Christmas cruises

The short answer is yes – and for several reasons. For many people, Christmas is a time set aside for family and loved ones, yet it often comes with weeks of preparation and practical arrangements. A Christmas holiday cruise changes that dynamic. Rather than spending the festive period thinking about meals, travel plans and schedules, you can focus on the part people tend to value most: simply being together. Once you've chosen the cruise itinerary that best suits your needs, much of the organisation is already in place, leaving you free to enjoy the holiday itself.

Part of the appeal of a Xmas cruise is the opportunity to spend meaningful time with the people who matter most. The destinations you visit become lasting memories, while life on board provides plenty of opportunities to share experiences together throughout the festive season.

The first thing you can expect is, above all, the peace of mind of spending the Christmas holidays without having to plan out every single day. A Christmas cruise gives you one of the more restful ways to spend the festive period.

Second, there's the destinations themselves, each one worth seeing, and more so at Christmas. A sailing through Northern Europe brings to the Christmas markets the region is known for, a Caribbean route trades winter temperatures for warm weather and open water, and a Mediterranean itinerary takes in some of the region's better-known cities in the quieter winter months. Which suits you really comes down to whether you'd rather have a coat on deck or leave it in the cabin.

On board, the MSC Cruises’ ships make its own case for the season, with decorations throughout the public areas and a run of Christmas-themed entertainment, shows, karaoke, and much more. A fair amount of this is aimed at children specifically, which matters if you're travelling as a family giving younger passengers a chance to make friends their own age in an organized setting while parents get a bit of proper time to themselves.

What you'll likely remember most, though, is simpler than any of that, just having the time with family or friends, away from the usual routine, to really enjoy each other's company.

There isn't a single best Christmas cruise, as such—more that it depends on the kind of holiday you're picturing.

Northern Europe leans into the festive atmosphere properly, with routes that stop off at the Christmas markets in Hamburg and Bruges among others.

If you'd rather trade the cold for some warmth, the Caribbean is a popular for a Xmas cruise, with routes reaching the Bahamas (including Ocean Cay), the Dominican Republic, along the Mexican coast and further down into the southern Caribbean. The Canary Islands and Madeira are a great Christmas destination too, with warm and some genuinely striking scenery and horizons to take in along the way.

The festive period also happens to be a good time to take in some of the Mediterranean's better-known cities, each with its own history and character. You might find yourself standing by the Colosseum in Rome, looking out over the Bay of Naples with Vesuvius in the distance, sitting down to paella in Valencia, or wandering the Medina in Tunis.

The cost of a Christmas cruise will depend on the choices you make when planning your holiday. Factors such as the itinerary, length of sailing, cabin choice and cruise experience all contribute to the overall cost, together with any optional extras, including excursions, drinks packages and spa treatments.

MSC Cruises may also feature Christmas cruise deals on selected departures. These can be a good opportunity to secure added value when planning a festive cruise.

What to pack on a Christmas cruise depends on where the ship's heading.

For a Northern Europe itinerary — touching countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands, northern France and Germany — think proper winter kit: a warm coat, layers, gloves, and something waterproof, since rain is likely at this time of year.

The Mediterranean region tends to be milder in December than Northern Europe, though it can still vary from one day to the next and evening temperatures can drop compared to daytime ones —so packing in layers is the safest way to be ready for whatever the weather does.

Head towards the Caribbean instead, and the case looks rather different. Light clothing, swimwear and something to cover up in the sun are the essentials, though a light layer for the evenings doesn't go amiss.

The Canary Islands and Madeira sit somewhere in between—generally mild, so summer clothing works for most of the day, with a jumper or jacket kept handy for cooler evenings.