Christmas Cruise

[momof5js]

Anyone Cruise at Christmas before with kids that Santa still visits?

 

We will be on a Christmas cruise with our two boys ages 8 & 9. Santa still comes to see them. How do we handle gifts? Do we pack them in a separate luggage? Can you check a big box of wrapped gifts?

 

Do we have the room steward put them out at supper on Christmas Eve? Breakfast Christmas morning? or do they get put out overnight?

 

Does Santa make an appearance on the ship for kids to visit with him?

 

Thanks for your advice.

[CruisingAg01]

No kids AND never cruised at Christmas which I know makes me highly qualified to respond to your question.....but I think it might actually be easier to set all the presents up at home right before you leave (put the kids in the car), take a picture with your phone and then on Christmas morning pretend you got an emergency txt from your house-sitter who had noticed some activity at your house the night before and went over that morning and snapped a picture for you. That way you have something exciting to show the kids and they have something to look forward too when the cruise is over.

 

Even if you played that out in real life -- had a neighbor actually set up presents for you and really send you a picture that morning and you paid those extra cell charges while at sea -- it might still be worth it to avoid lugging those presents on the ship with you.

 

I'd also be afraid that something could go wrong on the ship - a room steward who misunderstood, the rare but possible lost luggage, or another kid who was jealous that your kids still got Christmas and so spilled the beans.

 

Hope others have some real experiences to share. If not, I'm sure you'll have a great time regardless of how you decided to handle this. A holiday cruise sounds like a lot of fun.

[sjb.illinois]

Our last cruise with the kids, which was their Christmas and birthday gift combined (they both have Christmas birthdays-yikes!) was a few weeks ahead of the holiday (I think we sailed Dec. 2) so it wasn't that much of an issue. Still, that year we went much smaller scale, and there was only one smallish Santa gift.

Several years ago, though, we were at Disney on Christmas - arriving Christmas Day. Our solution was I flew separately and arrived earlier, picked up the rental car and went to the condo, where I hung some garland and put out the Santa gifts. I thought very carefully all year about gifts that were easy to pack, and that's what I took along. In our house Santa gifts aren't wrapped, so that eliminated the need for worrying about security and wrapped gifts.

If I were you, I would wait until the kids are asleep, then carefully put out Santa gifts, which you will have hidden carefully but still easily accessible in the cabin. They will be small gifts - and you could even include a note from Santa explaining the big gifts are at home. (In our house Santa even has special handwriting distinctive from Mom and Dad). I would leave the steward out of it just so there's no confusion. Also, you could do stockings too, and maybe they just have stocking gifts?

I know your boys will have a great time, and anything Santa brings will be icing on the cake ( =

[ibcnusoon]

We always vacationed (non-cruise) for Christmas when my kids were young.

 

I would just explain to them that Santa is coming early. I usually pick a Saturday night before we travel and tell them that's the night Santa is coming. We spend that Sunday as if it were Christmas morning.

 

On the actual Christmas Day, I'll have a few gifts that are easy to pack or won't take up much room so they have some things to open on the actual Christmas day, saying Santa came by when he was out delivering gifts for other kids.

[MichelleChell]

We will also be on a cruise this Christmas and have 2 kids age 7 and 11. I have planned to do gift cards since me kids really love to shop. I am going to bring stockings and small gifts too. My plan is to do a letter from Santa explaining how he didn't want to bring all the gift on the ship for Mom and Dad to have to carry home. Add some cute stuff about the Rudolph eating ice cream on Lido so he had to hurry off. LOL I plan to also get them a gift or so on the ship.

They will not miss the whole opening presents thing as they will see family before we leave and do the present thing. Also my kids are not finding out about the cruise till 4 days before we leave. So that is their big gift anyway. They will be pretty excited about it.

[pe4all]

Christmas Eve Santa makes a visit for the kids (of all ages) in the atrium of the ships. It also "snows" in the atrium. Santa takes pictures and hands out small gifts/candy canes for the kiddies.

[wb3690]

Maybe have them write a letter to Santa (one you or someone else will answer) that they will be on vacation and maybe their gifts could be waiting at home except for a few small ones that you could bring on the cruise? Maybe the reasoning could be that you can't bring back larger gifts they might normally get? you could definitely hide a stocking with small gifts for sure.

[snc_cam]

We were on the Freedom the cruise prior to Christmas. There was a gentleman on the cruise that definitely looked like Santa (not in the red suit). Was interesting to see him in shorts and t-shirt :) Anyway, he "did" dress as Santa one night and they had a special show in the main lobby where they dropped snow (soap flakes) from the top. Was all very cool. Wife got a picture with Santa prior to this and I know he was entertaining the kids.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Steve

[mommyruns]

We've done a couple of Christmas cruises with DS. Typically we just brought the stocking and stocking stuffers along with a card from Santa explaining that the rest of the gifts were at home. Santa also has distinctive handwriting. DS has been happy with the set up and always looks forward to going home because he knows there will be presents waiting for him. We also decorate the cabin with window clings which are light weight and easy to pack.

As others have said, the ship usually has a Santa in the atrium and the kids get to sit on his lap, receive a small gift and get their picture taken. We've always had fun and DS can't wait to do another Christmas cruise. Even my husband loves cruising at Christmas which is SHOCKINGif you knew my husband.