When I told my nephews we would be going on yet another holiday cruise this year, they both let out cheers and immediately started listing off all the things they couldn't wait to do. Now 3 and 7 years old, this will be their third consecutive year of holiday cruising—and the fourth such cruise for our family—and at this point, they’re pros.
My family hasn’t always loved cruises. In fact, for years, we scoffed at them, worrying we’d feel stuck and hate the crowds. But with multiple kids in tow and a large extended family, the idea of cruising started to grow on us. From being able to unpack once while visiting multiple destinations to being together without all the cleanup that typically goes with a big gathering, holiday cruising has become a cherished tradition.
It's surprisingly festive
Cruises can sometimes get a bad rap, thought to draw an older crowd. But nowhere was this less true than while standing in line with a few hundred other young families to meet Santa on a Royal Caribbean cruise we boarded out of Baltimore a few years ago. We patiently waited as the Big Man greeted each child and handed out a small gift—a beach kit with sand castle-building toys in our case. It may not have been plucked straight from the kids’ Amazon wish lists, but the act of receiving something unexpected was extra special.
We then headed over to the dining room to join the rest of the family for a special sea day brunch, passing other passengers in their festive pajamas and keeping an eye out for the Grinch, who would tend to pop up when you least expected him. The halls were decked—literally—with sparkling tinsel and elaborate gingerbread houses to admire, and the entire ship just seemed to be in a good mood.
That feeling has extended to each holiday cruise we’ve been on. In fact, many cruise lines offer special holiday-themed menus and events to go with their festive decor, like Holland America Line, which is celebrating the holidays this year with a Nutcracker afternoon tea complete with Grinch truffles and Santa Hat cupcakes, and serves potato latkes and freshly-baked challah bread for Hanukkah. Carnival Cruise Line also gets in on the holiday fun, employing the Grinch for a live holiday show and character breakfast, and MSC Cruises celebrates with Christmas Karaoke and a special holiday edition of MasterChef at Sea. And the best part is there is no cleaning up or doing the dishes after the celebrations.
You can actually relax
The first holiday cruise we booked sailed from Singapore and was chosen for its distinct lack of sea days (there was just one) and port-intensive schedule. We ran around Kuala Lumpur, trying to squeeze the Petronas Twin Towers into one photo, ate spicy noodles in Penang, and dove into the sea glass-colored water around Phuket on a chartered day-long trip. We did just about everything we could to avoid being on the actual ship and those dreaded sea days. But in the years since, I’ve actually found myself looking forward to them.
Large ships offer plenty to do, from pools and water slides to arcades, bingo (a tried-and-true favorite in my family), Broadway-style shows, and even cooking classes. But one of my favorite things is to find a quiet space on the ship, order an extra dirty martini, and just talk, a respite from our busy and scheduled everyday lives.
It’s what I’m looking forward to most this Christmas after signing up to board the MSC Meraviglia. And thanks to a key upgrade to the company’s MSC Yacht Club (their ship-within-a-ship concept), seeking out a private space will be as simple as walking out of my room. With just weeks to go, I’m already dreaming of nibbling on canapés and watching the waves ebb and flow while the family trickles in and out of the lounge.
Of course, the idea of a private and uncrowded lounge, restaurant, and pool deck is undeniably appealing, but you don’t need all that to find a quiet space somewhere on board. Christmas week cruises tend to be crowded with kids and adults alike, typically off work and school, but most ships still feature relaxed lounges on higher decks or just a quieter bar where you can hang out for a few hours. Having nothing to do and nowhere to go can feel like a novel concept, so it’s important to take full advantage of it.
… Or finally, get around to the fun activities you never have time for
Every ship is different, but no matter which cruise line you choose, there’s always something going on. On our MSC trip, I can’t wait to go bowling in the full-sized alley, play some tennis, or even brave the sky-high ropes course, while the kids are dreaming of the all-important arcade and spending time in the Lego-themed kid’s club.
Through my years of cruising, I’ve found it’s impossible to be bored on a ship. There’s always a running schedule of activities from early in the morning until late at night, and there’s something for just about every taste. Some ships offer elegant high tea services, others have onboard enrichment programs, and some welcome guests with thrilling water parks, slides, and themed parties (including for the holidays). No matter what your idea of fun is, you’ll find it on a cruise.
There's built-in family time
I’m not sure my dad has ever gotten used to cruising the way the rest of us have, even if he keeps signing up. But there is one thing he looks forward to no matter where we sail from or where we’re going: having dinner as a family at the same table, at the same time every night. That’s because no matter what we did that day, whether we were together or not, we could always come back in the evenings and spend time as a family.
A cruise tends to be just large enough to be able to do your own thing, and just small enough to always guarantee you’ll run into someone you know. It offers the perfect blend of family time with independence where everyone can sign up for the activities that interest them (perhaps the kids’ club for the little ones or a cocktail making class for the adults), while always making time for each other in the end.
Being together is the whole point of the holidays, after all, and I’m counting down the days until I can sign off work emails and gather with family as we sail away from the chilly New York weather down to the Bahamas for our annual week of festive fun.