First Christmas cruise - 2024

[MrsInABox]

Well folks, this will be our first family cruise and our first Christmas cruise too! We'll be on the Carnival Splendor 

 

What do cruises get up to for Christmas? I'm hoping it will be good for the mini-human!

[arxcards]

No cooking, no cleaning on Christmas day.

 

The mini-humans will have a "let's run up & down the stairs" boot camp. Nah, serious, they will have a great time at kids club.

 

II it helps, the build a bear is great for kids that are on the nice list.

[MicCanberra]

Lots of sea, and any cruise is a good way to spend time.

The atrium will be decorated and there will likely be a Christmas dinner with a great menu.

[MrsInABox]

11 hours ago, arxcards said:

No cooking, no cleaning on Christmas day.

 

The mini-humans will have a "let's run up & down the stairs" boot camp. Nah, serious, they will have a great time at kids club.

 

II it helps, the build a bear is great for kids that are on the nice list.

 

I saw the build a bear shop listed! Any idea if they're the same price they are on land? Mini-human is already saving up for one

 

I saw online that the US Carnival Christmas cruises have Santa visit and give the kids a gift, but it was nigh on impossible to find info for Aus!

[MrsInABox]

10 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Lots of sea, and any cruise is a good way to spend time.

The atrium will be decorated and there will likely be a Christmas dinner with a great menu.

Going by your username, hi local person to me! 😁 

 

Do you know if they tend to have Christmas activities on board too? 

[MicCanberra]

I am not that familiar  with Xmas cruises as I have only done one and it was through Asia, so there was nothing Xmasy except for the peoples choir.

Being a domestic cruise, there may well be more.

 

BTW, there is a ACT Cruisers group that meets every second Saturday, at the Yacht club, 3pm.

[MrsInABox]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

I am not that familiar  with Xmas cruises as I have only done one and it was through Asia, so there was nothing Xmasy except for the peoples choir.

Being a domestic cruise, there may well be more.

 

BTW, there is a ACT Cruisers group that meets every second Saturday, at the Yacht club, 3pm.

Oh awesome! Is there a page or similar to make sure I'm on the right Saturday? 

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, MrsInABox said:

 

I saw the build a bear shop listed! Any idea if they're the same price they are on land? Mini-human is already saving up for one

 

I saw online that the US Carnival Christmas cruises have Santa visit and give the kids a gift, but it was nigh on impossible to find info for Aus!

Our only Christmas cruise was on Princess, and the generously proportioned cruise director played Santa and kids all scored a gift. I presume similar for Carnival, but don't know either way.

 

The bear is currently $AU38 plus bling. Most outfits are around $20. For our cruise, it showed as sold-out on the Web planner and also on the Hub app after boarding. We were assured we could just show up, and that turned out to be true.

[aussielozzie18]

We were on board Carnival Luminosa early Dec last year.  Lots of Christmas decorations, free Christmas hats and Christmas carols.  Carnival being Carnival I am sure there will be special activities on Christmas Day.  
The build a bear is very popular.  Have at look at the Carnival app once you are on board and it will advise the date and location of that particular activity.

[Jet2727]

I have booked a Viking Christmas cruise for 2024 - Sydney to Auckland, we will see family in Sydney, Auckland and along the way. Am looking forward to having a no drama Christmas on the ship - I hope the celebrations are low key. 

[cruiser3775]

I went on a "Christmas on July" cruise on Carnival Splendor this year. They had lovely Christmas decorations, the singers added some Christmas songs to their repertoire, they showed Christmas movies, there was a Christmas themed dinner one night, and they ran a competition for the worst Christmas clothing. One night they gave out really lovely Christmas hats, and I missed out.  I tried to bribe one of the waiters to sell me his, but that didn't work. I will probably have to go on another Christmas cruise if I want one.

[MicCanberra]

3 hours ago, MrsInABox said:

Oh awesome! Is there a page or similar to make sure I'm on the right Saturday? 

Sorry, it is the 2nd Saturday of every month. There is a private group page - search for  'ACT Cruisers' in FB.

[Mareblu]

Then you could call by here for coffee🙂

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, Mareblu said:

Then you could call by here for coffee🙂

Are you coming? 13th Jan, Yacht club 3pm.

[Mareblu]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

Are you coming? 13th Jan, Yacht club 3pm.

It’s a date🥰

[Mareblu]

On 12/28/2023 at 11:49 AM, Jet2727 said:

I have booked a Viking Christmas cruise for 2024 - Sydney to Auckland, we will see family in Sydney, Auckland and along the way. Am looking forward to having a no drama Christmas on the ship - I hope the celebrations are low key. 

No drama Christmas:  perfect😂

[MMDown Under]

I went on q Christmas cruise to NZ, which ended in Sydney on Christmas Eve.  I couldn't wait to get off the ship and race up to stand outside David Jones Christmas decorated windows to soak up the atmosphere of the awe of the young children.. I reallsed Christmas is what you personally are used to, like bon bons, party hats, Christmas carols, etc.  I have since gotten used to the gingerbread villages on ships. The next morning I sat overlooking the harbour for the start or the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, I realised Christmas cruises are not for me, Has anyone been on a British cruise ship Christmas cruise?

[pully8]

Yes just before the beginning of the pandemic.

We boarded a Cunard ship in Southhampton in December for a trip to the Canary Islands.

We enjoyed it. A lot of repeat cruisers on board many dressed in Christmas outfits. 

This cruise followed a river cruise Amsterdam to Budapest.

We enjoy the cooler weather and river cruising but its along way to travel to start from Australia. 

[MicCanberra]

Christmas cruises are not really my thing especially in Asia, we had all the rush and hurry of Xmas prior as we were being away without any of the best things at Xmas which was being with family. If we do it again we will definitely have all the family with us.

[ceeceeDee]

We're on a South Pacific Christmas cruise 2024. I get what you are saying Mic, regarding spending Christmas with the family. However, we tend to make it a 'moveable feast', in that if family members are away for Christmas Day (happens more often than not), then we have the traditional family Christmas dinner either before the 25th or after depending on the circumstances. Works for us because we all enjoy stretching the Christmas celebrations over a longer period of time.🤗

[MrsInABox]

On 12/31/2023 at 10:02 AM, ceeceeDee said:

We're on a South Pacific Christmas cruise 2024. I get what you are saying Mic, regarding spending Christmas with the family. However, we tend to make it a 'moveable feast', in that if family members are away for Christmas Day (happens more often than not), then we have the traditional family Christmas dinner either before the 25th or after depending on the circumstances. Works for us because we all enjoy stretching the Christmas celebrations over a longer period of time.🤗

We have the benefit that we are our only family here. We haven't had an extended family Christmas in 4 years or so. No missing out on family for us, our usual bunch will all be in the same cabin lol.