THEMED CRUISING
Carol Wright casts a seasonal eye over what the cruise lines do to make the festive period special
CHRISTMAS Cruise Tip
If taking presents to give at sea, try NOT to pre- wrap them. They may get opened in embarkation security checks.
Santa at Sea P
reparing two tons of Brussels sprouts for Christmas lunch is a Herculean task. But it’s just one item the P&O fleet chefs cook up on December 25 – along with a thousand 24lb turkeys, 22,000 portions of Christ- mas pudding and 24,500 mince pies. The ships’ bar staff will pour 27,500 glasses of champagne while passengers pull 16,500 crackers and wear 32,000 paper hats.
Once, Christmas at sea was a quiet affair, a
haven in which to escape the party season and relax en route to warmer climates. With larger ships and the growth of the family holiday market, festive cruising has become seriously popular, and now ships have to provide ALL the trimmings of a traditional Yuletide. The emphasis varies a little according to the nationality of the line. British ships will offer turkey, Christmas pudding, mince pies, crackers and panto- mime, while MSC Cruises puts on Italian style meals
and others offer a transatlantic compromise, with overtones of Thanksgiving fare and pumpkin pie. Crews also have to balance celebrations be- tween different religions, those who don’t want to celebrate at all and those who want a full-on party. The lure of Christmas at sea, particularly from
a woman’s point of view, means no food shop- ping, cooking, washing up or looking after a range of relatives who may fall out with each other. For everyone, there is the attraction of a mid-winter holiday warmer. Families can book adjacent suites and decorate accordingly, thus enjoying Christmas privately together yet having access to the ship’s facilities and celebrations.
Christmas at sea starts well before December 25, though, and continues right through the New Year period. European river cruises and ferries also offer voyages with the chance to go shopping at top fes- tive markets in the run-up to Christmas Day itself.
40 WORLD OF CRUISING I Winter 2012-13
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