15 Festive Lunch Experiences Worth Booking

1.Auckland: Hobbiton Movie Set Day Trip with Festive Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,431 reviews · 8 hours · from $182Our pick

Travel from Auckland to Hobbiton by air-conditioned GreatSights coach, with onboard WiFi and commentary from guides such as Rachel, Marty, or Nikki. Walk through the Shire, enter a detailed Hobbit hole, enjoy a drink at the Green Dragon Inn, and finish with a buffet lunch at the Party Marquee.

“Punctual pick up. Great driver (Dave) who entertained us throughout the journey. Amazing tour of Hobbiton film set. Stunning trip. Highly recommended.”

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2.From Rotorua: Hobbiton Movie Set Tour with Festive Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 765 reviews · 6h 30m · from $182

Travel from Rotorua across the Mamaku Ranges to Hobbiton, where guides such as John, Chris, or Dom lead you through the 12-acre film set. See Hobbit holes, the Mill, bridge, Party Tree, and Green Dragon Inn, then enjoy a festive buffet lunch before returning by coach.

“The bus driver Gunther was amazing. The tour was amazing.”

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3.Festive London Christmas Day River Thames Lunch Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 47 reviews · 3h 15m · from $235

Board at Westminster Pier for a 195-minute Christmas Day cruise past Parliament, the London Eye, South Bank, and St. Paul’s. You’ll have a welcome sparkling wine, three-course roast lunch, tea or coffee, festive music, and time on the open-air upper deck.

“A fabulous way to spend Christmas. Great vegetarian option. Loved the space between parties on the table to allow for a more intimate setting. Staff were friendly, hospitable and nothing was an issue. Entertainment was great to set the mood.”

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4.Christmas Eve Buffet Lunch or Dinner Harbor Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 26 reviews · from $199

Spend Christmas Eve aboard Spirit of New York from Chelsea Piers, with a reserved table, seasonal buffet, DJ music, coffee, tea, and sweeping views from the Hudson and East Rivers. The 2.5-hour dinner cruise passes the Statue of Liberty, bridges, One World Trade Center, and more.

“Belle promenade, 1 h de + même à quai pour le réveillon serait parfait”

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5.Daytour to Santa Claus Village, Reindeer and Husky Safaris, Photo, and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 19 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $382

Meet Santa in his office, receive a framed A4 photo, cross the Arctic Circle, ride a reindeer sleigh and husky sled, visit the famous post office, and enjoy lunch at Santa Claus Village. Guides such as Paula and Zoe help keep this busy four to six hour outing on track.

“Everything in the tour pack was covered. The only thing I feel is that it was a little rushed. Apart from that, it was good.”

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6.Christmas Party Lunch Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 17 reviews · 3 hours · from $101

Board at Westminster Pier for a three-hour Christmas lunch cruise toward Canary Wharf. You get sparkling wine, a hot three-course meal, tea or coffee, live festive vocals, dancing, and views of the London Eye, The Shard, Tower Bridge, and more.

“Nice food. Friendly staff. Singer had a great voice. Downsides. There were only a few people on the boat so atmosphere rather flat. No one’s fault but the bench style seating made it impossible to get up without asking 3 other people to slide out so made it difficult to chat with other members of our group throughout the trip. Wine quite expensive.”

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7.Christmas Lunch – festive river cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 15 reviews · 3 hours · from $71

Join Weiße Flotte Sachsen for a three-hour Christmas cruise from Dresden’s Old Town to Pillnitz Castle and back. You’ll enjoy a seasonal three-course meal, German-language hosting, festive ship decorations, and atmospheric music while the Elbe scenery passes by.

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8.Bateaux Mouches Christmas Special Lunch Cruise in Paris

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 13 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $150

Meet at Port de la Conférence for a 1-hour-45-minute Christmas lunch cruise on the Seine. Enjoy a three-course meal, one bottle of wine for two, tea or coffee, live music, and views of Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower area, and Paris bridges.

“From the moment we boarded the boat, we knew it was going to be a wonderful experience. The staff was so welcoming and the entire place was beautifully decorated. The food and the wine was superb. And the views were spectacular.”

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9.Christmas Day Traditional Lunch Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 12 reviews · 3 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $239

Spend Christmas Day on the Thames with City Cruises, enjoying a three-course turkey lunch, sparkling wine, festive music, and views of London landmarks. You will board at Westminster Pier, sail toward Tower Bridge and Greenwich, then return after about three hours and 15 minutes.

“Much better than expected. Great staff and food perfectly acceptable given the circumstances. I lost a couple of thins on the boat but I'm still hoping they might turn up and Esther Cellar in the office has been very helpful.”

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10.Oxford, Cotswolds & Stratford-upon-Avon Tour with Christmas Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 10 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $271

Leave London at 8am for Oxford, a scenic Christmas Day drive through the Cotswolds, and Stratford-upon-Avon. Expect guided walks, Shakespeare landmarks, a three-course lunch with wine, and a return to Victoria around 7pm. Guides may include Oliver, David, Anna, or Pablo.

“Was a wonderful experience with the trip. Guide was very interactive and kept us well informed. Was a wonderful time spent.”

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11.Tour of London and Christmas Day Lunch Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 9 reviews · 7 hours · from $307

Spend Christmas Day touring Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and St Paul’s Cathedral by luxury coach, then join a Thames lunch cruise from Westminster Pier. An English-speaking guide leads the morning, and tables seat 10. Select your meal at booking or 72 hours ahead.

“Buen paseo con un guía sin tanto conocimiento histórico, al terminar el paso en autobús solo nos dejaron junto al Embarcadero y nosotros tuvimos que indagar entre toda la gente donde sería nuestro paseo por el río, luego me indicaron que no sería partícipe por que esa empresa no trabajaba ese día y tuve que aclarar el problema ya que no hay nadie que ayude. Ya al revisar sus listas las personas en el embarcadero encontramos mi nombre y pude acceder al paseo.”

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12.Christmas in Oxford, the Cotswolds and Stratford with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 9 reviews · 11 hours · from $268

Spend Christmas Day touring Oxford, driving through the Cotswolds, and walking around Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon. A professional English-speaking guide leads the day, with a three-course Christmas lunch, wine or soft drink, and comfortable coach transport from Victoria.

“Ilene, the guide, is briliant. We had a great time.”

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13.Christmas Day Lunch Cruise on Sydney Harbour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · from $105Top rated

Join Vagabond Cruises at noon in Walsh Bay for a three-hour Christmas lunch aboard the MV Vagabond Spirit. You get a seated seafood and carvery buffet, dessert, music, bon-bons, Santa, and harbour views from outdoor decks. Drinks cost extra, and the cruise returns to its starting point.

“Last year my family didn't make it on our booked Christmas cruise due to Covid so it was credited for this year. I rang up Vagabond in early November to rebook on the Princess. They were very busy, I think short staffed so the communication Read more”

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14.Levi: Day Trip to Santa Claus Village with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 8 reviews · 8 hours · from $423

Travel from Levi to Rovaniemi with an English-speaking guide, meet Santa, cross the Arctic Circle, visit Snowman World, shop at the Christmas Post Office, and enjoy lunch. Children ages 4 to 12 get 10 minutes of mini snowmobiling. The outing lasts about eight hours.

“Het is veel geld voor wat je krijgt. Wij hadden een busje voor onszelf, we waren met 6 personen. Lunch was karig en pas om 2 uur, half 3 vertrokken we alweer terug naar ons hotel. Gids was er niet, maar goed, bezoek aan Santa was fantastisch. Let op tijdens het bezoek aan Santa mag je zelf geen foto’s maken. Als je ze wilt moet je kooen. Je koopt dan een link zodat je ze zelf kunt downloaden. 2 foyo’s en een videoflimpje, € 60,00.”

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15.Christmas Special Lunch Cruise on the Seine River

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 7 reviews · 2 hours · from $147

You’ll enjoy a two-hour Christmas lunch cruise from Pont de l’Alma with French dishes, half a bottle of wine per person, piano music, and views of Paris landmarks. A maître d’hôtel leads you to your table, while the upper deck offers prime Eiffel Tower photo opportunities.

“En underbar båttur och lunch på Bateaux Mouche. Servicen är toppen och maten mycket god. Hjälpsam servicepersonal och vackra vyer.”

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