Christmas and Hanukkah 2005 on Princess

This is an overview for archives researchers of our Christmas experience
while cruising with Princess in 2005. We were on the Sun Princess from
December 18-28. Hanukkah began at sundown on December 25, and I will touch
on Princess' treatment of Hanukkah, although my observations are limited as
we did not participate in the Jewish celebration.

This was our 6th cruise over the holidays, with some being during Christmas
week and others over New Year's. We like cruising over the holidays because
it allows us to keep the focus on family, and we're crazy about travel, so
any and every school break will do! Each holiday cruise has been special,
but we think Princess did a particularly lovely job with their treatment of
Christmas this year and wanted to share it with those who may wonder,

"What's it like to cruise for Christmas?"

The ship was beautifully decorated from bow to stern with garland, lights,
ribbon and bows, and Christmas trees of varying sizes and themes graced
public areas throughout the ship. For the first time, we saw a cruise line
extend the decorating in a more personal way--the name plate/mail box at
each stateroom door was adorned with an artificial bouquet of seasonal
greenery trimmed in gold, and the dining room tables were decorated with
greenery and ornaments. To set the mood, the background "Muzak" throughout
the cruise was composed of popular Christmas recordings.

On Christmas Eve morning, a festive arrangement of gingerbread houses and
carved fruit/vegetable Santas and snowmen was displayed in the atrium, and
that evening, we enjoyed pre-dinner caroling led by officers and staff
standing in front of the huge atrium tree. The Christmas Eve dinner was
formal, and everyone dressed in their finest seasonal apparel. A day in
advance, Princess distributed a form for pre-ordering select wines and
bubbly to accompany the meal. The menu offered traditional Christmas
specialties from turkey to ham and was served by Santa hat-wearing waiters
to our tables aglow with red candles. Stewards left a stocking full of
candies on our pillow that night. There were Catholic and Protestant
services both at midnight and again on Christmas morning, and alcohol-free
eggnog was served at breakfast on Christmas Day. The Captain sent everyone a
lovely Christmas card, and Santa arrived that afternoon with gifts for the
youth. To end the celebration, the Christmas night entertainment was a
wonderful Christmas variety show complete with a hilarious musical skit by
the British CD's staff that was similar to the Christmas pantomimes of Jolly
Olde England.

For those celebrating Hanukkah, a gorgeous electric crystal menorah with
appropriate candle(s) lit was placed at the entry of each dining room. We
saw a few passenger-supplied menorahs on dining room tables, as well. (Like
irons, candles are prohibited in passenger cabins due to fire regulations.)
Every night from the 25th through the end of the cruise, there were
rabbi-led services complete with latkes and other traditional touches.
Several children shared their gelt, dreidels and other festival goodies with
our kids!

It was fun to see fellow pax decorate their cabins-we always do. Many hung
wreaths (live and artificial) on their stateroom doors, and others decorated
their doors with red and green and blue and white banners. We decorate
inside, too, putting up a 3-foot tree in the kids' room, stringing lights
around the cabin as well as on the balcony railings (don't forget the power
strip!), hanging stockings, and sticking red bows, snowflakes and the
children's Christmas artwork here and there (with careful use of tape,
fishing line, paper clips and plastic ties, you can get as creative as you
want and leave no trace at the end). Our Christmas packing also includes an
advent calendar and favorite Christmas books and music, as well as Santa
hats and reindeer antlers. This cruise, more passengers than we've ever seen
before were wearing Christmas-themed casual clothes and hats, including lots
of blinking and noise-making versions!

Last, but not least, it's always interesting to visit tropical islands at
Christmas to see how the locals celebrate. You can shop for unique holiday
ornaments, and when you hit the beaches, you're sure to see a few Santas in
swim suits!

Ho, ho, ho, and Yo, ho, ho! The jolly old elf and the Jolly Roger.it's a
strange and magical mix. We highly recommend it!

Diana Ball
near Houston, TX