Christmas and New Years Cruises (plus one stowaway question)?

[Avril]

I just want to know what to expect. I'm booked on my 1st MSC cruise on the Divina for this Christmas and New Years. :D I've been on several New Years cruises on 3 different cruise lines (mostly Carnival, a couple with Holland America and one with NCL) and they've always had a special dinner in the main dining room, a huge party on the pool deck with music, dancing, free champagne (not only on New Years Eve but on Embarkation as well), the countdown at midnight, etc. However, I've never been on a cruise ship on Christmas. What does MSC do on their ships for New Years and Christmas? Are they Formal Nights? Any special parties/events? And I want to know about not just Christmas and New Years but Christmas Eve as well. Anything special then? Does anyone have copies of a ship's daily newsletter (the ones delivered nightly to your cabin, not sure what MSC calls them, Carnival calls them the Fun Times, NCL's are the Freestyle Dailies, you get the idea) from a MSC Christmas and/or New Years Cruise)?

I also have one other question but I didn't want to start a whole new thread for it and it's kinda related to my original question. I saw in the dress code it said "theme parties". I'm just wondering what these are. I want to make sure I pack the right outfits so I'm prepared as I love theme parties (I have a whole outfit for Carnival's 80s Night for example)!! :D What themes should we except on our cruise? It's 11 days to the Western Caribbean (with a stop in Nassau) if that matters.

Thanks (and I hope this isn't all to confusing)!! :D :D

[Cruisergal1208]

I just want to know what to expect. I'm booked on my 1st MSC cruise on the Divina for this Christmas and New Years. :D I've been on several New Years cruises on 3 different cruise lines (mostly Carnival, a couple with Holland America and one with NCL) and they've always had a special dinner in the main dining room, a huge party on the pool deck with music, dancing, free champagne (not only on New Years Eve but on Embarkation as well), the countdown at midnight, etc. However, I've never been on a cruise ship on Christmas. What does MSC do on their ships for New Years and Christmas? Are they Formal Nights? Any special parties/events? And I want to know about not just Christmas and New Years but Christmas Eve as well. Anything special then? Does anyone have copies of a ship's daily newsletter (the ones delivered nightly to your cabin, not sure what MSC calls them, Carnival calls them the Fun Times, NCL's are the Freestyle Dailies, you get the idea) from a MSC Christmas and/or New Years Cruise)?

I also have one other question but I didn't want to start a whole new thread for it and it's kinda related to my original question. I saw in the dress code it said "theme parties". I'm just wondering what these are. I want to make sure I pack the right outfits so I'm prepared as I love theme parties (I have a whole outfit for Carnival's 80s Night for example)!! :D What themes should we except on our cruise? It's 11 days to the Western Caribbean (with a stop in Nassau) if that matters.

Thanks (and I hope this isn't all to confusing)!! :D :D

 

Theme nights have been "White Night", Flower Power, and Italian Night.

[Eleteace]

I'm afraid I haven't cruise on MSC at Christmas (although i am this year!)

 

I have cruised over Christmas twice on NCL and they always have a 'proper' Christmas dinner, carols and a party etc. I can't imagine that MSC will be too much different.

 

I am really really excited to have Christmas onboard MSC this year!

 

I have written about my experiences of Christmas on a cruise here: http://cruisingisntjustforoldpeople.co.uk/2016/09/30/cruising-at-christmas/

 

Hopefully that'll be of use to you, it does mostly related to NCL but still should help you to get excited!

 

My favourite thing was seeing Santa sail up on a boat besides us, I'll never forget that!

 

 

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[Avril]

Theme nights have been "White Night", Flower Power, and Italian Night.

 

I can figure out what White Night is and have a couple dresses that will work for that but what do people wear for Flower Power and Italian Nights?

 

I'm afraid I haven't cruise on MSC at Christmas (although i am this year!)

 

I have cruised over Christmas twice on NCL and they always have a 'proper' Christmas dinner, carols and a party etc. I can't imagine that MSC will be too much different.

 

I am really really excited to have Christmas onboard MSC this year!

 

I have written about my experiences of Christmas on a cruise here: http://cruisingisntjustforoldpeople.co.uk/2016/09/30/cruising-at-christmas/

 

Hopefully that'll be of use to you, it does mostly related to NCL but still should help you to get excited!

 

My favourite thing was seeing Santa sail up on a boat besides us, I'll never forget that!

 

 

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What MSC ship are you going on for Christmas this year? Thanks for all the info (and the link to all your details and pictures)!! :D I hope MSC is similar to NCL because it looks awesome there!! I've done a New Years cruise on NCL (on the Epic) but I've never been on a ship for Christmas. I love your comment about no in laws unless you bring them with you then it's your own fault. LOL!!!! :D Even though I'm to old to believe in Santa (I'm 32) I love the story and the magic and I've always wonder how he managed to find people on cruise ships. I'll be looking out for his boat for sure, that would be something not to forget!! About what time did he arrive? Just so I know when to be on deck and keeping an eye out in case they do the same thing on MSC.

[Eleteace]

I can figure out what White Night is and have a couple dresses that will work for that but what do people wear for Flower Power and Italian Nights?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What MSC ship are you going on for Christmas this year? Thanks for all the info (and the link to all your details and pictures)!! :D I hope MSC is similar to NCL because it looks awesome there!! I've done a New Years cruise on NCL (on the Epic) but I've never been on a ship for Christmas. I love your comment about no in laws unless you bring them with you then it's your own fault. LOL!!!! :D Even though I'm to old to believe in Santa (I'm 32) I love the story and the magic and I've always wonder how he managed to find people on cruise ships. I'll be looking out for his boat for sure, that would be something not to forget!! About what time did he arrive? Just so I know when to be on deck and keeping an eye out in case they do the same thing on MSC.

 

 

Ha ha!! Thank you :D

 

I'm cruising on the Meraviglia!! So so so excited. I love cruising at Christmas, the in law thing is definitely a bonus ;)

 

Not sure if 32 is too old to believe in santa, I saw him with my own eyes!!! Around 10am ;) he came onboard and gave presents to the children.

 

(Please stay in touch I want to compare MSC Christmas cruises!!)

 

 

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[Cruisergal1208]

I can figure out what White Night is and have a couple dresses that will work for that but what do people wear for Flower Power and Italian Nights

 

What MSC ship are you going on for Christmas this year? Thanks for all the info (and the link to all your details and pictures)!! :D I hope MSC is similar to NCL because it looks awesome there!! I've done a New Years cruise on NCL (on the Epic) but I've never been on a ship for Christmas. I love your comment about no in laws unless you bring them with you then it's your own fault. LOL!!!! :D Even though I'm to old to believe in Santa (I'm 32) I love the story and the magic and I've always wonder how he managed to find people on cruise ships. I'll be looking out for his boat for sure, that would be something not to forget!! About what time did he arrive? Just so I know when to be on deck and keeping an eye out in case they do the same thing on MSC.

 

Flower power will be the hippy look and colors of the Italian flag for that night.

[Avril]

Ha ha!! Thank you

 

I'm cruising on the Meraviglia!! So so so excited. I love cruising at Christmas, the in law thing is definitely a bonus

 

Not sure if 32 is too old to believe in santa, I saw him with my own eyes!!! Around 10am he came onboard and gave presents to the children.

 

(Please stay in touch I want to compare MSC Christmas cruises!!)

 

Haha, you're welcome!! I'm not married yet so don't have in-laws but I've heard they can be a real PITA, lol. :')

Awesome!! That's their new ship isn't it? This is my 1st MSC cruise so I don't took a lot about their fleet but I think I just recently heard something about the Meraviglia (which I'll never be able to pronounce, haha) being Christened soon which means it's new. It's tons of fun being on a new ship!! I was on the Carnival Vista in October/November last year (it first sailed in May 2016) and it was amazing how perfect and clean it was and it still had that "new ship smell" which I like (same idea as the new car smell but not leather obviously since a ship isn't covered in it, haha). This'll be my 1st Christmas cruise and like you, I am SO SUPER excited!!!! :D It'll be my 8th time being on a ship for New Years, it'll be interesting how MSC does it and how it's the same and/or different from my other New Years cruises.

I guess you're never too old to believe. It'll be a really fun way to get into the spirit. I'm not much of a morning person but I'll have to get up by then to see Santa arrive (if they do that)!! Were you close to an island so they could bring him out in a small boat (like when the Pilot gets on and off entering and leaving a port) or did they have to use one of the ship's lifeboats/tenders(if you were far out to sea)? Christmas will be a sea day for us so I have no idea if we'll be anywhere near land. Aww, they only gave presents to the kids? What about us adults? Haha, just kidding. I wonder if the presents they handed out had been given to them by parents earlier in the cruise or if they were from the cruise line?

They will be so many new things for me to experience on this cruise (a new to me cruise line and ship, all the Christmas activities and events) and I can't wait to try everything!! I'm a huge racing fan (I love NASCAR) so I'm really looking forward to trying the F1 Simulator they have onboard. It'll probably be me and all the 12 year old boys (I'll be a 33 year old girl by then), haha. I don't care, I'll still enjoy it. :D

Of course we can keep in touch!! :D I'd love to compare cruises. You can friend me on that social media site I'm not sure we're allowed to mention here (starts with an F and ends with a K), I'm Avril Birnie. Or, you can email me at assumptionchic@gmail.com

 

Flower power will be the hippy look and colors of the Italian flag for that night.

 

Thanks!! :D I can do the colours of the Italian flag for sure but Flower Power/Hippy look will require a bit more work/thought. I'll figure it out for sure!! :D

[Cruisergal1208]

Thanks!! :D I can do the colours of the Italian flag for sure but Flower Power/Hippy look will require a bit more work/thought. I'll figure it out for sure!! :D

 

For Flower Power, think 60's and 70's floral garb. The wilder the prints and colors the better. Don't worry, lots do not bother to follow the dress for any of these special nights.

[Avril]

For Flower Power, think 60's and 70's floral garb. The wilder the prints and colors the better. Don't worry, lots do not bother to follow the dress for any of these special nights.

 

Thanks, that helps a lot!! :D I can figure something out for that no problem. I know lots of people don't care about or bother with these nights (at least, they don't on the lines I've been with and it sounds like MSC is the same) but I think they're fun and I like to participate and get into the spirit!! :D Will they have any special dress codes (other than probably being Formal Nights) for Christmas and New Years?