Christmas at Sea with the Best 2023 Christmas and New Years Cruises from Florida
By JoDell Haverfield, CEO and Luxury Travel Advisor at Have Travel Memories
I can’t believe the Christmas season is already here again! I mean I know time seems to fly by the older I get but I don’t think I aged that much this year! I have traveled quite a bit and experienced different time zones so maybe that explains it. I haven’t been home since early September, and I won’t be until mid-December. I will barely have time to hang a wreath on my front door and putting up my tree is just too much work for two weeks so forget that!
I know I sound a little bah-humbug but I’m really not. This last month we have been blessed to spend time with 16 of our grandchildren who live far away from us. We have seen their Christmas trees and decorations and that will be more than enough to put me in the spirit of Christmas.
It’s not too late to book a Christmas cruise! Here’s just a few suggestions:
• 10-night Christmas cruise on Holland America RT from Ft. Lauderdale Departing Dec. 17, 2023. Great itinerary includes Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk, Amber Cove, (Dominican Republic), Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.
• 10-night on Princess also RT Ft. Lauderdale departing Dec. 17, 2023, Princess Cays (Bahamas), St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Antigua, Tortola.
• 10-night Christmas cruise to the Panama Canal on Princess Dec. 20th RT Ft. Lauderdale.
• 5-night Caribbean Christmas on Carnival from Tampa Dec. 21st.
• 15-night Christmas cruise on NCL Dec. 21st RT from Miami to 11 ports.
• 4 to 7-night Christmas cruises on Disney, plus at least 30 more Christmas cruises that I just can’t mention now from family to luxury.
In our office, we say things are just better on the water, even Christmas, because we have done it and nowhere is it more true than aboard a cruise ship. Imagine pulling into a port you have only dreamed about. I feel that way even if it’s a port I have repeatedly been to. The truth is, still only a fraction of Americans cruise. Prior to Covid, only 3% of Americans cruised. Yet 41% of Americans went to Vegas in 2018. I guess people just don’t realize ships can take you places that would be nearly impossible to see any other way and for less cost than you would expect.
Whether it’s an expedition cruise to Galapagos or the Amazon or a Yacht cruise in Tahiti or a multi-gen family cruise, there’s a cruise for you. Maybe you just need a little romance with your partner. OK. There’s a wide network of luxury cruises that would rival the most indulgent resorts on land and, most of the time, even for less cost than you would expect.
By now my readers know I am a cruise enthusiast. I hope I have inspired at least a few to think about cruising if you haven’t already. After all, who wouldn’t want to spend more time at sea, except maybe for a sailor?
Cruise News: Royal Caribbean’s newest ship—the Icon of the Seas and the largest ship at sea— sailing from the port of Miami would be a great plan for a 2024 cruise. They will be offering some great deals. I have even seen them offer 30% off and kids sail free!
So, if your vacation time is hard for you or even if you’re on a budget, there is a huge surge of short haul and budget friendly cruises. We are now entering the Golden Age of travel by ship, where there really is a cruise for everyone, and everything is better on the water.
Merry Christmas!
Thanks for Travelin’ with JoDell and at the close of 2023 I really mean it! I’m so grateful the mandates have been lifted and everyone can travel.
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