Celebrate the Holidays with Very Merrytime Disney Cruises

It would not be July if we did not start looking ahead to the fall and the holiday season.  The stores have already begun to change the seasonal departments from summer to back-to-school, before we know it we will see Christmas trees replacing Halloween costumes.  Starting in early November, the Disney Cruise ships will be spruced up with festive holiday decor to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukka, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve.

DCL Very Merrrytime Cruises Logo 2013

This year the Very Merrytime Cruises will begin on November 9th with a 7-Night Western on the Disney Fantasy, and a 7-Night Bahamian on the Disney Wonder.  The reimagined Disney Magic will sail a 5-Night Western and the Disney Dream will embark on a 4-Night Bahamian the following day.

We were fortunate enough to sail aboard the Disney Fantasy during the holiday season last year, and all I can say is wow.  The activities and decorations were beyond my expectations.  The Atrium Lobby looks amazing during this time.  So much so, that it seems like there is something missing when you sail any other time of year.

Disney Fantasy Atrium Lobby Christmas Decorations

Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving Day, guests will enjoy a bountiful Thanksgiving Day feast, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and friends dressed in traditional Thanksgiving attire and a special turkey towel animal in their stateroom upon turndown. Also during the special Thanksgiving voyages, big NFL football games will be broadcast live on Funnel Vision.

Thanksgiving Sailings

Disney Magic – 5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise on Disney Magic – Itinerary A from Miami, FL

  • Miami, FL • At Sea • Cozumel, Mexico • At Sea • Disney’s Castaway Cay
    11/24/2013

Disney Wonder – 7-Night Bahamian Cruise on Disney Wonder – Itinerary B from Galveston, TX

  • Galveston, TX • At Sea • Key West, FL • Nassau • Disney’s Castaway Cay • At Sea • At Sea
    11/23/2013

Disney Dream – 4-Night Bahamian Cruise on Disney Dream – Itinerary C from Port Canaveral, FL

  • Port Canaveral, FL • At Sea • Nassau • Disney’s Castaway Cay
    11/27/2013

Disney Fantasy – 7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise on Disney Fantasy – Itinerary B from Port Canaveral, FL

  • Port Canaveral, FL • At Sea • Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands • Costa Maya, Mexico • Cozumel, Mexico • At Sea • Disney’s Castaway Cay
    11/23/2013

Christmas

Christmas morning at the atrium lobby tree, Santa Claus and his elves will have surprises for all the kids. Later in the day, guests will enjoy caroling from the crew choir plus a special musical performance from the children. A traditional Christmas Dinner will be served that night in the dining rooms.  Christmas services will be held on Christmas Day with a midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Hanukkah services will be held each day, November 28th through December 5th.

During the Very Merrytime Cruises guests will have the opportunity to experience King Triton’s Tree Lighting Ceremony in the atrium lobby on the first night of the cruise, where a young guest helps Disney characters light the glittering, three-deck-tall tree.

Additional onboard activities include holiday crafts such as decorating stockings and gingerbread men cookies, making holiday cards and creating holiday animation cells. One of the cooler events offered is the building gingerbread houses.  Make sure to check with guest services to reserve as spot for your family as sessions tend to fill up.

Gingrebread House Making - Demonstration Sample

Holiday storytellers sharing tales of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Plus, a story just for Disney Cruise Line guests about the magical feeling of the holidays on a ship. Additional meet and greets will feature the Disney characters in their festive holiday outfits, including Belle in her Christmas gown!

Disney Cruise Characters Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Belle in Christmas Attire

Aboard the Fantasy, Magic, and Wonder a Deck the Deck Holiday Party guests will be invited to a a tropical celebration with Disney friends leading games such as hula hooping and limbo under oversized candy canes, along with dances for the whole family like the Yuletide Slide and a conga line around the pool.

A special holiday edition of Disney Cruise Line’s Til We Meet Again will be performed on the final night of each cruise with beloved Disney characters and the ship’s crew in an engaging musical finale led by Mickey Mouse.

All around the ships, festive holiday music replaces the traditional Disney music.  Personally, this is was the only thing I did not enjoy.  Don’t get me wrong, I love to listen to holiday music.  However, I prefer the immersive experience of a Disney Cruise with Disney music better. I can get the traditional holiday music all November and December in every retail store. Plus, the holiday music did not include some of the more unique Disney catalog songs that range from songs featuring Mickey and the gang to the Walt Disney World Cast Choir from the Candlelight Processional.

Castaway Cay

When the ships stop at Castaway Cay during the holidays, the celebration continues with “snow flurries,” a decked-out Christmas tree, Disney character meet-and-greets and holiday island music.

Castaway Cay Christmas - Christmas TreeDuck II

Christmas Sailings

Disney Magic – 5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise on Disney Magic – Itinerary A from Miami, FL

  • Miami, FL • At Sea • Cozumel, Mexico • At Sea • Disney’s Castaway Cay
    12/22/2013

Disney Wonder – 6-Night Western Caribbean Holiday Itinerary from Galveston, TX

  • Galveston, TX • At Sea • Cozumel, Mexico • Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands • At Sea • At Sea
    12/21/2013

Disney Dream – 4-Night Bahamian Cruise on Disney Dream – Itinerary A from Port Canaveral, FL

  • Port Canaveral, FL • Nassau • Disney’s Castaway Cay • At Sea
    12/22/2013

Disney Fantasy – 7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise on Disney Fantasy – Itinerary B from Port Canaveral, FL

  • Port Canaveral, FL • At Sea • Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands • Costa Maya, Mexico • Cozumel, Mexico • At Sea • Disney’s Castaway Cay
    12/21/2013

New Years 2014 Celebration

To celebrate the new year, voyages will include a special New Year’s Eve party to ring in 2014, complete with music, sparkling wine in commemorative flutes and a midnight countdown with balloon drops.

New Years Sailings

Disney Magic 3-Night Bahamian Cruise on Disney Magic – Itinerary B from Miami, FL

  • Miami, FL • Nassau • Disney’s Castaway Cay
    12/30/2013

Disney Wonder – 4-Night Western Caribbean Cruise on Disney Wonder – Itinerary A from Galveston, TX

  • Galveston, TX • At Sea • Cozumel, Mexico • At Sea
    12/31/2013

Disney Dream – 4-Night Bahamian Cruise on Disney Dream – Itinerary A from Port Canaveral, FL

  • Port Canaveral, FL • Nassau • Disney’s Castaway Cay • At Sea
    12/29/2013

Disney Fantasy – 7-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Disney Fantasy – Itinerary A from Port Canaveral, FL

  • Port Canaveral, FL • At Sea • At Sea • St. Maarten • St. Thomas (w. St. John excursions) • At Sea • Disney’s Castaway Cay
    12/28/2013

Disney Cruise Line Very Merrytime Cruises

Check out this video from Disney Cruise Line to see what makes these Very Merrytime Cruises so very merry!

15 Replies to “Celebrate the Holidays with Very Merrytime Disney Cruises”

  1. Chris

    We were on the Fantasy the week after Thanksgiving last year. AMAZING! The gingerbread house in the lobby smelled fantastic and each time we walked by, there was some more work that had been done to it.

    Reply
  2. Jennifer

    When do the holiday extras end? I have read early January. We are on the Wonder starting January 4th.

    Reply
  3. Jerry

    Booked our Christmas 2014 cruise on Fantasy the day it became available. It doubles as my wife’s 40th birthday party as well as our 10th anniversary. Can’t wait to see all of the decorations and all the fun waiting for us!!! And we really can’t wait to sail to Puerto Rico. We’ve never been, so this will be a great vacation for all of us!!!

    Reply
  4. Sarah

    Everything sounds great, except I’m disappointed to read they don’t play Disney music around the ship 🙁 – I agree, you can hear holiday music anywhere! We are sailing on the Fantasy this November. I’ve only been on one other cruise around the holidays (late November on the Magic in 2009) and the ship was decorated and they had the special events, but were still playing Disney music in the common areas.

    Reply
  5. Tia Jamieson

    Thanks for sharing this Scott. My family and I are booked for the Disney Dream Cruise for Christmas this year and I can’t wait. This will be our first cruise. Do you recommend taking small gifts to open onboard for Christmas morning?

    Reply
    1. Scott Sanders Post author

      Great question… This really depends on your family and your traditions. Are you trying to include Santa in your plans? If so, maybe give him your “coordinates” or just let him stop by your house for a surprise when you get home.

      Reply
  6. Mags Jimenez

    Getaway on cruise is dream come true for many individuals. It’s the delightful trip that lets you basically chill out, take it easy rather than keep worrying regarding reservations or where you can go next.

    Reply

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