Christmas-market cruises are the most popular river sailings of the year, and they sell out earlier than any other season. Here's how to time your booking.
The booking calendar
- January–March: Early-booking offers (best fares + flight credits) for the following Christmas
- April–June: Standard booking window — good availability across most lines
- July–September: Prime dates (early December) start to sell out
- October–November: Limited availability; late-December dates sometimes still open
When you should book
If you want a specific date (especially early December, the prime market window) on a specific line, book 8–10 months ahead — ideally in the January–March early-booking window when lines release fares and offer the biggest discounts and free-flight perks. By summer, prime dates are often gone.
When you can wait
If you're flexible on dates and line, you can sometimes find last-minute deals in October–November for late-November or post-Christmas (Dec 26–Jan 2) departures. But the prime early-December dates will be long gone.
Tip
The single best time to book is January–March for the following Christmas. That's when every line runs its early-booking promotion — and a VPC expert can stack them all.
Put this into action
Turn this guide into your sailing
A VPC cruise expert will match what you've just read to the right ship, departure, and cabin — at the same price as booking direct, with no fees.