Anyone sailed over Christmas/New Year

[lnew1gd1]

Hi all,

 

Have a question. Has anyone here sailed over the Christmas and/or New Year's holidays?

 

Does the cruise line do anything special for New Year's Eve?

 

Any tips we should know about cruising over the holidays?

 

We have sailed during December (about 2 weeks before Christmas) but never over the actual holidays.

 

My DH and I are looking at a 9 day cruise on the Legend leaving Dec 24, 2007 and returning January 2, 2008 for St Martin, St Lucia, St Kitts and Tortola. I know it's a long way off but I like to plan far in advance.

 

Thanks in advance for any responses we receive.

 

Lynn and Dennis

[LornaT]

Done both. Glory New Years 2003, Legend (B2B) Christmas & New Year's 2004, Pride Christmas & New Years (sailed on 12/25) 2005. Boked for Legend (12/26) New Year's sailing this year and was first cabin booked on both the 7 day 12/17/2007 (Nassau, St. Thomas, San Juan and Grand Turk) B2B with the 12/24/2007 on the Legend for next year. Booking early I got the same cabin for both sailings, so no having to pack-up and move my stuff for the second sailing.

 

Christmas time, ship is decorated for the Holidays, special dinner menu of Christmas Eve and sometimes Christmas Day dinners. They also serve free champagne to you as you board the ship, also have it on the Lido Deck for lunch.

 

New Years, special dinner menu for New Year's Eve and on both the Glory (left the pool cover open.......boy was it windy) & Legend (closed the pool dome....much more fun, no wind!), BIG deck (Lido) party to ring in the New Year complete with free champagne (served on deck) and party hats, horms, plastic lie's noise makers, etc. all left in your cabin at evening turn-down by your steward. Followed by a BIG Buffet in the Lido Deck Buffet after midnight .............. it was a blast! It was so much fun we figured it would be the same on the Pride ......... not so, got the hats, etc. but no Deck Party, only free champagne in the lounges and casino and the horn blew at Midnight.............kind of a bummer..but since we had to debark the next morning I managed.

 

I am expecting the Legend this year and next to have the same outsatnding party that they did in 2004. Hope not to be disappointed.

[lnew1gd1]

Thanks for the info! It sounds great. We are definitely going to book the Legend for Christmas 07/New Year 08.

 

Wish it could be this year but taking the whole family (Kids and spouses, step-kids and grand-kids---13 in all at our expense) to Disney this November and then have to save for Hawaii cruise next April.

 

Now, after reading your reply, I am really excited and anxious to try the holiday cruise on the Legend.

 

Again, thanks!

 

Lynn

[Kristi1229]

My husband and I got married the weekend before Christmas, then spent Christmas with our families and honeymooned over New years. We went on a 7 night cruise with RCCL (Navigator). As soon as we boarded the crew was decked out in New Years party hats and passing out glasses of champagne to everyone. There were New Years parties everywhere on the ship. We went to the "times square" party in the promenade. It was packed! At dinner that night they had tons of fun party hats and noise blowers and confetti poppers on the tables for everyone to use throughout the night! And the champagne flowed freely! It was a GREAT cruise!!!!! In my opinion, they really made it special!!!

[RatherbeinKona]

Great question - I've often wondered about that.....thanks for the responses!

[LornaT]

Lynn - Are you on the Ensenada to Hawaii or Hawaii to Vancouver sailing next year? We were going to be on the Ensenada to Hawaii sailing with Donna and the gang (there is a Roll Call) but due to conflict schedules with the boss, we are doing the 10/2 Hawaii to Ensenada sailing this year instead.

 

Hope to chat with you and meet you guys on the Legend next year.

[dclark]

I was on the Glory last new years and they did NOT have free champagne for new years!

They did have free champagne for when you boarded and hats were left on bed at turn down time, but on New Years eve, they had ccl employees selling bottles of champagne.

I was on the Victory the year before for xmas and in comparison, it was much more special. Xmas decorations, xmas music (even in the ports!) xmas show, it was a much better experience than new years.

[impcinder]

We sailed on the Spirit a few years ago over Christmas week.

 

The ship was decorated in green and gold. I would call it more elegant than over done or tacky.

 

There was a special kids show on the 24th with Christmas music and Santa.

 

We spent the 25th in Barbados, most places were closed. From a previous post, the more affluent the port, the less the shops were open.

 

Christmas dinner was nice,included the traditional roast turkey. Our server handed out souvenier menus.

 

Lots and lots of kids on board. We were on the Empress deck way in the back, seemed to be off the beaten track.

[Jabee]

What a B-L-A-S-T!!!

We boarded on Dec. 31....

 

They started handing out the comp champagne on the Lido the moment we arrived, and kept it going all night long. That night we had a huge party on the LIDO and they had 2006 to light up at the strike of midnight!!

 

Party hats, noise makers...everything you could want.

The cruise continued to be fun. When the Rose Bowl was played between Texas and USC, they opened up the big lounge and had a projector TV for a hughe screen, with lots of free snacks and fans of both teams hooping it up.

 

I had planned to return this year, but a change in my schedule means I have to be at work the day she docks...(darn it)...but I am still looking for a cruise over New Years I can take.

 

You will love it.

 

JB

[ljc576]

Lorna!!!! Howdy! Hard to believe we sailed almost 2 years ago on the wonderful Legend Christmas cruise. Phillis and I have been talking about the same exact Legend cruise for 2007! I'm starting to save my money now. Wouldn't it be a blast if we could all be on it again!

 

Are you going on the Legend on 12/26?? I believe Phillis told me that she and Bob were going on that cruise also!! How cool. You'll have raise a glass for us.

 

Hugs!

Linda

[lnew1gd1]

Lynn - Are you on the Ensenada to Hawaii or Hawaii to Vancouver sailing next year? We were going to be on the Ensenada to Hawaii sailing with Donna and the gang (there is a Roll Call) but due to conflict schedules with the boss, we are doing the 10/2 Hawaii to Ensenada sailing this year instead.

 

Hope to chat with you and meet you guys on the Legend next year.

 

Hi Lorna,

 

We are doing Hawaii to Vancouver next April. Since we are from the east coast, we decided that we will need the 5 seas days coming back to relax--time chances, multiple fights back to the east and then back to work the next day. Works out better for us.

 

We are definitely doing the Legend for Christmas 07 New Year 08. Booked it!!! Thanks to everyone here that has been replying we are so excited....just wish we could do it this year instead but that's not possible.

 

Stay in touch and we will have to get a roll call started for the Legend cruise soon.

 

Lynn

[lnew1gd1]

We sailed on the Spirit a few years ago over Christmas week. ....................................................................

We spent the 25th in Barbados, most places were closed. From a previous post, the more affluent the port, the less the shops were open................

 

One thing I like about this itinerary is that Christmas Eve is embarkation day and Christmas day is a sea day. We will also be out to sea for New Year's Eve and day. I like that because we won't have to be rushing around a port trying to get the most in those days. We can actually relax and enjoy the holiday in a pool or a lounge somewhere or on our balcony! (not something we even get to do at home--traveling all over to family in different states)

 

Did you enjoy the Spirit? We are sailing on her our April 07 Hawaii cruise. I have heard good and bad about the Spirit. We sailed her sister ship The Miracle in Feb. and I liked the layout....decor was a little over the top for me, especially the dining room. Looks like the Spirit is not as "loud" or garish in it's decor from the pictures I have seen.

 

Thanks for your input and thanks also to everyone else who has been answering my questions!!

 

Lynn

[LornaT]

Linda and Phillis - Yes we are doing the Legend again the 12/26 sailing! Figured since we had done Barbados on Christmas Day and not much was open and part of the tour stops were closed, we'd see what we missed last time..........plus since Mom blew off our tour in Martinique I plan on seeing more than the pier this time! As for St. maarten, well this will be the 3rd trip there, maybe do the shuttle over to St. Barths.......or just shop a little and relax on board the ship. Suzie (Wicked) was looking at the 12/18 sailing with her Mom & Dad (and Ron of course) but then her Mom & Dad looked to be backing out so she was considering the 12/26 sailing also...........maybe we all need to go together again.............oh Karen & Dave........where are you????

 

Lucy - This October will be my 3rd sailing on the Spirit, in December this year will be my 3rd on the Legend.............been on the Pride once...........Glory once. Needless to say we love the Spirit Class Ships...............must be I booked the 9/5/07 Glacier Bay on her yesterday also.................yes my name is Lorna and I am Openly Addicted to Cruising! As to the decor on any ship, after about the first day you kind of ignore it what with everything else there is to occupy your mind both on the ship and off.......the multitude of Urns on the Legend is a little staggering at first.............but after a while you get used to them.....so no big deal. As you can see from above a bunch of us meet on a Roll Call, the night before sailing and sailed together in 2004 on the Legends Christmas cruise........Cruise Critic cruisers are the best!

[ljc576]

Yes, the Legend Christmas 2004 cruise was great. But what really made it was meeting our Cruise Critic Roll Call buddies and having a wonderful time. I still have the cruise pictures up as my screen saver so I see every one each day... but now for the rest of the story...

 

Phillis traveled on the cruise because her husband and son were serving in Irag and Afghanistan and she and her other two sons didn't want to have Christmas home alone... my family opted for the cruise rather than a trip to Hawaii. Phillis lived in Maine, and I live in Georgia. When her DH and son returned from the war, her DH, Bob, was offered a job in Atlanta!!! So, they moved south and it's been wonderful! You never know where a friend from Cruise Critic will pop up!

 

I'll have to have Phillis bring pictures to you for the cruise. Wouldn't it be something if Wicked and Ron join you on the cruise?? I'll have to tell my folks about this. I know if we do the cruise in 2007, they will definitely join us. Got to start saving now!!

 

Love,

Linda

[TexasRed]

We did our first cruise over New Year's, to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We sailed on Celebrity, and as many have stated, noisemakers, hats, etc were all passed out for the huge party on the Lido deck. They added that night as an extra formal night as well. Champagne flowed freely.

 

One thing I was not aware of, that is one of the few weeks that seldom if ever gets a good discount.

 

Have fun on your cruise!!