The outlook for cruises is bright: clear sailing ahead. Supported by strict new health protocols and strong demand for vacations at sea, most major cruise lines expect to fully deploy their fleets in the coming months. Bookings for 2021 reached record levels, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 2023 World Cruise is already sold out.
One great way to celebrate the return of sea travel is to book a holiday cruise. These themed voyages should be reserved well in advance, when itineraries and onboard options are plentiful and discounts are more likely. The Christmas season is especially popular for sailing; demand and passenger fees rise accordingly. Like major retailers during the holidays, cruise lines often do their most business in December, so booking Christmas sailings up to a year ahead is wise.
PHOTO: © CELEBRITY CRUISES
Celebrity Cruises is known for festive holiday transformations. Its decks, theaters and dining venues are redecorated for Easter, Passover, Halloween, Hanukkah, Thanksgiving and, most spectacularly, Christmas and New Year’s sailings. Celebrity’s Christmas cruises, which depart mid- to late December, visit key Caribbean ports, Mexico, parts of South America such as Chile and Argentina, and destinations in Asia like Vietnam and Thailand. Onboard festivities often include visits from Santa, carolers, decorated trees and holiday-themed shows.
Seabourn outfits its ships with seasonal décor for holiday voyages around the world. In December 2021, Seabourn scheduled Christmas cruises from Bali to Auckland, Miami to Los Angeles via the Panama Canal, Bridgetown to Barbados, Singapore to Hong Kong, Buenos Aires to Santiago, and Sydney to Auckland. Regent Seven Seas Cruises decorates elegantly for the season and offers Christmas sailings in the South Pacific, the Panama Canal, the Western Caribbean, South America and an Atlantic crossing from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro. Each December, Cunard Line’s grand Queen Mary II marks the festive season with voyages to Canada and Caribbean roundtrips from New York City. Carnival Cruise Line also offers holiday round-trip Caribbean sailings from Charleston, South Carolina.
Family travelers will find Disney Cruise Line hard to beat for children’s holiday magic. On Disney ships, giant gingerbread displays, a multi-deck Christmas tree and special events on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, create a uniquely festive tropical experience where passengers can even find a wintry sleigh setting amid the sun and sand.
Among the most celebrated holiday sailings are Christmas Market river cruises in Europe. These cruises are perennial best-sellers and often represent good value compared with other European tours. Operators such as Viking River Cruises, Crystal River Cruises, AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises offer itineraries that visit historic Christmas markets and scenic riverfront towns along the Rhine, Danube, Seine, Loire and other waterways. Passengers enjoy open-air seasonal shopping, castle visits, classical concerts and mulled-wine tastings. Crystal River Cruises, an ultra-luxury line, runs numerous Christmas Market departures each year with routes from cities including Vienna, Amsterdam, Basel, Budapest and Vilshofen through late November and December.
If every cruise can feel like a holiday, sailing during a major holiday can be especially festive and memorable.
RISING TO THE OCCASION
Cruises are a popular way to mark life’s milestones—graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, retirements and reunions. Choosing a premium or luxury line plus an enticing destination sets the stage, and many lines offer special perks and elevated experiences for those celebrating.
Princess Cruises, the line that inspired the original Love Boat television series, tailors packages to romantic celebrations such as anniversaries, honeymoons, vow renewals and engagements. Their “Everything but the Proposal” engagement package includes a videographer, a specialty-restaurant dinner, a side-by-side massage and an in-cabin breakfast, among other touches. Princess reports that anniversaries are the leading reason passengers cite for taking a cruise; millions of guests have marked birthdays and anniversaries aboard its ships.
Azamara Club Cruises offers intimate celebrations on ships such as Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, including the “Nights in Private Places” experience. For a single party each night, the line can arrange a private terrace with a thalassotherapy pool and an overnight daybed, served by a personal butler who pours Champagne, presents canapés and prepares a candlelit dinner followed by breakfast for two.