Spending Christmas on the Fantasy!

[Bejeweledj9]

We just booked our FIRST CRUISE EVER and decided to go all in! We booked 12/22/18 on the Fantasy for a Merrytime Cruise! I would love to hear about your experiences with spending Christmas on the ship! Our kids have never been away from home on Christmas - any must do's or tips on how Santa finds your ship & cabin?

 

[apathetic]

We've done Christmas on the Dream and it was great. If it wasn't so expensive, we'd do Christmas on the ship every year. Santa can find you anywhere, because he's Santa. However, the kids only received 1 gift on the ship because Santa took the rest home. This made it easier for flying back and the kids were super excited to get home after the new year and still have presents to open. Cruise, WDW and still presents. Santa knows how to do it.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

We just booked our FIRST CRUISE EVER and decided to go all in! We booked 12/22/18 on the Fantasy for a Merrytime Cruise! I would love to hear about your experiences with spending Christmas on the ship! Our kids have never been away from home on Christmas - any tips on how Santa finds your ship & cabin?

I can't help you with your questions, but just wanted to say congrats, that is awesome. I'm counting down the days until my restaurant sells so we can do a Christmas cruise, that is the busiest time of the year for us and I've spent the last 31 Christmases there. I so want to be on a Disney Christmas cruise.

 

[Bejeweledj9]

We've done Christmas on the Dream and it was great. If it wasn't so expensive, we'd do Christmas on the ship every year. Santa can find you anywhere, because he's Santa. However, the kids only received 1 gift on the ship because Santa took the rest home. This made it easier for flying back and the kids were super excited to get home after the new year and still have presents to open. Cruise, WDW and still presents. Santa knows how to do it.

You did WDW too? We thought about it but we thought the crowds would be horrible, at least before the cruise.

 

[Disney mac]

We did the fantasy last year and spent Christmas at sea. Very cool having a small tree and hanging Christmas lights in our room. The day at sea was awesome, as they only played the Disney parade on the funnel vision so it encouraged people to be out and about for a later morning. It was awesome.

 

[Bejeweledj9]

Did you bring the tree and lights?

 

[Dug720]

We did the fantasy last year and spent Christmas at sea. Very cool having a small tree and hanging Christmas lights in our room. The day at sea was awesome, as they only played the Disney parade on the funnel vision so it encouraged people to be out and about for a later morning. It was awesome.

Did you bring the tree and lights?

For what it's worth, lights are on Disney's prohibited list of items...
Q.
What items are prohibited on board the ship and on Castaway Cay?

A.
In order to maintain a safe and secure environment for all Guests and crew, the following items are prohibited on board Disney Cruise Line ships. If found, the items listed, and anything similar, will be held in storage for the duration of the cruise. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Items prohibited on board ship and on Castaway Cay.

• Electrical appliances such as rice cookers, hot plates, coffee makers, blenders, electric irons, electric blankets, heating pads, bottle sterilizers and warmers
  • Please note: A limited number of approved bottle warmers and bottle sterilizers are available upon request through Guest Services
  • All ships offer self-service laundry facilities with irons and ironing boards. Portable fans are permitted in your stateroom. However, you must contact Guest Services to have the Chief Electrician approve your fan.
• Fireworks or pyrotechnics
• Seasonal and/or celebratory light bulb strings
• Extension cords or surge protectors
• Ham radios

 

[Disney mac]

Did you bring the tree and lights?

For lights, I had these VERY low voltage lights:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LVWPQAT/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G4QD1TK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and used a portable power source (like what most people use to charge their phones) to power the room. There was absolutely zero problem. In fact, I got several compliments from other people and even our room attendant who loved it. I called 3 different times and asked CMs and was reassured that it was fine.

As for the tree, I bought a VERY small little tree from either bed bath and beyond or somewhere like that and packed it in my suitcase.

Have a great time. Loved sailing by Havana on Christmas and enjoying the family and aquaduck.

 

[aggiedog]

We did Christmas on the Wonder last year. I loved it. My kids were a little bent out of shape, but that is probably because we surprised them. My bad!

We did stocking gifts only. We had a very small lit up palm tree, and battery powered LED christmas lights strung up in the room.

 

[lds0191]

We just booked our FIRST CRUISE EVER and decided to go all in! We booked 12/22/18 on the Fantasy for a Merrytime Cruise! I would love to hear about your experiences with spending Christmas on the ship! Our kids have never been away from home on Christmas - any must do's or tips on how Santa finds your ship & cabin?

.
We were on the Magic Christmas 2015 and it was the best cruise ever! My DD was 14 so didn't have to worry about the Santa thing. We opened a few gifts the night before the cruise, had a stocking on the ship and saved a couple of gifts to open post cruise. We had a teeny tiny battery operated Christmas tree and some battery operated lights (Target) we hung with suction cups on the mirror above the desk. DCL knows how to do Christmas. There were carrollers in period costume, Santa, cookies in the atrium and the decorations were amazing. We had a choice during dinner on Christmas Day to order a traditional Christmas dinner. The cost for our cruise was so reasonable but I haven't seen another Christmas cruise I could afford. So happy we were able to do it at least once.

 

[darnheather]

Maybe just pick up a very small tree for the room as there isn't tons of space. The Dollar store usually has small ones and miniature ornaments.

Have a wonderful time!

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

We (wife, son then 23 and I) were on the Fantasy over Christmas in 2015 and we loved it. Our first and only time we spent the holiday away from home; away from the rest of the families. And we loved it!!!
If we could do it again (and again and again) we would. The ship is decorated beautifully for the holiday, characters also dressed for the occasion.

Don't miss the introductions of Santa in the lobby, it was a very fun production. Seen many families walking around with the gingerbread house that the family created together, scheduled many times throughout the cruise.

We being adults, we loved creating martinis and mixed drinks and learning about tequila and beer!!!
It was a very memorable cruise, for all the right reasons. We have a big cruise coming up next year, 10 night Norwegian fjords and Iceland to save up for. Maybe we need to save up for another Christmas cruise as soon as we are home from that. Did I say we LOVED it?!!!

 

[Disneymadhouse]

We were on Dream for Christmas 2015. We took a small tree with us ( we had been at WDW for 8 nights before the cruise too). Santa filled up the stocking on the end of DD's bed with small gifts, and the rest he left at home for when we got home to the UK.
On Christmas eve, there was a table set up in the lobby for you to get cookies and milk to take back to your room to leave out for Santa - they looked delicious and Santa ate them all up

We loved it! The weather was perfect too

Claire

 

[Disney mac]

We had room service deliver our cookies and milk for santa too.

 

[RedSox68]

Oh man -- now I want to take a Christmas cruise! Maybe when I retire

 

[tlprice]

You did WDW too? We thought about it but we thought the crowds would be horrible, at least before the cruise.

Actually, the crowds at WDW would be better BEFORE the cruise, given your sailing dates and much worse after the cruise. The worst week of the year is the week after Christmas.

 

[Disney mac]

Actually, the crowds at WDW would be better BEFORE the cruise, given your sailing dates and much worse after the cruise. The worst week of the year is the week after Christmas.

This past year we got off the cruise dec 31 and drove to WDW from Dec 31-Jan 6. Crowds were no where near as bad I thought they might be, even with the marathon the weekend we left.

 

[cruiser21]

Oh man -- now I want to take a Christmas cruise! Maybe when I retire

We've done 4 Merrytime cruises in early December they are nice and a good price. They get you in the Holiday spirit. I prefer to be home Christmas day.

 

[RedSox68]

We've done 4 Merrytime cruises in early December they are nice and a good price. They get you in the Holiday spirit. I prefer to be home Christmas day.

We did a Merrytime cruise in 2014 around 12/9. I loved the ship decorations and the fun holiday stuff they did. I just think a Christmas cruise would be nice cause then I wouldn't have to worry about home decorations or cooking

 

[The Hunchback]

We do not have kids but I saw a sign held by magnets on a door. It was directed to Santa and said Bobby and Alice were staying here. I know Santa found it from the delighted screams later in the evening. I think the room Stewart was in on it. Some of them are a long way from their kids and might enjoy helping keep the magic for your kids. I would tip a little extra if they help. Don't forget a little extra something (candy) for those who serve you on the cruise. Kids need to learn to "give" to others too.