Just when you thought it couldn’t get more festive than cruising the Norwegian Fjords in search of the Northern Lights, Christmas Cruising with Susan Calman returns for a Christmas Market cruise on the Danube.
Last year, Scottish comedian and Strictly contestant Susan Calman replaced Jane McDonald on Channel 5’s Cruising with… sailing from Dover into the Arctic Circle with Hurtigruten Expeditions. This year, she joined AmaWaterways on a week-long river cruise from Germany to Budapest.
Before boarding the AmaMagna, Susan spent some time in Prague, where she visited the Czech Republic’s famous Christmas market and got into the festive spirit during an overnight stay. With AmaWaterways, you have the option to extend your Christmas river cruise with a pre/post-cruise stay in iconic capitals like Prague and Budapest.
Then the time came for Susan to board her cruise in Vilshofen. We saw the AmaMagna magnificently lit with Christmas lights, ready to welcome guests onboard for a jolly old time. “This is lovely and Christmassy”, Susan said as she approached the ship. “Santa has his sleigh, and I have the AmaMagna.”
Twice the width of a standard river ship, the state-of-the-art AmaMagna offers more space, larger staterooms and more facilities than any other river ship in Europe.
For those who want to know what to expect from a river ship this time of year, “It just screams Christmas. The halls have been well and truly decked, and every corner has been bedazzled with some festive finery.” Susan’s room also had a few Christmassy touches. “This is incredible. It’s like my own grotto!” she said as she opened the double doors and saw the twinkly lights dangling over her king-size bed before spotting a plate of homemade Christmas cookies on the side.
Aside from twinkling Christmas trees and giant nutcrackers, what other festive treats does a Christmas river cruise with AmaWaterways offer? Firstly, you’ll have untold fun celebrating the most wonderful time of the year onboard. There are a whole host of activities for you to enjoy. From Christmas tree decorating competitions to a special visit from the main man himself, there is something for everyone. Sharing your cruise with no more than 160 guests, you’ll soon make friends with everyone, including the ever-so-friendly crew.
There is so much fun to be had in each destination, too. As Susan says, “The Danube is the Christmas gift that keeps on giving”. From yodelling in the snow in Salzburg to making your own snow globe in Vienna, the birthplace of the popular Christmas ornament, the Magna on the Danube itinerary provides plenty of opportunities to discover how other cultures celebrate the holidays. Take your pick from a wide range of shore excursions, many of which are free, or if you’d prefer to explore at your leisure, you can. You’ll also have the chance to visit a Christmas market in every port – what better place to find the perfect present and festive flavours?
A charming Christmas market in Vienna, Austria.
A Christmas Market cruise is a foodie’s dream. Throughout the series, we saw Susan sample her way through an assortment of festive delicacies, including a cinnamon-dusted ‘chimney cake’ in Prague and gingerbread made by a centuries-old family-run business in Passau. Of course, we can’t forget the iconic moment Susan ordered a box of ‘Mozart balls’ in Salzburg! When in Austria…
Book your Christmas river cruise
Follow in Susan’s footsteps and enjoy the “best Christmas ever” on a Christmas river cruise with AmaWaterways. You can browse our collection of Christmas river cruises departing in 2023 and 2024 on our website.
Until 31 December, you can save up to £1,200 per stateroom and take advantage of free flights and transfers on selected sailings. To find out more or to enquire about a particular cruise, please call our Voyage Consultants on 0800 008 6677.
