Anything SPECIAL on a holiday cruise?

[mtsublueraider]

Let's be honest.... it's always special when it's a CRUISE.... but we just put a deposit down for a Christmas week cruise. Has anyone else sailed that time of the year? Seems that the M&M roll call is VERY sparse and there are plenty of cabins available. Is it not a popular time to sail? I know some folks don't like to leave home for the holiday so we were wondering if there was a different crowd during that week?

 

Most importantly... does Santa come down the smoke-stack???? :D

[Clarea]

Christmas is a very popular time to cruise. The prices are much higher over Christmas and New Year's than other cruises in December and January.

 

The ship will have Christmas decorations starting the day after Thanksgiving.

[mtsublueraider]

Christmas is a very popular time to cruise. The prices are much higher over Christmas and New Year's than other cruises in December and January.

 

The ship will have Christmas decorations starting the day after Thanksgiving.

 

Ah! That's very cool! Love the decorations. Any special holiday meals that you can point to?

 

I guess I was just surprised that the New Orleans prices weren't much higher. If you look at Miami or Port Canaveral it's a drastic difference for that week. I guess that's why they won't be having a ship there next year WHICH I HATE.... :(

[megr1125]

There was a combined Christmas/Hanukkah menu on Serenade when I sailed a few years ago...Christmas party with santa and gifts for kids (under 17 i think..) Older kids got a nice messenger bag, younger ones got an adventure ocean blanket...

 

Egg nog, (spiked and not), cookies I think, caroling at night with the officers and staff....it was very nice.

 

Let me see if I can find the menu..it may have changed but it will give you an idea....

 

Here's a link to the album.....there are pix of the menu

 

SERENADE HOLIDAY CRUISE

[mtsublueraider]

There was a combined Christmas/Hanukkah menu on Serenade when I sailed a few years ago...Christmas party with santa and gifts for kids (under 17 i think..) Older kids got a nice messenger bag, younger ones got an adventure ocean blanket...

 

Egg nog, (spiked and not), cookies I think, caroling at night with the officers and staff....it was very nice.

 

Let me see if I can find the menu..it may have changed but it will give you an idea....

 

Here's a link to the album.....there are pix of the menu

 

SERENADE HOLIDAY CRUISE

 

 

oh wonderful!!! Thanks for sharing the pictures.

[cruisingsince94]

Ah! That's very cool! Love the decorations. Any special holiday meals that you can point to?

 

I guess I was just surprised that the New Orleans prices weren't much higher. If you look at Miami or Port Canaveral it's a drastic difference for that week. I guess that's why they won't be having a ship there next year WHICH I HATE.... :(

 

We just booked the same cruise as you a few days ago. It will be our 1st holiday cruise! We are so excited. I was shocked as well at the price as we have wanted to do a holiday cruise for years but they were a bit out of our budget. Whatever the reason, I am glad to be booked as I expect the ship will begin filling up and prices climbing as well.

[megr1125]

oh wonderful!!! Thanks for sharing the pictures.

 

You're welcome!!!

 

It's kind of nice to NOT have to cook a holiday meal, and clean up....and to NOT decorate.....I highly recommend holiday cruises...

 

The one I did covered Christmas and New Year's Eve....

 

I'd do that again in 2 seconds...

[cruisingsince94]

You're welcome!!!

 

It's kind of nice to NOT have to cook a holiday meal, and clean up....and to NOT decorate.....I highly recommend holiday cruises...

 

The one I did covered Christmas and New Year's Eve....

 

I'd do that again in 2 seconds...

 

Thanks for posting those. I just went through the pics too as we are doing Serenade the same week as MTSUBLUERAIDER. I know my wife is going to be thrilled. The pictures are a nice tease for me to get me even more excited. I'll be 53 when we sail but I know when I get onboard the kid in me will take over for a bit.

[cruisnpat]

Nice pictures! Thanks for sharing with us.

[ccletzgo]

On our last Christmas cruise the captain announced that he spotted something out on the sea and needed to stop the ship. We all looked way out in the distance and there was Santa Clause on one of those speedy yellow life boats with his elf driving..He circled the ship waving at everyone before he boarded. Yep this adult women started crying. :o Oh it was so exciting!!! :D

[2Cruzin Fools]

We did a Christmas cruise on Serenade out of Puerto Rico in 2009. DH thought he could escape the holidays on a cruise, but it was everywhere - decorations, huge trees, caroling, Santa, egg nog, presents. I cried too Christmas morning when Santa came down the elevator to the Centrum and gave each child a present. I even sat on his lap and had my picture taken. Best Christmas ever for me!

[Ken at the beach]

Just a word of caution. Cruising at Christmas can become very addicting.

 

We took our first Holiday cruise in 2011 and have done it every year since and have this year and next year booked. I'll take lying on a beach or by the pool on Christmas day over shoveling snow any day.

[ccletzgo]

Just a word of caution. Cruising at Christmas can become very addicting.

 

We took our first Holiday cruise in 2011 and have done it every year since and have this year and next year booked. I'll take lying on a beach or by the pool on Christmas day over shoveling snow any day.

 

Do I ever agree! You can see by my signature..we are addicted and its time to do it again!

[LucasLounger1]

It's kind of nice to NOT have to cook a holiday meal, and clean up....and to NOT decorate.....I highly recommend holiday cruises...

 

I agree wholeheartedly! I said to DH in the MDR on Christmas Day "look around at all the women, they're glowing!", since on the whole we women create the Christmases they love.

 

DH said he'd never do it again, but I've changed his mind and we will! He finally gets that despite his best intentions, I do about 90% of the Christmas preparations, and it leaves me decidedly unmerry!

[aussielozzie18]

The ship will be beautifully decorated. Everybody will be in the holiday spirit. Christmas carols on Christmas Eve and free champers. Santa in the Atrium on Christmas morning. We had lobster on Christmas night in MDR. Its lovely being on board at Christmas time.

[Aussie FF]

We're addicted to Christmas cruises.

We did Radiance 2013. Hi Aussielozzie18.

Rhapsody 2010.

P & O 2009.

 

This year we're doing Radiance again. And it covers New Years.:D

And Legend next year.:D

 

Any cruise is a good cruise.

Cheers.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Aussie FF

[Chuggiebug]

Our experience over Christmas has varied by cruise line. They all really deck out the ship with decorations, but special activities on Christmas are pretty minimal.

[spookwife]

Let's be honest.... it's always special when it's a CRUISE.... but we just put a deposit down for a Christmas week cruise. Has anyone else sailed that time of the year? Seems that the M&M roll call is VERY sparse and there are plenty of cabins available. Is it not a popular time to sail? I know some folks don't like to leave home for the holiday so we were wondering if there was a different crowd during that week?

 

Most importantly... does Santa come down the smoke-stack???? :D

 

well we did it on GR and I will never do it again. just way too damn many multi generational families( read: a butt ton of kids) and since it was winter out of baltimore the pools were not available to keep them occupied. the kids clubs were severally overwhelmed and as a result there were far too many roaming packs of kids of all ages running around loose.

 

as for something special: I think they had pictures with Santa on one sea day where the kids all got like candy canes. the caroling as actually run by a 'the commodore' a long time Royal cruiser who wore white pants printed with red lobsters for formal night. I gathered he was well known and liked among the crew. they practiced several times before having a concert on Xmas eve.

 

the totally weird thing was they switched the formal night menu around to coincide with Xmas even BUT not the dress code! oh and the menu was not really all that great.. just a traditional turkey dinner.

 

Xmas day was a total and complete bust and Nassau was completely shut down. our tour( through the ship) never happened as the tour guide never showed up at all and was not reachable. all the other ship sponsored tours went off just fine.

 

The ship was beautifully decorated.

 

if all you want to do is NOT host your own family get together, it's fine. just don't expect it to be serene.