’ Show

Be welcomed by a Jagdhornbläser – a hunting horn blower – into a rustic, traditional restaurant on the Gaisberg mountain overlooking Salzburg. Enjoy a welcome drink as you soak in the scenery before savouring a delicious lunch, followed by a show featuring music from the classic film, ‘The Sound of Music’.

What's On Board

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Label images as (Artist's Impression)
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Come aboard the APT Solara and APT Ostara

With a host of alluring features, our brand-new, ultra-modern river ships, APT Solara and APT Ostara, offer unmatched opulence and style when travelling along the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers. Whether enjoying a cocktail up on the Sun Deck or retreating to your spacious, light-filled suite, there is so much to discover on board.

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2023 Photoshoot aboard the AmaReina.
New ship build design process for MS Ostara & Solara with Lou Tandy, Paul Hecker and Hamish Guthrie

Purpose-built for European Rivers

Crafted in Melbourne by the globally acclaimed Hecker Guthrie design team, our brand-new vessels seamlessly blend contemporary elegance with timeless allure, drawing inspiration from Europe's waterways, seasons, and locales.

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The Wachau is the landscape in and around the Danube valley between Melk and Krems an der Donau in Lower Austria, about 80 kilometers west of the federal capital Vienna. In 2000 it was added to the list of UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage as the Wachau cultural landscape with the Melk and Göttweig monasteries and the old town of Krems.

Sustainability Initiatives

Our ships utilise the most advanced and environmentally friendly technology currently available, which has earned us Green Award ‘Gold’ status. We champion eco-conscious best practices with no single-use plastics, and menus that minimise food waste.

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Personalised Service

A high crew-to-guest ratio offers impeccable onboard service and all suite categories feature indulgent in-suite dining. Your ship will have a dedicated Cruise Director on board, superb entertainment and a wellness host.

What our customers are saying

What a amazing tour. The countries and the villages we visited with all different history. Special thanks to our tour director. What a loving, caring and knowledgeable person.

Europe

What a cruise it was. Everything was excellent, from the crew, accommodation, meals, tours - we could not find a fault in anything.

Europe

What an experience, words are hard to find to describe these tours, anybody thinking of travelling with APT will never regret it.

The APT river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest has to be the measure that all other travel is measured against. It was living the dream! APT will be our recommendation to all.

Europe

We will recommend our friends to travel with your company and I am sure they will share the same experiences as we did. The entertainment, you provided was again first class.

Europe

This trip was the holiday of a lifetime for us and thanks to the excellent team of APT staff we had a wonderful experience. We will certainly be planning another trip using APT in the future.

Europe

We will recommend APT River Cruising highly, and hopefully may even be able to join in again one day. Thank you for showing us a wonderful part of the world....

Europe

The on-board entertainment was great and we danced many a night away as well as meeting some lovely people. What a wonderful introduction to Europe - loved every minute.

Europe

Frequently Asked Questions

Trip Notes

  • Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change 

  • Prices listed are indicative and may not be available on all departure dates listed 

  • Prices are seasonal and are subject to change 

  • Most Christmas Markets are open until 23 December 

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