Christmas Markets on the Rhine River with the Dlx Nehir Gemisi MS Leonora with SUN

Tour details
İZMIR CHRISTMAS MARKETS

CHRISTMAS MARKETS ON THE RHINE RIVER WITH DLX RIVER SHIP LEONORA

GERMANY – FRANCE

                            Düsseldorf (*Cologne) – Koblenz  - Romantic Rhine Route – Rüdesheim - Worms /Speyer

 (*Heidelberg) – Strasbourg  1 night stay(*Colmar)  – Stuttgart

The ship cannot dock at the ports marked with (*).  The cities and towns marked with (*) can be reached by private vehicle.

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION

DIRECTION

DATE

FLIGHT CODE

ROUTE

DEPARTURE

ARRIVAL

OUTBOUND

16.12.2026

XQ 958

ADB – DUS

11:40

13:15

RETURN

20.12.2026

XQ 973

STR-  ADB

14:10

18:55

 

Day 01            IZMIR ADNAN MENDERES – DUSSELDORF 
16 December 26 / Wednesday  Meeting at 09:00 in front of the Sun Express Airlines counter at Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport, international departures. Flight to Düsseldorf at 11:40 with flight XQ 958 after check-in and passport procedures. Arrival at 13:15 local time. After leaving the airport, we will take a city tour of Düsseldorf and visit the Christmas markets. Afterwards, transfer to our ship and check-in procedures will be carried out. Our ship departs from Düsseldorf today at 17:00.

Day 02         KOBLENZ - PASSAGE OF THE ROMANTIC RHINE ROUTE - RUDESHEIM    
17 December 26 / Thursday   At 06:00 in the morning we will dock at Koblenz port. Guests who wish can join the Koblenz and mountain cable car tour, which our guide will organize as an extra and where you can also see the Moselle River. We take the cable car up to Ehrenbreitstein Castle and from there we see Koblenz's famous German Corner, the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers, with a bird's-eye view. Then we take a walking tour in Koblenz and visit the Christmas Market.  Our ship will depart from Koblenz port at 12:0. The most beautiful section of the Rhine River, the Romantic Rhine Passage, is taking place. During this cruise, more than 20 castles from the Middle Ages and magnificent views can be seen. After our ship arrives in Rüdesheim at 19:00 in the evening, it will remain in port until 01:30 at night..

Day 03            WORMS -  SPEYER  
18 December 26 / Friday    In the morning at 09:00 we dock at Worms port. After a short technical break, our ship will set off towards Speyer at 09:30. Our ship, which will arrive in Speyer at 12:30 noon, will depart from Speyer at 20:00 in the evening. 
With guests who wish, you can join the Heidelberg tour as an extra. We visit the city of Heidelberg, whose population is mostly made up of students. Heidelberg is also famous for its printing and printing presses, which are known by the city’s name. Heidelberg Castle, the giant barrel Grosses Fass exhibited in the castle cellars, Carl-Theodor Bridge, known among the public as the old bridge (Alte Brücke), and Heiligegeistkirche (Historic Church) located right in the center of the old town are among the places to be seen. Return to our ship waiting for us at Speyer port after the tour. 

Day 04            STRAZBOURG
19 December 26 / Saturday We arrive at Strasbourg port at 08:00 in the morning. Our ship will be anchored in Strasbourg tonight.
In the morning we start our Strasbourg and Colmar city tour as an extra. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, Strasbourg also hosts the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. As the seventh largest city in France by population, we first visit the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. After the photo break we will give in front of the building, we come to the historic city and start our walking tour. On this tour, historical streets, Notre Dame Cathedral, Rohan Palace, Kammerzehl, shopping streets and Kleber Square are among the places to be seen. Then with those who wish, we walk to the Petit France (Little France) district. Our tour ends with free time we will have in the center of Strasbourg. In Colmar, those who wish can explore the city in detail by mini train as an extra.

Day 05            STRAZBOURG – STUTTGART- IZMIR ADNAN MENDERES
20 December 26 / Sunday    After breakfast, disembarkation from the ship and transfer to the airport where your return flight will depart. After check-in and passport control, we depart for Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport at 14:10 local time with Sun Express Airlines flight XQ 973. After our arrival in Izmir at 18:55 local time, our tour ends.

CANCELLATION & REFUND CONDITIONS

As of the reservation, the following deduction amounts or rates will apply based on the date on which the cancellation request is made.

AS OF THE RESERVATION DATE TO THE DEPARTURE DATE

APPLICABLE DEDUCTION RATE

180 days before

%10

179 – 159 days before

%15

158 – 120 days before

%25

119 – 90 days before

%30

89 – 60 days before

%50

59 – 45 days before

%60

44 – 30 days before

%75

29 – 10 days before

%90

9 days or less before

%100

MS LEONORA SHIP FEATURES

The ship, which started its voyages in 2008 under the name Avalon Scenery, was later renamed Ms Leonora. It was completely renovated in 2025 and the renovation work was completed. The ship is 110 m long, 11.40 m wide, 5.85 m high, and has a total of 3 decks. It has 67 cabins and a passenger capacity of 138. French Balcony cabins are 16 m² in size. All cabins include amenities such as air conditioning, TV, telephone, minibar, safe, hair dryer, clothes hanger, towel, and shampoo. On the ship, where approximately 40 friendly staff will serve you, you can also fully enjoy the river on the Sun Deck, the top deck of the ship, with free sun loungers, tables, and seating areas. In the Restaurant section on the lowest deck of the ship, you can have your breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the designated table on board. In the Club Lounge Bar section prepared for you at the rear of the ship, you can have a pleasant time with games such as card games, backgammon, and okey. In the Lounge section located at the entrance of the ship, you can follow local shows, presentations about rivers, organizations such as the “Welcome” and “Farewell cocktail”, and activities such as the “Tea & Coffee time treat”. In addition, thanks to the Turkish program sent to your cabins every night, you can easily follow the program for the next day

What's included
Economy class flight ticket on the round-trip route Izmir (ADB) – Düsseldorf (DUS) / Stuttgart (STR) - Izmir (ADB) with Sun Express Airlines
Airport taxes & port taxes
4 nights full-board accommodation on a Deluxe River ship built in 2008 and completely renovated in 2025 (Within the full-board package, service starts with dinner on the embarkation day and ends with breakfast on the disembarkation day)
Airport transfers (on embarkation day and disembarkation day)
Live music and activities on board
Coffee & tea station all day and afternoon tea treats on board
Free internet on board
Welcome cocktail
Captain’s Gala Cocktail, Gala Special Menu
Luggage handling service on the first and last day of the ship
Professional Turkish-speaking guiding and assistance services
Tourist city taxes (50 Euro)
TURSAB mandatory professional liability insurance
Not included

Visa fee and service charge
Domestic connecting flight ticket
Ship Crew Service Charge (calculated at 15 Euros per person per night, and a total of 60 Euros per person will be added to your cabin account)
All alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on board
All kinds of personal expenses 
Entrance fees to museums and historical sites not specified in the program
Travel & Health Insurance and surcharge (for guests aged 65+)
Driver and guide tips
Exit fee for leaving the country

Need to Know

Important information regarding your flight;
* The airport meeting time is generally 2 hours and 30 minutes before the flight, and details will be communicated separately 2 days before the tour departure. Due to security checks at European airports, your transfer to the airport will be arranged 3 hours before the flight on the return journey.
* Departure and arrival times are local times and are determined by the airlines..
* There is limited availability for domestic flight connections; availability must be checked during the final reservation and the arrangements must then be made accordingly.
* The connecting cities other than Ankara and Izmir must also be confirmed separately.
* Confirmed domestic flight connections are valid for the most suitable domestic flight available within 24 hours. 
* Domestic connection prices may not be valid for groups. Please ask about our special prices.
* The Operator Agency acts as an intermediary between the airline and the passenger and is subject to the Hague Protocol dated 28.09.1955. There may be a risk of delays on scheduled and charter flights, or flight times may change before the existing tour and flight. The Operator Agency is obliged to notify you of these changes as soon as possible. Our passengers have purchased the tour knowing and accepting that flight details may change.

Things you need to know ABOUT OUR RIVER TOURS;

 

  • There is no minimum participation requirement for our tour. It is guaranteed to depart in December and will be carried out with a Turkish-speaking guide.
  • Guests holding an ordinary (Burgundy) passport need a visa. Multiple-entry / Multiple Schengen)    
  • Guests holding a green passport or service passport do not need a visa.
  • You must have a passport valid for 6 months from the end date of the trip and not older than 10 years.
  • Obtaining foreign currency in Euros before the trip will make cash payments during your shopping easier.
  • For purchases of 100 Euros or more, you may request a tax refund form. You can complete the tax refund procedures with this form at the last point where you leave the European Union, after customs and similar procedures.
  • There are no doctors or medical personnel on river ships. In emergencies, reception calls medical teams from the nearest healthcare facility to the ship within a very short time. However, whenever medical attention is needed, our ship stops at the nearest point to medical institutions and assists in the prompt transfer of ill guests to hospitals or similar facilities. We also recommend that you bring the medications you use regularly together with their prescriptions and obtain comprehensive travel health insurance.

Medical services provided on board and at healthcare facilities are subject to a fee.

  • We do not expect you to encounter any health-threatening problems with the meals you will have during your ship journey. Nevertheless, we recommend that you be careful about eating and drinking when you are off the ship, consume only bottled water, avoid ice, milk and dairy products, eat meat and fish products that you are sure have been well cooked, and choose fruits such as bananas and pineapples that can be peeled.
  • Since entry into more than one country may take place during your trip, the local time applicable to each port visited by the ship will be announced. As disembarkation from and boarding of the ship will be according to the time of the port where you are located, please adjust your schedule accordingly.
  • During navigation on river ships, especially when crossing borders, your mobile phone line can be used if it is enabled for international calls (roaming). Sometimes, your mobile phone may lose signal because there are no base stations in forested areas.
  • For the captain's Welcome & Farewell Cocktail evenings during your trip, we recommend that our male guests bring a suit and our female guests bring an evening dress. If traveling during the summer season, we recommend bringing t-shirts, short- and long-sleeved shirts, cotton trousers, shorts, comfortable walking shoes, a thin jacket and a thin sweater for the evenings, all of which can be easily put on and taken off. In addition, you may bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, earplugs against possible noise, a camera, a video camera, their chargers and spare memory cards. During the winter period, we recommend clothes that allow you to move comfortably and keep you warm. The open areas of the ship may be cool in every season while sailing.
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the main dining restaurant on board. In addition, afternoon tea and light snacks are served in the lounge area upstairs at night.
  • The electrical outlets in the cabins are the same as those in Turkey.
  • Accommodation at hotels before or after the river cruise program may not be at the same standard as our river ship. The same services should not be expected. During fairs, congresses, concerts, events, sports tournaments and similar periods, hotels may be used at distances exceeding the stated kilometers. Triple rooms may be provided depending on hotel availability, and the bed offered to the third person in such rooms may be smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of 1 large bed and 1 extra bed. Since extra beds consist of beds referred to as folding and coach beds, participants who are the third person and/or children in such reservations are deemed to have declared that they accept the possible lack of space and bed type in the rooms. Child discounts are valid for one (1) child staying with 2 adults and belonging to the age group specified in the pricing section.
  • If hotel accommodation other than on our ship is included in the tour program, the breakfasts provided are served in accordance with the breakfast culture of the country visited and generally consist of a limited menu called a continental breakfast, including butter, jam, bread, tea or coffee; for groups, they may be served in a separate room allocated to the group.

 

 

 

SOME TECHNICAL INFORMATION ABOUT OUR RIVER TOURS;

 

  • The times stated in the program have been obtained from Sun Express Airlines and Scylla Cruise. Otto Cruise is not responsible for any changes that may occur in the times. Therefore, in the event of any change in time, Otto Cruise may make changes to the dates without disrupting the content of the program and the scope of the services.
  • The duration, places to be visited and order of the tours at the ports are determined by the operator company and may be changed or completely canceled when necessary.
  • Otto Cruise shall not be responsible for natural disaster situations such as rises or decreases in river water levels that may occur on the rivers, or force majeure situations such as strikes in locks / canals or the inability to dock at the planned port.
  • Otto Cruise shall not be responsible for situations outside the program that may arise in such cases, such as changes of port or changes in the arrival and departure times at the port.
  • During air travel, each passenger is entitled to bring one piece of hand luggage into the cabin measuring 36 cm (height) x 23 cm (width) x 56 cm (length). In addition, each passenger is entitled to take 1 suitcase weighing no more than 20 to 23 kilograms, provided that it is checked into the aircraft's baggage compartment.
  • One of the dinners you will have during the ship journey is a formal dinner, and our guests are expected to bring formal attire for this evening.
  • During check-in on the ship, each guest will be able to hand over their passport and receive their cabin key. Passports may be collected in some cases for the ship's manifest and local procedures. Passports will be returned on the same day.
  • Guests who will make their onboard expenses by credit card must register their credit cards at reception within 5 days after the journey begins. No charge will be made to your credit card and no amount will be blocked during the registration process.
  • *The ship's departure times must be strictly observed. At ports, you must board the ship no later than 45 minutes before the ship's departure time. Otherwise, you may not be allowed to board the ship. Otto Cruise shall not be responsible for such a situation. Passengers who miss the aircraft or ship are responsible for the transportation costs required to rejoin the tour.
  • It is strictly forbidden to bring alcoholic beverages, irons, hair dryers, water heaters, bottle warmers, electric blankets and similar items onto the ship. There is a hair dryer in every cabin and a water heater in many cabins.
  • At the beginning of our ship journey, luggage tags in specific colors will be provided for your suitcases. It is extremely important that these tags be filled out completely so that your luggage reaches your cabins correctly.
  • Your luggage may not arrive at your cabin immediately on the ship's first departure day. Therefore, it is advisable to put your essential items in a small hand bag and carry it with you on the first day you board the ship.
  • A safety drill and presentation will be held on the first day of your trip so that you can familiarize yourself with the evacuation procedures in an emergency. Participation is extremely important. Your guides and the ship employee responsible for your room will direct you to the meeting point for the drill.
  • Every evening on the ship, a detailed program for the following day will be left in your cabin. This program includes complete information about all activities on board, entertainment events and important notes.
  • We kindly ask you to take great care of all your personal belongings throughout the tour. There is a safe in all cabins on board where you can store your valuables. Our agency assumes no responsibility for the loss or theft of money and valuable personal belongings left in the cabin or luggage. Support will be provided to send your found belongings to you via a collect-on-delivery courier service from the country where they were found.

At the end of your ship journey, the tags that will be left in your cabins one night in advance must be attached. You must leave your luggage in front of your cabin doors early in the morning; it will then be collected and lined up in front of the buses that will provide the transfer. It will be collected by the passengers here.