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| Courtesy flylady.net |
By: Mike Franks, Owner-Operator, Cruise Planners-Orange Park, FL
The holidays can be a stressful time for all of us. With the hustle and bustle of shopping, decorating, parties to attend and family get together to enjoy, the joy can sometimes be too much to handle! That’s why many people turn to ocean cruises as a fun alternative to the craziness of the holidays.
Cruise
lines make every trip a celebration, but they go all out for the holidays. You
can enjoy all the normal amenities on board ship such as maid/butler service,
fabulous meals that you don’t have to cook and of course entertainment and
shopping.
At Christmas time, you can expect
ships to be fully decorated. Some ships even create a winter wonderland in their atriums including snowfall, games, and adventures. And, don’t be surprised
if you happen to run into the characters of Christmas, including carolers, Mr.
& Mrs. Claus, the elves and even a reindeer or two. Some cruise lines even
include a nativity display celebrating the true meaning of Christmas.
What would
Christmas be like without shopping? The larger ships have tons of stores and
shops on board, and you can find some
real bargains as Christmas draws near. Or, consider the shopping available at
each port of call if you are interested in gifts with a cultural influence.
Hanukkah
celebrations are also included on many
cruises offering menorah lighting ceremonies followed by a festival of lights,
special Hanukkah dishes, holiday-themed crafts, decorations and other special
events for adults and children.
Many of the
cruise lines are currently advertising special Holiday Cruise fun. Here are
just a few examples:
Carnival Cruise Line “Every ship is decked out, bow-to-stern, with wreaths, lights, Christmas
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| Courtesy Carnival.com |
If it’s holiday shenanigans that put you in the spirit, Carnival also features The Grinch who will make surprise appearances throughout the cruise.
MSC is a lesser known
member of the popular cruise line industry. Founded in Italy and now based in
Switzerland, MSC offers many of the same itineraries as the more popular lines
operating in the US. They are also offering special holiday vacations aboard
their ships.
For
example, “for those celebrating Hanukkah, MSC Divina will host a nightly menorah
lighting and onboard daily prayer service
as well as serve traditional Hanukkah
foods in the buffet and main dining rooms. Kids and families can play Dreidel
together, with dreidels and chocolate coins handed out as well as instructions
on how to play. A large menorah will also be on display in the main atrium. Special
kosher meals can be ordered in advance.”
MSC
Cruisers have the unique opportunity of celebrating the holiday on board the
hottest new ship to sail the Caribbean, MSC Seaside, as she sails her very
first 7-night itinerary. With a revolutionary beach condo design and activities
for all ages, MSC Seaside will make the holiday truly unique as guests find
their sun-lover's paradise. During
Christmas, guests can kick off the voyage with an embarkation photo with Santa
and his elves. Once aboard, MSC Seaside will be dripping
with festive holiday décor, including sparkling lights, decorations, and stunning Christmas trees.
For a
complete holiday experience, guests experience a wide variety of
traditional holiday happenings. These can include; hearing traditional Christmas
carols throughout the ship, a Broadway-style festive show, live musicians
playing holiday music in the atrium, a special tree lighting ceremony in the
evening, hot cocoa, eggnog and Christmas cookies, holiday gifts delivered to
each stateroom, holiday-themed games including trivia, bingo, karaoke, seasonal
Christmas movies played on an outdoor jumbo screen and more. On Christmas Day, Santa will
even arrive by one of the zip lines on the ship! A Christmas mass will also be held on board.
And of course, when you consider a holiday cruise
for the entire family, you have to check out
-A Deck the Deck, Tropical Holiday Party,
complete with a candy cane limbo dance contest.
-Kids help Mickey Mouse light the Christmas tree
to kick off the Holiday cruise.
-Santa Claus Meet & Greet, featuring special Santa hugs and photo ops.
-Disney Characters dressed in holiday attire
throughout the cruise.
-Youth parties for the teens and tweens featuring
music and dance extravaganzas.
-Children gather in the atrium for Storytime with
Mrs. Claus reading classic Christmas stories from her rocking chair.
A winter wonderland awaits guests at Disney’s private island Castaway Cay. This excursion off the ship features a huge Christmas tree, snow flurries in the middle of the Caribbean and Mr. and Mrs. Snowman dressed in holiday attire to entertain the guests.
New Year’s
Eve means party time, wherever you are. The cruise lines do a great job of
creating a
festive atmosphere all year long, but New Year’s Eve is something
special. You may find an all-out party, champagne toasts and even a ball drop
just like Times Square.
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| Courtesy rcb.com |
Since the holidays mean family time for many, the cruise lines expect and plan for more children, tweens, and teens than usual. That’s why they throw holiday parties and other special activities for the kids, and some even offer babysitting services for special evening events.
A Great Gift idea! Cruises make great gifts any time of the year. Whether it’s a
summertime Caribbean cruise or a special holiday cruise, finding the perfect
present for the person who has everything just got a whole lot simpler!
What is
your dream vacation destination? Chances are there is a cruise ship going that
way!
Visit my
website www.landorseatravel.com or call me 1-844-TRAVEL and
discover the allure of cruising!
Mike Franks
is an owner/operator of Cruise Planners in Orange Park, FL. Cruise Planners
specializes in ocean and river cruises, land tours and resort vacations.
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