Christmas decorating?

We are sailing Zuiderdam on 11/26/17 thru 12/6/17. Wondering if any Christmas decorating will take place while on board.

We have done several Collector Cruises where the first segment ended a couple of days after Thanksgiving. While we went through immigration, crew from ashore came on board and put up Christmas Trees and other decorations.

Seeing as your cruise starts after Thanksgiving, I would assume that the day you board, you will see crew decorating the ship.

Great! Getting excited. Have printed boarding passes and luggage tags! Thanks for quick reply.

It varies. We've done three early Dec cruises and one that spanned Thanksgiving. Sometimes the decorations went up quickly and early, and sometimes they were still coming out slowly by mid-Dec. None of our Dec cruises were on the Zuiderdam, so I can't speak from experience on that ship.

It varies. We've done three early Dec cruises and one that spanned Thanksgiving. Sometimes the decorations went up quickly and early, and sometimes they were still coming out slowly by mid-Dec. None of our Dec cruises were on the Zuiderdam, so I can't speak from experience on that ship.

We sailed Thanksgiving many times on various HAL hips, most of the time, b-tob and when we left the ship, usually by Decemeber 10, to avoid C hrisitmas travel in the airports, decorations had hardly starterd to be whsipered about.

We are sailing Zuiderdam on 11/26/17 thru 12/6/17. Wondering if any Christmas decorating will take place while on board.

We did a cruise on approximately those dates, not on the Zuiderdam, but the Christmas decorations were up partway through the cruise. I have quite a nice picture of myself standing by one of the decorated Christmas trees.

We did a cruise on approximately those dates, not on the Zuiderdam, but the Christmas decorations were up partway through the cruise. I have quite a nice picture of myself standing by one of the decorated Christmas trees.

Of course, Nice memories. :)

We did a Caribbean cruise on the old "Ryndam" in early December (one year just before she left the fleet) and the ship was beautifully decorated. (The most beautifully we have ever seen on any ship). Then we did a cruise on Amsterdam the following year and boarded on December 18th. From the moment we boarded - nothing. I was so disappointed... They finally got the decorations up between the 21 st - 23 rd. What a letdown.... I just think it is hit or miss. Good luck I hope it is a "hit" for you.

There's another factor to be considered, and that is the Jewish holiday calendar, and whether there is a large group cruise onboard. One year, my DH and I were on a November to early December cruise that had a large Jewish contingent with their own rabbi and, while the Christmas decorations were onboard, they were only installed as we were disembarking. It was certainly respectful of the traditions, it did not decrease the enjoyment of those who embarked in December. The Hannukah observance in 2018 is from Dec. 2 - 10. I hope all who read this will understand that I am respectful of both religious traditions and am making no criticism of them or of HAL, just hoping to help avoid disappointment if expectations of holiday decorations are not met.

We did a Caribbean cruise on the old "Ryndam" in early December (one year just before she left the fleet) and the ship was beautifully decorated. (The most beautifully we have ever seen on any ship). Then we did a cruise on Amsterdam the following year and boarded on December 18th. From the moment we boarded - nothing. I was so disappointed... They finally got the decorations up between the 21 st - 23 rd. What a letdown.... I just think it is hit or miss. Good luck I hope it is a "hit" for you.

One year I was on the Zuiderdam for 11 days, beginning December 11. Christmas decorations started to go up during the cruise, with more added pretty much daily.

I don't know if they were finished by the time I disembarked.

We did The Mexican Riviera on The Oosterdam back in 2012 12 day on December 26th! Christmas was everywhere! I asked when the decorations went up and said after Thanksgiving! I remember how festive it was!

Denise:)

We did The Mexican Riviera on The Oosterdam back in 2012 12 day on December 26th! Christmas was everywhere! I asked when the decorations went up and said after Thanksgiving! I remember how festive it was!

Denise:)

Good to hear...we are on board this year for Xmas and board 12/20 so it should be all "trimmed out" then!! LuAnn

What I really enjoyed is seeing the decorations still up on January 6th, the feast of the Epiphany. Europeans celebrate that more than in the US where we generally consider the Christmas season over by New Years. The decoration started to be removed on the 7th. I seem to recall some live plants removed earlier that looked spent and not replaced.

I think sometimes they have a shore-side team come on board and do it en masse (as KK mentioned in post #2) and other times it is done gradually by crew. We once boarded the Noordam around Dec 8 and it was already loaded with more decorations than I've seen on any other ship. The very next year, also on the Noordam, there were two stewards decorating a tree in the Explorer's Lounge as we were debarking on the 20th.

Yes, soemtimes they do have a shoreside team come a board. we have seen when ship's crew did some decorating and then the ship was decorated all oer in recxorx timmne vbvy a group of workers who came aboard. More often than not, there are fdew decorattionns but they keep ading to them. as the days go by.

We have cruised in early December, and the decorations were going up. I think many people enjoy seeing the decorations up even before the actual Christmas cruise. We all know the malls sure enjoy putting up the decorations early. Enjoy your cruise. The Westerdam is a nice ship.