Have you sailed on a New Year's Cruse?

[rkacruiser]

If so, please share your experiences and memories.  

[rkacruiser]

I have been privileged to enjoy New Year's Eve/Day on a few cruises.  I will start with the most chaotic experience that I have had.

 

The current Royal Princess:  a Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale.  

 

A beautiful ship with Christmas decorations still in place and several venues that offered New Year's Eve celebrations.  A quiet celebration with appropriate music was available in the Lounge that was next to specialty steakhouse.  The main event was scheduled for the Atrium at Midnight.  Music--good music and lots of it--with a balloon drop took place at Midnight.  Lots of fun.  Except, if one had found a seat around the Atrium and left it for any reason during the festivities, the seat would be gone.  None of the bars around the Atrium had seats that opened during the Midnight event.  I snagged a seat at a table in a Lounge and shared the other seats with two pleasant ladies; flagged down a harried Steward to get some beverages; and stayed there throughout the balloon drop.  My view was seeing the balloons drop.  Nothing more.  It was an interesting experience for me.  

 

Moral of my story:  if you sail on a large ship that will have such a balloon drop event at Midnight, capture your seat well before the event begins and don't expect to leave your seat for any reason unless someone is with you to "defend" your territory.  

[rkacruiser]

Another New Year's Eve story:

 

New Year's Eve on the Volendam in 2019; the main party was held in the Show Lounge with furniture moved and some carpeting removed to allow for dancing to occur.  Music was live.  At Midnight, there was the usual countdown and on the video screen behind the musicians, an image appeared that said "Happy New Year 2019"!  Oops!  Given how 2020 turned out, maybe it would have been better for everyone if their was a repeat of 2019.  

 

Other than that, it was a great party with good music with lots of people dancing including the Captain's wife,  the balloon drop, and flutes of sparkling wine being distributed.  I was in an area of the Lounge where the Stewards were preparing the flutes for distribution and had no problem of getting refills.  

[Santiago Sister]

Today is my Birthday, so I tease that the whole world is partying in celebration and for the new year. We went on Royal Princess to the Mexican coast and loved see the great festivities, ice sculpture saying 2019, before we really knew what 2020 was going to bring! So glad we went, and we hope our next one in April 2022 this year will be great too!

IMG_4164.HEIC IMG_4193.HEIC

[rkacruiser]

On 12/31/2021 at 8:28 PM, Santiago Sister said:

Today is my Birthday, so I tease that the whole world is partying in celebration

 

A belated Happy Birthday!  

[rkacruiser]

Another New Year's Eve story:  Prinsendam, 2015.

 

The ship was sailing in the Atlantic Time Zone on New Year's Eve.  The main NYE party was held in the Showroom with live music, dancing, and a small buffet set up near the entrance of the Lounge.  

 

Preceding this, one of the two music groups performed in the Ocean Bar which was just aft of the Showroom.  Good music with many of us on the dance floor before we moved to the NYE party in the Showroom.  At Midnight, a balloon drop with all of the other expected treats:  noise makers, hats/crowns, and free flowing sparkling wine.  As that party wined down, we were invited to return to the Ocean Bar where a big screen TV had been set up with another musical group playing.  The TV was tuned to New York's Time Square Celebration and we celebrated the start of 2016 a second time!  More dancing including staff members, as they were coming off duty, joining the party.  It's the most fun that I have ever had on a New Year's Eve!  

 

Somehow, I found my way "home", i.e. to my stateroom.  My journal reminds me that the clock said it was 2:00 A. M. AST and the party in the Ocean Bar was still going strong.  

[lassie21]

Yes, and it was one of my favorite New Year’s of all time! In my opinion, being on a cruise to celebrate New Year’s Eve should be on everyone’s bucket list. What better way to bring in the new year than with all the food, drink and entertainment that is available on a cruise ship, made even more fun by not having to worry about driving home ? ! We were on the Carnival Paradise for New Year’s Eve ringing in 2016. We were a group of approximately 14 of all ages and everyone had a terrific time. Carnival did it up right with lots of New Year’s Eve decorations including party hats and favors on the dinner table and a celebration and balloon drop at midnight.We were certainly not the youngest in our group, and even we were up till 4 AM taking advantage of all the celebrations on the ship. We boarded wearing black T-shirts we had made for our group that said “Cruising into 2016” Everyone loved our shirts and kept asking where they could buy them! I would do another New Year’s Eve cruise in a heartbeat, I can’t recommend it enough.

[ski ww]

We did three different New Years Eve cruises, one was the first cruise my wife & I did 34 years ago and the last one was 2017 with our 7 year old great grand daughter in 2017. My wife was sound asleep we wandered around the ship.

 

[rkacruiser]

10 hours ago, ski ww said:

We did three different New Years Eve cruises, one was the first cruise my wife & I did 34 years ago and the last one was 2017 with our 7 year old great grand daughter in 2017. My wife was sound asleep we wandered around the ship.

 

 

Great pictures!  On what HAL ship were they taken?  Thanks for sharing!  

[ski ww]

That was the Eurodam

[Haljo1935]

Carnival Holiday waaaaay back (early 90s). We were on ship Christmas Day and New Years Day.

Each port, plus the ship, was decorated for Christmas.

I know there was a New Years celebration, but don't remember what it was.

Highly recommend doing a New Years cruise if you're able.

Edited February 27, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[ceeceeDee]

We saw 2017 in on a cruise in the South Pacific. What a blast. Ended up with THREE celebrations. Once for local time, once for Queensland time and once for Australian daylight saving time. So the festivities began at midnight for local time and just kept right on going.

[1BDNANA]

My favorite cruises have been New Years cruises. I was on the Carnival Freedom watching the fireworks as we sailed away from Porta Rico 2007/08 and then super party on the ship. I also went on the Carnival Mardi Gras 2022/23 and had the best time of my life. The champagne flows, party favors for everyone and fun and dancing into the wee hours of the new year. Times square countdown on the big screen.