Imagine friends and family gathered around, eagerly counting down the final seconds to midnight on New Year’s Eve. Now imagine that celebration taking place in the fresh sea air, standing on the deck of an elegant cruise ship, surrounded by ocean waves beneath a starry sky.
Currently, thousands of holiday travelers around America are getting ready to board cruises to ring in the New Year. A cruise vacation is a natural choice for anyone who wants to celebrate the arrival of 2015 in style. Modern cruise ships offer so many comfortable amenities, fun activities, and exciting entertainment options, that it’s easy to see why so many cruisers choose to sail into the New Year rather than celebrate at home.
What can a cruiser expect from a New Year’s Eve cruise?
Practically every ship on the sea has a huge New Year’s bash planned, complete with hats, noisemakers, and plenty of dancing. To get into the “Auld Lang Syne” spirit, crews will deck out their ships with streamers, balloons, and other festive trimmings. Many lines will then officially kick off the celebration with special dinner menus in their dining rooms and signature restaurants.
After dinner, the party really gets started. Ships generally open up their largest dance venues for the celebration, and provide music DJs, party favors, and champagne. In fact, the largest ships—including those run by the largest cruise lines, such Norwegian, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean—often have several club spaces open for the party, thereby giving passengers a choice of fun venues.
Cruising families can also enjoy a memorable New Year’s Eve. Most large ships offer some sort of special club activities for teens and tween passengers. There are also usually late-night baby-sitting services available, so Mom and Dad can go enjoy the party.
The highlight of the evening is the countdown itself. On many ships, the captain leads this tradition, which ends with cries of “Happy New Year” and many popping champagne corks.
