Cruise at Christmas

bunty109

We're contemplating a trip to Florida next Christmas and possibly the idea of a cruise (did a cruise from Miami this year and loved it).

Has anyone who has been on a cruise any experience of doing this so you're on the boat for Christmas Day? Are there additional charges for meals etc?

The other option would be a pre-Christmas cruise and Christmas in a hotel: think that might work out more expensive for meals. I know the Americans are less into Christmas than us, but I would like some sort of festivities without paying through the nose for it!

Any advice?

duchy

What makes you think Americans don't do Christmas ?

Yes they have Thanksgiving at the end of November too but I'd say most of my American friends make MORE of a fuss over Christmas than I do !

bunty109

duchy wrote: »

What makes you think Americans don't do Christmas ?

Yes they have Thanksgiving at the end of November too but I'd say most of my American friends make MORE of a fuss over Christmas than I do !

I stand corrected! It's just the impression I had that Thanksgiving was more of a celebration for the Americans and that there's less of shutdown over there for Christmas (not that there's much of one here).

Really appreciate if anyone has any advice on the meal on Christmas day front: better on a cruise or in a hotel/restaurant?

Spidernick

We went on a Christmas cruise from Southampton in 2012. Christmas Day was a day at sea and we were in Amsterdam on Christmas Eve and Copenhagen on Boxing Day (as well as Brussels and Gothenburg as other stops).

We were told that Christmas Day would be a day like any other, except the special meal in the evening (and we had to book which dinner sitting we wanted), but it turned out things like the kids' clubs were not open that day. Call us heartless, but my wife and I wanted at least a little time away from the kids that day, so this was a little disappointing.

All in all I would recommend a Christmas Cruise (the biggest benefit is avoiding the bun fight around who entertains whom in the family, which is a nightmare most years!). I would love to do the one that goes from Vancouver up to Alaska, but alas it doesn't run at that time of year.

duchy

Anywhere decent on land tends to book up weeks ahead for Christmas day so you'd be advised to book before you leave rather than leave it to chance and end up in Dennys !

A lot depends where in Florida you plan to stay-Orlando or one of the beach resorts . Personally if I was in Orlando I'd either avoid the parks totally that day (they are heaving Christmas day) or book a nice upscale meal at one of the nicer themed hotels like the Grand Floridian or even the Swan or Dolphin...or somewhere like the French place at EPCOT and forget the rides as the lines will be humungous.

Actually ideal scenario I'd probably forget Florida completely as the weather can be iffy in December and just do a cruise-possibly a longer one rather than a split stay/cruise.

InsideInsurance

We were in the middle of the Red Sea on a cruise a few years ago for Xmas. They scheduled it such that it was their "Black Tie" night for the week and all that entails. Beyond that it was fairly similar to any other day other than a few more Christmas themed elements to the events.

Certainly there was no additional things to pay on board just because it was Xmas but then booking for the weeks covering Xmas and NYE were both more expensive than they were on the preceding or following weeks so inevitably it was factored in there.