Christmas decor on ships; how early?

[Tennessee Rose]

Yaaay! I finally got my sister to say she will go on a cruise with me--my 4th, but her very first! :) I will be taking her to celebrate our birthdays (72 and 58 :eek: ---I'm the young sprout, but she can't know I said that!)

 

It will be a 7 day, maybe 6, depending on final choice of embarkation port. And I'm looking at sometime from the weekend after Thanksgiving until first part of December. My question to you, oh fabulous, intelligent, experienced CCers (love ya'll !!!) is when does CCL put up the Christmas decorations on their ships? I would love to be on when the ship is all decorated up, but we can't go later in Dec.

 

Can't wait to hear from ya'll, and thank you in advance for your help.

LaRose

[Elsisi]

I think they put up the Christmas decorations around Thanksgiving. We went in mid-December last time and the ship was decorated. We're leaving the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend (11/25) out of NOLA and I hope it's already decorated. It will be my SIL's first cruise and I'd like her to see the pretty decorations!

[MickCruiser]

You can go to Heald's blog and do a search. One of his posts will most certainly make reference to what they did this past holiday season.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[askimdog]

I was on the Legend mid January, decorations were down, but scotch tape with traces of tinsel was all over the ceilings, columns and bannisters all over the ship. By the amount seen, it had to have been decorated greatly.

[blondietink]

We were on Legend 11/27-12/4 and there were very few decorations. They did make it snow in the atrium, though, and played Christmas music. When we were waiting for debarkation on 12/4, we saw load of decorations being wheeled around the ship to be put up.

[CruiserBren]

The Pride was decorated while we were in Port Canaveral on December 14!!

[marshhawk]

In 2010 we cruised on the Fascination the first week of December, and they were decorating the day we embarked, when we got up on our first day at sea, the atrium was totally deocrated. There was a special afternoon Christmas show incorporating the kids from Camp Carnival, the staff came in and sang Silent Night, and Santa came LOL. It was very enjoyable.

[Tennessee Rose]

We were on Legend 11/27-12/4 and there were very few decorations. They did make it snow in the atrium, though, and played Christmas music. When we were waiting for debarkation on 12/4, we saw load of decorations being wheeled around the ship to be put up.

 

Barb, it sounds like if we do the week of Dec. 2nd then there should be plenty of decorations. It doesn't have to be over the top, but some of the pictures I've seen were lovely. Hmmm. How do they make it snow? Is it just at specified times?

 

Anyone have any photos of Christmas on the ship? Do they use any Christmas backdrops for photos on elegant night?

 

Oh, and thanks to the poster who suggested looking for info on John's blog. I'll do that also.

[westview1]

We embarked on the Spirit Dec. 2, 2011 and the sip was decorated. They also made it snow, while Guy Imoto sang in the atrium. He sang a special Hawaiian style 12 Days of Christmas.

[overeasy]

Early December 2010 Conquest cruise:

http://s1034.photobucket.com/albums/a423/happyfunpics/2010%20December%20-%20Carnival%20Conquest%20Cruise/

Christmas decorations were out in abundance, tastefully done I'd say.

[blondietink]

Barb, it sounds like if we do the week of Dec. 2nd then there should be plenty of decorations. It doesn't have to be over the top, but some of the pictures I've seen were lovely. Hmmm. How do they make it snow? Is it just at specified times?

 

Anyone have any photos of Christmas on the ship? Do they use any Christmas backdrops for photos on elegant night?

 

Oh, and thanks to the poster who suggested looking for info on John's blog. I'll do that also.

 

Yes, Thanksgiving is earlier this year, so I think the ship should all be decorated when you get on. The snow machines are like what they use in Disney World .... just soap bubbles, but it looks really cool! They blow themdown from the very top of the atrium, so it looks just like snow coming down. It is announced in the FunTimes and is done in the evening.

[agc291]

Just snow in the atrium during this years Thanksgiving cruise, but it was also a 4 day sailing.

[vivavegas]

Yaaay! I finally got my sister to say she will go on a cruise with me--my 4th, but her very first! :) I will be taking her to celebrate our birthdays (72 and 58 :eek: ---I'm the young sprout, but she can't know I said that!)

 

It will be a 7 day, maybe 6, depending on final choice of embarkation port. And I'm looking at sometime from the weekend after Thanksgiving until first part of December. My question to you, oh fabulous, intelligent, experienced CCers (love ya'll !!!) is when does CCL put up the Christmas decorations on their ships? I would love to be on when the ship is all decorated up, but we can't go later in Dec.

 

Can't wait to hear from ya'll, and thank you in advance for your help.

LaRose

 

The Miracle was decorated for our December 4th embarking! We sang Christmas carols and had artificial snow. It was great!

[Lady_Jag]

I believe it varies by ship. I was on the Fascination during Thanksgiving week this past year, and we didn't see a single Christmas ornament while on board. :(

 

However, there was "snow" in the atrium, and some pretty decent Black Friday sales in the onboard shops the day after Thanksgiving.

[Tennessee Rose]

We embarked on the Spirit Dec. 2, 2011 and the sip was decorated. They also made it snow, while Guy Imoto sang in the atrium. He sang a special Hawaiian style 12 Days of Christmas.

 

Thanks for the info, Caryn. The sailings I've been looking at leave on Dec. 2nd. Knowing the ships aren't waiting until the week before Christmas to decorate is making me even more excited. Of course, I want my sister's first cruise to be perfect and I'm sure it will be even if we went another time. You know, my secret mission is to get her hooked so she'll go again!

 

Thank you all for verifying what I had hoped was true! I'm now thinking of all kinds of things I'd do to the ship at Christmas if I was in charge. Afternoon tea would include gingerbread men and spiced tea, along with the traditional teas/goodies they currently serve. Red and green lights strung along the top deck. Red & white candy cane striped cushions for the Serenity deck chairs. Oh, and replace the deck palm trees with Christmas trees during December.

 

I'm sorry. Got carried away. And I do realize there are many people who have other traditions and celebrations instead of Christmas. Maybe they could just mix them all together!

 

Serious planning needs to start. Now :eek:

[Tennessee Rose]

Early December 2010 Conquest cruise:

http://s1034.photobucket.com/albums/a423/happyfunpics/2010%20December%20-%20Carnival%20Conquest%20Cruise/

Christmas decorations were out in abundance, tastefully done I'd say.

 

Thank you so much for sharing your photos. And for those who don't already know about/use the laundry rooms on the ships---thanks for those pics! I'm glad they are there; have used them; so I don't have to back so much! Just never thought of taking pics of one of them.

 

I love your little countertop Christmas trees also. And the gingerbread village on the ship is FABULOUS. Oh, I just can't wait!

[K&P Luv2Cruise]

The Miracle was decorated for our December 4th embarking! We sang Christmas carols and had artificial snow. It was great!

 

We were on the Miracle just before you...ship was decorated for the holidays when we boarded on November 26th. :)