The best river cruise festivals, from beer fests to Christmas Markets

A river cruise is a great way to visit destinations that host some of the world’s most spectacular festivals.

Your on-the-spot accommodation is assured, ticketing to events can be included and you don’t have to pay inflated prices ashore for drinks and meals.

Oberammergau Passion Play in 2020

Several river cruise lines have been taking bookings for the past two years for Danube itineraries that take in the famed Oberammergau Passion Play in 2020. It is a five-hour performance that has been staged every 10 years since 1634; between May and October it is repeated more than 100 times in the small Bavarian town of Oberammergau.

Keukenhof Gardens

Viewing millions of tulips in full bloom at the Netherlands’ Keukenhof Gardens is associated with flower shows and art exhibitions between mid-March and mid-May. Numerous ‘Dutch Waterways’ and ‘Tulips and Windmills’ cruises from Amsterdam include a day at Keukenhof during tulip season and the best time to visit is generally April.

Numerous ‘Dutch Waterways’ and ‘Tulips and Windmills’ cruises from Amsterdam include a day at Keukenhof during tulip season. Image: keukenhof.nl

Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest

New Orleans hosts two major festivals every year, Mardi Gras in March and Jazz Fest in April-May. This year marks the 50th Jazz Fest and its star-studded line-up, including the Rolling Stones, Van Morrison and hundreds of other big names, is the biggest yet. Check out American Cruise Lines’ Mississippi itineraries.

Mardi

Article source: https://rivercruisepassenger.com.au/the-best-river-cruise-festivals-from-beer-fests-to-christmas-markets/