Cruise & Cruise Line

Spend the Holidays at Sea With Norwegian Cruise Line

Image: Norwegian Gem. (photo via Norwegian Cruise Line)
Image: Norwegian Gem. (photo via Norwegian Cruise Line)
Laurie Baratti
by Laurie Baratti
Last updated: 7:30 PM ET, Sun August 11, 2019

Are you burnt out on having to plan, prepare and execute a traditional Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or New Year's celebration at home? This December, avoid the mess and stress (as well as any unwanted houseguests) by escaping at sea with one of Norwegian Cruise Line's holiday cruises to warmer climates like Hawaii and the Caribbean.

Cruising offers the advantage of allowing you to experience multiple destinations in a single journey, without the hassle of having to switch hotels, and provides plenty of flexibility in terms of catering to your family's personal budget and preferred activities. During the holidays, don't you deserve to relax and enjoy the precious time spent with your loved ones, in whatever way and on whatever schedule you choose?

Hop aboard the Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Gem or Pride of America-the only ship in the world able to sail seven-day, inter-island cruises in Hawaii-and let your winter woes melt away as you sail off to see the tropical wonders of the Hawaiian or Caribbean islands this holiday season.

The Norwegian Dawn Holiday Cruises to the Western Caribbean bring Christmas onboard with a wealth of festive, family-friendly activities, including caroling and sing-alongs, gingerbread-house making and a meet-and-greet with Santa Claus himself.

All this takes place while you're also experiencing the best aspects of four ports-of-call during a seven-day, round-trip sailing from Tampa, Florida. In Mexico's Costa Maya and Cozumel, you might opt for an up-close investigation of ancient Mayan ruins, explore the tropical jungle in an ATV or instead go diving or snorkeling among the world's second-largest barrier reef.

While visiting Roatan Bay Islands, Honduras and Harvest Caye-Belize's premier resort-style destination-kick back poolside or in a private cabana on the beach with an icy refreshment in hand. Program departures take place between November 24, 2019, and January 5, 2020.

Perfect for holiday travelers looking for a somewhat lengthier getaway, Norwegian's Pride of America Holiday Cruises offer an 11-Day Oahu Explorer Hyatt or Hilton Cruisetour itinerary that sails year-round from Honolulu, Oahu.

Guests enjoy three nights at Hilton Hawaiian Village or Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa during a four-day, pre-cruise land tour of Honolulu and greater Oahu before departing on a seven-day, inter-island cruise that features nearly 100 hours in-port time.

Travelers can explore the traditions of Hawaii's original habitants at the Polynesian Cultural Center and Kualoa Ranch, tour the surfing town of Haleiwa on Oahu's legendary north shore or walk in General MacArthur's footsteps on the Surrender Deck of the battleship USS Missouri at Pearl Harbor's USS Arizona Memorial.

The cruise portion of this itinerary also takes you to discover top attractions on the big island of Hawaii and Maui. Various departures are available throughout the month of December 2019.

Norwegian Gem Holiday Cruises whisk guests off on a fourteen-day escape, starting from New York City, to see some of the Southern Caribbean's most incredible port cities, with nine ports of call, spanning the islands of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, the British Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic.

When in San Juan, visit the majestic El Morro-the oldest Spanish fort in the New World. In St. John's, explore the Eastern Caribbean's only working Georgian dockyard, as well as the sailboat-studded English Harbour. In St. Lucia, a scenic drive through the rainforest can take you straight to the center of a massive "drive-in" volcanic crater. While in Punta Cana, marvel at Hoyo Azul, a brilliant turquoise, freshwater lagoon at the base of a 200-foot cliff. Departure dates are between December 21, 2019, and January 4, 2020.


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Laurie Baratti

Laurie Baratti

Assistant Editor

Laurie Baratti is an Assistant Editor for TravelPulse. She is a San Diego-based journalist whose work has previously appeared in publications like TravelAge West, SPACE, Modern Home + Living, Montage, and Sandals Life magazines. Travel writing has long been her passion, and she is always looking for excuses to explore the world outside of her native California. Laurie is also a lifelong equestrian, a proud pet-parent, and an underground advocate of the Oxford comma.

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