Each issue, cruise expert Jane Archer shares her tips on selling a specific area of cruise. This time, she looks at cruises for the festive season
With all the scare stories about shortages of turkeys and toys for Christmas, it’s time to do something different. Namely leave the panic and last-minute shopping behind and celebrate the festive season on a cruise. Some lines do the full-on Santa with all the trimmings bit; expedition ships set off to some remote wilderness away from the tinsel and turkey. And then there are river cruises over Christmas – a fabulous getaway with a few Christmas markets thrown in – or New Year, and sometimes both. Whichever customers choose, it’s a win-win. They get a fabulous festive holiday without having to worry about cooking, cleaning or entertaining the relatives. Even better, by making the cruise a special present for the whole family – yes, the kids as well – there’s no need to trawl the shops for socks, jumpers and the latest hi-tech gizmos. For those faced with Christmas alone, river cruises are brilliant as they get a ready-made family with whom to enjoy the festivities. We’ve picked out options for river, oceans and expedition cruises for 2022, but if you sell the idea so well that clients can’t wait, there is still time to get them away for Christmas this year.
See those twinkling lights? Smell the gingerbread? It’s Christmas markets time on the rivers. The Rhine and Danube are the most popular river cruises in December as almost every town and city along their banks has a market filled with colourful stalls selling Christmas-themed gifts, woollens, glühwein (mulled wine) and more. The smaller ones close on December 23, but in big cities they usually reopen after Christmas and often run into the New Year.
Inclusive
Who? Uniworld River Cruises
Where? Danube
When? December 22, 2022
How long? 13 days
How much? From £5,579pp, including flights
Get two celebrations in one as Uniworld’s 152-passenger SS Beatrice sees out 2022 and welcomes 2023 on this Christmas and New Year cruise from Nuremburg to Budapest. Passengers will spend Christmas Eve and Day in Regensburg, New Year’s Eve in Vienna, tour a silver mine and get to meet a real princess. Price includes transfers, drinks, excursions, tips and wi-fi.
Affordable
Who? Amadeus River Cruises
Where? Rhine
When? December 22, 2022
How long? Six nights
How much? From £751pp
This cruise stays in Speyer overnight on Christmas Eve, so those who wish to can go to mass in the city’s cathedral, then spends Christmas Day in Strasbourg. It’s on the 168-passenger Amadeus Imperial, sailing round-trip from Cologne, where there’s a day to explore at the end of the cruise. Price includes wine, beer or soft drinks with lunch and dinner, bottled water and wi-fi.
Value
Who? CroisiEurope
Where? Elbe River, Germany
When? December 20, 2022
How long? Six nights
How much? From £1,529pp
CroisiEurope offers the Rhine/Danube duo at Christmas but a lot of other rivers, too. This cruise, from Berlin to Dresden on the 79-passenger Elbe Princesse, dips into the delights of the Elbe. There’s a day in Berlin, and Christmas Eve and Day are spent in Dresden, where passengers can go to mass and enjoy a free Bach concert at the Frauenkirche. Price includes drinks and wi-fi.
River cruise capacity over Christmas is limited so clients are well advised to book early
Clients ready to do something different but loath to give up all their Christmas Day traditions should look to the contemporary cruise lines. Many spend the big day at sea so passengers can open their pressies and tuck into a roast turkey before some festive entertainment. Guaranteed winter sun on the big day is always a favourite; if that’s a step too far for traditionalists, there are cool (literally!) alternatives that are sure to engender plenty of Christmas spirit.
Go American
Who? Holland America Line
Where? Panama Canal
When? December 17, 2022
How long? 10 days
How much? From £1,649pp
This cruise spends Christmas Day and Boxing Day at sea after a busy week that delivers Segways and snorkelling in Aruba and Curaçao, wildlife in Puerto Limon and a partial transit of the Panama Canal. The cruise is round-trip from Fort Lauderdale on the 1,432-passenger Volendam. Price includes two $100 excursion vouchers, drinks, two visits to a speciality restaurant and wi-fi.
Go Greek
Who? Celestyal Cruises
Where? Eastern Mediterranean
When? December 17, 2022
How long? 10 nights
How much? From £1,089pp
How fitting that Celestyal’s festive cruise spends December 24 and 25 in the Israeli port of Haifa, from where there is a tour to Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. The cruise, on the 1,200-passenger Celestyal Crystal, also ticks off Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt on a voyage from the ports of Piraeus to Lavrion (both serve Athens). Price includes drinks, tips, selected tours and wi-fi.
Go British
Who? P&O Cruises
Where? Northern Europe
When? December 19, 2022
How long? 10 nights
How much? From £999pp
Expect a traditional British Christmas with cool weather, turkey, trees, carols and more on this city-themed cruise round-trip from Southampton. It’s on the 2,094-passenger Arcadia and spends Christmas Day at sea sailing between Oslo in Norway and the Dutch city of Amsterdam. Copenhagen and Zeebrugge complete the itinerary. Price includes tips.
A cruise over Christmas is perfect for those who face spending the festive season alone. They’ll have a great holiday and lots of company to boot
Expedition cruises
Welcome to the ultimate Christmas escape – swapping the traditional turkey and tinsel for a once-in-a-lifetime expedition cruise to far-off lands where you can spend the big day watching penguins frolicking in the snow, snorkel with sea lions or discover new landscapes and cultures. These cruises are on ships that count their passengers in the low hundreds and are accompanied by scientists, biologists and other experts to educate folk along the way.
Icy thrills
Who? Aurora Expeditions
Where? Antarctica and South Georgia
When? December 19, 2022
How long? 21 days
How much? From £16,610pp
If nothing else, you can be sure of a white Christmas on this cruise to the South Pole with Aurora. It’s on the 132-passenger Sylvia Earle round-trip from Ushuaia and spends December 25 ashore with penguins (weather permitting) in Antarctica and New Year in South Georgia. Price includes a pre-cruise hotel night, beer, wine and soft drinks with dinner, excursions, tips and wi-fi.
Christmas markets are sure to get you into the festive spirit. Most are shut by December 25 but in the big cities they usually reopen the next day
Walking with wildlife
Who? Silversea
Where? Galápagos
When? December 17, 2022
How long? 11 days
How much? From £15,570pp including flights
Hikes ashore in search of frigate birds and red-footed boobies, snorkelling with sea lions. Welcome to Christmas Day in the Galápagos, which actually is like any other day on Silversea’s wildlife-filled cruises around the islands. It’s from San Cristobal to Baltra on the 100-passenger Silver Origin. Price includes two pre-cruise nights in Quito, transfers, excursions, drinks, tips and wi-fi.
Christmas sun
Who? Hurtigruten
Where? Cape Verde and the Bissagos Islands
When? December 21, 2022
How long? 13 days
How much? From £5,685pp, including flights
Sun, sand, sea and the rugged peaks of Santo Antão await on this cruise, which starts and ends in Dakar, West Africa, hops around the Cape Verde Islands and spends four days exploring the wildlife-rich Bissagos Islands off Guinea-Bissau. The cruise is on the 243-passenger Spitsbergen. Price includes transfers, beer and wine with meals, selected excursions and wi-fi.