when you are on Princess cruises on Christmas Eve / day what goes on ?

[Moviegirlnyorlando]

We are booked on the Ruby during Christmas week. We will be at Princess Cay on Christmas Eve and at sea on Christmas Day. Can anyone who has sailed Princess on the actual holiday state specific Christmas activities we can expect ? Is it true they make it "snow" and of so is that every evening or only on Christmas Eve or day ? I imagine there will be Turkey etc offered at Christmas dinner but do they do any type of special foods for Christmas Eve or snacks? Is there a special breakfast Christmas morning ? Are there scholarship@sea Christmas crafts ? Is there Christmas songs on karaoke ? I heard there will be staff members caroling but are there any activities with guests caroling? Is there cookie decorating or gingerbread house making or anything like that ? Does anyone have a past patters for Christmas for the Ruby or any Christmas cruise ??

 

If this turns out to be festive enough we may make this a annual thing to avoid the hustle and bustle on land , all the stress of cooking and cleaning and baking., but I still want it to feel like Christmas

 

Please , II am interested in any insight here as we've never sailed on Christmas

[baronessk]

I've only cruised 3 times, and 2 have been over Christmas. My first cruise ever was with RC out of Singapore and then one with Princess to Panama 2 years ago. I will be on the cruise with you, so this will be my 3rd Christmas cruise. That should tell you something. I will do my best to spend EVERY Christmas on a cruise. The ships are decorated beautifully. Even the one out of Singapore whilst cruising through Hindu and Muslim destinations. Yes it "snows". The crew sings carols, you'll get turkey dinner and you can make a gingerbread house. You won't be disappointed and yes you'll probably make it an annual thing as you really do avoid the hustle, bustle and stress. I will look for my patters tomorrow from the Island Princess and try to share. Make sure you take some decorations for your cabin door! I know some people have said their decorations have wandered off. I hang a stocking and have found everything from candy to dollar bills inside!

[Cbtours]

I've only cruised 3 times, and 2 have been over Christmas. My first cruise ever was with RC out of Singapore and then one with Princess to Panama 2 years ago. I will be on the cruise with you, so this will be my 3rd Christmas cruise. That should tell you something. I will do my best to spend EVERY Christmas on a cruise. The ships are decorated beautifully. Even the one out of Singapore whilst cruising through Hindu and Muslim destinations. Yes it "snows". The crew sings carols, you'll get turkey dinner and you can make a gingerbread house. You won't be disappointed and yes you'll probably make it an annual thing as you really do avoid the hustle, bustle and stress. I will look for my patters tomorrow from the Island Princess and try to share. Make sure you take some decorations for your cabin door! I know some people have said their decorations have wandered off. I hang a stocking and have found everything from candy to dollar bills inside!

Our first cruise was melbourne to New Zealand over Christmas 2011. We loved it. Classy beautiful decorations everywhere, snow fell in the atrium a number of times (times were specified in patter ahead of time) which was just beautiful and added to the whole festivities, even to us aussies where it never snows at Christmas. Yes there was christmas fare at mealtimes, as delicious as every other time on board. Also the steward left a christmas stocking on our bed at turn down time. you could join in the carols in the atrium too. on Christmas eve the bridge kept the children updated on santas progress and assured them that they would close down one funnel so he could come down the chimney! When he did arrive Christmas day there were gifts for everyone 12 yrs and under. The gingerbread village was a sight to behold. I would love to christmas cruise again, it was the most restful christmas ever! I will try and post some photos.

[ReallyThere2]

We were on the Ruby two years ago and on the Caribbean last year, both at Christmas. On several occasions they had the snow in the atrium. The gingerbread house competition was a day before Christmas and you had to sign up for it at the Purser's Desk, one year it took several days to fill up and the other it filled up on the first day. The crew sang carols on Christmas morning with the big thing being the arrival of Santa where he gave a gift (stuffed animal) to all the children. They also had both a Catholic Christmas Mass and Protestant Christmas Service. And yes they do have turkey as one of the selections on the menu if that is what you want. Also lots of decorations and some Christmas movies on MUTS. Otherwise they have pretty much the same activities as any other day.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We have been on three holiday cruises (including New Years too) on Princess -- the Hawaiian cruises for 2005/6, 2010/11, and last year 2012/13 (which shows we enjoy getting away from the hustle and bustle of the holidays here).

 

Here's the Patters for 12/25 (again, remember this is the Hawaiian cruise which has activities specific to this cruise):

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

[Cruisin' Chick]

since it was a tender port, Santa left the ship via tender in the late afternoon. You may be able to see:

[Cruisin' Chick]

Sometimes formal night will be moved to Christmas eve or Christmas. We had it on 12/25 on that cruise:

 

 

 

 

 

 

<a href="http://s112.photobucket.com/user/pattie54/media/Golden%20Princess%202012%20to%202013/Maui/SANY0164_zps2f2cdda0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n184/pattie54/Golden%20Princess%202012%20to%202013/Maui/SANY0164_zps2f2cdda0.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo SANY0164_zps2f2cdda0.jpg"/></a>

[Cruisin' Chick]

 

 

The head waiter was giving each kid a box of candy canes:

[24639]

I am curious about being in port on Christmas day and Christmas eve. Is everything closed? Are there tours other than those offered by Princess?

[caribill]

I am curious about being in port on Christmas day and Christmas eve. Is everything closed? Are there tours other than those offered by Princess?

 

Depends on the port. In some ports everything will be closed and in some others most tourist oriented shops will be open.

[cwtravel]

Hello-

I have been on 3 Christmas Cruises (Caribbean, Crown and back in 2000 on the Celebrity Century) with a 4th departing 12/21 (Crown Princess). In my case my family (parents, my wife, a couple of cousins and 3 siblings with thier childern) are on board so we prefer being at sea since we generally get together around lunch and exchange some gifts. The previous two Princess sailings have both been at sea on Christmas and we have met @ Skywalkers, which is pretty empty during the day, where we exchanged gifts together. This year we are in Aruba and it will be harder to get 20 people together so we will possibly do the geft exchange/get together Christmas Eve before we dock in Curacao or get together before sailing.

 

Shops are open, ship tours are available and anyone that makes money off the tourists/passengers will be out as usual. The beaches are open. I anticipate having a great time in Aruba, on the beach, Christmas day.

 

For myself, I love waking up Christmas morning, having breakfast on the balcony & enjoying a relaxing day. Sea days work much better than port days for my family. However, I think going to Eagle Beach in Aruba should be fine December 25th.

 

Chris

[CruisinChris]

I read on the Princess website that they are offering a special breakfast menu in the dining room on Christmas morning. They didn't offer up any details, but I'm intrigued.

[roamerfromtexas]

We were on the Coral for Christmas last year. The cruise director gathered the children together (along with many adults including me) and read to them. It was a lot of fun and really felt like Christmas. However, we were in Aruba on Christmas Day and all the stores were closed. There were a very few kiosks open.

[caribill]

This year we are in Aruba...Shops are open, ship tours are available and anyone that makes money off the tourists/passengers will be out as usual.

 

However, we were in Aruba on Christmas Day and all the stores were closed. There were a very few kiosks open.

 

We need a tiebreaker.

Edited November 24, 2013 by caribill

[caribill]

Some pictures around Xmas from a Princess ship

[baronessk]

Am I doing something wrong or is it that when people post pictures you can only view them in the small size???

[Cruisin' Chick]

Am I doing something wrong or is it that when people post pictures you can only view them in the small size???

 

It depends on the method they're using. If you look at the photos I've posted last night, they should be in regular size, and not the thumbnails. I had uploaded them to Photobucket and when I copy a link from each photo, it comes up larger than those pesky thumbnails.

[KruzPrincess]

I never thought I wanted to be on a cruise over Christmas. I went on an Easter cruise once and it was horribly packed and really nothing special went on. I like kids, but they were running wild on my Easter cruise. Anyway, reading your memories and seeing the pictures kind of make me want to go on a Christmas cruise.

[caribill]

Am I doing something wrong or is it that when people post pictures you can only view them in the small size???

 

You can click on a thumbnail to see a bigger version of it.

[CROSBY]

Went on the Star last Christmas/New year from Santiago to Buenos Aries. Loved the ship and the itinery, but not so much the Christmas thing.We normally have a quiet time. My husband and I are not big into Christmas and really hate all the hype and commercialisation, so thought this was ideal.

However, it felt odd to be in a warm place at Christmas - Santiago was hot! The planes from the U.K. were crazy busy. The ship really does a good job with the food, decorations and events. But it just didn't FEEL like Christmas to us, it just felt weird. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED the actual cruise - the sailing round the Cape was spectacular and the Falkland Islands incredible, it just didn't feel like Christmas.

I don't think I would do it again. I think I would go in January and have something to look forward to after the madness. but everyone to their own!

[24639]

I just want to thank those who took the time to post the patters and pictures. I was feeling a bit uneasy about dragging my son away from the rest of our tiny family for Christmas. But, now that I have seen what actually goes on I am very excited. I can't wait to start hunting for tropical themed Christmas stockings and décor for our big adventure next year. :D

[geoherb]

We'll also be on the Ruby this year for Christmas. It will be our fourth Christmas cruise on Princess, plus we've done them on HAL, Celebrity, and Royal Caribbean. Sometimes the special dinner is on Christmas Eve and sometimes it's on Christmas Day.

 

When we were in Grenada on Christmas Day a few years ago, there were very few stores open--just a few stalls in the market. The ship did offer a full schedule of excursions. On all of our other Christmas cruises, we've been at sea (or in the Panama Canal on the Island Princess three years ago).

Edited November 25, 2013 by geoherb

[Moviegirlnyorlando]

Thanks so much for posting all the menus, patters and pictures .we too are on the ruby for the Christmas at sea cruise and are even more excited after seeing all of this !!