Do you like sailing the week of Christmas?

[siestakeys04]

Looking to try a new sailing time. DH would like to take off work during the week of Christmas and this is something we have to finalize this year because he has to put his request in at the end of the year for next year. How was it sailing during that week for you? Kids are not a problem because they are young adults 23/19.

[evandbob]

Pay more for that "premium" week, lots of kids, miss celebrating at home with the rest of the family? Higher airfare and more highway traffic? Not for this cruiser. I prefer earlier in December or later in January for better rates and less kids.

 

Those who post about their holiday cruises seem to love them though. Enjoy yours if you decide to go.

 

JMO, YMMV.

[ricew001]

We did a Disney vacation every year growing up during the week of Christmas. It was phenomenal. Memories for a lifetime that's for sure! Enjoy!

[Roz]

Downsides - ships at maximum capacity due to large number of families sailing, high fares, too many kids hyped up on Santa and sugar and out of control

 

Plus - ship decorated for Christmas, special events and dinners, passengers generally in a holiday mood

 

Personally, I like the weeks in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Few children and lower fares.

 

Roz

[Djptcp]

I agree with Roz. We used to often cruise during holiday weeks when we were working because we could use fewer vacation days. Not worth it for Roz's reasons. Have been retired for several years and live 45 minutes from the Port of Tampa, so we cruise mostly from there and often during the school year when kids are in school. Much more enjoyable.

[buddylover]

Very interested in the responses as well! We have always avoided this time of year due to both cost and the number of kids on board (ours are grown)!

[coldinerie]

I loved it. Ship was decorated for the holidays, fun holiday activities for all of us. Christmas dinner was ramped up a bit. I decorated the cabin and the door to the cabin, packed small Christmas gifts for us too, hung small stockings and got a $1.00 tree from the Dollar Store. It was fun. Yes, more costly, more people, but still I would do it again.

[Badfinger]

Looking to try a new sailing time. DH would like to take off work during the week of Christmas and this is something we have to finalize this year because he has to put his request in at the end of the year for next year. How was it sailing during that week for you? Kids are not a problem because they are young adults 23/19.

 

I would never consider it. Why combine a holiday week and a vacation week? That would be 7 days of fun. Celebrate Christmas and then take a cruise later....14 days of fun.

[elcuchio24]

Looking to try a new sailing time. DH would like to take off work during the week of Christmas and this is something we have to finalize this year because he has to put his request in at the end of the year for next year. How was it sailing during that week for you? Kids are not a problem because they are young adults 23/19.

 

we love it personally. Love the extras with decorations, special food, etc. It will be busy, and there will be alot of kids. But its been great for us.

[siestakeys04]

We did a Disney vacation every year growing up during the week of Christmas. It was phenomenal. Memories for a lifetime that's for sure! Enjoy!

 

That was also another option to go to Disney I know it will be very crowded.

[siestakeys04]

Very interested in the responses as well! We have always avoided this time of year due to both cost and the number of kids on board (ours are grown)!

 

Exactly, son is in college and I would sail early December but DH wants the holidays off next year. I get holidays off anyway because I work for our school system.

[GradUT]

We cruised with our young adult children over Christmas one year and it was great! (But we sailed on Princess, not Carnival.) The ship was lovely and there were many special events such as a carol-singing program by the crew, gingerbread house-making, and a Christmas Eve champagne reception.

 

On sea days, we each did as we liked and on port days, I arranged for excursions such as snorkeling in Honduras and touring Mayan ruins in Belize. And we always met for dinner.

 

It was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable Christmases that

I have ever had. BUT, I would not choose to do this on a Carnival cruise because there would be too many young children. On the Princess cruise, there were kids, but not a great number of them.

[A&Jfamily]

Christmas on Carnival is a very family oriented cruise. My early teen son did not enjoy the program as much because they were focused on the show - not exactly something a 12 year old athletic boy cares anything about. So for him, that was a downside but it was offset by being on vacation.

 

I enjoyed it very much with all the activities. I took a collapsible tree, stockings, light gel clings - and a whole suitcase of presents and wrapping for the kids. But sunny and 85 just doesn't feel like a traditional Christmas to me.

[summersigh]

We did it once and LOVED it :D. I was still teaching and in need of a relaxing vacation. Our son was grown and planned to spend the day at his fiancee's home. We had a big holiday dinner with he and his fiancee the the night before we left - sending all the leftovers home with them.

 

 

Pre-cruise I mearly sent Christmas cards and put a wreath on the front door of the house. I made one double batch of our favorite Christmas cookies. That was it .... and a lovely break from all the annual holiday chores. I bought everyone in the family gift cards for their favorite shopping venues and sent them out in special cards/envelopes.

 

 

 

The ship was decorated beautifully. There were special Christmas events aboard. It was fantastic to walk into the special Christmas Eve and Christmas day meals - eat what we wanted - and walk away.... no shopping, cooking or clean-up. :D:D

 

 

Not sure I'd want to do it every year but it was a wonderfully relaxing time for me!!!!

[nunuc2000]

We love it! We've done it several times with cherished family, combined as a B2B with New Year's Eve, and we will again this year. It's so festive and fun and it means I'm cruising on my birthday (Christmas Day) and not having to cook or clean. We live in the great white north, so getting away in the middle of winter is awesome too!!

 

 

But there are definitely more kids... you just have to go into it knowing that. :)

[ZoeyVictoria]

Downsides - ships at maximum capacity due to large number of families sailing, high fares, too many kids hyped up on Santa and sugar and out of control

 

Plus - ship decorated for Christmas, special events and dinners, passengers generally in a holiday mood

 

Personally, I like the weeks in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Few children and lower fares.

 

Roz

 

This is exactly how I feel, with the addition of it being difficult to walk around the ship because of the large family groups vs. couples.

[jdoc2010]

We are cruising during Christmas this year, our first time going the week of Christmas. We have cruised the week before Christmas, the ship is decorated from the beginning of December through NYEs. Activites look to be the same throughout the month of December.

 

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[winddawn]

Looking to try a new sailing time. DH would like to take off work during the week of Christmas and this is something we have to finalize this year because he has to put his request in at the end of the year for next year. How was it sailing during that week for you? Kids are not a problem because they are young adults 23/19.

 

Yes! It's great to get away that week because you can walk away from the holiday stress, with excitement instead, and know you've got a week of fun in front of you. You can leave the holiday decorating and cooking to someone else. Be aware though the ship demographic will be lots of families (so more kids). I had a tradition for years of cruising over Christmas and loved it.

 

P.S. It's also a great excuse to get away from certain holiday obligations you otherwise dread. You can define that for yourself and your situation. Have fun instead. Go download, "All I Want for Christmas is a Real Good Tan" by Kenny Chesney, book that cruise, and have fun anticipating the holiday for a change!

 

Best wishes for a great holiday cruise!

[Lottacruises]

Yes, but any other time also.

 

Christmas is fun, there are alot of kids but alot of activities for them too.

[Gamecock_Cruiser]

We took a 4 day cruise between Christmas and New Year of 2017. I don't think I will do that again due to the cost. The only reason that we did was so we could sail with our friends. We are about to book a 6 night balcony during October for less than we paid for a 4 night port hole to Nassau.

[Aubreysmom09]

We sailed during Christmas this year. Our 8 year old turned 8 on the cruise, and Christmas. She loved every minute of it, and now wants to do that every year. Their are a lot of holiday activities going on for kids and adults. We aren't doing it this year due to having a cruise in 2 weeks and then another during spring break. We will do another one in 2019.

[pjhootch]

We have done it with and without grown kids. We like it a lot. It does cost more and is full of kids. The kids have not been a problem that particular week although there are a lot of them. Very relaxed and enjoyable.

[BTromboneFrack]

We have sailed the last five Christmas or New Year's weeks, and are going again this Christmas. I am a teacher and REALLY need the break, so its always good to see land just disappear on the horizon as we sail off. The cost is a downside for sure. Another thing that I notice is that it gets dark faster than the summer, so we miss a daylight sail-away. We haven't noticed the extra crowds, but have loved the decorated ships - even the ones docked next to us. Carnival seems to ramp things up on the holidays. Its great to sit out on your balcony with some wine as another ship pulls out and you get to see all of their decorations too. Since our kids are grown, out of state, and can't come back home, its REALLY nice to have someone else decorate for you and put it all away when you're done. Simple question for us.... Christmas in the Caribbean?--- or Christmas in Michigan with 20 degree weather?------ NO BRAINER.

[aislin_raina]

Lots of good points here, however we (just the 2 of us) have cruised the last 3 Christmases and loved it!

[hamatsea]

Done 2 Christmas cruises and loved them. Decorated cabin and ourselves on Christmas Eve mist of the MDR diners decked out in holiday tees lights around their necks and great stupid hats whenever pricevworks we will do it again

 

 

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