Holidays give us the opportunity to spend quality time with the people we love. It’s a once-a-year chance for the whole family to dine together, laugh together and share stories. However, the holiday season isn’t necessarily a stress-free time of year. There’s food that needs made, presents that need purchased, travel reservations that need scheduled and living situations that need coordinated.
For some people, this process is fun. But for others, it gets to be too much, which is why many people are doing something different this year.
Instead of treating others, the holiday organizers of last year and many years before are treating themselves, along with a few members of their immediate family. Instead of spending their time off preparing and stressing, they’re choosing to see the world and leave the holiday bustle behind in a unique and satisfying way.
According to Fran Golden, contributing editor of Porthole Magazine and author of USA Today’s Best Cruises for Holiday Celebrations, “Each cruise line has its own special spin. On Princess ships there are ‘snowfalls’ in the atriums; chefs at Regent Seven Seas and Oceania Cruises create amazing gingerbread houses, and Disney Cruise Line ships host ‘Very Merrytime’ deck parties with Disney characters.”
These notes of holiday charm are what make cruises a winner for some. As mentioned, another thing is the new shorter cruise durations many cruise lines are offering. According to an article about new shorter cruises by the Miami Herald, “This season, six lines — more than ever before — will offer short cruises out of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. And unlike the days when there were few options other than a three-night cruise to Nassau, ships are also sailing to Key West, Cozumel, the Cayman Islands, Grand Turk, private islands in the Bahamas, and sometimes as far as Jamaica.”
These are just some of the shorter cruises available during the holiday seasons though. There are others that depart from places outside the United States that span anywhere from 3 nights to 2 weeks. One of these places is the infamous Patagonia, a holiday cruise destination with glaciers, penguins and real winter magic.
Patagonia, located in the southern part of South America, is home to some of the world’s greatest spectacles. Many of these spectacles remind cruisers of the winter wonderland they’ve only dreamed of. With a variety of different penguins, towering glaciers and a calm, crisp breeze, this is the perfect place for winter lovers to take a cruise. In addition to penguin-themed cruises, there are also whale watching cruises that occur during the holiday season.
However, the Caribbean still remains a popular holiday cruise destination because of its warmth and exoticness. This is especially true for people who live in the cooler parts of the United States and want to take a mid-season break from the cold.
Now, thanks to the decisions of cruise lines to make shorter cruises available, taking a Caribbean cruise during the holiday season is now a viable option for people with a limited holiday break. For instance, on a 4-day roundtrip cruise to Jamaica, you can stop at a number of Caribbean islands, plus constantly enjoy the warmth of the sun from the top of the cruise ship while sitting poolside. Also, if you like to maintain some kind of holiday tradition, you can partake in many festivities, celebrations and services offered by the cruise line.
Patagonia and the Caribbean are just two popular holiday cruise destinations. If you have taken holiday cruises in different areas, feel free to mention them in the comment section. Also, don’t forget to tell everyone what your holiday plans are this year!
Robert Gibb is a writer, visionary and optimist who writes about travel, entertainment, music and big ideas. Currently, he’s trying to convince his family to switch things up this year with a holiday trip to Patagonia.
Photo credits:
- Holiday Dinner Table by rherldof on Flickr Creative Commons
- Patagonia Glacier on Pixabay
- Two Penguins by axanar on Flickr Creative Commons
- Penguin group by angloholic on Stock Xchng
- Cruise Ship on Pixabay
- Whale watching by kohane on Flickr Creative Commons
- Beach from Pixabay