christmas/new year's sailing.

Our family of 5 will be on board the Sapphire Princess this Christmas/New Years. Has anyone been on a ship over these holidays? Is the ship decorated for the holidays? Any special events?
Also what has your experience been when you are in port on holidays? Princess says there are excursions on Christmas and New Year's. Any thoughts on this from anyone?

Sapphire Princess,....Australia/New Zealand (14 day cruise)

The ship will be decorated, Santa will come on Christmas day and give gifts to the kids and kids can have their pictures taken with Santa, there is normally a Christmas day display in the atrium issue, there will be a special Christmas dinner (ours was on Christmas eve because we were disembarking on the 26th), there is Christmas mass on Christmas eve, Christmas caroling on Christmas day, Christmas movies are shown in the theatre (It's a Wonderful Life, How the Grinch stole Christmas, Santa Clause), staff wear Santa hats for the entire cruise, etc. . .

Here are some pics of our Sun Princess cruise:

[url="http://homepage.mac.com/tlassek/PhotoAlbum10.html"]http://homepage.mac.com/tlassek/PhotoAlbum10.html[/url]

We were on the Grand Princess the week before Christmas. The ship usually get decorated the week after Thanksgiving. We've been on several cruises in early December and the ships have always had their decorations up by then.

On our one Christmas cruise, the ship wasn't in port on Christmas day.

It's wonderful! Veryfestive, all kinds of trees and decorations and they passed out Christmas song lists for passengers to sing along. All in all, a great experience and you will love it. Happy holidays on your cruise.

Lynda

We will be on the Diamond for New Year's this year. Can anyone tell me about what festivities Princess does for New Year Eve.

Caribbean Princess 6/2005, Diamond Princess 12/2004, Galaxy 3/2004, Grand Princess 1/2004, Star Princess 7/2003, Carnival Legend 1/2003, Golden Princess 11/2002, Monarch of the Seas 9/2002, Golden Princess 2/2002, Sea Princess 11/2001, Imagination 9/2001, Sea Princess 12/2000, Grand Princess 11/1998, Norwegian Wind 6/1998, Dawn Princess 11/1997, Sovereign of the Seas 11/1996, Meridian 6/1995, Ocean Breeze 6/1994, Norway 10/1993, Nordic Prince 8/1991

I love your pictures Coral.....it sure does look festive?

Now did anyone go on any excursions on Christmas day and New Year's Day? I guess if they are offered we should take them from Princess because I'm sure some private excursions arranged from the dock might be closed. Thoughts?

We were on the Sea Princess for Christmas 2000, then the Dawn Princess for New Years 2003-2004. They decorate the ship, especially the atrium and other public areas, and as Lynda said, there are a lot of trees! Be sure to look for one attached to the tallest point of the mast in the front of the ship. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

It's really fun to be on board during the holidays. They have the carol sing-a-longs, Santa, Christmas Eve services (non-denominational) and the traditional dinner (they even let you keep the menu in the traditional dining room). For NYE, they had a big countdown in the atrium complete with hats, noisemakers, streamers, music, dancing... the whole nine yards. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] They also had countdown parties in the Wheelhouse Bar (British New Yrs countdown) and a couple lounges (I think they had one on deck, but need to look in the Patter). The ship camera channel on the cabin TV plays Christmas music all day, for both the Christmas and New Years cruises.

Christmas Day we were at sea, but the on-board shops were open. New Year's day, we had a half day at Isla Margarita. The shops were open and the Princess excursions went as planned. On-board shops opened once we got out to sea that day, plus they showed the Rose Bowl (they really didn't show any other games, so I had to find a sports book at a casino in Aruba to find out how the other bowl games turned out!).

Have a wonderful time!! It'll be a great cruise!! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Caribbean Princess - 4/2004
Dawn Princess - 12/2003
Sea Princess - 12/2000
Emerald Seas - 7/1984

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> ship usually get decorated the week after Thanksgiving. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> The Island Princess had Christmas decorations and trees up for Thanksgiving cruise last year.

Future cruises:
May 04 Amsterdam
Sept. 04 Star Princess x 2
Jan. 05 Diamond Princess
July 05 Star Princess
Aug. 05 Star Pincess

Past cruises:
04 Dawn Princess x 2
03 Grand,Sun,Tahitian,
Royal Princess x 2,Island Princess
01 Ryndam x 2
00 Sky Princess
79 Sitmar's Fairwind

Epanic1: We are on your cruise!!! Counting the days. Are you flying over early?
We have booked two aft balcony cabins so we can sit and watch the sunset [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif[/img]

I was on the Golden over Thanksgiving this year and they decorated the day we got off the ship. I was hoping the decorations were up while we were on the ship.

bzv143: We are flying over early. We arrive in Sydney on the 16th of Dec. I'm in the middle of booking a 3-4 day excursion up the the Barrier Reef before the cruise. That is one thing about this cruise, I was disappointed that it didn't go up to the reef.
We also have a balcony and a inside cabin across the hall from us.