DESTINATIONS FESTIVE BREAKS |ROAD, RIVER, RAIL
By river Budapest
Enchanting Rhine and Yuletide Markets River Cruise for Solo Travellers RIVIERA TRAVEL To capitalise on the solo travel boom, Riviera Travel has introduced a collection of solo Christmas breaks for 2025. This cruise departs from Cologne and takes in the Rhine Gorge, before stopping at the chocolate-box town of Rüdesheim, where the local cold-weather tipple is a coffee laced with brandy and whipped cream. Then it’s on to Koblenz for Christmas shopping, before returning to Bonn and Cologne
for a dose of history and lashings of glühwein. Book it: The four-night Enchanting Rhine and Yuletide Markets sailing starts at £1,514, leaving December 18, 2025. The price includes Eurostar tickets, transfers, all meals, a Superior drinks package, onboard Wi-Fi and listed excursions.
rivieratravel.co.uk
Yuletide Delights
TUI RIVER CRUISES Tui has expanded its range of festive river itineraries for 2025. This sailing along the Danube on board Tui Maya starts in Vienna, where clients will be able to peruse 100-plus pop-up stalls in front of the city hall. There’s an overnight in port here, so they can enjoy an evening opera concert. They’ll then sail to Budapest – advise clients to look out for the Christmas tree in St Stephen’s Square and to sample a chimney cake. On the way back to Vienna, there’s a call
in petite Bratislava, home to a fun festive tram. Book it: The five-night Yuletide Delights itinerary starts at £1,019, based on two adults sharing a Standard Cabin on an all-inclusive basis. The price includes flights on November 26, 2025, luggage, transfers and tips.
tui.co.uk
exper experts ASK THE
Steven Heath, senior commercial manager, Tui River Cruises “Remember that river cruises offer a variety
of durations, so whether your customer wants an extended festive break or to hit the Christmas markets for just a few days, there’s plenty to choose from. We also offer bespoke training, so no matter what your knowledge level is, the Tui River Cruises trade team can create training tailored to you and your colleagues.”
Kelly Calver, key account manager, Avalon Waterways “Our festive sailings have globally sold extremely well this year,
with a combined load factor of 96%. We have increased capacity for 2025 and have 40 sailings to book, and have already launched our 2026 programme, with 43 festive sailings across 12 itineraries. Book early if you can – we still have availability for 2024, but it can become limited.”
Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine (Southbound) AVALON WATERWAYS This itinerary begins in Amsterdam, where the canals and cafes are adorned with illuminated art for the Amsterdam Light Festival. It then calls at Cologne and Rüdesheim, where excursions include city walks and museum visits, with time to peruse a Christmas market or two. While docked in Mainz, there’s a coach tour to historic university town Heidelberg to see the red- walled castle hopefully dusted with snow. Other stops on the way to Basel include Breisach,
the gateway to Germany’s Black Forest. Book it: The seven-night Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine (Southbound) cruise costs from £2,678, based on two sharing a Deluxe Stateroom. The price includes flights on December 15, Wi-Fi, all dining and drinks with meals.
avalonwaterways.co.uk
² 48 17 OCTOBER 2024
travelweekly.co.uk
PICTURE: Shutterstock/GTS Productions
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