xmas cruise question?

[rain1018]

has anyone taken a celebrity cruise during the holidays? we are trying to decide between Disney and celebrity but want to make sure there are xmas relevant things on the ship! I know the holiday Disney cruise is full of tons of holiday decorations and activities and wanted to see if anyone knew if celebrity does anything for the holidays?

 

any help is appreciated!! thx

[phoenix_dream]

They definitely decorate the ship beautifully (I have sailed in early Dec). I have never sailed on Christmas Eve or Day, so not sure about extra activities.

[jackdiamond]

They definitely decorate the ship beautifully (I have sailed in early Dec). I have never sailed on Christmas Eve or Day, so not sure about extra activities.

On our last one on the Euinox, Santa arrived with presents for all of the children.

[WestLakeGirl]

There is often a carol singalong. This is one of the few times in the year when you will find a priest and a minister on board so there will be services.

 

And if its Chanukah, expect a menorah in the atrium and recognition of that holiday as well

[Tiggertastic]

Yes there are events, decorations etc on the ship. Probably a different style to disney who will have characters etc. If on for new year too, there are multiple parties around the ship with a very large one on deck with hot tubs full of champagne bottles and ice carvings etc

 

The central staircase on Eclipse last year was completely filled with gingerbread houses. There were multiple trees around with one extremely large tree in the atrium.

[PORT ROYAL]

has anyone taken a celebrity cruise during the holidays? we are trying to decide between Disney and celebrity but want to make sure there are xmas relevant things on the ship! I know the holiday Disney cruise is full of tons of holiday decorations and activities and wanted to see if anyone knew if celebrity does anything for the holidays?

 

any help is appreciated!! thx

 

Celebrity pushes the boat out (pardon the pun) on the festivities front. Plus there are services for all religious denominations.

 

Yes! For all children at heart - Santa does exist [if there are non-believers, how is it that NASA are able to track him on Xmas eve?]

[Priya2]

I asked about Christmas cruises a little while ago. Posters were very helpful in highlighting the pros and cons. The cons that put us off were that they are full of extended families of several generations. They tend to be very noisy (I imagine because they forget themselves whilst enjoying family catch-ups), there are far more young children running and squealing and of course those dates are far more expensive than cruising a week or two earlier. The cost would have been acceptable, but after mulling over the points made, we decided to book to cruise just before Christmas.

 

If you are travelling as part of a large group with children though, I imagine you will have a fabulous time :)

[panoramaofthepast]

I asked about Christmas cruises a little while ago. Posters were very helpful in highlighting the pros and cons. The cons that put us off were that they are full of extended families of several generations. They tend to be very noisy (I imagine because they forget themselves whilst enjoying family catch-ups), there are far more young children running and squealing and of course those dates are far more expensive than cruising a week or two earlier. The cost would have been acceptable, but after mulling over the points made, we decided to book to cruise just before Christmas.

 

If you are travelling as part of a large group with children though, I imagine you will have a fabulous time :)

We did one holiday cruise [New Years, not Christmas]. There were 1500 children under the age of 18 - very noisy, very congested, very expensive. Never again.

[Priya2]

We did one holiday cruise [New Years, not Christmas]. There were 1500 children under the age of 18 - very noisy, very congested, very expensive. Never again.

1500 children, my idea of hell :eek:

[Jane2357]

We cruised Solstice over New Year's her very first year. We will NEVER cruise a holiday - any holiday again. Tons of screaming babies and toddlers, huge groups of families that were rude and pushy, fighting in the theaters due to their trying to "save" rows and rows of seats. Unbelievable and for us - never to be repeated. I say for less money and a better experience - go at a different time.

[candycaramel]

We cruised Solstice over New Year's her very first year. We will NEVER cruise a holiday - any holiday again. Tons of screaming babies and toddlers, huge groups of families that were rude and pushy, fighting in the theaters due to their trying to "save" rows and rows of seats. Unbelievable and for us - never to be repeated. I say for less money and a better experience - go at a different time.

 

Oh no. I was expecting a New Years Cruise to be kind of an adult event. SIGH!

[MissMapp]

1500 children, my idea of hell :eek:

 

Need a "like" button for this comment!

[Muushka]

We did a DCL Christmas cruise several years ago. We loved it.

 

We did an X Christmas cruise last year. We loved it.

 

Not much help, I know. If money is no object, go for DCL. The experience is priceless.

 

On both cruises we found the children to no be a problem. Well behaved and full of the Christmas spirit.

 

If I remember correctly, DCL food for Christmas day was a bit better.

They had the American turkey dinner cooked the way we like it.

 

The characters on DCL are priceless. Especially on Christmas day.

[jakers]

We do a Christmas cruise every other year. Have been on 3 so far. Celebrity Summit to Hawaii for 15 days. Celebrity Mercury to Hawaii for 15 days. Carnival Splendor to Mexican Riviera for 9 days. Nothing beats Christmas and New Years at sea. There are many families on board, but maybe on the longer cruises you don't get as many extended families or groups that have not cruised before. Try to pick a cruise where you are at sea on Christmas day and New Years day. Christmas Eve is always a late night, with Christmas caroling and midnight services. The New Years Eve party goes until the wee hours of the morning. You can sleep and relax the following day if you are at sea. You don't have to wrap presents, cook, travel, appease inlaws, or answer to anybody. You don't even have to make your own bed. All you do is walk down the hall to the party.

[Chloesmom1]

We are headed on my first cruise on Jan. 2nd. A short one (4 nights to try it out) so I know there will probably be more kids than usual, but do you think it will be as crazy since not technically on the holiday? Also, does anyone think any decorations will still be up?

[jackdiamond]

1500 children, my idea of hell :eek:

Too bad, since our experiences were very nice; and, we have many children, grandchilren, and great grandchildren.

If you do not like children, then I can understand your feelings.

[Priya2]

Too bad, since our experiences were very nice; and, we have many children, grandchilren, and great grandchildren.

If you do not like children, then I can understand your feelings.

Oh absolutely. Each to their own :)

[jakers]

Cruise ship decorations are actually done by an onshore company. Decorations are not stored onboard. The decorations come down right after New Year's or the night before you dock for leaving the ship. If you are sailing on the 2nd, there wil be no decorations up when you board. We have sailed right after New Years to take advantage of the low prices. There were few kids on board.

[Chloesmom1]

Thanks, Jakers! I appreciate it. I didn't expect decorations up but figured it would be a nice extra for pictures in case they kept them for a bit. I was raised in a house where decorations had to come down by January 1 so the cruise lines taking them down by then is only proper :-).

 

And thanks for the info on kids. I love kids and we are actually taking our on the trip. My concern is, unfortunately, the parents; so many seem to believe that they also get to take a vacation from parenting while away. We let the kids have dessert every night and maybe stay up a little later or have extra video game time but that's about the only leeway we give. It's frustrating when people let their kids do things that are against the rules or rude to other people. I was at an AI over a school break period and kids were stealing floats from others and refusing to give them back, playing football and screaming in the quiet pool, throwing food, etc. while the parents watched. It's tough to enforce the rules when children see other kids who don't have to abide by them. That's my soapbox for kids. I don't have an issue with thousands of kids if they are behaving. Still having fun- but behaving.

 

Again, thanks!

[Priya2]

Thanks, Jakers! I appreciate it. I didn't expect decorations up but figured it would be a nice extra for pictures in case they kept them for a bit. I was raised in a house where decorations had to come down by January 1 so the cruise lines taking them down by then is only proper :-).

 

And thanks for the info on kids. I love kids and we are actually taking our on the trip. My concern is, unfortunately, the parents; so many seem to believe that they also get to take a vacation from parenting while away. We let the kids have dessert every night and maybe stay up a little later or have extra video game time but that's about the only leeway we give. It's frustrating when people let their kids do things that are against the rules or rude to other people. I was at an AI over a school break period and kids were stealing floats from others and refusing to give them back, playing football and screaming in the quiet pool, throwing food, etc. while the parents watched. It's tough to enforce the rules when children see other kids who don't have to abide by them. That's my soapbox for kids. I don't have an issue with thousands of kids if they are behaving. Still having fun- but behaving.

 

Again, thanks!

I should say my dislike of kids around me in public places is not because I dislike children, but because I dislike ill mannered and usually poorly supervised children. Sadly, it seems in any public place with children, more than not, will fall into that category :rolleyes: :eek:

[AGGSBAGGS]

We sailed on equinox lat Christmas and had a ball. Yes ship was busy but we did not have any hassles from nosy kids. The kids put in a part of the show on Christmas Eve and indeed Santa was around on Christmas Day. Only draw back was that Barbados was closed on the 26th as it is a public holiday like here in uk. Allison

[AGGSBAGGS]

Gingerbread houses in the atrium of equinox :p

[Tak8]

Decorations look great. There's something about gingerbread houses and the smell around Christmas.

[Priya2]

We sailed on equinox lat Christmas and had a ball. Yes ship was busy but we did not have any hassles from nosy kids. The kids put in a part of the show on Christmas Eve and indeed Santa was around on Christmas Day. Only draw back was that Barbados was closed on the 26th as it is a public holiday like here in uk. Allison

The whole country was closed? LOL!

[jakers]

Our first Hawaii cruise during Christmas was onboard the Summit. This was the year that the Mexican peso was very strong in regards to the US dollar. As a result of this there were many families from Mexico City onboard. (600 mexican citizens including their children). The Summit has an adults only spa which consists of a variety of steam and sauna rooms. Free to suite passengers, $99 for the rest of us for the duration of the cruise. On the first day at sea, a group of young mexican children invaded the Sahara room which had about 10 adults relaxing inside. As soon as the children appeared all the adults got up, went outside, and complained. A guard was posted outside the Persian Garden for the rest of the cruise.

As a teenager, I lived in Mexico City. It is easy to recognize children that are raised by nannies and not parents. While their manners were sometimes atrocious (pretty much including everything we complain about on these boards) Celebrity did their best to reign them in and make sure they were not a distraction to the rest of the guests. In todays society, that is about the best that we can hope for when parents give up on parenting.