While Christmas Eve is traditionally a quiet family celebration in Budapest, the river Danube offers a beautiful way to enjoy the festive evening with illuminated attractions for a festive panoramic jewel box. Join the 90-minute Christmas Holiday Tasting Cruise with a festive savoury grazing platter, Christmas cakes, unlimited drinks, live Hungarian music and a traditional folk dance performance.
Budapest River Cruise Dec 24 – Photo by Dana Sarsenbekova
Budapest Christmas river cruises will run throughout the month of December with special editions on the most festive Christmas days in Hungary, on Dec 24 and Dec 25th. Regular winter daily cruises run throughout December from Monday to Sunday, as seen in our Budapest Winter Cruise Calendar.
Christmas Light Dinner Cruise 2026
Here are the details of the Budapest river cruise on Christmas eve. Please kindly review the included services as this programme is not a standard dinner cruise.
Inclusions in Festive Light Dinner Cruise:
- 1.5 Hour Festive Programme
- Select start at 7pm or 9.30 pm (Board 30 min before departure)
- Festive Savoury Grazing Cold Platter (Pork-Free Charcuterie, Cheeses)
- Selection of Cakes presented Buffet-Style
- Unlimited Drink Selection for 1.5h (Wines, Beers, Soft Drinks, Hot Drinks)
- Live music performed by award-winning Hungarian Gypsy musicians
- Folk Dance Performance in traditional Folk dress
- Actual cruising time 1.5 Hours on the river Danube, Budapest city
- UNESCO World Heritage sights, and many more beautiful historical attractions illuminated at night await you during the city cruise on the Danube
- E-Ticket via email (no printing needed)
- Note: guide is not included (there will be no live or audio guide on this cruise)
- Note: Buildings are illuminated until approx. 10 pm
- Highly sought after event, sold out every year in advance!
Christmas Cruise with Gypsy Music and live folk dance show.
Prices of Budapest Christmas Holiday Tasting Cruise & Live Music
€76 per person
Kindly note that no concession tickets are available. On the festive cruise the same rate applies to adults, students, seniors and children.
Booking Budapest Christmas Eve Tasting Cruise 2026
Booking is via our online system with Credit Card.
Note: booking in advance is the only way to make sure you will get a seat on the Budapest Christmas boat, which is one of the most popular river cruises in a year (along with the Fireworks Cruise). There are few things to do on Xmas days in Budapest (see Budapest Christmas for more info), and we usually fill the places on the festive Xmas river cruise by mid December (especially Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day cruises). After Dec 20, if you do not see the day open, please email us to check available seats and cruises. We may have some reserve / waiting list: info [at] budapestrivercruise.com. Merry Christmas!
Schedule – Christmas Eve Cruise & Show
Days of the Festive Christmas Holiday Cruise: Dec 24
19.00 – 20.30 Cruise Schedule
- 6.30 pm – Boarding the ship is from 6.30 pm (please arrive on time at the meeting point specified in your cruise ticket / confirmation email. Pier: near the Chain Bridge Pest side)
- 7 pm – Departure of the ship is at 7 pm from the city centre, near the Hungarian Academy building.
- 7 pm – 8.30 pm – Cruising time on the river Danube: 1,5 hours of cruising, from north to south in Budapest, then back to the pier.
21.30 – 23.00 Cruise Schedule
- 9.00 pm – Boarding the ship is from 9 pm (please arrive on time at the meeting point specified in your cruise ticket / confirmation email. Pier: near the Chain Bridge Pest side)
- 9.30 pm – Departure of the ship is at 9.30 pm from the city centre, near the Hungarian Academy building.
- 9.30 pm – 11 pm – Cruising time on the river Danube: 1,5 hours of cruising, from north to south in Budapest, then back to the pier
Holiday Tasting Menu on Budapest Christmas Cruise
Settle in for a relaxed Christmas evening with a festive savoury grazing platter, served at your table and designed for casual tasting while enjoying the illuminated Budapest panorama.
The savoury platter is pork-free and is accompanied by a selection of Christmas cakes presented on a buffet table, where guests can help themselves during the programme.
Please note that this is a festive tasting cruise rather than a full scale traditional dinner cruise. No hot meal or multi-course dinner will be served. The tasting board does not provide a full dinner service, but is suitable for a light dinner / tasting with drinks.
Unlimited Drink Package
The unlimited drink package is part of the cruise ticket. The Open Bar drink selection (excl. spirits) includes a package of house wines, beer, soft drinks etc. and festive winter drinks.
- Wines: Red, Wine, Rose
- Beers: Draught Beer from the Tap
- Mineral Water
- Juices
- Soft Drinks
- Tea
- Note: no shots / no spirits included
Sights & Lights – Christmas Festive Night
You can enjoy the Budapest river attractions from inside the heated boat or go to the open deck and take in the views, take photos / selfies with a most fascinating backdrop. While the cruise ship heated, the open air deck is not, so do bring your winter coat and hat to withstand the chilly winter nights in Budapest, Hungary.
Although the river Danube flows through 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, and the hundreds of thousands of visitors in the last years (since 1989, when the Iron curtain fell, Budapest has opened its gates to foreigners).
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.
Night Cruise Budapest – Buda Castle UNESCO Sights
While the Danube actually flows outside Vienna (but you can cruise the canal), and past 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.
As you can expect, during the Christmas holidays this is one of the most popular special Danube cruises in Budapest.
Christmas cruise in Budapest during the festive season
The Christmas boat tours are unique and will make your Christmas Holiday festive program unforgettable with one of the most beautiful panoramas in the world in the heart of Budapest, Hungary.
New Year Cruises in Budapest
New Year’s Eve cruise in Budapest on December 31: The NYE Party Cruise is a special river cruise and night party, and can only be booked in advance. No river cruise bookings on the spot in Budapest, sorry.
Last updated: Oct, 2026
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