Thanksgiving vs. New Year's Eve

[CTdaizy]

Help!!! We have a cruise booked for this summer that we need to change due to a business trip.. so looking ahead to later in the year, we are looking at the Fantasy for the week of Thanksgiving, Nov. 19, or New Year's, Dec. 31. Any thoughts? This will be our 3rd cruise, and of course want to make the most of it.

Please give us some direction!! I'm assuming the thanksgiving cruise would also give us some holiday/Christmas stuff? Would any of that still be around for new years? Also, what sort of special stuff happens for someone celebrating a birthday on the cruise.. (DD's birthday is Jan. 1)

Thanks so much and can't wait to hear your answers/reasons!!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Help!!! We have a cruise booked for this summer that we need to change due to a business trip.. so looking ahead to later in the year, we are looking at the Fantasy for the week of Thanksgiving, Nov. 19, or New Year's, Dec. 31. Any thoughts? This will be our 3rd cruise, and of course want to make the most of it.

Please give us some direction!! I'm assuming the thanksgiving cruise would also give us some holiday/Christmas stuff? Would any of that still be around for new years? Also, what sort of special stuff happens for someone celebrating a birthday on the cruise.. (DD's birthday is Jan. 1)

Thanks so much and can't wait to hear your answers/reasons!!

The Christmas decor and activities are on the ships until the cruise on each ship that goes over New Year's Eve finishes.

 

[MUN]

Help!!! We have a cruise booked for this summer that we need to change due to a business trip.. so looking ahead to later in the year, we are looking at the Fantasy for the week of Thanksgiving, Nov. 19, or New Year's, Dec. 31. Any thoughts? This will be our 3rd cruise, and of course want to make the most of it.

Please give us some direction!! I'm assuming the thanksgiving cruise would also give us some holiday/Christmas stuff? Would any of that still be around for new years? Also, what sort of special stuff happens for someone celebrating a birthday on the cruise.. (DD's birthday is Jan. 1)

Thanks so much and can't wait to hear your answers/reasons!!

We were on the NYE cruise on the Wonder and it was fantastic! The Christmas stuff is still up and there is a deck party for the NYE countdown, with complimentary champagne near midnight. We also received a special DCL print in our stateroom. There is also a NYE menu for dinner in the mdr's.

Which NYE cruise are you looking at?

 

[Shanti]

We sailed NYE on the Magic & loved it. NYE was treated as a semiformal night (even though it was only a 3-night cruise), there was a deck party with fireworks, we got a NYE lithograph (even though we'd only booked an inside stateroom), and the ship was still decorated for Christmas. New Year's at sea is definitely an experience to remember.

The only downside was that during disembarkation morning, a work crew was (loudly) tearing down the atrium's life-size gingerbread house in front of the guests. Everyone was like, "Really? They can't do it after we're off the ship? How long can it take?" Also keep in mind that even though Christmas decorations are up, it's not an official Christmas cruise, so no Santa, etc.

 

[Hundredacre]

A couple of years ago we were on the wonder between Christmas and new years eve (got off it dec30). They still had decorations up but there was no other sign of christmas. It felt to us as if they had moved on and were ready to take them down.

 

[islandsnoopy]

Help!!! We have a cruise booked for this summer that we need to change due to a business trip.. so looking ahead to later in the year, we are looking at the Fantasy for the week of Thanksgiving, Nov. 19, or New Year's, Dec. 31. Any thoughts? This will be our 3rd cruise, and of course want to make the most of it.

Please give us some direction!! I'm assuming the thanksgiving cruise would also give us some holiday/Christmas stuff? Would any of that still be around for new years? Also, what sort of special stuff happens for someone celebrating a birthday on the cruise.. (DD's birthday is Jan. 1)

Thanks so much and can't wait to hear your answers/reasons!!

Just cruised on the Fantasy for NYE (26 Dec 15 - 2 Jan 16). All the Christmas decorations were still up on the ship so photo opportunities in front of the gingerbread house and tree are available. NYE gifts included the lithograph, box of chocolates, hats. You'll get the noisemakers on deck on NYE along with champagne, apple cider for the kids, and snacks.

We spent 1 Jan on Castaway Cay but the Christmas decorations were already down which was a bit different than in Jan 2013 when the tree was still up after New Year's Day.

Also celebrated a birthday. Bought the Mickey cake ($55) and had it delivered in MDR. Got a button and card in the stateroom.

 

[asunutgirl]

We have done both a NYE cruise and Thanksgiving (both 4 night on the Dream.) The Thanksgiving cruise had Christmas activities like Santa, gingerbread house decorating etc. None of that was on the NYE cruise although the decorations were the same. NYE was as described above. NY Day the Rose Parade and games were playing on deck. Thanksgiving was semi-formal night. There was a special menu with traditional Thanksgiving food plus other options if you aren't in to turkey. LOL

Both we fabulous vacations for our family. Weather was about the same. Beautiful during the day, cool in the evening on deck. Castaway Cay was nice but we didn't get into the water either trip - it was too cool for us. While it was wonderful to not cook or do dishes on Thanksgiving, if price wasn't a factor, I would chose NYE every time. We had an absolute blast on the NYE cruise and would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[Justacruiser]

We have done both, the menu for Thanksgiving was not good IMHO. We are not a fan of the turkey and dressing on the ship. All the Christmas stuff is there, but I probably won't pay the upcharge for Thanksgiving Day cruise again. Americans get up for Thanksgiving, but the planet gets excited for NYE. I would choose the NYE if it were me.