Special menus on Christmas and New Year?

[jan-n-john]

We will be taking our first holiday cruise next December, on the Equinox. I understand they perhaps do special menus, or at least some special things, for Xmas (Xmas eve.?) and maybe New Years (New Year's eve.?). Is that so, or are the menus pretty much the usual? We have been advised to book specialty restaurants early for those days. Can anyone fill us in on what to expect at the MDR, Murano, Tuscan, or other choices, and what might be a good booking strategy (this is also our first trip not in AQ, so Blu won't be an option for us this time).

 

Thanks in advance.

[JFontaine]

I have been on many New Year's Eve sailings. No special menu. In the past, the did give out hats and noise makers in the main dining room (don't know about the specialty restaurants). If New Year's Eve was on a formal night - great. If not, they did not move it, although some people got dressed up. Welcoming the new year on the pool deck is something I will never forget.

[Phxazzcruisers]

We have been on many New Years cruises the last few years. The menu is no different than usual, that being said, in our humble opinion, it is always great

[Tiggertastic]

We've done it the last 5 years. The specialty menus don't change but be aware you may find it impossible to book then prior to sailing online as they block them. You may find 25th, 26th and 31st missing from the lists. Last yeR they did do a turkey dinner n Christmas Day in the main dining room. We also find the atmosphere in the mdr great on New Year's Eve.

[Project_gal]

We've done it the last 5 years. The specialty menus don't change but be aware you may find it impossible to book then prior to sailing online as they block them. You may find 25th, 26th and 31st missing from the lists. Last yeR they did do a turkey dinner n Christmas Day in the main dining room. We also find the atmosphere in the mdr great on New Year's Eve.

 

Jan

 

I think that they just actually sell out of the online reservations earlier [and then the shore-side staff just say that they do not sell them in advance]. On our NY cruise, we were able to book New Year's Eve in Murano online but well over a year in advance. Then, according to the Roll Call, they just told people they were not sold in advance.

 

Are you sailing on Equinox for Christmas/New Year 2016/17? It would be great to sail with you again.

[Janet987]

We did an eastern Caribbean cruise Christmas 2008, so it was a while ago and the timing depends on your ports etc. Also it was one of the Solstice's first cruises, so the cruise director and chef may have gone all out. But in the MDR, Christmas Eve had a special menu with turkey, roast, etc and it was a formal night. Christmas Day morning was in the Virgin Islands, we sailed to Norman's Island on a catamaran. When returned to the ship about 1-2pm, there was a Christmas brunch buffet, with elaborate Christmas foods and dessert displays, though I was still full from dinner the night before, it looked lovely. Late another evening there was an elaborate holiday dessert buffet, gingerbread house competition, Crew caroling, Santa after the Christmas Day brunch, so a number of special activities throughout the week. We were with our DD, and only tried one speciality restaurant not around the holiday itself when the MDR offered special menus and decor.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Janet987