Budapest Christmas Eve Dinner Cruise with Piano

While Christmas evenings is mostly quiet in the city of Budapest, as Hungarian families are celebrating the eve with their families, we invite you to spend a splendid evening on the Christmas Eve Budapest river cruise with dinner, live music, and a beautiful, 3-hour cruise on the River Danube!

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Our Budapest Christmas river cruises will run throughout the Christmas holidays in Hungary, on Dec 24, Dec 25 offering an unforgettable boat ride in the scenic Christmas lights of Budapest.

Christmas Cruise in Budapest 2023

Here are the details of the Budapest river cruise on Christmas Evenings (Dec 24,and Dec 25,  2023): First of all what does the Christmas river cruise include?

• 3 Hour Cruise: you can enjoy a festive 3-hour cruise. Christmas Eve cruise from 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm (boarding at 7 pm). You can enjoy a 3-hour river Danube cruise along the UNESCO World Heritage site, and the beautiful historical sights illuminated at night.

• Christmas Dinner on the boat (served dinner with 4 options for the main course (Fish, Beef, Poultry, Vegetarian). The 4 course served dinner includes Starter, Soup, your choice of Main Course with Sides (Duck, Fish, Beef, Vegetarian), and a Dessert.

• Sparkling Wine: 1 glass of Hungarian Sparkling Wine (you can replace it with a soft drink) or Drink Packages

• Live music performed by award winning Hungarian piano players
• E-Ticket via email (no printing needed)
• Minimum age: 6 years old for children (please note that full price tickets are needed for children)

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Budapest Xmas Cruise – Tinou Bao Photography

Prices of the Christmas Eve Dinner Cruise

• Price with Dinner & 1 Welcome Drink:105 Euro. Booking via our online booking form (Pre-booking cruise deals for 2023)
• Price with Dinner & Drink Package: 150 Euro. The Soft Unlimited Drink package includes Wines/Beers/Soft Drinks/Hot Drinks

Booking 2023 Budapest Xmas Eve Cruise

Booking is via our online system with Stripe (see the form on the left side or click on the Booking button below)

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Note: booking in advance is the only way to make sure you will get a seat on the Budapest Christmas Eve boat, which is one of our most popular cruises in a year (along with the Fireworks Cruise). There are very few things to do on Dec 24 in Budapest (see Budapest Christmas for more info), and we usually fill our places on the festive Xmas Eve river cruise by December 20. After Dec 20, please email us to check available seats and cruises: info [at] budapestrivercruise.com. Merry Christmas!

2023 Christmas Cruises in Budapest: Day & Evening Cruises

Christmas Piano Cruise

The date of the cruise and the time of departure is the following:

• 7.30 pm – 10.30 pm (3-hour cruise)

Timing for the 7.30 pm Christmas Cruise

• Boarding the ship is from 7 pm to 7.30 pm (please arrive on time at the meeting point specified in your cruise ticket / confirmation email)
• Departure of the ship is at 7.30 pm from the city center, near Elizabeth Bridge
• Cruising time on the river Danube: 3 hours, from north to south in Budapest, then back to the pier
• Arrival of the ship in the city center is at 10.30 pm.

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Sights & Lights from the Xmas River Boat

Hungarian Parliament at night in December

Although the river Danube flows through or by many countries and even four capital cities (like Vienna, Bratislava), only in Budapest can you enjoy such spectacular attractions glowing in the night with festive lights. Are we biased? No, we are not. Our proof: the UNESCO World Heritage site appreciation. Budapest is the only city along the river Danube that has been awarded the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage title for its Danube panorama. A perfect Christmas gift on a Budapest winter holiday. While the Danube actually flows outside Vienna (but you can cruise the canal), and past by Bratislava, in Budapest the river is the focal point of the city, dividing the Hungarian capital into the Buda side with the Castle and hills, and the Pest side with the Hungarian Parliament, the St Stephen Cathedral, the Gresham Palace, the Great Market Hall, etc. The boat is of course heated, but if you want to admire the Budapest winter panorama from the open upper deck of the ship, you can. However, for standing on the upper deck in the open air we recommend bringing a warm winter coat and hat, as winters in Budapest are quite cold, often going below the freezing point (0 degrees Celsius / 32 degrees Fahrenheit). Staying inside the warm ship, in a Christmas ship is special. And we will do everything we can to give you the best possible Xmas Eve cruise in Budapest. As you can expect, during the Christmas holidays this is one of our most popular special Danube cruises in Budapest, which we launch on special days as follows:

Chain Bridge and Buda Castle from the river boat

Christmas cruise in Budapest on December 24

The Budapest Christmas Eve boat tours are unique, and will make your Holy night festive with one of the most beautiful panoramas in the world in the heart of Budapest, Hungary. Besides the evening cruises, you can also choose from day cruises, like the 2pm Budapest Sightseeing cruise on Duna Bella boat.

Christmas Day Cruise in Budapest on December 25

On Christmas Day there are further Christmas river cruises in the evening due to the high demand (as well as daylight panorama cruise at 2 pm). 2pm Sightseeing Cruise on Duna Bella boat 7 pm 4 Course Dinner Cruise in Budapest on Taltos Boat (served dinner with 4 options for the main course, live piano music) 7 pm 4 Course A La Carte Cruise in Budapest on Legenda Boat (a la carte option with 4 courses, as you wish, live salon music)

Christmas Cruise in Budapest on December 26

On Christmas Day there are further Christmas river cruises in the evening due to the high demand (as well as daylight panorama cruise at 2 pm). 2pm Sightseeing Cruise on Duna Bella boat 7 pm 4 Course Dinner Cruise in Budapest on Taltos Boat (served dinner with 4 options for the main course, live piano music) 7 pm 4 Course A La Carte Cruise in Budapest on Legenda Boat (a la carte option with 4 courses, as you wish, live salon music)

New Year Cruises in Budapest

New Year’s Eve cruise in Budapest on December 31: this VIP party tour is a special all night river cruise and night party, and can only be booked in advance. No river cruise bookings on the spot in Budapest, sorry. New Year’s Day cruise in Budapest on January 1: on New Years Day we run two Danube river cruises due to the high demand. One of the boat tours starts at 7 pm while the late night river boat tour starts at 10 pm. Both are 90 minute dinner cruises on the Danube. The salon music on the river cruise is performed by 3 members of the Zoltán Kodály Awarded Rajkó Folk Orchestra.

Christmas Eve Dinner Menu on the River Cruise, Budapest

Appetizer 

Buchée Bites filled with a Selection of Traditional Creamy Spreads

Soups

Goulash Soup (GF) (LF)
Seasonal Soup: Sweet Potato Cream Soup with Walnut Parsley Pesto and Roasted Almonds (V) (GF)

Main Courses with Side

You can choose from the following main course options on the dinner cruise:

FISH: Herb-Crusted Salmon Fillet on a Creamy Spinach Tagliatelle bed, served with Parmesan Shavings
CHICKEN: Chicken Breast Fillet Served with Smoked Paprika Mashed Potatoes and Vegetable Ragout (Gf)
DUCK: Duck Leg Confit served with Cabbage Pasta stuffed Chimney Cake and Gravy
BEEF: Stout infused Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Dark Chocolate served with Bread Dumplings
VEGETARIAN: Beetroot Risotto with Carrot Croutons and Parmesan (V) (GF)
VEGAN: Poke Bowl (salad bowl with Tofu and Nuts) (GF) (LF) (V) -please leave a comment upon booking to request vegan meal

Desserts 

Breezy Tapioca Pudding with Coconut Milk served with Honey and
Forest Fruit Coulis (LF) (GF) (V) (Vegan)

Dark Chocolate Cashew Brownie with Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream (V)

GF – Gluten Free
LF – Lactose-Free
V – Vegetarian

Updated Jul 12, 2023