Scenic Rhine Christmas Markets
7 nightsfrom £3,496 per person
Scenic's Rhine Christmas Markets suits travellers who want everything paid up front on an eight-day sailing from Basel to Amsterdam. The trade-off is how often the ship ties up outside the market towns: Scenic lists Breisach for Freiburg, Kehl for Strasbourg and Mannheim for Heidelberg.
Photo Rolf Heinrich, Köln · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Follow the ports in sailing order
| Port | Mooring | Christmas market |
|---|---|---|
| Basel | Guests transfer from Zurich to the ship in Basel on day 1. | Basel Christmas Market on Munsterplatz |
| Freiburg | BreisachScenic lists day 2 as Breisach, the Rhine port for Freiburg and the Black Forest. | Freiburg Christmas Market |
| Strasbourg | KehlScenic lists day 3 as Kehl, on the German bank across the Rhine from Strasbourg. | Strasbourg Christkindelsmarik |
| Heidelberg | MannheimScenic lists day 4 as Mannheim and includes a visit to Heidelberg Castle. | None on file |
| Cologne | Day 6 sails from Rudesheim to Cologne. | Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market |
| Dusseldorf | Day 7 is in Dusseldorf. | Dusseldorf Christmas Markets |
| Amsterdam | Day 8 is disembarkation in Amsterdam. | Christmas Village Amsterdam |
Pick a December departure
- 8 Dec to 15 Dec 2026from £3,496 per person (2026)
- 9 Dec to 16 Dec 2026from £5,018 per person (2026)
- 15 Dec to 22 Dec 2026from £4,630 per person (2026)
- 16 Dec to 23 Dec 2026from £3,579 per person (2026)
Fares are the operator's published lead-in prices for the year shown. Check the cabin grade, any flight and the port charges before you book.
Do the same route by train
Basel, Strasbourg, Heidelberg, Cologne and Dusseldorf all sit on fast lines: Strasbourg to Basel takes 77 minutes and Cologne to Dusseldorf 21 minutes on the operators' published fastest trains. Rail gets you into Strasbourg itself, while the ship ties up across the river in Kehl.
- Strasbourg to Baselfastest 1 h 15 min, computed from the timetable
The route runs Zurich to Basel by transfer, then Breisach, Kehl, Mannheim, Rudesheim, Cologne, Dusseldorf and Amsterdam. Scenic adds a private concert at Bruchsal Palace and four Freechoice excursions. The 24 November, 1 December and one of the 8 December 2026 departures showed as booked out on 11 October 2026.
A 16 December departure reaches Cologne on 21 December, two days before the cathedral market closes on 23 December 2026. Amsterdam's Christmas Village on Museumplein opens on 3 December 2026.
Quick answers about Scenic Rhine Christmas Markets
What does Scenic's Rhine Christmas Markets cruise cost in December 2026?
On 11 October 2026 Scenic's UK site listed the 8 December 2026 departure from £3,496 per person with flights included, and the other December dates from £3,579 to £5,018.
Does the Scenic Rhine Christmas cruise dock in Strasbourg?
Scenic lists the Strasbourg day as Kehl, on the German bank of the Rhine opposite Strasbourg, so you reach the Christkindelsmarik from the far side of the river.
Which towns does Scenic Rhine Christmas Markets stop at?
Scenic Rhine Christmas Markets sails the Rhine over 7 nights and calls at Basel, Freiburg, Strasbourg, Heidelberg, Cologne, Dusseldorf and Amsterdam, in that order.
When does Scenic Rhine Christmas Markets sail in December 2026?
Scenic lists four departures of Scenic Rhine Christmas Markets in December 2026, leaving on 8 Dec, 9 Dec, 15 Dec and 16 Dec.