Family Vacations This Christmas: Plan a Christmas Cruise

Why wait until the summer to take the cruise you've always dreamed of? Another excellent time to take a cruise is over the Christmas season. Most cruise lines have trips designed specifically around the Christmas holiday season. Plus, school is out for Christmas anyway, so you can take your kids on a Christmas vacation they're sure to always remember. Here are some ideas for planning your Christmas cruise.

Some Christmas cruises you might consider

Norwegian Cruise Line has several cruises beginning just before or just after. So whether you want to celebrate Christmas on a cruise with your family, or if you want to visit the family first and take a cruise afterwards, Norwegian Cruise Line has Christmas options for you. As of the writing of this article, Norwegian Cruise Line had sixteen different cruises around Christmas time. The cruise destinations included Spain, Florida, the Bahamas, and many other destinations.

Holland America Cruise Line has a cruise earlier in the Christmas season to the Mexican Riviera, an adventurous Christmas cruise around the southern tip of South America, and a more standard Christmas cruise through the Caribbean. Compared to some of the larger cruise lines, Holland America Cruise Line has fewer options available for a Christmas cruise, but is one of the only cruise lines that will take you almost to the Antartic!

Princess Cruises also has Christmas season cruises for you and your family. Some of the more exotic Christmas cruise destinations include Australia and New Zealand, where the cruise takes you from Sydney to Auckland, and takes stops at Tasmania and Christchurch. Another Christmas cruise offered by Princess begins and ends in Melbourne, Australia, and visits several small islands in the South Pacific. Christmas cruises with Princess also include trips to Hawaii, the Bahamas, Tahiti, Peru, and Easter Island.

Celebrity Cruises can take you on the standard Caribbean or Hawaii cruise at Christmas, but Christmas cruises to the Galapagos Islands, the Mediterranean, Australia, and South America are also available.

Disney Cruise Line only has two cruise ships, so its Christmas cruises are naturally limited to two. However, if you are looking for a Christmas cruise designed specifically for the younger members of your family, Disney certainly specializes in helping kids to have a good time. Many on-board activities on a Disney Christmas cruise are designed specifically for children, such as a reading of the "Night Before Christmas" by "Ms. Claus," and a Christmas day visit by Santa Goofy.

Speaking of kids, will they enjoy a Christmas cruise?

Most cruise lines have children's programs on-board for kids of all ages. In general, the cruise lines assign counselors (summer camp style) to supervise and organize games for small groups of children. Children's programs on cruise ships generally start at age two or three. For older kids, programs available for teens vary from cruise line to cruise line. Some cruise lines have structured events for teens, while other cruise ships set aside game rooms and lounges for teens, allowing them to come and go as they please.