Christmas cruise

[leprechaun2]

Does anyone have ideas of how to celebrate a family Christmas at sea? Ideas for gifts, decorations, etc. I would really like the cabin and day to be festive, but packing has its limits. What about ideas for children including the Santa believers? Do the air and ship security people allow wrapped packages either in checked baggage or carry on? Any ideas and suggestions on activities, etc. will be appreciated.

[npal]

We sailed Mexican Riviera over Christmas 2 years ago. we went with my sisters' and brothers' families. I brought a felt Christmas door hanger for each of the rooms to hang on the outside doors. It added festivity and made finding your room easier. We also did gifts by each bringing a gift about $15-$25.00 and played "Dirty Santa" Christmas Eve. We found a nice area of the ship with a lot of chairs and commadered it for the evening. Dirty Santa is, each person draws a number. The one who gets # 1 gets to pick what ever gift he wants. # 2 gets to take any gift left or he can take # 1's gift. #3 gets any gift or can take # 1or #2's gift ect.... Each gift can only be stolen twice and then it is out of circulation, and that person gets to keep it. It was a a lot of fun.

 

My sister and brother had children and they brought each of them 1 or 2 choice gifts ( small of course ) I think one got an Ipod, Jewelry, ect. The ship was decorated beautiful. and they sang Christmas Carols with Eggnog Christmas eve. I also brought a Few Santa hats that we wore Christmas Eve.

 

It was a wonderful cruise wish I could do it again sometime!!!!:)

[Drink-in-Hand/Toes-in-Sand]

We also cruised Christmas with the family and thought it was a wonderful change. I'd do it again in a heartbeat to escape the stress of the holidays. We all dressed up for Christmas Eve dinner in the dining room, and everyone sang carols. We also had hot chocolate on deck Christmas morning wearing our Santa hats. I brought along a few small tokens and gifted our tablemates with a little remembrance. Of course, one couple was Jewish but they played right along and accepted our good wishes.

 

We brought a few gifts on board (the smaller ones) and arranged to have a small tabletop Christmas tree in the cabin from the gift catalog. It was great because when we went to dinner we'd leave the tree lights plugged in and come back to a way cool nightlight. :D The door hanger is also a great idea!

 

I don't have children but I remember Santa paying a visit to the kids in the Adventure Ocean program. And of course he was a presence in the Centrum as well. We loved the Christmas cruise and every year I try and convince the family to do it again. I think when the nieces and nephews are older we will.

[texancruzer]

For some of the older kids....or even adults..... if they have a "large" gift waiting for them at home.....one that won't fit in a suitcase ~

 

take a picture of the item and wrap up the picture.... then they will know it is waiting for them when they get home :D

[Happy ks]

We've gone on a couple of Christmas cruises, love them, wish we could cruise every year at Christmas.

 

The cruise is our gift to ourselves, so we don't exchange gifts between us. For our kids, we have them open gifts at home before we leave. Partially because some of the things we've gotten them are to be available for use on the trip (Ipods, DVD player, DVD's, clothes).

 

I have taken their stockings along for Christmas morning, I fill it with needless junk, just like at home. I've always just put them into the checked suitcase, but we have driven to port. If you're flying, you cannot wrap gifts.

[RevSmith]

Thanks for all the great ideas I am also going on a Christmas cruise this year and am taking a small table tree...something on the door is also a great idea....as far as gifts go...we don't do them...but gift certificates, cash or credit on your sea pass are easy things to do. You can also go shopping in the different ports and have the children pick out gifts from there...they can be shipped home.

Rev

[cb at sea]

A Christmas cruise seems to me, to take the place of the whole Christmas stress! I'm not sure I'd do it with small kids because of the Santa-thing, but for adults, the cruise should be the present! (JMO--I find Christmas stressful and depressing, since the kids are all grown)

[uksimonusa]

We were on the Grandeur Christmas 2005, we took a small $10 fibre optic christmas tree for the cabin, some small gifts for our DD, and a picture of the puppy, that was waiting to be picked up for her Christmas present when we got home.

 

On Christmas morning, the captain came on the loadspeaker, sating that they had spotted a blip on the radar, and had shut down one engine, in case the blip was Santa and he needed to use the funnell. Sure enough about 1/2 an hour later, Santa was on the pool deck handing out presents. A really sweet gesture for the young kids travelling.:D

[Happy ks]

A Christmas cruise seems to me, to take the place of the whole Christmas stress! I'm not sure I'd do it with small kids because of the Santa-thing, but for adults, the cruise should be the present! (JMO--I find Christmas stressful and depressing, since the kids are all grown)

 

 

Santa has found his way onto the ship both times we've cruised at Christmas :)

[iriemon]

Does anyone have ideas of how to celebrate a family Christmas at sea? Ideas for gifts, decorations, etc. I would really like the cabin and day to be festive, but packing has its limits. What about ideas for children including the Santa believers? Do the air and ship security people allow wrapped packages either in checked baggage or carry on? Any ideas and suggestions on activities, etc. will be appreciated.

 

We go on a Christmas cruise quite often and really enjoy it. It is so festive and the best part is they wait on you instead of rushing around to serve everyone else. We bring wrapping paper to cover our door with some ribbon and a great big bow. We usually bring a table top tree and decorate it with umbrellas from the drinks (our children are adults so they help). We celebrate Christmas early at home and if it is a year we are going away we put up a lit palm tree as our tree - we are in the midwest so this is not very common! On years that we can't get away over Christmas because it is expensive to go that time of year, we go in May and we move our Christmas to May that year with the tree in the cabin! Since this is everyone's christmas present whether we go in Dec or May. You will have a ball.

[jallison8378]

Been on 3 Christmas cruises with the fam, but the one we went on this past December took the cake.

 

My parents treated me, my fiance, and my brother to a Caribbean cruise the week of Christmas. (I have the best parents on the face of the Earth, if you hadn't gathered :) .) The bro's girlfriend came along, too (bro paid her way). The cruise was their gift to us, and we ["kids"] decided to exchange gifts and give our gifts to our parents AFTER we returned from the cruise. (We did this when my brother and I were younger, as well... no need to lug Christmas gifts on board!)

 

Well, my mom packed a miniature tree in a suitcase, along with mini-ornaments and a little strand of lights. She set it up in her room, and every night her and my dad would host a "cocktail party" for everyone before dinner. (She smuggled lots of liquor, but that's a diff. thread :D ) That way, we got into the Christmas spirit every evening (even though it was 90 degrees outside).

 

Then, the fun stuff: to get even more in the Christmas mood, we decided to pick a name out of a hat on the first night of the cruise. (Including my uncle, there were 7 of us in all.) What ever name we got, we were to buy an [inexpensive] gift for that person to exchange on Christmas. We put a limit of $20 on the gift (not everyone followed that, but no one complained), and tried to buy gifts that weren't tacky yet could still serve as a souvenir from one of the ports. It was a great idea. We had so much fun opening the gifts, and I absolutely loved the necklace and earrings my mom bought me in the Bahamas. :)

 

You could probably go the "Secret Santa" route with kids, too. Growing up, a Christmas cruise was always the gift from my parents and my brother and I didn't expect tons of other gifts. If the kids are used to lots of gifts on top of the cruise, then it might not work so well.

[leprechaun2]

WOW!!! I knew I could count on this terrific board for some great ideas for celebrating Christmas at Sea. Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions.

Caroline

[rtrtx2]

We are thinking about this cruise too! We usually travel every other year for Christmas, although this would be the first on a cruise. In the past we have packed a suitcase with the wrapped gifts, our sons were none the wiser. Our last holiday trip was to Vegas/Grand Canyon (our sons were 15 & 13), once again we packed gifts in luggage, I also brought a small 2 ft tree, the ones that are all one piece. In lieu of regular decorations, we found things on our trip to decorate with (we stayed at the luxor and they had shower caps boxed in pyramid shaped boxes which we used. Actually brought one home and turned it into a decoration for future years. Also found this cheap braclet of dice, we really had fun being creative) Like someone else mentioned, I wrappedd photos of larger items (like the basketball net that was waiting at home).