Start Planning Your Holiday Cruise

Who says you have to go over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house for a perfect holiday? This year you might want to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner while cruising through the Mexican Riviera, spend a white sand Christmas in the Caribbean, or ring in the New Year in exuberant Rio.

Whether you want to get away from all the holiday hassle or look forward to spending your time at sea connecting with your loved ones, while on board you'll dine on holiday feasts, enjoy nightclubs and shows without having to appoint a designated driver, cool off swimming, or simply chill with the family on a ship entirely decked out for the holidays. The best part is that the cruise line does all the work, so there’s more time to celebrate the spirit of the holidays.

For an idea of what to expect, here's what NCL has planned on all the ships in their fleet, including holiday caroling by members of the staff, Christmas Eve services, and a holiday show in which both crew members and children participate. While kids enjoy NCL’s youth program, parents can check out the high-energy parties on New Year's Eve, featuring NCL’s White Hot Party and NCL’s Monte Carlo Night.

• Thanksgiving – Thursday, Nov. 27: Ships are festively adorned with Thanksgiving decorations to put guests in the holiday mood. Special Thanksgiving-themed menus are available in the main dining rooms featuring culinary delights such as smoked duck breast, pumpkin soup, and of course traditional roast turkey with chestnut sage dressing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin cheesecake.
• Chanukah – Sundown, Sunday, Dec. 21: A rabbi is on board each ship to conduct services for the holiday period, and a menorah is placed in a central location and lit each day to commemorate the eight-day celebration.
• Christmas – Thursday, Dec. 25: NCL makes Christmas at sea an unforgettable experience. To help guests get into the holiday spirit, select public areas are outfitted with a variety of festive holiday decorations. Crew members stage an interactive holiday show in the ship’s theater, while the cruise director and staff add to the merriment by performing carols. A priest and a minister are on board each ship to conduct Christmas Eve services for guests who choose to partake, and Santa takes time out of his busy schedule to hand out gifts on Christmas Day. NCL ships also offer special holiday-themed menus in the main dining rooms with dishes such as honey-glazed Black Forest ham with sweet potato mash, roasted turkey with apple and apricot stuffing, pumpkin soufflé and a pear and chestnut torte.
• New Year’s Eve – Wednesday, Dec. 31: After enjoying a special menu in the main dining rooms including decadent fare such as foie gras, Blue Point oysters, and oxtail, party-goers are given hats, noisemakers and colorful streamers. Each ship’s captain leads a special countdown from the bridge to usher in the New Year.

Check out what to expect for Holiday Dinners at Sea from CruiseDiva.com and then book your holiday cruise as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Photo Above: Carving the holiday bird on Silversea Cruises' Silver Shadow