With Christmas just around the corner, have you thought of your plans this year? It’s never too late to change your mind! The Cruise.co.uk team have been thinking about the BEST way to spend the festive season…
Here are some options for that different kind of Christmas getaway…
Spend Christmas Morning Watching Polar Bears
Have you ever considered travelling to the Arctic with a cruise line like Hurtigruten? Not only will you be able to enjoy the snow we all dream of falling down at Christmas, you can watch wild animals from the comfort of your ship or whilst on an excursion.
Sightings of polar bears, wild birds and whales are all possible. You could also go husky sledding, ice fishing or watch the Northern lights!
Spend The Night In An Igloo
If you want to spend more time on land surrounded by snow and ice, why not try a very different kind of holiday as you spend the night in a snow or glass igloo in Lapland.
The temperature inside will be between -3 and -6 degrees, but you’ll have padded sleeping bags and reindeer hides to keep you cosy!
And don’t worry, if you get too cold there’s also a log cabin nearby for you to stay in. A night in the glass igloo will allow you to lie back and look at the stars as the snow falls around you…very Christmassy indeed…
Escape The Cold To The Caribbean
For those of you who don’t like the British weather and the colds and sniffles that seem to accompany it, the Caribbean is a perfect area of paradise to spend your Christmas.
With white sands, palm trees and scorching sunshine, you could spend your Christmas topping up your tan instead of putting your scarves and gloves on!
Take a look at the dreamiest cruises to the Caribbean here!
Explore The Tropics And Exotics
Be even more exotic and sail to South America for a Christmas stop in ports such as Argentina, Cape Horn, and Rio de Janeiro. You could be watching the world’s largest floating Christmas tree bob along in the waters of Rio, witnessing colonies of sea lions in Chile or exploring the rainforest after docking at the port of Belize.
Is there really a more magical way to spend Christmas than discovering the wonders of the rainforest? You’ll also find that local shops and attractions will play Christmas songs that have been reworked to a funky Caribbean beat!
You can find out some exciting stuff about exotic tours in South America here.
See The Twinkling Christmas Stars
To see the Christmas stars, head to Morocco where you can camel trek into the Sahara to watch shooting stars whiz by and bright stars twinkle above.
Whilst we can’t promise the stars will lead you back to Bethlehem, they’ll still provide an impressive show!
Enjoy The Ship Atmosphere
If you have a very small family, your annual gatherings might not be very festive or if you don’t have children, you might like the idea of Christmas to yourself without a huge Christmas meal just for one.
This can easily be rectified on a cruise ship! You’ll have a proper Christmas dinner made for you, without having to stress over it yourself and you can enjoy the festive atmosphere, lavish decorations and infectious Christmas spirit in your own peace and quiet.
Try Some New Christmas Food
Whilst some people’s Christmas’ are all about the traditional turkey, for others it’s a chance to explore something entirely new!
Why not head to Puerto Rico to try their version of egg nog which is called coquito? It’s a rum and coconut based drink that’s surprisingly strong…
You can also try their pernil which is a seasoned, baked pork shoulder or some of their meat and spice filled pasties. For other culinary delights visit Portugal to discover a Mediterranean Christmas meal with lashings of olive oil, fresh herbs, chickpeas, potato and salted codfish.
Adult Only Cruising
After years of family Christmas’ some people just don’t want children running underfoot, so an adult-only cruise could be the perfect getaway to peace, quiet and relaxation next season.
With P&O’s adult-only ship Arcadia, you could be relaxing on a nine-night Baltic cruise or how about a Fred Olsen adult-only cruise to the Canary Islands for the festive period with a sailing to the Caribbean for New Year celebrations?
Other cruise lines also have ships with adult-only sections and luxury cruise lines such as Regent have very few children aboard. Your perfect adult-only haven awaits!
You can have a look at more exclusive P&O offers here or Fred Olsen cruises here.
Cycle Along The Mekong
If you’re feeling like you want to get away from it all and go Christmas alone, why not spend Christmas Eve cycling alongside Angkor Wat in Thailand?
You can take a cycling tour of the Mekong River and make your way along the winding riverbanks passing temples, floating markets and farms.
It’s the perfect setting to lose yourself in whilst enjoying the scenery at your own pace. You’ll get to experience a Thai Christmas in the evenings, as whilst the majority of the population are Buddhist, the holiday is still widely celebrated with parties and feasts…
Take A Bite Of The Big Apple
Arguably, no one makes as big a deal of Christmas as the Americans do, and New York is the perfect place to celebrate the festive season.
With huge Christmas trees, ice skating beneath the Rockefeller Centre and a Santa-land at Macy’s, Christmas spirit is literally found on every corner.
Spend your time watching an amazing performance of the nutcracker ballet, shop till you drop on 5th avenue or explore one of the many holiday markets. For that extra special Christmas moment, take a horse and carriage ride around Central Park whilst you sit wrapped up in thick blankets.
Do you like the sound of any of these alternative Christmas ideas? Have you ever had Christmas abroad? What is your ideal alternative Christmas like? Let us know in the comments below!
