Sail On A Magical Winter Holiday With Disney Cruise Line

It isn’t too early to be thinking about your holiday plans and gift-giving. This season, surprise your family with a present that’s both nautical and nice: a cruise on the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, or Disney Fantasy, all decked to the “raft-ers” with holiday cheer.

Starting in early-November, Disney Cruise Line adds sparkle to each ship, with traditional “turkey day” fanfare, Christmas feasts, “snow flurries” and New Year’s Eve galas. But the best part might just be relaxing on deck instead of shoveling snow.

To kick off the holiday cheer, special Very Merrytime Cruises begin Nov. 9 with a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise on the Disney Fantasy and a 7-night Bahamian cruise on the Disney Wonder, followed by a 5-night Western Caribbean cruise on the Disney Magic, and a 4-night Bahamian cruise on the Disney Dream departing Nov. 10.

During these voyages through the new year, special stem-to-stern holiday events include:

• “King Triton’s Tree Lighting Ceremony” in the atrium lobby on the first night of the cruise, where a young guest helps Disney characters light the glittering, three-deck-tall tree.
• Family holiday activities including building gingerbread houses and meeting Santa Claus and his elves.
• Youth holiday crafts such as decorating stockings and gingerbread men cookies, making holiday cards and creating holiday animation cells.
• Holiday storytellers sharing tales of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Plus, a story just for Disney Cruise Line guests about the magical feeling of the holidays on a ship.
• “Deck the Deck Holiday Party” (Disney Fantasy/Disney Magic/Disney Wonder), a tropical celebration with Disney friends leading games such as hula hooping and limbo under oversized candy canes, along with dances for the whole family like the “Yuletide Slide” and a conga line around the pool.
• “Til We Meet Again” features a special holiday edition of Disney Cruise Line’s cheerful farewell on the final night of each cruise with beloved Disney characters and the ship’s crew in an engaging musical finale led by Mickey Mouse.

On Thanksgiving Day, guests will enjoy a bountiful Thanksgiving Day feast, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and friends dressed in traditional Thanksgiving attire and a special turkey towel animal in their stateroom upon turndown. Also during the special Thanksgiving voyages, big NFL football games will be broadcast live on the ships’ outdoor, jumbo LED screen–Funnel Vision–located near the family pool.

Christmas services will be held on Christmas Day with a midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Hanukkah services will be held each day, Nov. 28-Dec. 5. Christmas morning at the atrium lobby tree Santa Claus and his elves will have surprises for all the kids. Later in the day, guests will enjoy caroling from the crew choir plus a special musical performance from the children. A traditional Christmas Dinner will be served that night in the dining rooms.

When the ships stop at Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay, during the holidays, the celebration continues with “snow flurries,” a decked-out Christmas tree, Disney character meet-and-greets and holiday island music.

For an extra sprinkle of holiday joy, mini Christmas trees decorated with ornaments, red berries, mini carnations and a bow topper, in addition to special holiday-themed gift packages and treat baskets, are available for purchase prior to the voyages for stateroom delivery. Plus, during the holiday cruises, Disney Cruise Line’s holiday merchandise collection, along with the popular Disney Cruise Line ornaments, will be available onboard in the gift shops.

To celebrate the new year, voyages include a special New Year’s Eve party to ring in 2014, complete with music, sparkling wine in commemorative flutes and a midnight countdown with balloon drops.

Image Courtesy of Disney Cruise Line