Christmas Cruise

I am considering taking my 9 and 12 year olds (and hubby) on a cruise over the Christmas holidays (to include Christmas Day). I'm torn... What are people's experiences with a Christmas cruise. Festive? I really want to book..because our kids want NOTHING for Christmas other than a trip. Help!

We do not celebrate Christmas and have sailed over the holiday the past few years. They have Christmas dinner and all kinds of festivities. We are already booked for this year.

Sounds like a great holiday celebration. We leave onDecember 28th, but next year I am considering one over Thanksgiving or Christmas. It think it would be less hectic and a great way to spend our time.

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A Christmas cruise is a great way to celebrate the Holiday and have some quality family time. As you can see below, we enjoy sailing over Christmas week and are doing it again this year. Some cruise lines are more festive than others.

Have a great time and take lots of pictures.

We sailed last Christmas and are doing so again this year, our kids range from 20 -11 and everyone really enjoyed it. We for go the presents in exchange for memories none of us will forget. We are on the liberty leaving the 20th can't wait! (We brought decorations to decorate our door and cabin)

We went on the Breeze Christmas 2013. It was me, 50, hubby 58, Son 26& Son 22. While My children ate grown it was a wonderful cruise. It is definitely a non traditional Christmas, but it was amazing. The cruise director and staff did have a Christmas Eve Ceremony (no official church person) celebration. The ship wad decorated beautifully, for the Holidays. We had such a great time we ate doing another Christmas cruise this year. They have a few Christmas activities.

We were on the Breeze for Christmas last year. I really liked being away for the holidays but DH and son and my parents didn't like it so much. So this year we are away for New Years.

We have celebrated 3 Christmas cruises now and it is always a fantastic time! Let's face it, the holiday is what you make of it. :o

We choose to exchange gifts either before or when we get home with family; usually before and bring a small gift along for the day of. I've seen larger families reserve a room, such as the library, where they exchange gifts and celebrate together. Again, it's really what your family makes of it.

We just booked our first Christmas cruise on the Triumph. We have cruised "around" Christmas, but never on it.

I am considering taking a small tree, maybe stockings? Small presents? I'm still debating :)

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We have always sailed at Christmas or New Years due to the fact that I am teacher and that is the only time during the winter months that I can travel. So I cannot compare it to other times of the year, but it is an awesome time to be on a cruise ship.

The ships are beautifully decorated, most ports(at least all the ones we have been to) are also decorated for the holidays.

The ships are full, usually lots of kids(which for me is a negative, but I know it is to be expected). Everyone IMHO is festive, friendly, and excited to be cruising over the holidays!

We have met many families who have taken a cruise as a 'Christmas gift' for the family and they did not regret it.

With all that being said, it is the most expensive time to cruise, but the only time when the kids have holidays(therefore not having to take them out of school). I personally can't wait for the day when I can cruise when the prices are lower, so I can cruise more often!!:D

Did you decide to take the cruise? We cruised for Christmas in 2007 when my children were 10 and 12. We loved it! We are cruising again this Christmas and can't wait!

This year will be our first Christmas cruise and I am so excited. I've read that the ships have some decorations, there is a traditional turkey dinner served as one of your choices for dinner and a small Church service if you choose to participate. I've also heard that the ports are open for the holidays and often decorated as well.

We lost my two remaining grandparents this year so with a very small family(my mom and my 2 boys) it will make it a little more special to celebrate the holidays on board. We will be bringing a small Christmas tree and stockings as well we will continue all our families Christmas Eve traditions and probably make some new ones. Every Christmas Eve we go skating outdoors on the frozen pond but I guess this year we'll swap that tradition for maybe a dip in the pool. I'd say go ahead and book....as the kids get older and everyone so busy, I find family time harder and harder to plan...it'll be a memory they never forget.

We are cruising on the Magic for Christmas this year, and we can't wait. Our kids are 13 and 15, and they were a bit baffled with our choice at first but are now very excited about it. I purchased a small inflatable tree and wreath on amazon to decorate our cabin and I've heard you can get battery-powered strings of lights at the dollar store when it gets closer to the holidays. I will miss decorating a tree at home, but that's about it!

We have always sailed at Christmas or New Years due to the fact that I am teacher and that is the only time during the winter months that I can travel. So I cannot compare it to other times of the year, but it is an awesome time to be on a cruise ship.

 

The ships are beautifully decorated, most ports(at least all the ones we have been to) are also decorated for the holidays.

 

The ships are full, usually lots of kids(which for me is a negative, but I know it is to be expected). Everyone IMHO is festive, friendly, and excited to be cruising over the holidays!

 

We have met many families who have taken a cruise as a 'Christmas gift' for the family and they did not regret it.

 

With all that being said, it is the most expensive time to cruise, but the only time when the kids have holidays(therefore not having to take them out of school). I personally can't wait for the day when I can cruise when the prices are lower, so I can cruise more often!!:D

I am in exactly the same position as you! While we literally pay 2x what a cruise would cost the week before or right after Christmas/NYE cruises, we bite the bullet and do it, as it is the only time our 23/26 year olds can join us. We especially love getting out of the cold, and into 85 degree weather! CCL ships have visits from Santa in the atrium, it snows in the atrium (on most ships) a special kids camp holiday show in the afternoon, free champagne on Christmas eve, nicely decorated ships, special holiday dinner, etc. While we don't celebrate Christmas, it is a very family-oriented time to travel.

A Christmas cruise is a great way to celebrate the Holiday and have some quality family time. As you can see below, we enjoy sailing over Christmas week and are doing it again this year. Some cruise lines are more festive than others.

 

Have a great time and take lots of pictures.

I am curious... Based on your past cruises it looks like you prefer Royal to Carnival at Christmastime. Is there a specific reason for this? Or has it just worked out better on a Royal ship?

I think a cruise at Christmas would be fantastic! Especially with kids. What a unique experience and memory for them.

This year will be our first Christmas cruise and I am so excited. I've read that the ships have some decorations, there is a traditional turkey dinner served as one of your choices for dinner and a small Church service if you choose to participate. I've also heard that the ports are open for the holidays and often decorated as well.

We lost my two remaining grandparents this year so with a very small family(my mom and my 2 boys) it will make it a little more special to celebrate the holidays on board. We will be bringing a small Christmas tree and stockings as well we will continue all our families Christmas Eve traditions and probably make some new ones. Every Christmas Eve we go skating outdoors on the frozen pond but I guess this year we'll swap that tradition for maybe a dip in the pool. I'd say go ahead and book....as the kids get older and everyone so busy, I find family time harder and harder to plan...it'll be a memory they never forget.

the ports are open but the shops have Christmas hours. Last year in Curacao everything closed up by 6:00 and boxing day in Aruba they closed up around 2:00.

I am in exactly the same position as you! While we literally pay 2x what a cruise would cost the week before or right after Christmas/NYE cruises, we bite the bullet and do it, as it is the only time our 23/26 year olds can join us. We especially love getting out of the cold, and into 85 degree weather! CCL ships have visits from Santa in the atrium, it snows in the atrium (on most ships) a special kids camp holiday show in the afternoon, free champagne on Christmas eve, nicely decorated ships, special holiday dinner, etc. While we don't celebrate Christmas, it is a very family-oriented time to travel.

Last year on the Breeze the free champagne was when you boarded the ship. There was none on Christmas Eve.

I am curious... Based on your past cruises it looks like you prefer Royal to Carnival at Christmastime. Is there a specific reason for this? Or has it just worked out better on a Royal ship?

 

I think a cruise at Christmas would be fantastic! Especially with kids. What a unique experience and memory for them.

A friend suggested we try Royal Caribbean, which we did and found it to be a better overall experience and "fit" for us.

To answer your question about cruising at Christmas time, we love the atmosphere, service, entertainment (amazing Christmas themed ice skating shows), meals, decorations including the massive tree on the promenade, etc. that we have experienced on all of our RC cruises.

If you have time, you might want to view my wife's Christmas slide shows at the green links below.

I hope I have answered your question. If not, please feel free to ask again.

Happy cruising!

the ports are open but the shops have Christmas hours. Last year in Curacao everything closed up by 6:00 and boxing day in Aruba they closed up around 2:00.

We saw the same two years ago. But walking in the quiet streets was an interesting and different experience.

We sailed last Christmas and are doing so again this year, our kids range from 20 -11 and everyone really enjoyed it. We for go the presents in exchange for memories none of us will forget. We are on the liberty leaving the 20th can't wait! (We brought decorations to decorate our door and cabin)

I would love to hear how your holiday went. We are planning this cruise for December. Cheers

Did the Breeze December 20-28, 2014

1)Decorations- not many really. The middle deck 3 where guest services is located looked nice but the rest of the ship barely had anything.

2)3 days before christmas they did caroling on deck 3 mid but only did 3 songs. they handed out santa hats.

3)Christmas day they had 2 programs. The first was more for children in the theater that took maybe 30 minutes. The kids sang a couple songs and santa came out. Later on they had an ugly christmas sweater contest on deck 3 and had a couple singers do a few songs.

4)Christmas dinner lido buffet. They had some nice items for a buffet. New york strip steak, jumbo shrimp, turkey carvery, and some fish items.

To me there was zero Christmas feel to the cruise so I will stay home next year. It just felt strange being away from home. You never heard christmas music or anything.