Tammy Whiting, our Disney Cruise Line expert, shares with us 10 reasons to take a Christmas holiday cruise on a Disney ship. Here are her tips!
If you’ve ever visited the Disney parks around the holidays, you know Disney goes all out. The Disney Cruise Line is no exception.
Disney designates most sailings from early November through Christmas as Very Merrytime Cruises. Here are 10 things that are different about these experiences:
1. Holiday Decorations – The ships have huge, beautiful trees in the atriums, but it doesn’t stop there.
There are other decorations scattered around the atrium and throughout the public areas. There will usually be a special tree-lighting ceremony (with characters!) on the first night as well.
2. Gingerbread Houses – All the ships have an elaborate gingerbread house in the atrium! They are made of real gingerbread. All are slightly different, and all are lovely. The version on the Wish is smaller and the most unique. It resembles a giant cake, in my opinion.
3. Holiday Merch – Calling all Disney merch lovers! The shops onboard will have a special line of holiday merchandise to purchase, almost all of which is exclusive to the ships. The lines are usually crazy the first night the shops open, but they don’t run out of most things.
4. Characters in Holiday Attire – The characters will be decked out in their holiday finery for shows and meet-and-greets. Their outfits are adorable. Get a family photo with them for the perfect Christmas card.
5. Visits with Santa – If you don’t feel like driving to the local mall to give Santa your list, he’ll be onboard! Some of my favorite (and easiest) Santa photos with the kids are from Disney ships.
6. Stories with Mrs. Claus – Mrs. Claus will also be around, and she usually reads Christmas stories in the atrium at least once per sailing. Get there early if you want to sit in the front, but there’s usually room for everyone who is interested.
7. Deck Parties – Weather permitting, there will be a deck party with music, characters, and dancing! If weather is not permitting, it will be held in the atrium. There may even be snow! We were also excited to see hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies for everyone to enjoy. And who would want to miss making a snowman out of sand on Disney’s private island?
8. Actual Holiday Activities – If you happen to be on a cruise over an actual holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas, there are usually some special activities to celebrate.
9. No Cooking! – Probably the best part of being onboard for the holidays? No cooking—or doing dishes! Someone else is taking care of everything for you—with a smile! On the actual holidays, you will usually have a special menu, and there are holiday-themed snacks available throughout the season.
10. Crafts and Activities – There are also lots of holiday-themed activities onboard, like holiday trivia, holiday crafts, and more! Occasionally, there will be gingerbread-cookie decorating, but that’s been hit or miss for the last few years. Check the Navigator once onboard to see what’s available.
Have you taken a Christmas holiday cruise with Disney Cruise Line? We would love to hear from you!
About the author of the blog: Tammy Whiting is the coauthor of The Unofficial Guide to Disney Cruise Line. blogger, Space Force wife, and mother of two, Tammy has been involved in the travel industry for more than 15 years. The 2025 edition will be available December 3rd. Pre-order your copy now!
Though she certainly enjoys vacations of all kinds, her favorite adventures around the globe have been on cruise ships. Tammy spent five years of her childhood in Europe as a military brat and has been a military spouse for over 30 years, living in almost every corner of the US. When she isn’t traveling, you can find her enjoying her family, buying camera equipment, and planning her next trip!
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