Christmas at sea has BECOME SERIOUSLY POPULAR and now offers ALL THE TRIMMINGS of a traditional Yuletide.
Take your pick from European Water-
ways’ four and five day Historic Market cruises in Germany; Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ four short no-fly Christmas mar- ket cruises to Amsterdam, Hamburg and Antwerp; and AmaWaterways’ seven-night Danube trips from the end of November until just after Christmas. On the latter, complimentary daily tours
cover Nuremberg, Regensburg, the royal markets at the Thurn and Taxis Palace, Salz- burg, Vienna and Budapest, as well as tak- ing in the magnificent river scenery of the Wachau Valley, with rock-crowned villages like Durnstein and majestic Melk Abbey. The seasonally decorated river cruisers
provide carol singing, party games, local entertainment and a visit from Father Christmas. In the week before Christmas, guests who leave their shoes outside their cabins at night find them filled with sweets and goodies in the morning. Similar cruises are also made along the Rhine.
destinations is Venice on a new four-night/ five-day cruise from The River Cruise Line. The ship moors close to St Mark’s Square, with plenty of time to explore the city. The line imposes no single supplements for this, or for a five-day Seine cruise from Paris with midnight mass in Rouen and Christmas Day in Honfleur. Big ship cruising’s Christmas Day desti-
R
nation choice ranges from New Zealand to Norway, from sunny beaches to Christmas card snow-and-sled backdrops. An enchanting way of discovering another country’s way of seasonal celebra-
iver cruise lines also guarantee calm waters for Christmas feasting. One of the most delightful Christmas
tions is on a Hurtigruten trip along the Norwegian coast. The line hosts a typical local Christmas on board and includes shore excursions such as a winter safari through the Arctic from Finnes to Tromsø on dog-sleds, snowmobiles and reindeer- pulled carriages.
On board, a new multi-vision Northern
Lights show is an introduction to seeing the real thing. Passengers help decorate the ship with typical gingerbread houses, learn Norwegian carols, eat Julekake, a sweet Christmas bread with raisins, candied peel, nuts and cardamom, and Julegrot, a Christmas porridge. On December 24, all the line’s ships dock in different ports for 24 hours so guests can attend Christmas service at local churches. Many British ships provide a lively fam- ily atmosphere. P&O send off their ships
from the terminal with mince pies, Father Christmas, children’s choir and military style band. On board, public rooms are decorated, nativity plays are a highlight for children on the family-ships Aurora, Azura, Oceana and Ventura, along with carol concerts, Christmas music, shows and parades. For more of a child-free rest, P&O’s adult only ships, Adonia, Arcadia and Oriana, offer traditional fare and décor with less of the high-decibel excitement. Marco Polo – another adult-only ship – also offers carol singers, mulled wine and festive food. On Fred Olsen ships, Santa gives presents to all the children, while there are Christmas quizzes, themed craft events and a crew show with carols. Christmas Day is always spent at sea. Thomson Cruises
Winter 2012-13 I WORLD OF CRUISING
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