Sunday, March 31, 2024

5 Best Christmas and Holiday Cruises

christmas cruise

Expect a feast of roast Norfolk turkey with all the trimmings and traditional Christmas pudding. After you gawk at the stunning Christmas tree in the Grand Lobby, you can visit the onboard luxury shops (like Liberty of London, Garrard jewelers, and more) to pick up last-minute gifts for your loved ones. Itineraries include the line's famous transatlantic crossings on the Queen Mary 2 in addition to other regional journeys across the globe, from Australia and New Zealand to the Caribbean and the Canary Islands.

christmas cruise

Holiday celebrations at sea

A sophisticated British cruise line, Cunard takes an elevated approach to the holidays. Here, champagne is served in elegant crystal, and afternoon tea is accompanied by stollen and other traditional European Christmas cakes. Soak up the splendor of the onboard gingerbread village or sip eggnog as you enjoy deckside traditions like Christmas carolers, mince pies, and visits from Santa. Skansen's Christmas market is ultra-traditional - it has been held since 1903 annually. Skansen is like outdoor cultural museum, it's historic, so you'll see how a Christmas market during the 1800's looked in Sweden.

Christmas Cruises 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 New Year's Eve

This trip departing from Long Beach, California is perfectly balanced with time to enjoy onboard amenities and Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Our Grand Lobby is the heart of each ship and, every December, home to a beautiful tree adorned with traditional decorations. Holiday sailings to the Caribbean also vary in length, from quick four-day itineraries to the Bahamas to 10-day cruises around the Eastern Caribbean. If your goal for Christmas or Hanukkah is to skip both the cold and the kitchen, a cruise in the Caribbean might be to your liking. The warm weather can be a welcoming change from winter at home, and you may find spending your winter holiday on a cruise ship a far more relaxing experience than a family reunion on land.

Holiday Celebration Cruises

If you can't make it to the presale, though, on July 21 at 2 pm EST bookings will open to the general public. From exploring living nativity sets in Baden-Baden to sampling crepes, sausages, baguettes, and chocolates in Colmar, this cruise promises an itinerary filled with festive cheer. With more than 50 million redeemed miles under her belt, Becky Pokora is a rewards travel expert. She's been writing about credit cards and reward travel since 2011 with articles on Forbes Advisor, BoardingArea, The Points Guy and more. Her redemptions have helped her travel to more than 50 countries and all seven continents.

5th Annual Queen Creek Side by Side Christmas Cruise to spread cheer - Queen Creek Tribune

5th Annual Queen Creek Side by Side Christmas Cruise to spread cheer.

Posted: Mon, 27 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

BELGIUM - Brussels Christmas Market "Winter Wonders" (Place Ste Catherine)

Homemade jams, mustards, sausages, bread, cakes and marzipan, as well as traditional handicrafts (embroidery, leather, holiday decorations). Celebrate and pamper mom onboard with a relaxing spa treatment, a specially-themed balcony breakfast, complimentary sparkling wine and a rose at dinner, and much more. While on board, passengers will enjoy festive holiday decorations, special holiday performances, seasonal cuisine and Christmas cocktails. The itinerary begins with a pre-cruise hotel stay in New Orleans, where the bustling Bourbon Street awaits exploration. The Mississippi river sailing includes stops along the river at Nottoway, Louisiana; Natchez, Mississippi; St. Francisville, Louisiana and an overnight in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Hotels

Here's What It's Like To Spend The Holidays On An MSC Cruise Ship - Forbes

Here's What It's Like To Spend The Holidays On An MSC Cruise Ship.

Posted: Sun, 31 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

But during the week, explore the Christkindlesmarkt in tranquility, eat the local sausages (three in a roll) and drink gluhwein (hot mulled wine). The Netherlands also have long traditions of Christmas markets, but Valkenburg Christmas market is the most unique. Each year during Christmas holidays, Valkenburg transforms in real Christmas town and features Christmas markets in caves. Enjoy the usual Christmas activities, but also see the Christmas parade which is twice a week with Santa Clause himself. As visitors wander around the cave, they meet tables full of displays from local artisans. Every year they show a unique theme - the scenes are set up throughout market and tell stories related to the theme.

The popular Christmas market in Dresden transforms the city into winter wonderland on River Elbe. Traditionally known as 'Striezelmarkt', Dresden Christmas market is the oldest in Germany, as it dates back to 1434. It's named after city's famous culinary creation - Christmas Stollen, sweet fruitcake in the shape of loaf, dusted with icing sugar.

Rhine River Cruise: Holiday (Adventures by Disney)

It’s a serene experience, with Cunard branded gifts, and a wide range of designer names like Pandora, Tag Heuer and Chanel. From Wurzburg can be visited Rothenburg (Germany's best-preserved walled city). From Kehl (Germany) is visited Strasbourg (France) - located just across the river. Next are listed itineraries that visit some of the best European Christmas Market cities.

CARIBBEAN HOLIDAY CRUISES

Catch a ride on the world's largest cruise ship during the 2025 holiday season. Like many southern Caribbean cruises, this trip is port intensive with only two sea days, one of which falls on Christmas Day. There are a total of seven island visits to keep you busy—or not—including some lesser-visited stops such as St. Vincent and Guadeloupe. Travelers who appreciate the finer things in life should consider this sailing on Seabourn Cruise Line. A smaller ship, personalized service and upgraded food and beverage will make this holiday voyage feel extra special.

After you’ve gotten in the spirit with your in-room virtual yule log, mingle with Santa Claus or be enchanted with holiday classics performed by the Yuletide Carolers. Guests can design keepsake ornaments or compete in a gingerbread house-making contest, while younger passengers can attend their very own holiday parties at the onboard youth centers. The travel season in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia is in full swing in December, so it's easy to find yourself on a beach in Bali, far from the last-minute holiday frenzy. Reconnect with your loved ones as you stargaze on the deck, gather around a festive meal or unwind on a white-sand beach. There’s no better way to celebrate than on a Holland America Line Holiday cruise. The following table shows exemplary Christmas Market cruisetours as itineraries (departure / arrival ports), companies/brands, voyage themes, land tours/activities.

CruiseMapper's review of the best Christmas Markets in Europe is about the best European "stall shopping" destinations during the holidays. The Festival of Lights burns brightly with a menorah‐lighting ceremony, themed crafts, festive décor and special events, like a reading of Sammy Spider's First Hanukkah on the first night of Hanukkah. Leave the cooking to Princess, and join us for an elaborate traditional holiday feast in the dining room, complete with all the trimmings. Rates for the seven-night Roundtrip New Orleans Christmas cruise start from $3,819 per person, including taxes, port fees and gratuities. As with all Antarctica itineraries, ports and destinations on the continent change by the day, depending on weather and climate conditions. Rates for available staterooms on the cruise start from $15,495, including airfare, port taxes and fees.

Azamara is known for its travels to less-frequented ports, often with longer stays providing more time for immersion. Go somewhere new with Azamara's 15-night Christmas and New Year's cruise around South Africa. Azamara Quest sails round-trip from Cape Town with stops along the east coast of South Africa, including Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Durban and Mossel Bay.

Most co-branded cruise cards won’t make sense for anyone but the most loyal cruisers but other travel rewards credit cards are still great choices. Families with school-age kids often cruise over winter break, meaning a ship’s atmosphere might take on a new personality around Christmas. And they make it hassle-free, with more inclusions built into their base fare than standard cruise lines. Our cruises blend the best of being away with a traditional Christmas back home. Wherever your cruise takes you, carols in the Grand Lobby, mince pies and visits from Santa are all part of the celebration. Whether you're sailing to sunny Sydney or the Mexican Riviera, Princess Cruises promises a forecast that includes a daily snowfall.

Food is slightly different from German standards, although blood sausages, grog and gingerbread are offered, but there are vendors with corn on cob and trdelnik (dough cooked with sugar and cinnamon). If you're in town around 20th December, you'll see carp frequently offered - dining on it is Prague's Christmas Eve tradition. Visitors seek for unusual drinks and food rather than decoration and gifts - in the week leading to Vanoce (Christmas) holiday, streets sport enormous water tubs filled with carp (Czech Christmas dish).

Whether it’s a Christmas service or a Hanukkah service with nightly menorah lighting at sunset, guests are welcome to celebrate their holiday with family and friends. The four-day cruise will sail from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas from November 5 through November 9, 2024, where guests will get the chance to experience Christmas at the beach while getting a good tan at the same time. The American Queen Steamboat Company offers a Christmas-market itinerary with a nine-day cruise from Memphis to New Orleans. Hit all the top spots on Crystal Cruises' Grand European Christmas Markets cruise, which takes travelers through Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands during a 16-day trip. This eight-day river cruise through four different countries is geared towards travelers aged 18 to 35. Credit cards for cruises can provide extra travel benefits as well as the option to earn or redeem rewards for your trip, making them an attractive way to pay.

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