With occasions like Nutcracker Afternoon Tea and Breakfast with Santa added to new winter-themed stateroom décor packages, cruising makes the vacations merry and shiny
Holland America Line is spreading cheer this vacation season with a bunch of latest culinary traditions and enhanced experiences that flip every ship into a house away from residence. Quite than cooking, cleansing and taking part in host, visitors on a Holland America Line cruise all through the winter holidays can bask in a brand new Nutcracker Afternoon Tea, say cheers with a refreshed cocktail menu and revel in spending time with family members surrounded by the sights and smells of the season.
By the start of December, Holland America Line ships can be adorned for the season with festive décor, together with gingerbread villages, particular lighting, presents nestled underneath the tree, menorah shows and extra. From Thanksgiving via New 12 months’s, favourite vacation dishes will seem on menus all through every ship, and bars will characteristic themed cocktails that seize the spirit of the season.
“The ambiance on a vacation cruise is particular, and this yr we’ve made some enhancements like a themed afternoon tea, breakfast with Santa, stateroom décor and even festive towel animals which might be certain to thrill our visitors,” stated Michael Smith, senior vice chairman, visitor expertise and product improvement, Holland America Line. “We’re grateful to our visitors who select to share their holidays with us, and we wish to make certain that we make it memorable — from a dish on the menu that tastes like residence to actions which might be enjoyable for the entire household.”
Culinary Favorites Convey a Style of House
Vacation-themed culinary delights make visitors really feel at residence with out having to do the cooking. Menus will supply a conventional Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas Eve feasts with genuine dishes from all over the world, and recent jelly donuts and crispy potato latkes for Hanukkah. Canaletto will serve an Italian-inspired Christmas Eve dinner.
New this yr, visitors on Caribbean cruises can take pleasure in a “Breakfast with Santa” expertise, and throughout the month of December a “Nutcracker Afternoon Tea” can be served on choose sea days within the Eating Room on all ships.
Festive cocktails and coffees present a luxurious sipping expertise, additional enhancing the vacation spirit. Company can toast the vacations with a brand new menu, together with a Minty Elf Martini, Rudolf the Purple Margarita, De Lijn Ginger Mojito, Spiked Eggnog, Christmas Cocoa Mint Espresso, or non-alcoholic libations just like the Vanilla Gingerbread Latte and Eggnog Latte.
Actions Make the Holidays Merry
Company seeking to expertise the vacations to the fullest could have loads of alternatives to make reminiscences on each cruise. Household and pals can collect for a tree lighting ceremony, vacation films, caroling and extra. They will additionally make festive origami decorations, create ornaments in crafting periods and study cookie adorning ideas and tips from professional pastry cooks. Santa Claus is predicted to make an look, and Holland America Line’s beloved towel animals can be becoming a member of in on the vacation theme.
Within the Children Membership and Artwork Studio, households can sit up for actions like a vacation coloring contest and making vacation playing cards, plus handprint turkeys and wreaths. A vacation scavenger hunt will present enjoyable for the entire household.
Celebrations on board begin with a tree lighting ceremony, and the enjoyable continues with a Christmas Eve Social gathering and concludes with a New 12 months’s Eve Ball, full with a countdown to midnight and Champagne toasts. A visitor favourite, the “Sounds of the Season” live performance options performances by choirs made up of shipboard group members from all over the world.
Holland America Line lately launched enhanced stateroom décor packages, and over the vacations visitors should purchase the “Winter Vacation” bundle to make their stateroom much more festive. The bundle comes with particular decorations and unique keepsakes, together with two stockings, an ornamental pillow and a “Comfortable Holidays” blanket.
Decide the Good Vacation spot to Rejoice the Holidays
With 11 ships to select from, it’s straightforward for cruisers to flee cool winter climate and choose their supreme locale to rejoice the vacations. Pattern vacation sailings embody:
- 12-Day Panama Canal Sunfarer, Rotterdam, Nov 17: After exploring ports within the Caribbean, South America, Central America, and cruising across the Panama Canal, visitors can take pleasure in a soothing Thanksgiving Day at sea.
- 14-Day Southern Caribbean Vacation, Volendam, Dec. 21: This itinerary permits visitors to rejoice Christmas or Hanukkah and ring within the New 12 months on board. Highlights embody Christmas Eve in St. Thomas, Christmas Day in Basseterre, New 12 months’s Eve in Oranjestad, and a soothing New 12 months’s Day at sea.
- 7-Day Japanese Caribbean, Nieuw Amsterdam, Dec. 22: This cruise is right for vacationers seeking to spend Christmas or Hanukkah in a location well-known for its festive season. The ship visits San Juan, Puerto Rico, on the vacations (that are each celebrated on Dec. 25 in 2024).
- 7-Day Japanese Caribbean Vacation, Eurodam, Dec. 23: The ship overnights at San Juan on Dec. 25 after a night arrival. Company take pleasure in Christmas Day at sea earlier than arriving within the late night and may discover town the subsequent day to take pleasure in las Navidades even longer.
Have It All Provides Widespread Facilities
Whether or not they’ve been naughty or good, visitors who ebook a vacation cruise with the “Have It All” premium bundle obtain further perks, relying on size of cruise: shore excursions, specialty eating, a beverage bundle and Wi-Fi.
Choices together with Breakfast with Santa, Christmas Eve in Canaletto, vacation cocktails and winter vacation décor packages can be found for an extra cost.
For extra details about Holland America Line, seek the advice of a journey advisor, name 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or go to hollandamerica.com.
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About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]
Holland America Line has been exploring the world for 150+ years with expertly crafted itineraries, extraordinary service and real connections to the locations. Providing an excellent perfectly-sized ship expertise, its fleet visits practically 400 ports in 114 international locations all over the world and has shared the joys of Alaska for greater than 75 years — longer than some other cruise line. Holland America Line’s 11 vessels characteristic a various vary of enriching actions and facilities targeted on vacation spot immersion and personalised journey. Company take pleasure in one of the best leisure at sea, and eating venues that includes unique dishes by world-famous cooks. A brand new international recent fish program brings greater than 80 varieties of recent fish on board, sourced and served loc