Christmas at sea? What is it like in the crew area?

What does Santa do to deliver gifts to crew on a ship? Tough question, I know. Well it all depend on the Captain and communication to get the ship up to the right speed so the reindeer can land safely on the sun deck. Santa does have a convertible sledge to wheel combo for the warmer climates. So this works well in the Caribbean and Canary Islands for landing on ships too. Each crew member receives a gift from the cruise line which Santa personally hands over.

I am not sure where his hands are on this photo though!

There are literally thousands of crew who are working extra hard to ensure the very demanding Christmas cruisers have a fabulous time. The crew are away from their families and it is a really tough time to stay positive when you cannot be there to see your children opening their presents. Of course Skype, Facetime and Whatsap have all helped a lot as video calling has become a way of life for families that live and work apart. For crew though on most ships the internet still has to be paid for and this is essential for mothers and fathers to stay in contact with their children while they are being bought up by grandparents, aunts, uncles or other family members.

Ship family at Christmas do what they can to stay positive, happy and motivated. Secret Santa gifts are exchanged and parties can be enjoyed in the crew or officers bars. There are also cabin parties which are quite common at this time of the year. These usually start after the bars close and carry on into the wee small hours. On Christmas day the officers serve lunch in the crew mess which is always fun for the crew to have the Captain or Staff Captain serving the turkey and Christmas pudding to housekeepers, waiters and deck hands.

In the evening on Christmas Day the officers have set tables in the officers mess with full waiter service and Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. Followed by several celebratory drinks in the ward room. I loved the Christmases I had on the ships I worked on. I would like to also take this opportunity to wish every seaman and woman working this December a fabulous Christmas and happy New Year. If you are reading this and thinking about Christmas at sea, there are only a few staterooms left on just a few ships. If you always fancied Christmas at sea give me a call on 0333 300 2480 and I can see what I can find for you. Happy cruising!