Why a Very Merrytime Disney Cruise Is the Perfect Way to Spend the Holidays

The holidays are supposed to be about spending time together. But, if you have a family, you already know how quickly the magic of the season can turn into a long list of things to do: decorating, shopping, cooking, wrapping presents, coordinating everyone’s schedules, traveling, cleaning, and trying to make sure everyone actually has a good time.

What if, this year, you could skip much of the holiday work and simply enjoy the season together?

That is where a Very Merrytime Cruise with Disney Cruise Line can be such a memorable way to celebrate the holidays. Instead of spending your holiday vacation at home surrounded by a never-ending to-do list, your family can step aboard a Disney ship and find a holiday celebration already waiting for you.

The Holiday Magic Starts the Moment You Step Onboard

Disney Cruise Line transforms its ships into a festive winter wonderland during Very Merrytime sailings!

Imagine walking onto the ship and immediately being surrounded by sparkling lights, holiday decorations, Christmas music, and Disney Characters dressed in their holiday attire. One of the signature features is a towering 24-foot Christmas tree, along with an elaborate gingerbread house that adds to the festive atmosphere throughout the ship.

And unlike a holiday party that lasts for a few hours, the Christmas atmosphere follows you throughout your entire vacation. That means you don’t have to spend days decorating your house, planning activities, or figuring out how to entertain everyone. The holiday experience is already built into your vacation.

Your Family Gets to Celebrate Christmas Together

One of the best things about a Very Merrytime Cruise is that there are holiday experiences designed for the entire family. During the sailing, families can enjoy Mickey & Minnie’s Holiday Party, where Disney Characters join Guests for music and holiday fun.

There is also the Mickey & Minnie’s Merrytime Tree Lighting, a traditional holiday celebration where Mickey and his friends help light the ship’s Christmas tree.

And, of course, Santa Claus makes an appearance. Children can meet Santa and share their holiday wishes, creating the kind of vacation memories that can become part of your family’s Christmas traditions for years to come.

You Don’t Have to Do All the Work

This might be one of the biggest reasons families should consider a holiday cruise.

Think about everything that normally goes into hosting Christmas.

Someone has to plan the meals.

Someone has to grocery shop.

Someone has to cook.

Someone has to clean.

Someone has to decorate.

Someone has to coordinate family schedules.

Someone has to figure out what everyone is going to do.

On a Disney cruise, much of that responsibility disappears.

Your accommodations, dining, entertainment, and countless activities are all part of the cruise experience. Disney Cruise Line also offers family activities, youth clubs, entertainment, and spaces designed specifically for adults, meaning different members of your family can enjoy the vacation in different ways without having to completely separate the experience.

Instead of one person being responsible for making Christmas happen, the family gets to simply enjoy it.

There Is Something for Every Generation

One of the biggest challenges of planning a multigenerational holiday vacation is finding something everyone actually wants to do.

Grandparents may want to relax.

Parents may want some downtime.

Teenagers may want independence.

Younger children may want nonstop activities.

And everyone probably wants to eat.

A Disney cruise is designed with those different interests in mind.

Children can enjoy supervised youth clubs and age-appropriate activities, while adults can take advantage of adult-exclusive spaces and dining. Families can also come together for entertainment, Character experiences, dining, deck activities, and more.

That balance can make a huge difference on a family vacation. You don’t have to spend every minute together to have a great family vacation. Sometimes, the best family vacations are the ones where everyone gets a little time to do their own thing and then comes back together to share the memories.

The Holiday Entertainment Is Already Planned for You

If you’ve ever traveled with children during the holidays, you know that keeping everyone entertained can become a full-time job.

On a Very Merrytime Cruise, you don’t have to create the entertainment schedule yourself. Disney Cruise Line offers holiday-themed activities and entertainment throughout the sailing, including Character appearances, holiday crafts, seasonal activities, and festive celebrations.

And that’s in addition to everything else available on a Disney cruise, including live entertainment, dining, pools, waterslides, youth clubs, and other onboard activities. You can wake up each morning knowing there are already plenty of options for the day!

And Then There Is the Best Part: You Get to Escape Somewhere Warm

For families who live in colder climates, spending Christmas surrounded by snow can certainly be beautiful. But there is something pretty special about celebrating the holidays in the sunshine. Depending on the itinerary, Very Merrytime sailings can take families to destinations in the Caribbean, The Bahamas, Mexico, and other warm-weather locations.

For Southern California families, there are even Very Merrytime sailings from San Diego to Baja California. Disney Cruise Line currently lists a 3-night Very Merrytime Baja sailing from San Diego aboard the Disney Wonder, with a stop in Ensenada. That means your family could wake up on Christmas vacation, enjoy a festive breakfast onboard, spend the day in the sunshine, and return to the ship for even more holiday celebrations.

It is a very different way to experience Christmas.

What About Thanksgiving?

Very Merrytime Cruises aren’t just about Christmas.

Select November sailings also offer Thanksgiving at Sea, allowing families to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, football, and other seasonal touches without having to host Thanksgiving at home. Disney’s approach is simple: let someone else handle the cooking and cleaning while your family concentrates on spending time together.

That may be one of the best holiday gifts of all!

A Holiday Cruise Can Become Your Family’s New Tradition

There is something special about family traditions.

Maybe your family always watches the same Christmas movie.

Maybe you decorate the tree together.

Maybe you visit the same relatives every year.

Or maybe your family is ready for something completely different.

A Very Merrytime Cruise can become a tradition of its own.

Imagine your children growing up remembering that some of their favorite Christmases were spent waking up on a Disney ship, meeting Santa, watching Mickey and Minnie light the Christmas tree, enjoying holiday entertainment, and exploring a new destination with their family.

Those are the kinds of experiences that tend to stick with you long after the decorations come down.

Ready to Make Your Family’s Holiday a Little More Magical?

Very Merrytime Cruises are offered on select Disney Cruise Line sailings, and itineraries, ships, dates, and holiday offerings vary. The right sailing for your family depends on more than just finding an available date. You’ll want to consider the ship, itinerary, departure port, length of sailing, stateroom options, holiday timing, and what your family actually wants to experience.

That’s where working with a travel advisor can make the planning process much easier! Our team at Academy Travel can help you compare the available Very Merrytime options, find the sailing that fits your family’s vacation goals and take care of the details so you can spend less time researching and more time looking forward to your holiday.

If a Disney Christmas cruise sounds like the kind of holiday your family would remember for years, let’s start planning!