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Onboard holiday festivities
What to expect for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year's
Ho, ho, ho and pass the dreidel. The holiday season is almost upon us, and those who have booked a cruise during this festive time are in for treats aplenty.
With cruising now firmly established as a family vacation option, cruise lines have made special provisions for children onboard during the holiday season — but it's not just the kids who'll get feted and fed! There's merriment for all ages, whether you relish a visit from Santa, choose to ring in the New Year with some top-notch bubbly, crave a turkey and cranberry sauce dinner just like Grandma's, or celebrate by lighting a Hanukkah menorah (or all of the above).
We queried several cruise lines to see what they have planned for this holiday season, and whether they were offering anything new and different. We were particularly interested in Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year's.
For the most part, the cruise lines stick to time-steeped traditions without wandering too far out of the box — so don't expect elf-tossing competitions on the promenade deck! However, there are some innovate festivities. For example, Princess employs snow-making machines to offer daily snowfalls in the atrium throughout the month of December. On Disney's private island, Castaway Cay, the tram will be magically transformed into a sleigh. Cruise West offers Costa Rican, Panamanian and Mexican holiday activities and celebrations. And, luxury line Crystal does a full-on balloon drop in the atrium to ring in the new year.
What can you expect onboard? In general, here's what we learned:
Of the four major holidays — Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year's — Christmas garners the most attention.
On holidays, cruise lines serve special meals. For instance, expect latkes (potato pancakes) during Hanukkah. On Thanksgiving, you'll find roast turkey, along with such trimmings as stuffing and cranberry sauce.
Nearly all lines decorate to some degree, starting with pumpkins and cornucopias, followed by wreaths and decorated trees. Decorations generally go up around Thanksgiving and stay until the new year, but the timing does vary from ship to ship.
On New Year's Eve, a shipwide countdown to midnight is to be expected, as is a Champagne toast.
Of course, every cruise line puts its own spin on holiday cheer. Keep reading for a line-by-line roundup of onboard celebrations. And, if you're interested in British and European lines, check out our companion story: U.K. Lines' Onboard Holiday Festivities 2008. And, in the spirit of giving, if you are looking for special holiday gifts for cruise lovers, be sure to check out Cruise Critic's Holiday Gift Guide.
Editor's note: This year, Thanksgiving falls on November 27, and Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 21 and ends on December 29. Christmas Day and New Year's Eve are, as always, on December 25 and December 31, respectively.
Seasonal style: Traditional.
Thanksgiving: A traditional Thanksgiving meal will be served.
Hanukkah: Hanukkah will be celebrated with lighting of the menorah on each of the eight nights and with a traditional meal, including potato pancakes and jelly doughnuts. A rabbi will be onboard to lead prayers.
Christmas: The ships will be decorated with greenery and ornaments. Christmas celebrations include caroling by the ship's staff in public areas, holiday house music and seasonal movies. Most ships will also have some sort of holiday-themed show. A traditional Christmas dinner will be served. A priest and a reverend will be onboard to lead religious services.
New Year's Eve: New Year's Eve parties will include party favors and a Champagne toast at the dawn of 2009. A special holiday-themed dinner will be served.
Seasonal style: Traditional.
Thanksgiving: A traditional Thanksgiving dinner will be served in the dining rooms.
Hanukkah: On each of Hanukkah's eight nights, a crewmember will conduct a menorah-lighting ceremony.
Christmas: The ships will be decorated with holiday wreaths, Christmas trees and lights and signs proclaiming traditional holiday greetings. The cruise director and staff will offer several holiday-themed shows throughout each cruise, and at least one seasonal movie will be shown (this year, "Polar Express"). An elaborate production show, featuring children and the decorations they made in Camp Carnival will be a highlight. Santa will visit with gifts for the kids, and a traditional Christmas dinner — featuring turkey and pecan pie — will be served.
New Year's Eve: Guests will be provided with hats, favors and noisemakers, and complimentary Champagne is served.
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