Holidays on Board

[godde8ss]

Hello! We are currently booked for both a Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve cruise (and hoping we get to go!). Can anyone share any specifics from past Princess sailings on the special, on-board activities for these holidays? Thank yoU!

[cruisequeen4ever]

I haven’t done Thanksgiving aboard but have done New Year’s and absolutely love it! The evening begins with a formal night dinner; they distribute paper tiaras and hats to everyone. Then at around 10:30 PM, the festivities begin. On a big ship, there are multiple parties in various locales like the pool deck having the DJ, the Piazza having their band, and a lounge having another kind of music option. The countdown is posted on MUTS. A display is shown of where other Princess ships are celebrating around the world, too. Lots of champagne is for sale. There’s a midnight buffet with fun appetizers and treats. The party goes as long as people are dancing. Have a blast!

[cruzsnooze]

How could anyone know with new CDC rules for social distancing and a smaller passenger capacity.  Since a vaccine is not going to be available until next year who knows if your two sailings will even be a go. Just keep your fingers crossed  your sailings aren't cancelled in this uncertainty.   

[godde8ss]

2 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

How could anyone know with new CDC rules for social distancing and a smaller passenger capacity.  Since a vaccine is not going to be available until next year who knows if your two sailings will even be a go. Just keep your fingers crossed  your sailings aren't cancelled in this uncertainty.   

Yea, I think that goes without saying in the current environment.

[Thrak]

Princess has absolutely zero idea about a traditional US Thanksgiving dinner. How is it even possible to screw up pumpkin pie? It's one of the most simple things there is but Princess can't figure out how to make the stuff. We've been aboard for Thanksgiving and it was nothing special. We did find some decent turkey and stuff later in the evening in the buffet though. There's no way I'd order their Thanksgiving dinner in MDR.

 

Easter was good onboard and Halloween was pretty cool. Lots of costumed passengers and crew. We don't dress up but there were some pretty good costumes to be seen.

 

 

 

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

I haven’t done Thanksgiving aboard but have done New Year’s and absolutely love it! The evening begins with a formal night dinner; they distribute paper tiaras and hats to everyone. Then at around 10:30 PM, the festivities begin. On a big ship, there are multiple parties in various locales like the pool deck having the DJ, the Piazza having their band, and a lounge having another kind of music option. The countdown is posted on MUTS. A display is shown of where other Princess ships are celebrating around the world, too. Lots of champagne is for sale. There’s a midnight buffet with fun appetizers and treats. The party goes as long as people are dancing. Have a blast!

 

This is an excellent description of what I experienced on New Year's Eve on Royal Princess.  On that night, too many of the guests (in my opinion) chose the celebration in the Piazza with the balloon drop.  It was a mass of humanity.  If one was able to find a seat, one dared not leave it to get a drink because another body would be occupying it when one returned.  If there was a midnight buffet, I was unaware of it.  Besides, having had such a late dinner that night, the tummy was not ready for more food.   

[godde8ss]

37 minutes ago, Thrak said:

Princess has absolutely zero idea about a traditional US Thanksgiving dinner. How is it even possible to screw up pumpkin pie? It's one of the most simple things there is but Princess can't figure out how to make the stuff. We've been aboard for Thanksgiving and it was nothing special. We did find some decent turkey and stuff later in the evening in the buffet though. There's no way I'd order their Thanksgiving dinner in MDR.

 

Easter was good onboard and Halloween was pretty cool. Lots of costumed passengers and crew. We don't dress up but there were some pretty good costumes to be seen.

 

 

 

That is hilarious about the pumpkin pie...

[Thrak]

2 minutes ago, godde8ss said:

That is hilarious about the pumpkin pie...

 

I've made an excellent "pumpkin" pie out of a large banana squash. Any squash will make the same dang pie. It's just the spices that give it flavor. It boggles the mind that Princess can't get it right. (Of course I'm also used to my wife's fantastically light and flaky pie crust...) When I was very young pumpkin pie was my favorite. These days I actually prefer a nice deep-dish apple pie. Our oldest son bought my wife a beautiful ($85!) deep dish pie pan. She makes wonderful pie. When we have the huge family Thanksgiving dinner I am "required" to bring walnut pie. It's like pecan pie but I use walnuts as they are a local crop. I think I might be lynched if I didn't bring that pie.

[rkacruiser]

37 minutes ago, Thrak said:

Easter was good onboard

 

I celebrated Easter aboard the original Royal Princess and your photos reminded me of the nice displays that were placed in the Atrium outside of the Dining Room.  It was a very appropriate celebration of Easter.

 

I remain most pleased with the thoughtfulness of Princess in hiring a retired ordained Minister to conduct a most meaningful Good Friday service.  The gentleman planned for an open deck Easter Sunrise service that had to be moved into the Horizon Lounge because of the strong winds.  Later in the morning, an aft deck Easter ecumenical service was held with the Protestant Minister, the Catholic Priest, and the Master of Royal Princess participating.  Princess's planning for my holiday aboard Royal Princess was commendable. 

[pms4104]

12 minutes ago, godde8ss said:

That is hilarious about the pumpkin pie...

Yep, their pumpkin pie is really bland and blonde in color, as I doubt there are any spices in the pie.  I further believe that it was commercially prepared and not baked fresh onboard ... like recent breadstix, french toast, waffles ... low-quality all. 

[Ombud]

Hannukah was phenomenal! We had an entire room just the celebration. They wanted to only put a menorah at PSD

but 2 of us asked for flowers, sufanyot, latkes, fruit, raw veggies, and beverages. And got it!! 

Next night as they started setting it up. Captain, CD, and a Head Waiter showed up later to make sure we were happy

 

[tere247]

We’ve cruised for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, St Patrick’s day and Easter. This New Years will be a first for us.  Christmas is my favorite.  
One Thanksgiving they made a giving tree where you wrote what you are thankful for on color paper leaves.  Same as we have the kids do in Religious Education.  
This picture is from this past Thanksgiving on the Crown Princess, as well as our menu.

[caribill]

8 hours ago, Thrak said:

Princess has absolutely zero idea about a traditional US Thanksgiving dinner.

 

Usually on the last evening of a cruise they have a turkey entrée on the dining room menu.

 

On Thanksgiving they offer this same entrée.

 

[jennybenny]

Have done both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I find that Thanksgiving isn't too festive, or not as festive looking as Christmas. For Thanksgiving they have turkey dinner in the MDR, but it doesn't seem like a big holiday otherwise. 

 

Christmas however is very festive. Big gingerbread house display outside of the International Cafe, lots of trees with lights are decorated around the ship. Lots of activities you can sign up for, they are first come first served, so check the patter for the sign up date/time. Gingerbread houses where the whole family can participate, people even bring their own props! The kids had a cake decorating day, $15 fee, I think for that. Christmas and NYE cruise combos are my favorite! Hoping to make our cruise this year, but who knows what will happen. 

[Kay.redmann]

21 hours ago, Thrak said:

Princess has absolutely zero idea about a traditional US Thanksgiving dinner. How is it even possible to screw up pumpkin pie? It's one of the most simple things there is but Princess can't figure out how to make the stuff. We've been aboard for Thanksgiving and it was nothing special. We did find some decent turkey and stuff later in the evening in the buffet though. There's no way I'd order their Thanksgiving dinner in MDR.

 

Easter was good onboard and Halloween was pretty cool. Lots of costumed passengers and crew. We don't dress up but there were some pretty good costumes to be seen.

 

 

 

I am hoping to be on my Hawaii cruise next Easter - I was hoping that the boat would have some things planned - thanks for the photos...

[potatofish]

Does Princess decorate the ship just for the Christmas cruise or do they for the whole month of December?

[memoak]

Turkey is one of the dishes that Princess does not do well. Order any other entree and you will be happy   I would not count on any holiday cruises till 2021

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, potatofish said:

Does Princess decorate the ship just for the Christmas cruise or do they for the whole month of December?

 

Usually, the decorations are placed well before the Christmas holiday.  The exact date/cruise probably depends on the Hotel Director's decision.  The date these decorations come down varies as well.  On HAL, I have seen them in place for several days after New Year's Day.  On one cruise, on January 2nd, they were gone when the decorations had been in place the day before.

[Thrak]

2 hours ago, memoak said:

Turkey is one of the dishes that Princess does not do well. Order any other entree and you will be happy   I would not count on any holiday cruises till 2021

 

You can get the same turkey dinner at any local diner. It's nothing special.

[polmcs]

I’ve done multiple Thanksgiving cruises on Princess. They usually have a formal evening on that date and as has been pointed out, they will serve roast turkey. Being formal evening, there is usually steak and lobster available as well, so I always pass on the turkey. 🙂

 

I’ve done two Christmas and New Year cruises on Princess. One year, we were about 9hrs behind UK time, so at 3PM the festivities started with a party at Skywalkers. Some officers were present and they turned on the TVs above the bar and we watched midnight strike in the UK. That was a long day as I think I got to bed around 3AM  and thankfully I had an AIBP that was not limited to 15 drinks, or I would have been dry by around 9PM as we also celebrated midnight EST, CST, MST and PST before getting to our own New Year.

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, polmcs said:

we also celebrated midnight EST, CST, MST and PST before getting to our own New Year.

 

I had a similar experience on the Prinsendam.  The ship was sailing in the Atlantic Time Zone at Midnight and we celebrated the New Year then in the ship's Main Theater.  The party then moved to the Ocean Bar, just aft of the Theater.  More music with off duty staff participating with line dancing, more snacks and beverages, a big screen TV set up tuned to New York's Time Square the watch "the ball drop" at Midnight.  It was the most festive New Year's Eve that I have ever experienced.

[sewgood]

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Usually, the decorations are placed well before the Christmas holiday.  The exact date/cruise probably depends on the Hotel Director's decision.  The date these decorations come down varies as well.  On HAL, I have seen them in place for several days after New Year's Day.  On one cruise, on January 2nd, they were gone when the decorations had been in place the day before.

One cruise about 5 years ago in early December the decorations were put up the day we were in Auckland. Two women had been flown out from the US.

In talking to them we found out that they were putting up the decorations on all the Carnival Umbrella ships (HAL, P&O Australia, Cunard and Princess) as they called into Auckland. This is a busy time for New Zealand cruises usually from Australia.

I love the way Princess has it's atrium decorated for Christmas, especially the curved staircases.

[polmcs]

1 hour ago, sewgood said:

One cruise about 5 years ago in early December the decorations were put up the day we were in Auckland. Two women had been flown out from the US.

In talking to them we found out that they were putting up the decorations on all the Carnival Umbrella ships (HAL, P&O Australia, Cunard and Princess) as they called into Auckland. This is a busy time for New Zealand cruises usually from Australia.

I love the way Princess has it's atrium decorated for Christmas, especially the curved staircases.

We usually find that Princess switch to their Christmas decorations on turnaround day after The Thanksgiving Cruise ends. We once did a b2b on the Regal with the first week being the Thanksgiving week. Come turnaround in FLL a whole crew of decorators came on board and took down the turkey stuff and set up the Christmas decorations, so we got to see the transformation in action. 

[Thrak]

12 hours ago, polmcs said:

We usually find that Princess switch to their Christmas decorations on turnaround day after The Thanksgiving Cruise ends. We once did a b2b on the Regal with the first week being the Thanksgiving week. Come turnaround in FLL a whole crew of decorators came on board and took down the turkey stuff and set up the Christmas decorations, so we got to see the transformation in action. 

 

We disembarked on November 5th and they were taking down the Halloween stuff and putting up Christmas stuff that day.

[Dee_Jay]

We were on Royal Princess last year from Nov. 30 to Dec. 5.  It was fun walking around the ship each morning to see what new decorations had 'magically' appeared overnight.