Being on a Cruise on Christmas Day
 

What is that like? Is it a great day? Do they do anything to make it feel different from every other day of the cruise?

I'm interested in hearing about cruises for the holidays. I've been looking a few and I think leaving around the 18th or 19th and being on it for a week or so would be great for my husband and myself. We are solo. In our later 20s.

We were cruising in the Bahamas over Xmas. It was okay, but everything was closed the next day- Boxing Day is a big British holiday.

So all of the islands would be closed the next day after Christmas. Right?

Aruba, Barbados, etc.,.

I should book a cruise that doesnt port the day after Christmas.

We cruised over Christmas and it was really nice. Staff wore Santa hats all week, Christmas movies shown all week (Santa Clause, It's a Wonderful Life), Christmas caroling on Christmas day, Santa came and gave all the kids gifts, Christmas display in atrium, midnight mass. We had our big dinner on Christmas Eve (we disembarked on the 26th and would have had to pack and put our luggage out on the 25th, so I big fancy meal was on 24th) and then we had a Christmas lunch on the 25th.

I would do it again but would not pay dearly to do it.

Our cruise was the 16-26th and we did not have many kids on our sailing. I have heard of other sailings with hundreds of kids - just be prepared.

That is so interesting. Where were you on the cruise? Also which cruise line?

Sun Princess - Mexican Riveria in 2002.

This Christmas will be our 4th cruise at this time. This year will be different since we will be cruising 11 days and over New YEars also.

The ship is all decorated at that time and very festive. There are usually caroling around the tree. I usually go with my sister and her family and my older sister. My parents and brother in laws mom has also come. There are alot of families at this time. You see several generations of families.

Also depending on the island you hit there might be some excursions that are closed. So far we have been to Barbados, Nassau, at sea at Christmas. The beaches are always open.

On RCCL they gave every cabin a rolling suitcase. It was a great gift which was really appreciated. We just came back from a Med cruise and we were wheeling those on and the staff kept commenting to us on that and we said it was our Xmas gift on this last cruise and looking forward to the next cruise.

We took a cruise in the eastern Caribbean on Sun Princess over Christmas 2004. I too was concerned about a snorkeling excursion we booked for Dec. 25th in St. Thomas. No problem! All of the stores were open as well on Christmas Day. There were religious services on board the ship, as well as a visit from Santa. Ship's atrium was beautifully decorated. They even had an outdoor Christmas tree on one of the decks. It was a special time for family, one I'm sure we'll all remember. It was fun to do once, but I've decided there's "no place like home" for the holidays.

We took our family on a Mexican Riviera cruise and used Holland America Rydam. It could not have been greater. On Christmas Day, they stayed at sea, Santa came for the children and the dining room was absolutely gorgeous in white and gold, candles and very dimmed lighting. The whole experience makes us want to do it again! The weather was very warm, so everyone wore shorts/capris, etc. and the stops were wonderful, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallerta.