Christmas Cruise-Help me decide...please

[TraelorMex]

Veteran HAL cruiser...never 'did' a Christmsas cruise. Am considering for 2012. Need advice.

 

A recent thread gave me some concerns. I would really appreciate feedback from any who have recently done a Chritmas cruise. Was it roudy? Lotsa kids running to and fro? Would you do it again??

 

We would hope for a relaxing, enjoyable cruise surrounded by pretty decorations and the generally refined HAL crowd. Do not want to take a cruise where this is not the case. Thank you in advance for your help in deciding...

[jtl513]

We would hope for a relaxing, enjoyable cruise surrounded by pretty decorations and the generally refined HAL crowd. Do not want to take a cruise where this is not the case. Thank you in advance for your help in deciding...

We've never done a Christmas cruise, but we like to go just before Christmas and get to see all the decorations without the kids around ... and generally get cheaper prices too!

[hospvol]

We have always gone in early Dec. Christmas decorations are up and the prices are much more reasonable.

[Oviedo32765]

We've done several holiday (Christmas, New Year, and Thanksgiving) cruises over the years.

 

There are definitely more families with kids on board at those times since the kids are out of school. But I wouldn't classify it as roudy. And I would do it again, except for the fact that you do pay a premium to cruise those dates.

 

I agree with jtl513 to cruise just prior because you are not paying a premium, the decorations are up for your enjoyment, and the kids are still in school.

[Krazy Kruizers]

When we used to do the Christmas cruise -- we found that the Lido buffet areas and pool areas were very crowded.

[RuthC]

To minimize the number of children, take a longer cruise. A cruise of 14 or more days won't attract the family groups that a cruise 10 days or less will.

[George C]

I would read the reviews that come out right after christmas they should hopefully have more detail. I would not want to do a Christmas cruise do to the cost and the number of children that might be on board.

[KirkNC]

To minimize the number of children, take a longer cruise. A cruise of 14 or more days won't attract the family groups that a cruise 10 days or less will.

 

Great idea that works all year round to minimize kids.

[bcd2010]

I've done a Christmas cruise and while I won't say it was rowdy (although a handful of kids were left unsupervised most of the time and got pretty close to rowdy), the lido and pool areas were crowded with children mostly being children. It definitely was NOT the "relaxing, enjoyable cruise surrounded by pretty decorations and the generally refined HAL crowd" I was looking for. I agree with others that I would take a Christmas cruise earlier in the month.

[SwissMyst]

We did an Oosterdam Christmas Cruise and it had over 300 children. They seemed to be kept happily engaged by the youth counselors and did not run about noisy or on their own. The ship decorations looked fabulous and there was a holiday buzz with the requisite siting of Santa on the ship radar for a special landing onboard.

 

The kids were cute dressed up for dinner but harried parents often had to walk them back and forth out of the dining room due the the typical length of a four course meal. Holiday cruise have a very different feel mainly because far more people move about in multi-generational extended family packs of four or more instead of the more typical pairs and solos. This impacts table space and elevator use as well as hall passageway crowding.

 

I would do one again but not go out of my way to do one. I do think they are a great way to make an extended family vacation, but if one is more used to a typical solo/pair passenger cruise setting, this will be a big change. However, it was also interesting to read the body language of some of these multi-generational extended family groups who were forced to share time and space with each other too. Some good; some barely tolerating each other. One may want to decide ahead of time if they are expected to do everything together all day long or go their own ways and meet up only for a certain meal or event instead.

 

Christmas is for kids and it is refreshing to be around that sort of young energy during the holidays - it was there, but did not intrude in any negative way. (And I was expecting the worst - did not happen)

[TraelorMex]

Thank you all for your knowledgeable replies. This helps immensely!:)

[DeepWaterMariner]

If kids are the deal breaker for you, then I would suggest doing the same as others advised. Take a December pre-Christmas cruise and get the decorations but not as many families.

 

We did a Christmas cruise 3 years ago on Statendam with my older daughter's family and it was one of our favorite cruises of all time. When we cruise with grandkids we bring a different attitude with us and a greater tolerance of kids. If that isn't the experience you want that go earlier.

[innlady1]

To minimize the number of children, take a longer cruise. A cruise of 14 or more days won't attract the family groups that a cruise 10 days or less will.

 

...and, avoid the dates around school vacations!

Welcome back, Ruth! :)

[Familyof5NJ]

This will be our 3rd Christmas Cruise on HAL. The first one was on the Westerdam and last year on the Eurodam. This year we are on the Eurodam again and can't wait! The staff goes all out to make it a wonderful holiday experience! HAL is normally an older crowd but during Christmas there are a huge amount of kids on board! That being said they are all so busy with the activities they have planned for them that you would never know they are there!!!! I have 3 kids DD 17, DS 14 and DD 5 who can't wait to go to the Club Hal and Loft! I don't think we saw them except at meals!!! Last years weather could have been better as we had to skip a port due to weather and when we arrived back in FL on Dec 26 we ended up driving home to NJ due to the storm they had there. All in all we had a great time and can't wait till SATURDAY!!!

[flatcircle]

I am in the midst of packing for our second HAL Christmas cruise. Two years ago, we were on the Zuiderdam and this year we are on the Eurodam. We have found Christmas cruises the best way to celebrate the holidays when our own kids are enjoying the holidays with out of town in-laws. So, ever odd number year, you will see us boarding a ship to somewhere!

 

Yes, there are children around but the one's I encountered often were more polite and freindly than some adults. I really didn't notice any more activity around the pool than I expected on sea days. I'm still able to read my book & my DH always seems to be able to snooze! I've seen kids running around -- most were involved in the HAL club programs or interacting with their extended family.

 

Enjoy the holidays...I know we will! M&R

[patrick65]

Judy and I did a Christmas cruise on the Ziderdam several years ago. I do remember that there were more children and teens in the Master Dining Room. They were well behaved and it was nice seeing famlies enjoying the Christmas Holiday.

 

We were really impressed with the Christmas Services. They were very meaningful to us.

 

Another very nice thing about a Christmas cruise is mother or grandmother doesn't have to spend hours in the kitchen cooking and dads can skip cleaning up the mess after dinner.

 

Christmas cruises do cost more but a couple months after the fact, the increased cost is in the past but the memories remain for years.:)

[Typhoon1]

Take the week before Christmas, it has better deals, and less people.

[RMLincoln]

We were on Amsterdam for 21 days ending a day or two before Christmas. The CD arranged for several Christmas activities including caroling with fake snowfall around the Christmas trees and giant gingerbread village (with trains!) in the atrium, complete with cookies, hot spiced cider and a visit from Santa (photographers available of course)! It was very festive and lovely, with all of 3 children aboard who were children of officers. There were more Christmas trees than I could count and take pictues of. The floral team did an amazing job. And the price was right. Best wishes, m--

[Alberta Quilter]

My Mother and I enjoyed our Christmas cruise a few years ago. There were over 300 children on board, and we only saw them at dinner time and on Christmas Day. The children knew how they were expected to behave at dinner in the MDR, and I don't recall any inappropriate behaviour. At other times, I believe the children were entertained in Club HAL.

 

Christmas morning was most entertaining. We sung carols in the atrium and then Santa arrived. We tagged along to the Show Lounge to see Santa give out the gifts to the children, which became hysterical when the older boys (16 & 17), instead of sitting on Santa's lap, got Mrs. Claus to sit on their lap!!!

 

Would I do it again? Probably not for just the two of us, particularly when it is so busy and expensive to travel at Christmas. Throw in a snowstorm or two, and it is a real pain in the butt! However, if we ever decide to do a family Christmas, I would do it again. As someone said, no paying passenger has to cook or clean up. And, if we get stuck enroute because of a snowstorm, well, at least we'll be together.

[PathfinderEss]

We've done 4 Christmas cruises, liked doing them but I'll have to admit the one we had this last year was pretty congested with kids. There were close to 600 on board, just a little more then I personal like. There seems to be more and more families cruising over the holidays, ofcourse there is nothing wrong with that. Like others, I would maybe try for the week before Christmas, cheaper cruise and less kids running around but with all the decorations of the season in place.

[Jridou]

This will be our 3rd Christmas Cruise on HAL. The first one was on the Westerdam and last year on the Eurodam. This year we are on the Eurodam again and can't wait! The staff goes all out to make it a wonderful holiday experience! HAL is normally an older crowd but during Christmas there are a huge amount of kids on board! That being said they are all so busy with the activities they have planned for them that you would never know they are there!!!! I have 3 kids DD 17, DS 14 and DD 5 who can't wait to go to the Club Hal and Loft! I don't think we saw them except at meals!!! Last years weather could have been better as we had to skip a port due to weather and when we arrived back in FL on Dec 26 we ended up driving home to NJ due to the storm they had there. All in all we had a great time and can't wait till SATURDAY!!!

 

We'll keep an eye out for you: we have kids similarly aged (boys 13 & 6 plus an 11 year old daughter) I called ship services to confirm our cabana and they told me there were 150 kids under 12 and 150 teens on board. Seems like enough kids to keep mine occupied without being overwhelming.