The festive season will arrive soon, and you may be thinking about how to celebrate with family and friends. A cruise is a wonderful way to bring everyone together for the holidays; in fact, a cruise can be a fabulous holiday gift to yourself and those you love. Just imagine relaxing on deck with a refreshing drink, enjoying delicious meals complete with traditional holiday favorites, and joining in holiday-themed parties and games. Best of all, you won’t have to cook or clean up!
While
a holiday cruise is wonderfully carefree,
it’s good to do some advance planning. Here are a
few things to think about:
Select a
ship and itinerary that will let you celebrate the holidays as you choose. This
is especially important if your cruise includes Christmas
Day when many onshore attractions are closed. In some
ports, you might be able to participate in local holiday
observances, but options for activities may be
very limited. Some ships spend Christmas Day at
sea, with onboard Christmas services and lots
of activities. Ask your professional travel advisor to help
you select an itinerary that will provide
the holiday experience you seek.
Make your
reservations as soon as you can. The holiday season
is a very busy time of year for cruising
and booking earlier will give you a better choice
of ships, itineraries, and cabins. Be sure to make
your flight reservations to and from the ship as early as
possible, too.
Most public
spaces on your ship will be beautifully decorated for the
season, and you may want to bring a few decorations to
make your cabin festive, too. Remember to abide by your cruise
line’s rules: most don’t allow lit candles, strings of
lights, or door decorations that extend into the hallway. Some flat
decorations for your door, battery-operated tealight candles, and
miniature Christmas trees, menorahs or other symbols of the season
will add holiday warmth and cheer to your cabin.
If
you want to bring some small gifts to exchange with your cruise
companions, please do. However, if you’ll take a
flight to meet your ship, don’t wrap the gifts before you
leave home – airport security might undo your good work to inspect
the packages. Instead, pack a little wrapping paper, ribbon, and
tape to make your gifts pretty after you get on board.
For more
holiday cruise ideas and planning tips, talk with Anita, your
professional travel advisor.
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