Christmas Cruising

Would you chose to cruise at Christmas?

My daughter and grand-daughter are already planning their next Disney® cruise (we were on the Disney®Magic recently), and the Kow is ready to turn it into an extended  family group.

Disney® is one of the few ocean cruise lines I would consider at that holiday time of year if children were involved. The cruise becomes all about the children’s experience and your enjoyment comes from watching them – and let’s face it, Disney is all about the kids. Now if it were just myself and the Kow, I would definitely push for a cruise where children were few to none. Don’t get the wrong idea here, I love children, but I remember being on a post-holiday cruise with Celebrity Cruises® (it was a Jan. 3rd or 4th cruise) where the crew were still cleaning up after children who went wild on the prior voyage. Kids on Disney generally are better behaved because they have more to do!

Christmas cruising - Stitch and granddaughter
Christmas cruising - Gingerbread House

Even though it was actually mid-November when we cruised, the atrium of  the Magic had a two-storey tall Christmas tree, in the Guest Relations area a ginger bread house the size of a Wendy House was under construction, and poinsettias and wreaths were everywhere. I can’t imagine what it would be like on this ship December 25th ! Micky as Santa? Has anyone done that cruise?

Christmas Cruising Belle & Peter Pan

Next year , my daughter and I are planning on a Christmas Markets river cruise. We both feel rather humbug about Christmas as it seems to be all stress and bother– about gifts, about who goes where and when for Christmas meals, etc. etc. (My married children have attended  three family Christmas dinners within the space of six hours some years). This little jaunt through the traditional festivities in Germany will go a long way to restoring our spirits. Every time I read the itinerary, I get excited – and as I write,  Christmas is not a week past.  Bring on the gluhwein and roast chestnuts!

All images courtesy of the author. If you would like to take a Christmas cruise, contact a real travel expert. Be sure to check out our two recent (2021) interviews on Christmas Markets, one in Quebec, Canada and the other on European Markets.