Thread: Major Holidays: Have you ever cruised on any of these?

Have your ever cruised on a any of these Major Holidays?

Did you enjoy ... have any special memories?

It's a MULTI Poll so please mark all that apply.

Only three Valentines, Halloween, and Thanksgiving
except for Valentines it was just another cruise..

PS>I guess I should also include Halloween.. after all that is hubby's birthday...

HI British/Europeam cruise lines celebrate Christmas more impressively than USA based vessels. Hallloween rarely registers on the European market (went on Golden Princess many USA passengers in costumes while on P&O and Silversea the ship had a few decorations but no passengers including the many Americans bothered with costumes). Fireworks in Funchal (Maderia) are very impressive at New Year and Haggis and a dram of Whisky with Fred. Olsen on the evening menu. Thanksgiving on the Cunard QM2 (menu included Turkey, Pumpkin pie etc). Easter on Princess, P&O, Silversea and Fred. Olsen - best Easter eggs for kids Fred. Olsen and Silversea and in addition adults did get a high quality chocolate bunny on Silversea. Vatentine's day Fred. Olsen and Costa both cruise lines decorated with hearts etc and ther ladies recieved a single rose rose.

only done valentines x2. nice meal in specialty restaurant.

We have NOT for St. Patirick's or Halloween but have been on the others over the years.

When our girls were cruising with us we almost always took a New Year's cruise ... all either Sitmar or Princess. Some of these were Christmas/New Year's cruises. Loved it when they used to fill the pool with balloons and release them at Mid-Night ... a lovely sight! On Princess they don't make lots of announcements but made an exception on Christmas Eve and would give the kids reports every so often on where Santa was and assure them that he would be visiting the ship. On Christmas Day Santa gave fairly nice gifts to all of the children on board under 12.

Did a Valentine's cruise on Princess which was nice ... red rose for all women in the MDR that night.

Our only Easter Cruise which was on Costa and they did a good job of sending an Easter Egg Bag (candy & a gift certificate for the gift shop) to cabins with children ....

Our only 4th of July was on a Princess Cruise to the Baltic. A special 4th of July event was in the main showroom that evening and little USA flags were on our dining table that night.

Two Thanksgiving ... one on Princess & one on Carnival. The Princess had REAL carved turkey. The Carnival did not and was weird ... sort of a processed turkey rolled up with dressing in the center.

We've always been quite happy with all the cruises we've taken that just happened to have been on a Holiday!

Spent Easter on a Carnival ship when I was pregnant. Just a three day cruise, but they did have a fancy menu (and even gave up copies of the menu on parchment paper). It was also during college spring break so lots of drinking college kids.

My first Princess cruise was in mid-February so Valentine's Day fell during it. Lots of offers to sell flowers, champagne breakfasts, etc.

Our last two cruises were Christmas/New Years cruises. Princess decorates the ships to the hilt. If you wanted to escape the holidays, this was not the place -- holiday music on the PA, in-cabin TVs, holiday movies. There was a PA announcement for the first cruise on the 25th when the kids' party was going on, tracking a "special visitor" on his way to the ship. Didn't hear anything like that for the last one, so maybe the CD didn't bother (he was a temp so I can see that -- he wasn't all that visible during our cruise, to tell the truth).

Balloon drops on NYE for both. Lots of bands playing around the ship. We had a pretty elderly crowd on our last cruise, but I think many of them were dancing along with even the little ones in the Piazza.

The one in 2005 also included Hanukkah and a retired rabbi was onboard leading the candle lightings each night (we went to the first night's and were surprised to find a packed lounge and that many families brought their family menorahs to light there).

Christmas & New Year on the Star Princess to Antarctica. This was the first Christmas we had ever been away from our family. It felt strange and a bit lonely on Christmas day , but when we joined in the carol singing lead by the Captain in the Atrium and on three decks and all the stairs around were filled with people singing. It seemed to make everything OK. Very heartwarming.

Originally Posted by tonylinsdell

Christmas & New Year on the Star Princess to Antarctica. This was the first Christmas we had ever been away from our family. It felt strange and a bit lonely on Christmas day , but when we joined in the carol singing lead by the Captain in the Atrium and on three decks and all the stairs around were filled with people singing. It seemed to make everything OK. Very heartwarming.

Nice story, Tony! Would you and Gill consider taking another Christmas/New Year's cruise at some point?

We haven't actually been on a ship for a holiday, but we do cruise right before or after the holiday. Holiday cruising attracts alot of families and kids, so we like to cruise when school is still is session. For example, one of our favorite times to travel is between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays because they offer some really good deals and we can still have the holiday decorations. And then afterwards, we enjoy Christmas with the family.

Pete

Have cruised them all :-) Funnily enough it seems to be when the guests are at their most stressed! Love the special meals and there is nothing more touching than standing in the main lobby for Christmas carols and looking up and seeing 9 storeys of faces from all over the world singing together!