Holiday Festivities

[drizzle63]

Can anyone share what can be expected holiday decoration and festivity-wise cruising between Thanksgiving and Christmas? Thanks.

Edited October 5, 2023 by drizzle63

[trvlwrld]

Each ship varies tremendously!  Last year to Hawaii I barely knew it was Christmas…other ships it’s been everything from full-on to minimal…wonder who’s in charge of each ship’s holiday celebration?

Edited October 6, 2023 by trvlwrld
Grammar

[karatemom2]

We have done a number of Christmas cruises on Princess on a few different ships and typically the decorations are beautifully done, especially in the Atrium. Christmas trees throughout the ship, lots of festive touches everywhere with garland and lights. Activity wise, especially the week of Christmas there is usually a gingerbread house decorating contest, some holiday arts and crafts, caroling - sometimes with the onboard singers leading. One year they had a caroling group that performed in old English costume. On Christmas day, Santa visits and the kids have a host of activities, arts and crafts, cookie decorating, etc. We have loved our holiday cruises and found that Princess does a good job of making it festive.

[jwattle]

Great timing! Today on the TA webinar they discussed at length, and the gentleman in charge of Cruise Directors overall was quite detailed. There will be trees, decorations, holiday caroling in the piazza, storytime for the kiddos on Christmas Eve, gingerbread house competition (I believe Christmas Eve or Day), ornament making, holiday shows from Dec. 8, and many more!

[drizzle63]

Thanks everyone! I’m on the Crown 12/12-22 and sounds like there will be some holdiay spirit 🎄. Cheers 🥂

[drizzle63]

10 minutes ago, jwattle said:

Great timing! Today on the TA webinar they discussed at length, and the gentleman in charge of Cruise Directors overall was quite detailed. There will be trees, decorations, holiday caroling in the piazza, storytime for the kiddos on Christmas Eve, gingerbread house competition (I believe Christmas Eve or Day), ornament making, holiday shows from Dec. 8, and many more!

Great! Packing our ugly Christmas sweaters. 

[Host CJSKIDS]

59 minutes ago, jwattle said:

Great timing! Today on the TA webinar they discussed at length, and the gentleman in charge of Cruise Directors overall was quite detailed. There will be trees, decorations, holiday caroling in the piazza, storytime for the kiddos on Christmas Eve, gingerbread house competition (I believe Christmas Eve or Day), ornament making, holiday shows from Dec. 8, and many more!

 

Thanks for the info.  I've been on before with the holiday decorations but it will be fun to see a holiday show. 

[cheetosrevil]

I wouldn't expect any decorations or activities between the holidays. IME those are saved for the actual cruise dates.

[caribill]

4 hours ago, cheetosrevil said:

I wouldn't expect any decorations or activities between the holidays. IME those are saved for the actual cruise dates.

 

Pre-Covid, decorations started going up soon after Thanksgiving.

 

This was done by an outside company on turn-around-days.

 

Not sure how it is being done since the restart.

[Wayfarer9]

I'm on board for halloween this year, I am wondering if they will have a themed night or anything?

 

Anyone had this experience?

[chrysalis]

6 minutes ago, Wayfarer9 said:

I'm on board for halloween this year, I am wondering if they will have a themed night or anything?

 

Anyone had this experience?

Yes,...crew will dress up and so will some passengers. There will be special displays around the ship, and perhaps a themed dinner menu. Some ships will have a costume contest in the Piazza in the evening.

[voljeep]

the CB arrives and departs on Halloween in Port Everglades.  Not expecting much in the way of decorations.  I don't remember much about our Thanksgiving cruise last year in regards to decorating, just a full dinner menu

[Parrottdizes]

We were on the Enchanted Princess last December (9th to the 19th) and the ship was decorated for Christmas. Plus one evening the crew sang holiday songs!

We also have been on several cruises over Halloween and the ship was decorated for that.

 

[MissP22]

6 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Pre-Covid, decorations started going up soon after Thanksgiving.

 

This was done by an outside company on turn-around-days.

 

Not sure how it is being done since the restart.

Pretty much the same routine. Some of the crew prepare the ship with additional decorations, but the majority is done by an outside company. 

[jwattle]

5 hours ago, voljeep said:

the CB arrives and departs on Halloween in Port Everglades.  Not expecting much in the way of decorations.  I don't remember much about our Thanksgiving cruise last year in regards to decorating, just a full dinner menu

I remember last year, on here, someone was sailing in Australia, and was cheesed that there were 20 Americans on an Australian cruise in Australian waters but there wasn't a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner offered. Not sure if they asked for one, but I know that we aren't expecting it this year on Majestic (she'll have been doing Oz/New Zealand runs for a couple of weeks when we board for  November). 

If we were stateside, I'd have different expectations, but...

 

Edited October 6, 2023 by jwattle