Christmas Onboard

[Mickeysbabe]

Has anyone sailed on Ventura for Christmas, is it traditional do they have a Christmas lunch or Christmas Dinner and what activities do they have onboard

[buddy 27]

Yes we were on Ventura at Xmas 3 years ago. They did do Xmas dinner. Each passenger has a captains present and it was a good happy day. Nothing special entertainment on the day to the best of our recollection. Hope this helps.

[hooked cruiser]

Santa also visits the ship and hands out the christmas presents to the children in the Atrium.

[daiB]

Well these are the things which we have seen.

 

Midnight Mass

 

Christmas morning Carol Service

 

Santa coming down the funnel on Christmas Eve

 

Staff in red hats

 

Mince pies

 

Christmas cake with your coffee ( all cruise)

 

The ship covered in decorations a village made of Christmas cakes and gingerbread houses.

 

Santa visits the children

 

Full Christmas dinner in the evening. It's a formal night BTW.

 

Christmas crackers on the table

 

A gift on you bed when you go to bed.

 

I am sure there are others as well. There is certainly more of a Christmas feel than most people get at home

 

 

 

 

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[kersh]

Christmas Day is fabulous on board. Lots going on but there is a break after lunch wen all of the crew get served their Xmas dinner by the officers. A tradition from many years ago.

 

As Dai has posted lots to look forward to.

[indiana123]

Christmas on Oriana a couple of years ago was very nice, lovely Christmas food, and Santa came up the funnel but we were a bit surprised that no special entertainment was laid on.

 

We really enjoyed our cruise but did get the impression that some passengers (even us a little) may have cruised to escape all the hype.

 

As said, it was lovely but there wasn't any overdoing on the Christmas theme.

Edited December 14, 2014 by indiana123

[daiB]

Christmas Day is fabulous on board. Lots going on but there is a break after lunch wen all of the crew get served their Xmas dinner by the officers. A tradition from many years ago.

 

 

 

As Dai has posted lots to look forward to.

 

 

Forgot the pantomime. Oh no he didn't ....Oh yes he did. (Not on Christmas Day but on a Christmas cruise)

 

Did I say passenger choir

 

 

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[tom_uk]

Looking forward to all of it on Arcadia next week. Possibly no Santa, however - no children on Arcadia.

[indiana123]

I think he might appear..... he did on Oriana and that was child free.

 

All us big children were there cheering and waving. I think we all had a lump in our throat. It was great.

[kersh]

Can't wait, we are joining Oriana in 3 days for Xmas and New Year. Just got 2 days of work to get through first.

 

Love the crew Pantomime.

[dorsetlad]

We board the newly refurbished Aurora on Sunday. New Year's Eve in Madeira, that's another must do item ticked off.:):):)

 

Brian

[indiana123]

Never been but have heard from people that offshore Madeira is the best place ever to be on New Years Eve.

[winniesbestm8]

I am not sure how they will work it next year, Azura has passengers getting on and off on Christmas Day next year in Barbados, we fly Christmas Day, and then the same on Boxing Day. We won't get on the ship until about 4pm, I am hoping the kids will still get to see Mr FC

[winniesbestm8]

We board the newly refurbished Aurora on Sunday. New Year's Eve in Madeira, that's another must do item ticked off.:):):)

 

Brian

 

This is on our list too, I am very envious !

[Manilow fan]

I am not sure how they will work it next year, Azura has passengers getting on and off on Christmas Day next year in Barbados, we fly Christmas Day, and then the same on Boxing Day. We won't get on the ship until about 4pm, I am hoping the kids will still get to see Mr FC

 

Yes Winniesbestm8 - I'm wondering what to expect next Christmas Day - will it be a Christmas dinner on the plane going to Barbados or Christmas dinner on board in the evening? Or perhaps it will be just a cheese sandwich!

 

Has anyone else joined a ship on Christmas Day before and can tell us what to expect, please?

[winniesbestm8]

Yes Winniesbestm8 - I'm wondering what to expect next Christmas Day - will it be a Christmas dinner on the plane going to Barbados or Christmas dinner on board in the evening? Or perhaps it will be just a cheese sandwich!

 

Has anyone else joined a ship on Christmas Day before and can tell us what to expect, please?

 

From what I can gather it will be a formal night on the Christmas evening on the ship still with all the trimmings :)

[P&O Lynn Knickers]

is a break after lunch wen all of the crew get served their Xmas dinner by the officers. A tradition from many years ago.

 

Not at all true.

Sometimes the senior officers arrive in the mess, serve a few crewmembers, have a photo or two taken and leave.

They may even "munch" on a mince pie in the crew mess, go through the motions and then go to the officers mess to be "Served" their lunch.

Officers Serving the crew is a tad OTT.

Its all about the PR really.

Most crewmembers I have spoken with, tell me its the part they dislike the most about christmas day working on the ship. The part that their "bosses" mingling with them whilst they are on their break.

Edited December 16, 2014 by P&O Lynn Knickers
Lynn needed to fart and did a silent one

[Manilow fan]

From what I can gather it will be a formal night on the Christmas evening on the ship still with all the trimmings :)

 

I wonder if that will count as one of our 4 formal nights then? Also the ship will only be half full as the other half wont arrive until the following day.

They will certainly have to get our cases to our rooms ASAP if it is going to be a formal night!

[winniesbestm8]

I wonder if that will count as one of our 4 formal nights then? Also the ship will only be half full as the other half wont arrive until the following day.

They will certainly have to get our cases to our rooms ASAP if it is going to be a formal night!

 

We were on Ventura and boarded the day of the Royal wedding, they bad embarkation day a formal day because of the wedding, all our cases were sent pretty quickly :) Although this was from Southampton!

 

Some people don't leave until Boxing day don't forget ;)

[davecttr]

I wonder if that will count as one of our 4 formal nights then? Also the ship will only be half full as the other half wont arrive until the following day.

They will certainly have to get our cases to our rooms ASAP if it is going to be a formal night!

It will almost certainly be a formal night. My experience on Oceana this year was it just did not feel like christmas dinner. Probably because I have always had christmas dinner as 'lunch' mid afternoon and not a formal affair. IMO it would be better to have a formal meal on xmas eve and go all out on xmas day for a proper lunch. Other things wrong were there was no atmosphere in the dining room because it had a lot of empty tables, due to many passengers wanting early sitting and being dissapointed. Turkey was the only xmas main course offered. In fact the menu was essentially a formal night one with a turkey option, plus a paper hat and cracker!.