New Years Eve Cruise

[shelly11]

I want to book a New Years cruise. I am looking at the Dawn, Jewel and Epic. Has anyone done this? What special things happen on these or any of the ships for new years? Thanks for your answers!

[cliffd64]

Depending on where the ship is, and what the weather is outside, there will be deck parties, parties in some of the lounges... Etc. Typically there will be noisemakers and inexpensive hats available... Kind of similar to NYE parties back home...

[Coastalbreezes]

My son and I just sailed the Jewel from NYC for our first-ever New Year's Eve and had a blast!

 

The ship was beautifully decorated everywhere and there were parties/countdowns in every lounge. The only negative was that we went to have dinner in Le Bistro and they were serving the regular dining room menu so that was a bit of a disappointment. However our meal was pretty good.

 

I had more fun than I have ever had on land. Everyone was partying/dancing and mood was so festive.

 

Enjoy!

TracyE

[cliffd64]

My son and I just sailed the Jewel from NYC for our first-ever New Year's Eve and had a blast!

 

The ship was beautifully decorated everywhere and there were parties/countdowns in every lounge. The only negative was that we went to have dinner in Le Bistro and they were serving the regular dining room menu so that was a bit of a disappointment. However our meal was pretty good.

 

I had more fun than I have ever had on land. Everyone was partying/dancing and mood was so festive.

 

Enjoy!

TracyE

 

Wait a sec... Le Bistro wasn't serving the Le Bistro menu? Did you still have to pay???????

[Coastalbreezes]

Wait a sec... Le Bistro wasn't serving the Le Bistro menu? Did you still have to pay???????

 

No and no. We were told that for just on New Year's Eve that Le Bistro (and Cagney's I believe) would be serving the main dining room's menu. We didn't have to pay and had a delicious rack of lamb.

 

Went to Le Bistro twice more during the week and enjoyed their regular menu:)

 

Tracy

[cliffd64]

Wow... First time I can remember that they would pass on collecting the surcharge for those restaurants... Interesting :)

[davesgirl51]

Because New Year's Eve was embarkation day (which is stressful for all concerned), it was decided to have a ship-wide Holiday dinner in the MDRs and extend overflow to one or more of the Specialty dinners. VIP/Suite guests were told to go to Le Bistro for this dinner. This was followed by entertainment and happy happy countdown parties with free champagne.

 

I don't know if other Specialty restaurants were open.

[Chigirlcruzin]

I did the NYE cruise on the Epic. I had fun, but I don't know that I would do it again. NYE itself was great...parties all over the ship, lots of fun. However, the ship had 4800 pax. It was too crowded. I sailed on Epic in April with only 4000 people. Tons of families on board, which didn't bother me. It was more the fact there were 800 more people on board. Unless you made reservations prior to boarding, you couldn't get a reservation before 9.

 

We ate at Cagney's on NYE. We had the regular Cagney's menu.

[shelly11]

Thanks everyone! Sounds fun. If anyone has any other tips please share.

[johnsak123]

Was on the Gem this new years and ate at le bistro on new years eve

We were charged the usual fee to eat in a specialty restaurant. Definitely worth the extra charge. It was delish!!

[shelly11]

We booked the Dawn for New Year's! Can't wait! Any more tips, ideas, things not to miss?

[bostongal965]

My husband and I just did the NYE cruise on the Sun, and it was a blast! NYE was our sailaway day, so the two parties kind of blended into one fabulous time. As others have said, the boat was still decorated from Christmas, so that added to the festive feel. :)

 

We ate lunch in the main dining room when we arrived, and ate dinner on the buffet - kind of a flip, but it helped us avoid the crowds. We then did our own "pub crawl" and went to almost every bar on the ship to have a drink - it was fun! We tried to time it with the different music and/shows that were going on that we were interested in - from Billy Joel/Elton John style piano music in the Windjammer to Caribbean tunes on the pool deck to Latin music in the Observation lounge...there was a little of everything! We even caught a little bit of bowl game action in the Sports Bar (along with some of the infamous hot wings).

 

We headed up to the pool deck around 11:30 - it didn't really get rocking up there until AFTER midnight. They were selling bottles of champagne/sparkling wine - they filled one of the hot tubs up with ice and stocked it with bottles. We preordered a bottle for our room as a Bon Voyage gift so we didn't buy one then (it was actually part of our romance package). About 11:45 they started going around with small plastic champagne glass filled with some type of bubbly. The captain did the countdown and blew the horn at midnight to great cheers and fanfare...that's when the party really got started! The pool deck was rocking til after 1:00, and then the party moved inside to Dazzles.

 

I saw people with hats and noisemakers, but I don't know where they got them - I know they were doing a balloon drop in the atrium at midnight, but we wanted to be by the pool. If I had kids with me, I would've taken them to the balloon drop.

 

One tip I would recommend...ladies planning on partying by the pool deck may want to opt for a cute top and nice jeans or slacks instead of a dress...we saw lots of girls and ladies trying to hold their hems down instead of dancing and having a good time. :eek:

[trish1c]

Different venues had different "themes" -- deck party, big band, trio / piano sing-a-long etc.

On deck they filled a hot tub with ice & sold champagne bottles from there.

We sailed the Dawn out of NYC & it was the most formal "formal" night I have ever experienced on any cruise. Even the kids were dressed up. We loved it.

[shelly11]

Sounds like a blast!!!

[Annieban50]

Several years ago we were on NCL's Hawaiian cruise for New Year's eve. It just happened that we were on the Fanning Island leg of the trip, so the captain told us we were the last people on earth (except possibly a few Australian fishermen) to celebrate that year. The night was warm and beautiful, the stars were unbelievable and the party was a ton of fun!

[camz]

We were somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle at midnite during our New Year's Eve cruise on the Gem a couple of year's ago. As I have posted, many times before, NCL knows how to kick in the new year with style and a cruise ship is the place to be. Very exciting, electric environment. As others have stated there are parties all over the ship. The biggest, of course, being poolside, weather permitting. Champagne, noise makers, hats and steamers for all as the captain counts down to the new year and activates the ship's horn at midnite. Remember its freestyle and new years eve is no different. There are passengers dressed to the nines in tuxes and gowns and others in shorts and t-shirts. Also, this is a very expensive and popular time to cruise. Be prepared for the ship to be fully booked, plus. Have a great time.....

[shelly11]

thanks!