Carnival Cruise Line offers several weeks of holiday cruises, complete with seasonal decorations, popular carols, themed activities, holiday menus, and more.
Many travelers deliberately book these special sailings to make fun family memories without the associated holiday stress of shopping, cooking, cleaning, decorating, and other preparations.
Not all cruisers, however, seem to appreciate the holiday touches Carnival adds to its fleet, or at least when the cruise line begins to celebrate the holiday season.
One self-professed “Mr. Scrooge” reached out to Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, with their seasonal concerns and the timing of when each ship is decorated.
“There should be no xmas decorations on cruises apart from the actual cruise over December 25th,” the guest stated. “If left up to me John Heald (I’ve always thought Mr. Scrooge had many admirable points) this would be about the right length of time to excite Carnival’s passengers who celebrate xmas.”
Typically, holiday decorations begin to appear on Carnival ships toward the end of November or the beginning of December, depending on each ship’s individual itinerary schedule, dry dock plans, and other operational needs. Decorations then remain up until roughly the first departure date after the new year.
The 2024 schedule for Carnival Cruise Line’s holiday decorating has not yet been released, though Heald did note that the schedule ought to be available during the first week of October.
Heald did respond to the guest’s claim, not with an answer they may expect, but with good logic about what they can also see on land even if they aren’t on a cruise.
“I respect, I understand everyone’s opinion but, well, it is a special time of year that I am sure the shops where you live will start celebrating in the next few weeks,” Heald said.
Christmas decorations have already appeared for sale in many stores, and social media feeds are becoming more cluttered with decorating hacks, baking recipes, and other holiday tips. The cruise guest, however, gives not indication if they have reached out to stores or social media platforms expressing their concerns.
Other travelers also pointed out that many ports of call are thoroughly decorated for Christmas the entire month of December, which is well out of the cruise line’s control but contributes to the festive atmosphere of such sailings.
The guest did further describe Carnival Cruise Line’s decorations and holiday festivities as “religious brainwashing.”
“Last year we were on the December 2nd Panorama cruise. The ship was decorated in gaudy fashion and the most horrible thing of all was the awful piped xmas music,” they described. “Religious brainwashing should not be extended on to people’s vacation.”
It should be noted that Carnival Cruise Line does integrate different faiths into its holiday decorations and activities, including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. At no time, however, are guests compelled to participate in any religiously-oriented elements.
Read Also: Christmas on a Cruise Ship – What to Expect
Most of the cruise line’s holiday events are purely secular, with widely accepted decorative elements like pine boughs, ornaments, and ribbons, as well as Santa Claus-themed activities such as story times.
Guest Support for Holiday Sailings
Many other Carnival guests responded to this one traveler’s outrage, noting that their experiences onboard Christmas cruises are very different.
“My favorite cruise was when the ship was decorated for Christmas and all the special events going on. The candlelight service and Santa were highlights. Absolutely wonderful!”
“I love Christmas and I am a religious person. I don’t remember seeing any ‘religious’ Christmas decorations on a cruise. They were more ‘secular’. Therefore, I don’t see why anyone would have a problem with fun décor.”
“Loved loved loved cruising with Carnival in December! The holiday decor was beautiful!”
“December is the best time to cruise because the ship’s have been decorated so beautifully. It’s my favorite time to cruise.”
Have you taken a cruise during the holiday season? Share your thoughts, tips, and fun holiday cruise ideas on the Cruise Hive boards!
