Turkey, trees and tinsel; you may be sailing to the sun, but cruise lines are experts at making sure you can still enjoy an incredible Christmas. Immersing you in a world of sparkling seasonal celebrations and festive goodwill, cruise lines bring magic to the winter, no matter which culture or background their guests are from.
Check out our five favourite cruise lines at Christmas below.
Celebrity Cruises
Beautifully decking out the ship with tinsel-covered Christmas trees and sparkling lights is just the start for Celebrity Cruises, where every generation is considered when designing their Christmas cruises. Gather everyone together for a family movie night under the stars or a sing-along with the carol singers, keeping young guests amused while they await a special visit from Santa. Adults will love the festive menu, designed by a Michelin-starred chef and made all the more enjoyable as there’s no prep to do! Perhaps then enjoy an hour or two of calm, relaxing in the spa while the children are entertained at Camp at Sea and teenagers mingle at their own teen club.
Celebrity Cruises has a great range of itineraries on offer over Christmas, visiting spectacular destinations, including the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Carnival Cruises
Carnival Cruises know how to put the fun into Christmas. Stepping on board, you’ll find a ship decorated bow-to-stern with colourful lights, wreaths and Christmas trees, not forgetting a few flourishes of mistletoe for that added warm glow! Children can post letters to Santa while budding trendsetters can see if they’ve missed the mark with the Ugly Sweater Competition! Alongside the carol singing and an exclusive live-on-stage festive Holiday Show, there’s also a Hanukkah service with nightly menorah lightings at sunset, helping to ensure everyone can celebrate this much-loved season of the year.
Carnival Cruises sail with Christmas cheer to some gorgeous destinations, such as the Caribbean and Bahamas, Mexico, Hawaii and the Panama Canal.
Disney Cruises
No one does magic better than Disney, so, of course, when it comes to Christmas, their cruise line has to make our top five favourites. Disney Cruises goes all-out with festive onboard decorations, including a 24-foot Christmas tree, poinsettias and shimmering lights. Festive fireworks will light up the sky at their grand on-deck celebration, and children can enjoy Christmas creative crafts and themed activities. But it’s the jolly outfits sported by the Disney characters that make their cruises extra-special, providing a unique chance for you and your family to get a holiday snap with merry Mickey and Minnie, jubilant Goofy or even Kris Kringle, otherwise known as Santa Claus.
Disney Cruise Lines’s Very Merrytime Cruises offer some unique itineraries for 2022, which include The Bahamas, the British and US Virgin Islands, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Mexico and Disney’s private-owned island Castaway Cay.
Regent Seven Seas
For an utterly indulgent Christmas cruise, Regent Seven Seas has the perfect option. Following the 2021 Channel 5 documentary, entitled ‘Inside the world’s most expensive Christmas cruise’ based on the newest ship in the fleet, Seven Seas Splendor, this cruise line is proud of its claim to opulent luxury. It all starts with over 70 boxes of decorations, a 260-foot garland and 15 Christmas trees used to transform the ship into a Winter Wonderland. The festive menus are equally extravagant, offering turkey, goose and ham, as well as around 20 different types of cheese, not to mention the 8 varieties of Christmas cookies, pumpkin pie and Bûche de Noël for dessert. For entertainment, Regent Seven Seas put on a Christmas Eve variety show, a seasonal cocktail party, and classic carol singers. And with many of these luxuries included in the cruise package, you can enjoy this extraordinary holiday without worrying about any hidden extras.
Regent Seven Seas cruise holidays take in a wide range of stunning destinations, including Florida, the Cayman Islands, the Caribbean, Colombia, Panama Canal, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, as well as Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Emerald Cruises
If you prefer a nostalgic winter chill at Christmas, then a river cruise to some of Europe’s infamous Christmas markets may be the ideal seasonal treat. The smell of roasting chestnuts and mulled wine, sounds of Yuletide songs and sparkling lights can all be taken in as you step off the ship and wander amongst the cities’ stall-holders selling handmade gifts and traditional winter snacks.
Emerald Cruises offer Christmas river cruises sailing all over the continent, from Northern Europe to the south of France. Sail the Danube to The Schönbrunn Christmas and New Year’s Market in Vienna or the Nuremberg Christmas market (or Christkindlesmarkt), regarded as one of the best in the world. Alternatively, take to the River Rhine to Cologne, where you’ll discover seven traditional German Christmas markets or to Rüdesheim for a more multicultural take on the seasonal festivities.
A Christmas cruise is one of the best ways to enjoy this wonderful winter season.
