New Years cruises

[LuvWilliam]

DH and I are looking at NYE cruises. We really only sail on Freedom and oasis classes. Can anyone tell me what the typical age-range/crowd is like? Worth the extra money? After the promenade celebration, what do you do after? We are looking for something for 2014 to have a week-long getaway from our little guy. =)

[Doug S]

Did one on Mariner with all our grown sons and their +1s a few years back. While it was fun, and the atmosphere was good, the wife and I decided we prefer to take 2 cruises at other times for the same price.

 

I am probably in the minority on this, as most will say NYE cruises are great, but that is my take. I found so many large family groups on board, that it was a bit more clicky, and not as friendly. Also many more first time cruisers for the event. Of course, the fact that I also had a large family on board may have isolated me a bit and colored my judgement on that.

 

There is always the big bash and balloon drop on the promenade, but you better love big stand-up crowds for that. Other venues, like Studio B had bands playing and were less of a mosh pit. That is where we spent our time after Midnight and it was fun, with music and dancing.

 

Anyway, I am glad we did it once, but doubt we will again. I can party like crazy for New Years at home or someplace else on land, and enjoy my non-holiday cruises more often...

 

Doug

[cruisegirl1]

We sailed last NYE on the Freedom and absolutely loved it. We were by ourselves. Everyone seemed to be in a festive mood and were friendly. NYE was coincidently on the first formal night and it was unbelievable to see so many dressed up. RCCL threw a huge party all night and into the morning.

 

If you are football fan, the college bowl games were shown by the pool,. It was amazing to watch “my team” win the Outback Bowl while I sat by the pool, sipping a drink.

 

 

M

[TC1957]

We have never done one, but we were told at our Meet & Mingle that his favorite "event" during his 12 years at sea was being anchored off the coast of Rio De Janeiro (bow pointing end) and watching the New Year's fireworks explode in the sky behind Christ the Redeemer.

 

Have to admit, that doesn't sound half bad.

[Bruin Steve]

DH and I are looking at NYE cruises. We really only sail on Freedom and oasis classes. Can anyone tell me what the typical age-range/crowd is like? Worth the extra money? After the promenade celebration, what do you do after? We are looking for something for 2014 to have a week-long getaway from our little guy. =)

 

We typically cruise around that time of year...because my wife works for a school district and that's when she's off...But, typically she gets three weeks off for winter break, Christmas Week, New Year's Week and either the week before Christmsas or after New Years...MOST years, we have chosen to cruise on that third week--much lower prices and it has not exempted from the points on our RCCL Visa card...which is why we're on the Allure January 5 this year...

 

TWICE we've cruised over New Years...

A few years back we did a 7 night Mexican Riviera on Sapphire Princess...

An, two years ago, we did a 13 nighter that spanned BOTH Christmas and New Year's on Celebrity Century in Australia and New Zealand...

 

What we've found, to be quite honest, is that the cruises were not very dissimilar from the non-New Year's cruises...The itineraries are the same, the crowd and demographics were about the same...pretty much the same experience...

 

EXCEPT...the cruise lines each scheduled some special "Parties" for New Year's Eve...They both made that night Formal Night--even though it didn't necessarily jive well with the port schedule...

 

The Princess party we attended was out on a pool deck with a lot of loud music and counting down the clock...a little bit of free champagne was passed around but it was quite a zoo...

On Celebrity Century, we opted to NOT attend the big New Year's Gala on the pool deck...Instead, we made ourself quite comfortable in the Michael's Piano Bar--where the entertainer was one of our favorites all cruise long...Even that venue was packed, but he put on quite a special show for HIS regulars that night...and free champagne was passed around there too...

 

Both ships tended to have a number of different options to appeal to different crowds...but, when you think about it, they had many of these options EVERY NIGHT...and they do on every cruise (absent the larger crowds staying up late and the free champagne)...

 

Is it worth cruising on New Year's? Sure...If you've got the time free, don't mind the extra cost and you like the ship and itinerary...

If you've got a choice of weeks to cruise and don't mind saving enough money to go on an entire additional cruise later in the year...then go the following week with us and consider it your New Year's Celebration...

[papaflamingo]

We have done Freedom of the Seas the last 2 New Years and are booked again this year. It is more expensive, but the last 2 years was "Diamonds in December" and we got extra points. Not so this year. But the cruise itself was a great time. People are very festive. Everyone dresses for New Years Eve. There are a lot of family groups (kids) but we really love the experience. I think the ship does a great job putting it together. It's nice to lay on Orient Beach on the 2nd of Jan. while your friends are freezing back home :)

I guess it's a matter of what you like. We like it. We'll continue to do New Years cruises.

[riclop]

DH and I are looking at NYE cruises. We really only sail on Freedom and oasis classes. Can anyone tell me what the typical age-range/crowd is like? Worth the extra money? After the promenade celebration, what do you do after? We are looking for something for 2014 to have a week-long getaway from our little guy. =)

Only you an decide that,it is much more expensive.

[Merly]

We did Christmas and New Year last year on Serenade OTS in Europe. (We had lovely weather, much warmer then we expected). It is also my birthday at Christmas so we went for it. Yes it is expensive. Although we enjoyed it all I wouldn't do a Christmas cruise again. New Year was a great party though, so good we missed New Year's Day, which luckily was a sea day.

[CRUISING FROM SC]

We are on LOS for NYE this year. I am wondering if that will be formal night?