When Viking invited me to experience a 7-night “Christmas on the Rhine” cruise, my husband was buried in work as the holidays approached. Rather than pass up the opportunity, I invited my sister-in-law to join me, and that decision turned this sailing into one of the most enjoyable and unexpectedly perfect girls’ trips I’ve ever taken.
Viking’s Christmas on the Rhine Itinerary
I’ve cruised with Viking many times before, on ocean, expedition, and river itineraries that often attract couples with an equal mix of male and female guests. This Christmas Cruise felt different immediately. The majority of guests were women traveling solo, with sisters, friends, or in small groups. After just a few days onboard, it was easy to see why a Christmas river cruise blends comfort, culture, shopping, and connection in a way that feels tailor-made for women traveling together.
Here are six reasons why a Viking Christmas river cruise on the Rhine is the ultimate girls’ getaway.
1. Unpack Once and Let Someone Else Handle the Details
Winter travel in Europe can be magical, but it usually comes with complications: cold train platforms, heavy coats, cobblestones, and the constant shuffle of luggage between hotels.
On this cruise, we unpacked once and let Viking do the rest. Of course, packing all of our purchases at the end of the cruise was a delightful challenge!
As we sailed from Basel to Amsterdam on a 7-night cruise, Viking Honir docked near the historic centers in most ports. Transportation was seamless and well-organized. One guided shore excursion in each port was included, with optional tours available for purchase for those who wanted to dig deeper. Each evening, after exploring Christmas markets and historic streets, we returned to the same warm cabin, no packing, no planning, no rushing.
For a girls’ trip, that simplicity makes all the difference.
2. The Ship: Comfortable, Festive, and Easy to Feel at Home
Viking’s longships strike a balance that feels especially right during the holidays. Clean Scandinavian design is accented with seasonal décor. Christmas trees, greenery, lights, and festive touches enhance the mood without overwhelming the space. Our Deluxe Balcony Cabin on Deck 3 had two twin beds, a small bathroom with a toilet and shower, and ample storage for all our belongings, making it a very comfortable home aboard Viking Honir.
The atmosphere onboard was relaxed and welcoming. Public areas encouraged conversation, whether over morning coffee or a glass of wine in the lounge. Open seating meant friendships formed naturally, and by the second day, familiar faces felt like travel companions rather than fellow passengers.
It was a ship that made it easy to settle in and connect. On this sailing, with fewer than 180 guests aboard, 125 were women of all ages.
3. Dining Onboard Felt Communal and Flexible
Meals on board were a highlight. Dining felt thoughtful rather than formal, with menus inspired by the regions we were visiting and featuring seasonal ingredients suited to winter travel. There is only one seating in the dining room, and there is no assigned seating. At each meal, we found a seat and met new friends. Women traveling in small groups of six or more usually sat together during meals.
After days filled with bratwurst, roasted chestnuts, stroopwafels, nougat, and too much mulled wine while ashore, it was comforting to return to well-prepared meals that felt balanced and unhurried. For a change, we enjoyed a few dinners on the quiet Aquavit Terrace, which accommodates only 20 guests per meal. Breakfasts and lunches were leisurely, and dinners often became noisy social events as stories from the day were shared around the tables.
For women traveling together, the meals and dining setup were ideal. It felt less like cruise dining and more like gathering for a family meal at the beginning or end of the day.
4. Entertainment That’s Festive Without Being Forced
Evenings onboard were low-key and enjoyable. Live music, holiday-themed activities, and casual events such as painting Christmas ornaments and a cooking demonstration featuring decorating our own gingerbread men.
Some nights were spent listening to music in the lounge, others chatting over wine, and sometimes simply retreating early after a full day ashore. The entertainment complemented the destinations rather than competing with them, ranging from a classical quartet to a pianist to lively nights of singing and dancing.
5. Destination Highlights That Feel Varied and Memorable
One of the joys of this itinerary was the mix of cities and smaller towns, each offering a different perspective on the season, without any pre-planning required on our part. Selecting shore excursions before and during the cruise was simple, but note that some fill up well ahead of departure.
Basel set the tone with Christmas markets spread across historic squares, glowing wooden stalls, and the comforting scent of raclette and roasted nuts in the air.
Strasbourg delivered classic Alsatian charm, but with our arrival on a weekend, it was very crowded. An optional excursion to Gengenbach offered something truly special. This small German town, with its half-timbered houses and famous Advent calendar built into the town hall, felt like stepping into a storybook—even in the rain. Under Viking’s oversized umbrellas, we wandered cobbled streets, sipped mulled wine, shared roasted chestnuts, and somehow found time for Black Forest cake in a cozy bakery café.
Cologne brought a burst of energy. Its Christmas markets, especially those near the cathedral, were lively and expansive. This was where shopping became serious business, with stalls overflowing with handcrafted ornaments, coo-coo clocks, and festive gingerbread, nougats, and candies that begged to come home.
Freiburg, near the Black Forest, felt warm and local. Its smaller market invited lingering rather than rushing, and the medieval streets glowing with lights made it one of my favorite places to simply wander without an agenda.
Our final destination in the Netherlands took us from the port of Dordrecht, where we took an optional excursion to Gouda—pronounced How-da, as we were quickly reminded. We made traditional stroopwafels, bought hand-crafted chocolate houses, and yes, bought wheels of cheese in sizes ranging from “sensible” to “we’ll figure it out later.”
Cruising the Rhine Gorge: Castles, Medieval towns, and Quiet Enjoyment
One morning, we didn’t wake up in a new city or hurry off to a Christmas market. Instead, we wrapped ourselves in warm jackets, grabbed mugs of hot chocolate, and headed out to the top deck as the ship cruised through the Rhine Gorge, one of the most scenic stretches of the entire journey.
This roughly 40-mile section of the Rhine is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with castles, medieval towns, and terraced vineyards perched dramatically above the river. We watched them appear and disappear through the morning mist, one after another, as Viking’s program director shared the stories behind them.
It was peaceful, cinematic, and completely unhurried, a reminder that sometimes the highlight of a Christmas cruise has nothing to do with shopping at all. Between markets and meals, this quiet sail through the Rhine Gorge felt like a collective exhale, and it remains one of my favorite memories of the entire cruise.
6. Shopping Before the Holidays—and the Joy of Collectible Mugs
For anyone who loves Christmas markets, this cruise is a dream.
Each market featured its own collectible mug, rented with your drink and returned, or not. We sampled white, red, and rosé mulled wines, each spiced a little differently, warming our hands around mugs that quickly became souvenirs with an emotional connection to each market. Comparing designs, debating which ones to keep, and carefully packing them alongside ornaments, chocolate houses, cookies, and cheese became part of the daily routine.
By the end of the cruise, many of us had checked off our holiday shopping and added a few meaningful keepsakes for ourselves. Women came prepared with tote bags and loads of extra space in their suitcases to haul home their Christmas shopping.
Final Thoughts: Why This Is Such a Great Girls’ Getaway
A Viking Christmas cruise on the Rhine delivers everything a girls’ getaway should: ease, comfort, festive energy, and shared experiences.
From unpacking once to sipping spiced mulled wine in collectible mugs to wandering medieval towns lit by Christmas lights, and to gliding past castles with hot chocolate in hand, this cruise turned the lead-up to Christmas into something magical and memorable.
If you’re looking for a holiday escape that blends beauty, simplicity, and just the right amount of indulgence, this is a girls’ getaway that’s hard to beat. I am excited to be planning another Christmas river cruise on the Danube next year!
