These End-of-Year Cruises Are Bringing the Holiday Spirit Onboard

There’s still time to book a Christmas, Hanukkah or New Year's Eve holiday cruise for 2024, and Carnival Cruise Line, Explora Journeys, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises are among those with onboard holiday celebrations.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line, for one, touts that its ships will showcase carolers; holiday movies, shows and other performances; ugly sweater contests; and special meals and treats. There will even be appearances made by Santa, including the chance for children to write him letters. And celebrations will extend to New Year’s Eve parties with dancing and champagne toasts as well.

Explora Journeys

Explora Journeys’ two luxury ships, Explora I and Explora II, will be positioned in the Caribbean, conveniently close to North American-based travelers.

Over Christmas, Explora I will depart from Miami for Dec. 23-30 sailings, and Explora II will also leave from Miami for cruising from Dec. 20-27. For the new year, the former will head out from Bridgetown, Barbados, on Dec. 30, and the latter will leave from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Dec. 27.

All the while, both sister ships will be decked out with holiday lighting, wreaths, trees and other festive ornamentation for the season. Gingerbread houses and more treats from the culinary teams will also fill the air with tempting aromas, and the line will feature special holiday menus. Holiday entertainment will extend to choirs, carols, parades and even a Santa meet-and-greet.

On New Year's Eve at midnight, guests will enjoy fireworks displays in either San Juan or St. George’s, Grenada, capped off with a gala of memorable onboard dancing into 2025.

Holland America Line

Holland America Line is another bringing its holiday game to the fleet with fresh culinary offerings and festivities such as a Nutcracker Afternoon Tea, Breakfast With Santa (on Caribbean itineraries) and a themed cocktail menu to wash down traditional dishes. Of course, each ship will be ornately decorated for the duration of December, displaying gingerbread villages, special lights, menorahs and presents under the tree.

For Christmas Eve, onboard Italian restaurant Canaletto will serve an Italian-inspired feast, and clients will also find jelly donuts and crispy potato latkes on hand for Hanukkah. Custom cocktails will include a Minty Elf Martini, Rudolf the Red Margarita, De Lijn Ginger Mojito, Spiked Eggnog and Christmas Cocoa Mint Coffee, as well as nonalcoholic vanilla gingerbread and eggnog lattes.

Meanwhile, special activities featured onboard will include tree-lighting ceremonies, holiday movie screenings, caroling, ornament-making and cookie-decorating, in addition to a scavenger hunt; coloring contest; and card-, handprint turkey- and wreath-making at the Kids Club and Art Studio.

Plus, Santa Claus and festive towel animals will make special appearances, and a “Sounds of the Season” concert, Christmas Eve Party and New Year’s Eve Ball will take center stage.

Guests will even be able to purchase “Winter Holiday” cabin decor packages to further brighten their private accommodations.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises will showcase its Holidays at Sea program onboard the new Sun Princess with decorations, shows, religious services and family activities.

Kicking off the festivities will be a tree-lighting celebration in the central piazza showcasing Stanley the Bear. Inspired by the northern lights, reindeer, penguin and bear Polar Pals puppets will entertain children and kids at heart as they track Santa prior to greeting him right onboard.

Headlining events will also include seasonal show “Princess World Orchestra – A Jazz Era Holiday Tribute;” a Holly Jolly Sweater Party; Stanley, the New Elf’s Daily Hide and Seek game; holiday trivia; competitions such as a dreidel “spin-off;” and Movies Under the Stars film screenings.

Seasonal cuisine will highlight meals of Hanukkah latkes and Christmas prime rib, while holiday drinks will include The Jingle, a cranberry vodka infusion and Charm, a pecan-spiced beverage. Come New Year's Eve, passengers will be able to ring in the year “Love Boat style.”