Five Christmas market cruises you can still book with live carols, ice rinks and ‘windmill cookies’

IT’S astir clip to get connected committee for the festive play – with a Christmas markets cruise.

Need to banal up connected presents? Fancy immoderate yuletide treats?

Or however astir admiring immoderate of the champion seasonal lights successful Europe?

Sophie Swietochowski brings you immoderate crusies that volition invitation you to bash each of that and more . . . 

BEST FOR FESTIVE VARIETY - COLOGNE

COLOGNE successful Germany, with its majestic cathedral, pictured, has agelong been a apical European destination to sojourn for Christmas markets.

And determination is much than 1 of these successful the city.

But 1 of the champion is Heinzel’s Winter Fairytale, which has its ain crystal rink, and is 1 dainty that revellers mounting sail connected Emerald Cruises’ Rhine voyage should decidedly adhd to their bucket list.

Emerald’s eight-day stream cruise begins successful wintry Basel successful north-west Switzerland earlier passing by Strasbourg, wherever passengers tin instrumentality a guided tour, past it continues via respective German cities including Koblenz.

The itinerary ends successful Amsterdam wherever shops volition soon beryllium filled with festive section treats specified arsenic speculaas – spicy cinnamon biscuits besides called windmill cookies.

The Christmas Markets connected the Rhine cruise costs from £1,699pp, including flights connected December 14, and transfers, wifi and excursions.

See emeraldcruises.co.uk.

BEST FOR SOLO TRAVEL - NUREMBERG

UNIWORLD Boutique River Cruises person £1,000 disconnected a big of festive cruises – galore charging nary solo supplement.

Single travellers tin articulation an eight-day German cruise done alleged Christmas Country, on the River Main from Nuremberg to Frankfurt.

Highlights, aboard the River Princess ship, see a circuit of Nuremberg and a sojourn to the city’s Christmas marketplace – the largest and grandest successful Germany, famed for its gingerbread.

Explore medieval metropolis of Bamberg’s nativity trail, linking churches, museums and more.

The itinerary besides includes a walking circuit of medieval municipality Rothenburg, with its timber-framed houses, cobbled streets and tiny squares, positive visits to Würzburg, Wertheim and Frankfurt.

From £2,199pp for eight-day tour, nary solo supplement, departures connected December 8, 22 and 23.

See uniworld.com oregon telephone 0808 168 9110.

BEST FOR CAROLS - BRUGES

WHICH yuletide tune instantly reminds you of Christmas?

If it’s The Snowman: Walking In The Air, publication a spot connected this four-night Cunard voyage.

Welsh vocalist Aled Jones volition beryllium connected committee to amp up the festive factor, with talks astir The Snowman and unrecorded performances of carols specified arsenic Silent Night and O Holy Night.

The no-fly cruise connected committee the Queen Victoria, which tin transportation much than 2,000 passengers, departs from Southampton successful aboriginal December, sailing consecutive to Bruges successful Belgium.

This is the spot to banal up connected chocs, arsenic the Belgians are known for producing the world’s best.

The vessel past sails to Cherbourg successful Normandy, location to a Christmas wherever treats see French favourite vin chaud (mulled wine).

The Cherbourg and Zeebrugge cruise costs from £669pp, successful a Britannia Balcony room, departing connected December 1.

See cunard.com.

BEST FOR CULTURE VULTURES - VIENNA

A DANUBE stream cruise takes successful merry markets crammed with accepted grub specified arsenic Austrian grammelknödel (a steaming murphy dumpling), arsenic good arsenic celebrating each things Mozart.

The three-night escapade begins successful the German metropolis of Passau, aft which you’ll transverse the borderline into Austria, ticking disconnected the historical municipality of Melk, location to an 11th Century abbey wherever Benedictine monks inactive live.

Next halt is Bratislava, Slovakia’s pedestrianised superior filled with cosy cafes, earlier moving connected to Vienna – a item connected the itinerary wherever passengers tin sojourn Mozart’s location oregon perceive to euphony successful the celebrated Opera House.

The three-night Christmas Spirit connected the Danube cruise connected committee the Riverside Mozart costs from £1,108pp, departing connected December 5.

See riverside-cruises.com/en oregon telephone (0)333 305 0607.

BEST FOR LIGHTS - AMSTERDAM

The Dutch metropolis of Rotterdam takes Christmas precise seriously, lighting up the streets successful a spectacle of colour.

It’s besides the archetypal halt connected the Ambassador line’s vessel Ambience, which departs from Essex larboard of London Tilbury.

Once you’ve sailed down the River Nieuwe Maas and ticked disconnected Rott-erdam, Ambience volition caput for Honfleur successful bluish France.

Here, passengers tin research the Christmas markets successful the municipality hallway square, with stalls selling everything from stocking fillers to freshly baked treats.

The last halt is Amsterdam, wherever canalside trees volition beryllium festooned with lights.

Check retired festive solemnisation Sinterklaas, and the Amsterdam Light Festival which features much than 25 specially created works of art.

The five-night sailing costs from £499pp, departing London Tilbury connected December 15 and based connected 2 radical sharing an wrong cabin.

See ambassadorcruiseline.com.