I am a Christmas junkie. I love the music, I love the decorations, I love being surrounded by the warm fuzzies every day of the month of December. I also love cruising (in case you hadn’t noticed by now) and I clearly love Disney! Disney’s Very Merry Time Cruises combine three of my most favorite things and if you haven’t enjoyed one yet, here are 5 reasons to plan a Very Merry Time Cruise with Disney for your family.
Disney Very Merry Time cruises are fun for the whole family.
It’s a no brainer: the name Disney is synonymous with magic and family fun, both of which are important aspects of the holiday spirit for everyone. Imagine everything you love about cruise vacations and then add to that the excellence of Disney service and the same standards of fun and care that you find at Walt Disney World and you will have a Disney Cruise. And a full, completely sappy dose of Christmas cheer and you have one of the best vacations your family will ever enjoy.
Disney has made an art of designing their cruise experiences so that whole families can find something tailored specifically for them on this vacation. Grown ups will appreciate the numerous adult- only spaces (fine dining restaurants, pools, bars, lounges and the spa center) while their children will go nuts in the massive Oceaneer Club and Lab and sprawling pool deck with water slides and splash pads. Even teens and tweens have their own exclusive areas to have fun in the Edge and Vibe clubs. Every family member will find a place onboard to call their own creating that incredible balance of a family vacation where to you can also escape from each other whenever you need to 🙂
The Christmas spirit on these cruises is almost tangible.
As they do in Walt Disney World, the decorations across the ship are expertly arranged and the atmosphere itself tingles with holiday cheer. Holiday tunes are softly broadcast across the ships PA system all day. Every public space is decorated to a tee, understated yet warmly filling the air with the spirit of Christmas.
Gingerbread house making classes are hosted onboard by actual DCL pastry chefs! It’s a simple, yet fun activity that the whole family can enjoy and besides the fact that you don’t have to clean up after yourself, you get to keep the gingerbread house and take it back to your stateroom for snacking!
You have a chance to experience Christmas fun while visiting awesome ports in the Caribbean.
For me, nothing is more fun than being engulfed in the holiday spirit AND spending time in the warm Caribbean sun! The paradox of walking past the festively decorated grand atrium to look out the plentiful windows at the lush greenery and turquoise waters of the Caribbean sea while we’re in port is enough to melt away all of my pent up stress ( even if just for a few days). Disney offers great cruise itineraries during their Very Merry Time cruise season: 3-4 night Bahamas and Castaway cruises as well as 7 night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises. (TIP: The first two weeks of December offer great rates on Very Merry Time cruises and are usually much less packed than the popular sailings the last two weeks of the month.)
Enjoy awesome Disney Christmas shows and events throughout the cruise
Just as in the parks, Disney knows how to put on excellent shows during their cruises. Aside from the Broadway quality musicals and variety shows held in the majestic Walt Disney Theatre onboard, there are a handful of special programs during the cruise held in the main atrium of the ship and on the pool deck. There is the Deck the Deck Tropical Holiday party on the pool deck featuring Mickey & the gang in their Christmas Holiday attire and with lots of fun music and dancing for everyone. In the atrium the cruise kicks off with Mickey’s Tree Lighting Ceremony with singers and dancers and appearances by your favorite characters, all in their holiday best. It’s impossible to make it through a Very Merry Time cruise without feeling totally surrounded by holiday cheer.
Christmas themed Castaway Cay Day
In my opinion, Disney’s Castaway Cay is an absolute triumph for the line. We have visited three times and each visit is more idyllic than the last. During the holidays, Castaway Cay is completely outfitted for the occasion with decorations throughout the island, special events and appearances (OLAF!!!). From the time you exit the ship and walk down the pier towards the humongous Christmas tree waiting at the end you know for sure that the absolute Christmas spirit on board has been infused across the whole island.
These are my top reasons for loving Very Merry Time cruises by Disney Cruise Lines. As a travel agent and a Platinum level ( 3+ cruises) Disney Cruise member I love sharing with others all that I have learned and helping families plan their dream vacations, no matter what time of year they decide to cruise with Disney. If you’d like further information and assistance in planning your family’s Disney Cruise Line adventures please connect with me here.
For those of you who have been on a Very Merry Time cruise with Disney, what was your favorite part of the vacation?
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