Christmas on the Cruise?

[darnheather]

I know the Christmas time cruises are much more expensive than any other time of year but I'd love to hear what was different/better. Our next cruise will be during the Halloween celebrations so I'd love for our third to be at Christmas. Is there a Christmas dinner? Carols? Can I bring aboard a small tree (1 foot fake) for the stateroom?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I know the Christmas time cruises are much more expensive than any other time of year but I'd love to hear what was different/better. Our next cruise will be during the Halloween celebrations so I'd love for our third to be at Christmas. Is there a Christmas dinner? Carols? Can I bring aboard a small tree (1 foot fake) for the stateroom?

On previous cruises, there's been a "Happy Hoidays" menu on Christmas day. Don't think there is any sing-along caroling. There wasn't on our Christmas cruise, but it wasn't over the actual day.

The only restriction on the tree is this on the prohibited list:

• Seasonal and/or celebratory light bulb strings

As long as the tree is fake, and not lighted, you're good.

 

[TrySomethingNew]

We did Dream over Christmas Day in 2011. Special dinner, decorations. Santa too. we got stateroom gifts from DCL (chocolates and litho). It was our first cruise, so it was busy and exciting and great memories. We were on Castaway Cay on Christmas Eve-sunny and hot that day (with the usual 20 min shower). It would be interesting to hear from the cruisers onboard today when they get back home since our experience was a few years ago now.

 

[Shanti]

I know the Christmas time cruises are much more expensive than any other time of year but I'd love to hear what was different/better. Our next cruise will be during the Halloween celebrations so I'd love for our third to be at Christmas. Is there a Christmas dinner? Carols? Can I bring aboard a small tree (1 foot fake) for the stateroom?

We just got off our Fantasy cruise on Christmas Eve. The ship was beautifully decked out for Christmas, with tasteful decorations, a life-sized gingerbread house, and many Christmas trees, even on Castaway Cay. There is a free ticketed gingerbread house making activity that I recommend, and a few other holiday-themed activities. Many guests had Christmas-themed decorations on their stateroom doors, and some CMs wore holiday scarfs. Other than that, it didn't feel overly Christmasy. There wasn't much ambient Christmas music playing in the halls for example, just regular cruise music, although at Castaway I heard "We Wish You a Reggae Christmas". Never cruised over Christmas Day, though. I'd rather spend Christmas Day at home.

 

[DisMommyTX]

DCL has Very Merry Christmastime cruises all through Dec and some in Nov. We sailed on the Magic over Thanksgiving, and they had Christmas decorations every where, storytelling with Santa and Mrs. Clause, gingerbread decorating and characters in Christmas attire. They only had outfits and a special menu for Thanksgiving day, but I loved all the Christmassy stuff.