WV Travel Team: Holiday cruises create joy in not-so-white Christmas – Charleston Gazette

Here are some little known secrets about the winter holidays: Santa Claus is just as jolly in tropical weather, Hanukkah candles are just as lovely in a state room and pumpkin pie tastes just as good — if not better — on the ocean.

As snow and frigid air prepare to settle over Charleston, it’s not too late to plan a special holiday cruise for Hanukkah, Christmas or New Year’s Eve. Trade your mittens and scarves for swimsuits and beach towels. “Home for the holidays” has a strong appeal, but so does “Caribbean for the holidays.”

The first thing to know is that most cruise lines do not offer special price breaks for cruises that include Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve. Those dates are almost always in high demand. But if you are willing to be flexible, you can find some good deals by booking before Thanksgiving or between Thanksgiving and Christmas. You’ll save money and still get to enjoy seasonal decor and special holiday-themed events.

You can also save by driving to Boston, New York City or even Florida to board your cruise ship. Gas prices are so low that the savings on air fare make the added travel time worth considering.

Why now?

The reasons for cruising at this time of year are many. First, think of the birds: What do they know that we don’t? They go south for the winter. Even if you go for just a few days, wouldn’t you prefer lying on a beach to shoveling snow? Besides, chances are there will be plenty more opportunities to shovel when you return. Take a few days to soak up the sun and play while you can.

Second, while few things are as enjoyable as Mom’s roast turkey, that’s sometimes not the case for Mom. If she takes a cruise, someone else will do the cooking — and your choice of menu will be infinitely broader. And no one in the family will have to do all the cleaning after meals.

Third, cruise ships offer so many recreational activities that, no matter how large your family, no one will be bored — or feel the need to “entertain” guests.

Finally, a cruise will take you to places where people celebrate Christmas in ways you never imagined. Take a fishing trip on a ship festooned in holiday lights.

The biggest problem you might face is having too many choices. If warmth and sunshine are your top priorities, you have the Caribbean, Hawaii and South America. If weather isn’t your chief concern, consider a cruise to Europe. Cruising there in winter is off-season, with opportunities for bargains. Or perhaps you want a cruise on a more intimate scale — a river cruise in Europe, with all the Old World charm of the holidays.

Take everyone along

One choice you won’t have to make is who to leave behind. Multi-generational cruises are increasing in popularity, enabling children, parents and grandparents to spend the holidays in a way they’ll never forget. Multi-generational cruising is such a large part of the cruise industry that cruise lines have started offering connecting rooms and customized packages.

For just a start, where but on a cruise ship can you find bingo, movies, scavenger hunts, swimming, bridge tournaments, pottery classes and yoga all in one place?

Cruises offer plenty of family-friendly entertainment, including concerts, comedy acts, teen clubs and supervised activities for children. Your family doesn’t have to do everything together. Each person can explore his or her own interests and gather at the evening meal to share what they did or learned.

You can also arrange a private excursion on shore, instead of participating in activities with other passengers. Perhaps your family wants to tour local art galleries or historical sites on their own or explore off-beat parts of an island.

The last thing you’ll need to worry about is making sure everyone can find food they like. Some family members will want to enjoy at least one meal in the formal dining room, while young children will enjoy the casual restaurants and kids’ menus. Each cruise has a range of options in between. If you want to have a meal for an extended family, be sure to make reservations as soon as possible.

Consider reserving cabins at the back of the ship, on the highest floor. Because it’s the least visited deck, you can make it your own family deck, whether you’re meeting for coffee in the morning or for cocktails when the kids have gone to bed.

When the day of relaxation, activities and parties is done, no one has to drive home. Just go to your cabins and do it again in the morning.

And don’t forget to get a family portrait. On many cruise lines, photographers set up for dinner, when many are all “decked out.” (Where did you think the phrase came from?) But if someone forgets to smile, don’t worry. You aren’t obliged to buy the photos; and there will be more opportunities as the cruise proceeds.

Keeping kids busy

Most major cruise lines welcome families, each with different packages.

Royal Caribbean International’s Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas have 3-D theaters, ice-skating rinks and zip lines. Solariums, for adults only, give parents and grandparents a chance to relax while the kids wear themselves out. The Royal Tots and Royal Babies programs provide classes and activities for children from 6 months to 3 years old accompanied by a parent, as well as drop-off babysitting services.

In-cabin babysitting is available for children who are at least 1 year old. Aquanauts (kids 3 to 5 years old), Explorers (ages 6 to 8) and Voyagers (9 to 11 years old) have different special activities. Kids ages 12 to 14 can do karaoke, and teens 15 to 17 years old have toga parties and sports competitions.

Families enjoy Johnny Rockets, the 1950s-style luncheonette; but dining options include more than two dozen choices, including a hot dog joint and a variety of upscale restaurants.

Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Magic specialize in cruises for families with children ages 4 to 11. The Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab provide programming separated in two- and three-year intervals for children from 3 to 12 years old. The Oceaneer Club features themed play areas such as Andy’s Room (from Toy Story). Fantasy and Dream has the Laugh Floor from Monsters, Inc. The Oceaneer Lab has a mini sound studio and an animator’s studio. Kids ages 11 to 14 enjoy a special club of their own, with karaoke, computers and video games. Vibe, a club for teens ages 14 to 17, has a coffee shop ambiance. Disney’s cruise ships have three pools — Mickey’s Pool, for the youngest kids; Donald’s Pool, for people of all ages; and a pool for adults only. You could have guessed that the facilities include Walt Disney Theatre, which features shows and movies — and you would be right. Don’t miss Castaway Cay, Disney’s private Bahamian island.

Princess Cruises has four ships designed for families: Crown Princess, Royal Princess, Ruby Princess and Emerald Princess. Princess Pelicans, for children ages 3 to 7, has arts and crafts, dance parties air and a variety of games. Shockwaves lets kids ages 8 to 12 enjoy scavenger hunts and science programs — for example, learning about coral reefs. Remix, for teens 13 to 17 years old, features dance lessons, foosball, onboard Olympics and karaoke. The Adventures Ashore tour program features shore excursions for families. Princess Cruises offers passengers the choice of traditional cruise dining or dining anytime from 5:30 to 10 p.m. A poolside cinema has kid-friendly matinées. An array of arts-and-crafts projects include weaving friendship bracelets, making lanyards and creating storybooks.

European Christmas

For a unique holiday tour, spend time visiting the magical Christmas markets of Europe. The holiday has been part of that world far longer than in the New World, and many American holiday traditions have their roots in Europe.

Manchester, England, is regarded as the Christmas capital of the United Kingdom, and with good reason. The city’s Christmas markets are the largest and most festive in the country.

In Lille, France, nearly 100 chalets spread holiday cheer with an array of decorations, Nativity figurines and regional delicacies. You can even find arts and crafts from Russia and Poland there.

Vienna’s Christmas markets date to the late 13th century. Today more than 20 officially sanctioned Advent markets specialize in seasonal gifts and luscious treats.

Aachen, Germany, is home to the annual Christmas City, with the cathedral and town hall transformed in lights and colors, holiday sounds and enticing aromas.

Brussels is home to Winter Wonders, including a Christmas parade, skating rink, Ferris wheel, carousels and amazing gift selections.

Strasbourg, France, has hosted a Christmas market since the late 16th century.

Prague is all the more romantic during Advent and Christmas, when outdoor concerts make shopping all the more enjoyable.

Nuremberg, Germany, is home to the renowned Christkindlesmarkt, with roasted almonds, mulled wine, gingerbread and bratwurst taking over the city beginning the Friday before the first Sunday of Advent.

In Cologne, millions of visitors from around the world flock to the quaint huts selling one-of-a-kind gifts.

Dresden, Germany, actually has 11 unique Christmas markets, some in medieval themes.

Special considerations

Even if you’re headed for sunny climes, your first day at sea will be chilly — you’re on a winter cruise, after all — so don’t forget your jacket. This is true even if you depart from southern Florida. The cruise will be cool on the day you depart and the day you return.

If the stars line up correctly and you have lucky timing, you can sometimes find a good deal by booking at the last minute. The secret again is to avoid the holidays and cruise between them.

Don’t be afraid to go your separate ways for a few hours. Cruises allow people to enjoy their favorite pastimes on board and ashore. You needn’t spend every moment of every day together. Enjoying different activities will mean a more interesting conversation at dinnertime.

Larger cruise ships usually have more options for multi-generational groups, especially children.

When booking a cruise, be sure to ask about perks for groups, which can include deals on drinks, private parties and special meals.

Mitzi Harrison manages AAA Travel for the Charleston area and divides her time between Cincinnati and West Virginia.

For personalized assistance in planning your holiday cruise, stop by the AAA Charleston office or call one of the AAA travel professionals — Janice Adkins, Lia Ireland, Amy Sisson, Becky Wallace and Barbara Wing — at 304-925-1136.