The holiday season is the perfect time to enjoy a cruise. As families get together to celebrate the holiday season, being on a cruise is a perfect setting to spend time together, get away from the cold weather, explore new destinations and experiences, and avoid the stress of cooking and cleaning. In addition, it makes a great holiday gift for your spouse or your entire family. Also, most schools have extended holidays so it allows you more time to travel without taking your kids out of school. The most popular destination would be the Caribbean because of the warm weather. Numerous ports offer Caribbean sailings with a variety of ports of call during the voyage. From New Jersey to New Orleans and all of the cruise ports in Florida, a lot of variety exists both in departure city and cruise length.

I’ve been doing some research on Holiday cruising and below are some great tips and answers to frequently asked questions regarding what you can expect and making the most of this wonderful holiday adventure.

What should interested passengers look for in a Christmas cruise?
There are several factors in deciding on the right cruise. Working with a travel expert can prove to be extremely beneficial in this instance in choosing the right cruise for you and your family.  If you are traveling with your family be sure to consider on board activities for everyone. Most of the cruise lines
decorate their ships for the holidays and they all have special events on board. When considering the destination and itinerary it is important to consider the travel arrangements to and from the port. Flying during holiday season can be a challenge, so we always suggest a departure port that has direct flights or
  have your travel professional schedule you to arrive a day prior to the cruise so you won't miss your cruise if there are flight delays.

How can passengers bring holiday celebrations with them on board?
One of the nice things about taking a cruise is that they don't have limitations on how much luggage you bring on board. You can bring your holiday gifts on board and have your own celebration. Of course, if you are flying to the cruise you need to consider airline restrictions on how much luggage you are allowed.

Do cruise lines offer holiday celebrations on board?
Yes! You will find the majority of the cruise lines do a wonderful job in decorating the entire ship for the holidays. According to a Silversea spokesperson, for the holiday
sailings, Silversea ships are outfitted with imaginative decorations that echo the spirit of the season. Many of the artful displays are created aboard ship by Silversea master chefs. Whimsical gingerbread cottages and festive cookies often adorn lounges and add a touch of old-fashioned holiday charm throughout the ship. In addition, there will be special activities planned throughout holiday cruises including religious observances.

What is the best way to coordinate airfare and cruise travel for a Christmas voyage?
This is where you need to work with your travel professional. The worst scenario is having your flight delayed so you miss the ship's departure. We always suggest flying to your cruise departure city a day prior to departure. If there are any delays you will still have time to take another flight. You don't want your
holiday dream trip ruined from the start.

What won't passengers find on a Christmas cruise?
Most passengers will find very little missing on a holiday cruise! Today's modern ships provide all the comforts of home, 24/7 food, entertainment, shopping, and time together. Many of the ships offer satellite television where the family can still enjoy the college bowl games and the NFL during their cruise. What they won't find is traffic, stress of preparing meals for the entire family and especially the clean up after everyone goes home!

Are holiday cruises right for everyone?
If you enjoy cruising you will definitely enjoy a holiday cruise! The festive atmosphere adds to the holiday spirit and even if it is your first cruise you will find it hard to not have a memorable experience. Cruising over the holidays creates or continues a family tradition.

When should passengers make reservations for the best holiday sailing deals?
Most holiday itineraries sell out 4 to 6 months prior to the sale date. As this is a popular time to cruise, making your reservations early will ensure your space on board. The days of waiting to the last minute for cruise deals have disappeared, especially during the holidays. In addition, airline tickets for holiday travel
get more expensive the longer you wait.

What other tips would you offer for passengers interested in Christmas cruises?
Plan ahead. Get with your travel professional early in the year and get your reservation secured. Be sure to discuss your itinerary with everyone in the family. If you're not traveling with children you may want to consider a luxury cruise on a smaller ship or an exotic destination.

Tips to getting the best Holiday Cruise Deals:
1. If you have to fly to the cruise port, then you need to book now because any savings you may get in
cruise price drops you’ll lose in the airfare going up.
 2. If you need a cabin that holds 3 or 4 passengers then I recommend booking now.  If there are significant price drops, they are much more likely to be for double or single occupancy cabins.
3.  ‘Last-minute’ in the cruise industry is typically 5 – 8 weeks out from the cruise.  If the cruise lines are going to make a move in price to sell excess inventory, it is usually 5 – 8 weeks out from the cruise.  [Just note, with holiday cruises there is a big risk price goes up instead of down]
4. When you see the alert that the price dropped, act quickly. If the cruise line drops the price, it is to sell the space fast so they can increase the price again.   After the final payment date, price drops are for new bookings only.  The cruise lines do not want to upset already booked passengers with rate drops, so they will increase the rates quickly after selling a set amount of inventory.

If you have questions about a specific 2013 Holiday Cruise, please add it to the comments and I’ll look to see what the best deal is and let you know if I think it will go up or down from here.

Christmas and New Year are truly special times of year, particularly for families with children. Experiencing these festivities in a stunning mountain setting makes memories that can last a lifetime.
 
New Year is also naturally a great time to celebrate and welcome in the New Year with style. The ski resorts love having visitors at this magical time of year, and work hard to make sure that their guests have a wonderful time and want to come back year after year.

Here are some of the events you can expect if you decide to spend Christmas or New Year in the Colorado ski resorts, USA:

Pre-Christmas
A tree lighting ceremony kicks off the festive season in many ski resorts, including Vail and Breckenridge, and tends to take place early to mid-Dec, complete with hot cocoa and carolers.

From then on, the ski resorts burst with action: Vail hands out candy canes at its base areas and shows movies suitable for all the family. Family Christmas themed activities occur in both Lionshead and Vail Villages, including concerts and the famous "Winter Solstice on Ice" ice skating show.

Beaver Creek has "Winterfest", which lasts until New Year's Day, and you can help Santa out in his cottage, create your own personalized elf hat, and gawp at the characters meandering around Beaver Creek base village. There are also ice skating shows, a skate night for teens, kid's games for all ages, and winter wonderland parades.

In Aspen, visiting Father Christmas' real live reindeer can be a highlight of your trip, plus you'll listen to Christmas carolers and can decorate cookies.

Most ski resorts have evening celebrations leading up to the big day for all the
family, so you can keep the kids occupied. Winter Park ski resort, for example, has Santa strolling around the Village, sometimes even on skis, and you can pat his reindeer.

The Christmas Eve party is fabulous for families. Pop home, put on your warm evening gear and comfortable boots, and then go to the bottom of the mountain to check out the dancing Christmas trees and Christmas carolers around the bonfire. Before long, the torch-lit descent will begin with the ski patrol and ski instructors skiing or boarding down the main slope, Hughes, with their flaming torches. Santa can usually be seen coming down the mountain too, complete with his sleigh. The finale is the dancing snowcats lit up with fairy lights, marching down the slopes and doing some twirls before slowly disappearing.

Christmas Day

Christmas morning can be a fantastic time to ski if you happen to be up early or the kids have woken you
up. Slopes are relatively un-crowded until lunchtime, while others are opening their gifts. Or perhaps you prefer to relax over breakfast or brunch, and then stroll around the resort at your leisure. You may see Father Christmas on skis on Christmas Day, so watch out for the traditional red and white  suit.

New Year's Eve

New Year's parties abound in the ski resort of Colorado.

Aspen has legendary parties and nightlife all year, but for New Year's Eve, they pull out all the stops and the bubbly is free flowing. Pick one of Aspen's many restaurants – there are many to choose from,
both fine dining and the more affordable. Then head to see the fireworks from the park in the center of Aspen. This family friendly event has a bonfire to keep you warm and a DJ to keep you entertained. A little later, check out one of the many hot spots in Aspen – Belly Up nightclub provides live music, Eric's
often has a DJ, and the Regal Watering Hole has a New Year's Eve gala and dancing.

Vail is another focal point for New Year's Eve celebrations, and this year, the Dobson Ice arena will be transformed into Vail's largest nightclub. Celebrations at midnight include champagne, traditional ball drop,
and confetti snowstorm.