Christmas

[cruiseluvva]

Sorry, I know the 'C' word probably isn't welcome just yet, but we have just booked the 26 night QM2 Christmas/NewYear trip 2017 which is over our Ruby Anniversary on the 29th.

 

We have been on board before Christmas and seen all the trimmings, but have never been on board over the holidays, so I'd love to read of experiences please, to keep me going for the next 17 months!

[keithm]

Sorry, I know the 'C' word probably isn't welcome just yet, but we have just booked the 26 night QM2 Christmas/NewYear trip 2017 which is over our Ruby Anniversary on the 29th.

 

We have been on board before Christmas and seen all the trimmings, but have never been on board over the holidays, so I'd love to read of experiences please, to keep me going for the next 17 months!

It's amazing how you go to bed & the next morning you find yourself on a totally different ship. Of course you can get up real early & watch them do their thing. It's amazing! The cruise takes on a whole new festive feeling. Food stays the same, except holiday specials. Sail on Poet/Author Robert Burn's birthday & you get to have Haggis! Doesn't that sound just yummy?

[cruiseluvva]

Hmmm, no - I'm vegetarian! But thank you anyway :)

[h3rjp]

The Christmas decorations on board are quite pretty. Especially around the main public spaces and stairs.

 

It's also amusing after a night of rough whether to see the crew rounding up the escaped Christmas decorations (if you are up early enough) and having everything look perfect again by 07:00!

[cruiser1955]

I did a similar itinerary for Xmas 2011 when it was 29 nights. It snowed in the atrium for the Xmas eve and Xmas day carol services.:)

 

Staff do a show on Xmas day and New Year's eve is very lively.

 

A highlight for me, albeit pricey, was the champagne tasting on New Year's day. 5 premium champagnes with chef preparing a matched hot and cold canapé for each champagne along with caviar.

 

Had very rough seas on the way out to NY (diverted into the Bay of Biscay as it was calmer!!!) which really showed how well QM2 could handle them.

 

Compared to the UK, it was very cold in NY especially on returning from the Caribbean.

 

Love to repeat the cruise, but I now do pre and post Christmas to make the cruising budget go a bit further!

[Underwatr]

Where to begin? Carols and snow in the Grand Lobby, a Gingerbread village in the central corridor on 2 (? Maybe 3), a little gift in your stateroom after Christmas Eve dinner, New Years countdowns on the hour all evening on the 31st. New Years for Continental Europe occurs an hour into first seating dinner, then everyone heads to the Golden Lion to see the London New Years Eve festivities.

 

In addition to the five Caribbean ports of call you usually get 2 and 1/2 days of outdoor weather out of three on the way down and back.

 

We've done the 12 night version of the trip for several years now; not yet sure whether we'll book the 2017 trip. The ship calls on all possible Caribbean ports within 2 or 3 years and then it begins to be more repetitive.