8 top things to on an a Christmas market cruise with kids

Christmas market cruises for families keep the whole gang entertained at this most magical time of year. P&O Cruises, already well-known for being super family-friendly, offers a Christmas market cruise suitable for children which is packed with opportunities for tasty treats, festive moments and lasting memories – and it is setting sail this December.

Even better? The ‘Northern European City Escape’ itinerary departs onboard Iona from Southampton so it’s as easy as (mince) pie to organise the family – plus no worries about luggage restrictions and flights!

There’s oodles to keep everyone happy onboard P&O ships at Christmas from delightful decorations to festive feasts, but we’ve taken a look at what families can also get up to ashore thanks to Iona’s superb shore excursions.

Make merry at Hamburg’s Christmas Market

Your very first port of call on this P&O Cruises Christmas voyage is Hamburg. One of the major markets in the German city is the Roncalli Christmas Market, opposite the town hall. Expect handcrafted Christmas decorations from the Erzgebirge region, woodcarvers from Tyrol and bakers from Aachen. Prepare for wide eyes and full stomachs, as gems here also comprise Spezialitätengasse (street of food) and Spielzeuggase (toy street). Sounds like heaven! There’s even a flying Santa Claus, who flies overhead in his sleigh three times a day!

Hungry? Sample bratwurst or roasted almonds (but maybe before you hop aboard the vintage merry-go-round). Mums and dads can sip on glühwein while kids stay toasty with a hot chocolate

A visit to the market is included on the P&O Cruises Hamburg at Christmas excursions – and you’ll also visit St Michael’s Church – the largest north German Baroque church and Hamburg’s main landmark – plus the City Hall, Germany’s oldest Stock Exchange.

Feast on gingerbread

No visit to this part of the world is complete without sampling gingerbread – and the city of Nuremberg is famous for the sweet-spicy goody. You don’t need to make the trek to the German city though – it’s available to try and buy in the Roncalli Christmas Market on a Christmas market cruise with kids.

Buy presents at a German Christmas Market

If one Christmas market isn’t enough in one day, the Snapshot of Hamburg and Christmas Markets experience takes in the Roncalli Christmas Market as well as St Petri’s Christmas Market.

The latter is located around Hamburg’s oldest still existing church as the area transforms into a fir forest, with 200 real trees decorating the magical market alongside the Scandinavian-Nordic Christmas huts.

Visitors on a Christmas market cruise with children can browse high-quality toys, Christmas decorations and arts and crafts while little ones will relish the toy trains, a life-sized moose and a dancing Santa Claus!

Explore Lubeck Christmas market

If you’ve already been to Hamburg before or fancy getting off the beaten path, why not join the Lovely Lübeck at Christmas excursion?

Lübeck has been dubbed the ‘Queen of the Hanseatic League’ and its Old Town is an impressive, intact example of medieval Gothic architecture. Your guide will show you around such highlights as the Gothic Rathaus, one of the oldest in Germany, and one of the quaint 82 Wohngaenge (alleyways). But for a full dose of festivity, make the most of your free time to roam the Christmas market around Lübeck’s Town Hall.

Records of this market date right back to 1648: think arts and crafts, decorated Christmas trees and fairy lights, all accompanied by the scent of deep-fried pastries, roasted almonds and mulled wine.

Indulge your sweet tooth with marzipan

You don’t have to make do with just smelling yummy treats on a Christmas market cruise for families, though. Lübeck is known for its marzipan, with local legend saying the almond dessert dates back to 1407 when famine forced bakers to start making bread from almonds.

Your P&O Cruises shore excursion includes a visit to the famous Café Niederegger, found in 1806, where a glut of chocolate-coated marzipan will make a great Christmas prezzy for loved ones – and yes you can tuck into the bites yourself, too! Look out for the 12 life-sized marzipan figures in the museum upstairs!

Discover Bruges’ Christmas markets

There are two Christmas markets in Bruges which can be visited on a cruise call to the Belgian port of Zeebrugge. The main (and most traditional) Christmas market is located in Grote Markt and boasts charming wooden chalets while the other, smaller, Bruges Christmas market is on the Simon Stevinplein where you’ll find stalls groaning with craft products. P&O Cruises shore excursion Christmas Spirit in Bruges will immerse you in the city’s charm and packs in both sites.

You won’t find any fairground rides in Bruges but there are plenty of fairy lights on gingerbread houses, Christmas trees and delicious treats. The city is famous for its choccy, so keeping warm with a hot chocolate is essential. Go on, have a buttery waffle too. If you want to do your own thing during your time in Bruges, a wintry horse-drawn carriage ride might be just the ticket.

Skate across Bruges’ ice rink

Kids don’t just need to watch mum and dad shopping, though. The chalets in Grote Markt are set around a sparkling ice rink beneath the 83m-high belfry and the Gothic-style Basilica of the Holy Blood. Rent a pair of skates and zoom (or stumble!) around yourself to help warm up (not included in the excursion). Parents: you can always fuel up on Dutch (well, Belgian) courage with a sip of jenever, the local gin if you need a confidence boost.

Just want to admire the scenery? If you can face the 366 steps to the top of the tower you’ll be rewarded with gorgeous views of Bruges and its markets.

Uncover a festive Versailles

Paris is fantastic at every time of year but the City of Lights really comes into its own at Christmastime. P&O Cruises itinerary Northern European City Escape calls into France’s Le Havre port from where cruisers can jump on a shore excursion. The Discover Versailles at Christmas day trip whisks you away to the seriously impressive palace of Versailles – the largest château in the world.

Your guided tour includes the king’s state apartments, the Hercules Drawing Room and the lavish Hall of Mirrors (try to guess how many there are in total – 357, would you believe). Then walk across the stunning gardens to a restaurant located within Versailles Park for a sumptuous French lunch. You’ll also have some free time to explore the lush, formal gardens with its whopping 400 sculptures and 1,400 fountains.

What would Christmas look like if you were a Royal for a day?