DELRAY BEACH, FL, Aug. 14, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- There isn't anything quite like the magic of the Holiday season in Europe, and award-winning Uniworld Boutique River Cruises offers five luxurious holiday cruises to delight and enchant you this holiday season. Relax and enjoy the lights of the festive cities, the intoxicating aromas of cinnamon and gingerbread, the charming holiday markets--some dating back almost 400 years. There are storybook villages and majestic cities adorned with thousands of twinkling lights and stars, grand Christmas trees decorated from top to bottom, melodious carolers and choirs with sweet sounding voices, awe-inspiring cathedrals, opulent palaces, and medieval castles--all just a stroll away from Uniworld's luxuriously appointed ships.
Experience the magic of a holiday season devoid of electronic gadgets, shopping malls, and commercialism on a wonderful Uniworld Boutique River Cruise. Uniworld's Holiday River Cruises range from 8 to 13 days and take travelers along Europe's great rivers. Whether it is traveling through Germany along the Rhine and Main celebrating the origins of centuries-old traditions, discovering the elegant pageantry of four regal countries along the Danube, or welcoming 2014 in Paris, the "City of Light," there is something unique for everyone.
Special Savings on the Christmas Markets cruises are available through August 31, 2013. Book your cruise today to take advantage of these great savings!
Parisian Winter Holiday --8 days. Paris to Paris. The "City of Light" glows with extra magic during the holidays. Every town in France boasts a Marché de Noël in December, but Paris, naturally, boasts many, each one typical of its neighborhood. Ramble down the Champs Élysée for your Christmas shopping this year, or visit one of the boutiques on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Walk through the Tuileries Gardens and marvel at the spectacular holiday décor of the great department stores in the city where they were invented. For a quieter moment, discover the lovely, serene snow scenes of the Impressionists at the Musée d'Orsay.
Sample the seasonal treats of Normandy as you peruse the artisan ceramics on display at the Rouen Marché de Noël, which takes place directly in front the famous cathedral; if you feel like revisiting your childhood, take a spin on the skating rink. Medieval cobblestoned squares, the Sun King's Versailles, sacred music sung in a legendary cathedral--it all adds up to a special gift that's just for you. Cruise through the heart of northern France for the most memorable holiday of all. Priced from $2,249 per person, based on double occupancy.
- Solo traveler savings - waived single supplement (December 13 and 27 sailing)
- Special savings: save $300 per couple on 2013 Parisian Winter Holiday Season Boutique River Cruises
Classic Christmas Markets --8 days. Nuremberg to Frankfurt. Discover villages with fairy-tale houses and a friendly, festive atmosphere. Share traditional holiday goodies with the people who made them. Watch as modern children abandon their usual electronics and discover the enchantment of hand-carved wooden toys. The scents of cinnamon and roasting nuts fill the air. Sail through Christmas country, trying Frankfurt's famous apple cider, Bamberg's specially brewed holiday beer, and Nuremberg's gingerbread. Find the magic of the season in the smiles that meet you along the way. Priced from $2,349 per person, based on double occupancy.
Share the enchantment of this region with the special young ones in your life on a select holiday sailing with Uniworld's Multigenerational Family-Friendly Program.
- Solo traveler savings - waived single supplement (December 22 sailing)
- Special savings: save $300 per couple on 2013 Classic Christmas Holiday Season Boutique River Cruises (December 22 sailing)
European Holiday Markets --8 days. Nuremberg to Vienna. This cruise takes you to some of the most famous and delightful of the holiday markets in Central Europe. At each market, you'll find wooden stalls displaying traditional crafts that range from quirky little characters made of fruit and dressed in Bavarian costume to beautifully carved and painted Nativity figures. You'll also find exquisite ornaments and fine contemporary crafts, along with fairy-tale villages decked in holiday finery. Sparkling lights illuminate ancient cathedral squares, and the sound of children's laughter mingles with carols. Priced from $2,349 per person, based on double occupancy.
Danube Holiday Markets --8 days. Budapest to Passau. Budapest has celebrated Christmas for a thousand years, since the time of St. Stephen, the king who founded Hungary and encouraged the spread of Christianity throughout his realm. As you ramble through the Christmas Market on Vörösmarty Square in Budapest, admiring the handmade porcelain, stop to watch as kürtös kalács--a pastry--is baked on rods over an open fire and then coated with sugar before it's handed to you. In Bratislava, where a lively young art scene is revitalizing the compact city core, stalls abound with traditional Slovakian Christmas items like medovníky (spiced ginger cookies) and šúpolie (figurines made from corn husks). Sing along with carolers in elegant yet cozy Vienna as you shop for Austrian lace. Follow the lights down the Landstrasse in Linz to the Volksgarten, where you'll find a fairy-tale Christmas--large, animated displays of scenes from fairytales that will entrance the child in you. Or mail a letter from Christkindl, where children from all over the world send their Christmas wish lists. Glorious Baroque architecture, delightful concerts, and ravishing scenery will make this Christmas season unforgettable as you sail through the holidays on the Danube. Priced from $2,349 per person, based on double occupancy.
Rhine Holiday Markets --8 days. Basel to Cologne. Leave the mall behind and discover the roots of our Christmas traditions. Was the first Christmas tree decorated in Strasbourg? Strasbourg's citizens think so, though towns in Germany would dispute that claim. Sip vin chaud as you stroll to Place Kléber to behold the enormous and brilliantly lighted tree that Strasbourg offers modern celebrants. Find unexpected treasures in the red-roofed stalls clustered around Cologne's magnificent cathedral. Listen to musicians in Medieval costume play sackbuts and lutes while you watch jugglers toss and catch flaming torches. Munch your way through an array of once-a-year treats, and see how the Baroque town hall of Koblenz is turned into an Advent calendar. Revel in brightly painted carousels and handmade ornaments, Medieval squares illuminated by twinkling lights, life-size Nativity figures and joyful brass choirs. Sail through castle-strewn hillsides and visit charming small towns decked in holiday finery for a holiday season you will never forget. Priced from $2,399 per person, based on double occupancy.
- Solo traveler savings - waived single supplement (December 22 sailing)
- Special savings: save $300 per couple on 2013 Rhine Holiday Season Boutique River Cruises
All of Uniworld's European cruises include: lavishly appointed river-view stateroom; complimentary fine European wines, draft beer and soft drinks during lunch and dinner onboard; bottled water in staterooms; a 24-hour specialty coffee and tea bar; special celebratory dining events; captivating shore excursions hosted by English-speaking local guides; festive onboard entertainment and Signature Lectures; and all transfers on arrival and departure days.
For more details, please visit uniworld.com or connect with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises at facebook.com/uniworldrivercruises or twitter.com/uniworldcruises .
About Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
Los Angeles-based Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, the world's only authentic boutique cruise line™, is recognized among the "World's Best River Cruises" by Travel + Leisure . Uniworld has been named to Condé Nast Traveler's prestigious Gold List for six consecutive years and to their Platinum Circle for two years. Uniworld was also ranked in their top three among the world's "Top Ten" cruise lines, both ocean and river. Uniworld's staterooms and dining are also ranked among the "Top Three in the World" by Zagat Survey®, with Uniworld being the only river cruise line named in the Zagat Survey® amongst the best of the best in the cruise industry. The editors of Cruise Critic handpicked Uniworld as the "Best River Cruise Line." In addition, Uniworld has the highest rankings by travelers on Cruise Critic for both river and ocean cruise lines. Uniworld features luxurious boutique ships with an average capacity of 130 guests and the highest staff-to-guest ratio in the river cruise industry, as well as included shore excursions, world-class gourmet cuisine, and award-winning hospitality. Uniworld offers over 500 departures sailing on over 13 rivers in more than 20 countries throughout Europe, Russia, Egypt, China, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
Uniworld is a member of CLIA, Cruise Lines International Association
About The TreadRight Foundation
The TreadRight Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established in 2008 by The Travel Corporation (TTC) to undertake conservation work and foster sustainability in the tourism industry.
Collectively funded by TTC's family of brands, including Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, TreadRight supports projects that fall under the themes of water, biodiversity, leadership and community, and which drive the foundation's vision to preserve the earth's unique environments and diversity for future generations.
To date, TreadRight has donated more than US $2 million to sustainable tourism projects around the world, in addition to supporting the World Travel & Tourism Council's 'Tourism for Tomorrow' awards. To find out more about the foundation visit: www.treadright.org
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Arnelle Kendall Vice President of Public Relations Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection 110 East Atlantic Avenue Suite 325 Delray Beach, FL 33444 Telephone: (561) 330-0850 Email:
