Anyone else not loving the idea of holiday deck parties

[clten]

I just curious does DCL have a nativity display on the ship during Christmas?

Mike

No. The big holiday themed decorations are the large tree in the atrium and a gingerbread house. Throughout the ship are other holiday decorations, garlands and wreaths, etc.

To the pp, you heard correctly, staterooms are NOT decorated -- thank goodness!!

 

[mom2val]

:

 

[1025cruise]

Decorations the week of don't bother me (or for that matter in December). But I don't need to think about a winter holiday in early November.

 

[Beermam42]

They removed the left hand side of steps so they would have a place to put big Christmas Tree.

 

[texasgirl29]

We sailed on Princess during Christmas and it was beautiful. But I wouldn't want to be in a ship decorated to the nines before Thanksgiving. I'm one of those people who likes to celebrate each holiday as it comes, and not before.

The thought of eating my Thanksgiving dinner in the glow of Christmas tree lights is distasteful to me.

I'm afraid I'm in the minority also, but holding off on celebrating seems to make my holiday all the more special.

 

[cgolf]

I do love the Pirate party but it requires thought and planning and is not in the least relaxing.

I too am looking forward to seeing all the decorations, I thought that when we got stuck going in Nov. instead od Dec. we would miss out.

I am puzzled by the section above in the OP's original post. I have never given an ounce of thought about the pirate party, we always just show up, watch the show and fireworks and then go do something else. If you want to get dressed up and such you can but don't have to, same for the holiday deck parties.

Actually 7 cruises in we now only watch the fireworks, which allows us to find a less crowded space to sit.

cgolf

 

[MagicMe]

I am super thrilled that they have decided to start decorating the ships earlier. I love WDW at Christmas and now I can hopefully get my family on a Christmas cruise.

See my chances of ever getting my entire immediate family to WDW during the Christmas holidays has always been out of the question. My youngest son and his GF work for the same company and my DIL is a CM at a Disney Store. Both companies restrict vacations around that time. Now I have a chance (at least for the youngest son) of getting them on a Christmas cruise since their company has relaxed the date of no vacation to mid-November.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

My 1st cruise ever and I am just thrilled to get to see all the decorations... a little disappointed that the staterooms are not decorated too(from what I was told)

This would be a terrible idea. With international travelers and holidays not being universally observed, there is no reason to decorate people's personal staterooms for them. Just a neutral observation. Some people choosing to decorate their own, certainly their choice.

 

[disneylove69]

I work retail so I'm excited I can enjoy the holidays with out being yelled at, shoving, and crowds

 

[jjje]

If I were booked on an early November cruise, and found out the ship was going to be "holiday decorated", I would be canceling.

I was excited when I found out our November 16th cruise was going to have Christmas decor. At home I like to celebrate the holidays one at a time but for this special occasion I'm looking forward to seeing the decorations and whatever else special holiday events are.

 

[omalley1118]

We just moved our cruise from early November to December for this reason alone. I love Christmas and am super psyched about seeing all of the decorations. That being said, we are going in December. I really enjoy all of the holidays and feel strongly that each should be celebrated individually. Nothing makes me crazier than being in a department store now and seeing Halloween decorations next to a Christmas tree.....

 

[Plaid Princess]

This is me too. We don't celebrate holidays so it makes it really hard for us, especially when they have started doing it earlier and earlier. I understand the masses celebrate, their choice, but Christmas is at the end of December. Decorating the ship and making a majority of the activities holiday themed at the beginning of November is not necessary. I think if you book a cruise two weeks before a holiday, it is to be expected but not almost two months. JMO. Needless to say, our cruise is at the end of February. Avoids all major holidays.

Of course the other end of the stick is those like myself, who LOVE the holiday décor and appreciate the opportunity to see the ships/parks all decked out. I could never hope to have the two weeks before any holiday off (I work in aviation), and there are many others in the same boat (pun intended ;-) ), so the option of seeing it in early November is great for me!

 

[atlfan4]

I'm not sure I understand some of the comments comparing the holiday deck party to the pirate party. The holiday one isn't an all night shindig like the pirate one, so it shouldn't impact anyone's dinner or evening show plans.

The holiday one typically happens in the late afternoon on a sea day or early port departure, similar to the Mexican fiesta.

 

[Diva of Dragons]

We are on the 11/10 cruise and on the Dream for the first time. Also, first time traveling with our daughter who will be 5 in Nov. I am torn! Normally, I would be all about it! But, this time, I feel like there is so much regular stuff to do and see that I will feel overwhelmed with choices on such a short cruise. I LOVE Christmas decorations but honestly, I almost wish they had extended Halloween! LOL!

 

[LindaBabe]

They removed the left hand side of steps so they would have a place to put big Christmas Tree.

Do you mean during this rehab? The Christmas tree always sat in the curve of the stairs on the right, before.

 

[amejiajr8]

I am excited

 

[lbgraves]

Do you mean during this rehab? The Christmas tree always sat in the curve of the stairs on the right, before.

I was going to say the same thing, but with the statue there now they probably won't be able to fit it there now.

 

[aligator]

Following in WDW's footsteps, DCL has found that additional holiday theming will attract a lot of people during what has traditionally been a "slow" time for such vacations. As long as money talks, they'll continue. I did enjoy the parks gussied up for Christmas one year when we went in December, but I don't want that all the time. Nor do I like Christmas being pushed before Thanksgiving. But that's me and I'm apparently not the norm on such issues.

In November Christmas is not pushed before thanksgiving for all passengers. I am from Canada and our thanksgiving is next week. So I will enjoy the Xmas decorations on our mid Nov 2014 cruise. And many other passengers are non-Americans!!

 

[TinkerPug]

We are going on our first cruise on November 16. I read in an earlier post that there is a gingerbread house. Does anyone know if they have gingerbread cookies that you can purchase - similar to what they have at the Grand Floridian during the holidays?

thanks!