NCL Christmas Cruises

[Panhandle Couple]

Asking anyone who has a Christmas Cruise, especially since reopening.

 

Does the NCL, crew, and staff do anything special other than decorations?

 

Are there carols, say in the atrium?  Wandering around decks 6-8?

 

Special meals at the MDR or specialty restaurants on Christmas Day?

 

I assume there will be a special drink or two.

 

Deciding on a holiday cruise with the adult kids.  From available rooms, we have only a month or so to book.

Are the ships typically fully booked for these cruises?  Looking at leaving 23rd or 24th of Dec.

 

Thanks in advance.  

[www3traveler]

Have not done one sincee the re-opening.

From what I have read and the pictures I have seen posted, nothing seems to have changed.

Lots of decorations including the huge Gingerbread Village displays.

Cruises are very full with multi-generational families.

Santa Claus arrives on Christmas Morning.

Caroling thoughout the ship on Christmas Evening.

Traditional Turkey dinner.

Enjoy

Keep in mind that Christmas Eve will be on Sunday this early--airfares will be expensive

[Panhandle Couple]

1 minute ago, www3traveler said:

Have not done one sincee the re-opening.

From what I have read and the pictures I have seen posted, nothing seems to have changed.

Lots of decorations including the huge Gingerbread Village displays.

Cruises are very full with multi-generational families.

Santa Claus arrives on Christmas Morning.

Caroling thoughout the ship on Christmas Evening.

Traditional Turkey dinner.

Enjoy

Keep in mind that Christmas Eve will be on Sunday this early--airfares will be expensive

Thanks.

We are taking air costs (and hotel) into account, right now they aren't TOO bad, hence the need to finalize soon.

 

[Karaboudjan]

We were on the Prima the week before Christmas last year.  It seemed fairly low-key to me.  There were decorations, the big gingerbread village and plenty of crew wearing Santa hats.  I don't recall any themed drinks.  Not sure about carols or any other activities, but we disembarked on the 23rd.

[Royalpair]

Since Epic was moved from Europe to Port Canaveral this year, we jumped on the cheap price. Now we’re having sticker shock on hotels and airline. Thinking of driving, and keeping fingers crossed for the weather😉. She departs the 24th, so hoping for lots of festivities 😊

[bluesea777]

Ships are always full above double occupancy the Christmas and New Year weeks, so you need to take note. 
 

Because the schools are out and families want to cruise together for Xmas and/or New Year. 
 

We have done a few years ago pre-Epic (i.e before 2010) on med sized ships and they were good! Yes, there were LOTS of kids - they accounted for 1/3 of the whole pax count - that is still above double occupancy (there are cabins that sleep 3, 4 people). 
 

We haven’t done that since 2010 and now I shudder to imagine that on the mega ships! One poor Santa for some 2000 kids? Full and overflowing kids clubs? Need I say any more?

 

Cruise at your risk those 2 weeks 😉😎😁. Maybe the med sized ships might be better if you have small kids so you don’t get caught up in crowds. 
 

JMHO. 

P. S. Forgot to mention that casino isn’t too busy/crowded those two weeks, lol. 
 

Edited June 25, 2023 by bluesea777

[Panhandle Couple]

11 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

Ships are always full above double occupancy the Christmas and New Year weeks, so you need to take note. 
 

Because the schools are out and families want to cruise together for Xmas and/or New Year. 
 

We have done a few years ago pre-Epic (i.e before 2010) on med sized ships and they were good! Yes, there were LOTS of kids - they accounted for 1/3 of the whole pax count - that is still above double occupancy (there are cabins that sleep 3, 4 people). 
 

We haven’t done that since 2010 and now I shudder to imagine that on the mega ships! One poor Santa for some 2000 kids? Full and overflowing kids clubs? Need I say any more?

 

Cruise at your risk those 2 weeks 😉😎😁. Maybe the med sized ships might be better if you have small kids so you don’t get caught up in crowds. 
 

JMHO. 

P. S. Forgot to mention that casino isn’t too busy/crowded those two weeks, lol. 
 

Bringing Adult kids - 29 and 33.  They probably won't fit in the chairs at the kids club, but will enjoy the bar stools.

 

[BoatParts]

We were on Encore over Christmas and New Year’s last December. There was caroling in the atrium though it didn’t roam around. Plenty of special menus in the MDRs on the holidays. 
 

Overall, we enjoyed it but will probably leave holiday cruises to the families. It was very crowded and could get out of control (football in the atrium lounge for example).  

[GORDONCHICK]

They sail VERY full - over 100%.  (100% is 2 per cabin)  Hundreds of kids.  Decorations have varied on ships but there's always been a gingerbread house.  Carols on Christmas Eve usually in the atrium and Christmas foods served on Christmas Day (ham, turkey, etc).  Pre-covid, I remember being in Belize (also pre Harvest Caye) for cave tubing, zip lining and atving.  It definitely didn't feel like Christmas on that day.

[BirdTravels]

Most want to go to a fancy sit down dinner on thanksgiving and Christmas. We actually prefer the buffet. It’s more like home where you pick what you want and as much as you want. They will be carving turkey and ham in the buffet. On our most recent thanksgiving cruise, they put tablecloths on the tables in the buffet to make it feel more formal. 
 

Gingerbread city on the Prima

 

[omahabob]

Great pics, man. Thanks.

[cruiseny4life]

There were several "lives" from this previous Christmas and New Year (mine included for NY). Go back a few months, find them, and read them. You'll see loads of what was discussed above, plus photos, horror stories about crowding, and people (me included) who were able to have a wonderful cruise, despite the loads of people. 

[Panhandle Couple]

Thanks everyone.

 

We are booked!  

 

Merry Christmas!!

[sjpo]

Coming back to this topic as I was wondering if NCL provide any religious celebration for Christmas. I know the ships have no chapel, etc but some lines, like MSC, arrange for a mass or ecumenical celebration at the Theater or similar. Not a must but just wondering. Thanks

[www3traveler]

3 hours ago, sjpo said:

Coming back to this topic as I was wondering if NCL provide any religious celebration for Christmas. I know the ships have no chapel, etc but some lines, like MSC, arrange for a mass or ecumenical celebration at the Theater or similar. Not a must but just wondering. Thanks

There will probably be some type of program in the theater but not religious.  There might be something self-led in a conference room.

[HBCcruiser]

These photos and Dailies are from a pre-Covid (2018) Christmas cruise. As you can see they offered Mass on Christmas Eve and various Christmas themed events. Santa appeared during dinner as well as during the Christmas Show. Things may have changed since COVID, but I am sure they will offer similar events.