Christmas is a special time of the year, when families come together, eat too much and have fun opening presents.

If you have kids with you, its even more special as the excitement builds early, the whole family spoil the kids and you get to see their joy as they open gifts.

A lot of that can also be said about cruise holidays as for us, the excitement starts early, every port we visit brings us joy just like opening a Christmas present and they are great options for families to spend time together.

Just about every cruise line love to go all out for Christmas and to make cruising at this special time of the year even more special and whilst that does of course come at a cost, for many it can be easily worth it for a trip to remember.

In this list we look at what we consider to be the best cruise lines to cruise with at during the Christmas period and whilst it will depend on just what you want from a cruise, as well as who you are sailing alongside, our top 10 cruise lines for Christmas cruises list should give you a great idea of which line, or lines, are the best for you.

Our Top 10 Cruise Lines For Christmas Cruises

Whilst it is fair to say that both the cruise line and the Disney company are loved and hated in even number, those who do love the company, really love Disney, so what could be better than surrounding yourself with all things Disney for the holidays?

They are of course a line that go all out to make the holiday period special for kids, so if you are not sailing with youngsters yourself you may feel left out and overrun as their ships will be packed with children of all ages.

I’ll be honest and say that I am not the greatest fan of Disney but there can be no denying the effort that they put into their Christmas cruises, billed as ‘Very Merrytime’ where the ships are decked out front to aft with decorations, characters wear Christmas costumes and there shows take on a special Christmas theming.

One of the downsides is that their ships are absolutely full to bursting during this period and their already high costs go through the roof.

MSC are a line that do it differently and that does work for some but makes them a line to avoid for others.

If you do like them, they are a line with one of the biggest fleet of ships, including some of the biggest and most modern in the world that offer a stylish way of cruising on a budget.

If I am been honest, I am fully yet to decide where I stand with but for the sake of this list, they are a great option for those who do like them for a Christmas cruise.

With many cruise lines, especially mass-market lines similar to MSC, heading to sunnier climbs for Christmas, MSC offer a much more rounded offering with ships sailing all over the world.

Yes, they do offer trips to the Caribbean or the Canaries for those wanting some winter sun but they also have a good range of ships offering a more traditional Christmas experience hopping from one Christmas market to the next in Northern Europe- who know you may also experience snow for the perfect white Christmas.

If your kids have flown the nest or you don’t have any and you want to have a more relaxed, quiet Christmas getaway, Cunard could be the option for you.

They offer a much more traditional experience during the holiday and add a touch of elegance with high quality decorations, high class meals and incredible gingerbread house villages.

Although they offer a smaller fleet than most in this list, they still have plenty of options including cold weather getaways to New York and the Christmas Markets of Northern Europe to the warm waters of the Canaries and Australia.

If Christmas has become too commercial for you or you simply want a more relaxed getaway, the cruise ferries of the Hurtigruten line could be the best option for you.

For the purpose of this list, we are focusing on the traditional Norwegian coastal cruises offered by the line which whilst always offering stunning scenery, it becomes even more impressive at Christmas.

Heading up to the Norwegian Arctic allows you to have a winter wonderland of a Christmas holiday where you are all but guaranteed snow and an aurora borealis experience- what better backdrop can you have at Christmas?

On the downside, you will have long dark days, freezing temperate and a constant risk of rough seas, but if that doesn’t bother you, this could be the option for you.

The Royal Caribbean cruise line is known for their mega ships that offers as many facilities and attractions as you will get at even the biggest of holiday resorts on land.

That makes them a great choice for a family holiday any time of the year, but there all action ships make for the ideal family Christmas cruise, as everybody can do what they want when they want and most of it comes with a festive twist.

Depending on the ship you sail with them, Santa may make a spectacular entrance onboard a zip slide on the 25th but no matter what ship you are on, you can expect Christmas movies, festive trivia, kids’ pajama contests and full Christmas dinner in the MDR and much more as standard.

Unfortunately, you will likely need a long flight to take advantage if you are based in Europe as their ships tend to be based in the USA, the Caribbean or Asia during December.

The Carnival Cruise Line is known as the party line where the main aim is to have a fun filled getaway so whilst if you want a cultural getaway visiting historic destinations, this isn’t the line for you but if you want to keep busy all day, party all night and simply make the most of your cruise, Carnival could be right for you.

Their ships, especially their bigger ones are designed around families and offer everything from water parks to rollercoasters, and with their ships based out of the US and sailing to the Caribbean in December, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy all that is on offer on your ship.

From a Christmas point of view, their ships are decked out all over with festive decorations and you can be assured of lots of holiday favourite food and drinks items throughout your getaway where the line a focus on making a Xmas cruise a special one for families.

That does lead to incredibly busy ships full of kids but if you are cruising as a family, that just makes it that bit more exciting as your kids make brand new friends.

Celebrity offers a wide range of ships, from smaller older ones to large modern ones and everything in between, and even during December they offer a good variety of itineraries across the globe including the Caribbean, Asia, the Canary Islands, the Mediterranean and Australia.

That allows you to have a great holiday exploring where you want to explore but with lots of Christmas touches.

The line is a great option for couples without kids or for those with older kids as you still get plenty of decorations, festive games and other Xmas touches onboard and of course you get a special Christmas dinner on the 25th but they are a bit more reserved than some of the other lines for those you want a more relaxed getaway.

Princess Cruises are the line that actually made us break our duck when it comes to cruising over Christmas and the New Year as we are set to sail with them over the festive period in 2025.

As ever it was the itinerary that grabbed our attention and that is one of the great things about Princess at the festive period, as they still offer plenty of great getaways around the globe.

Our research has also shown that they offer plenty onboard during the festive period to make it feel special, incredible plenty of decorations, lots off festive themed activities and a Christmas dinner on the 25th but they are also not quite as commercial as some of the lines on this list- which is perfect for us.

If you are sailing with grown up kids or just as a couple and want a more upmarket and relaxed Christmas getaway, the Holland America Line could be the choice for you.

They offer a more traditional experience with Christmas carols, religious services, cookie decorating, Christmas movies, a tree lighting ceremony and a special Christmas afternoon tea amongst the special treats awaiting cruisers.

The line does have a heavy focus on the Caribbean during December but there are also some itineraries offered in Asia and Australasia- although the already high cost of cruising with them does go up even more.

If you want a traditional British style Christmas experience whilst on holiday, the British branded P&O line is the one for you.

That makes it more reserved than the big American lines but more active than the more luxurious lines, so for many it can be a happy medium.

Christmas dinner is a turkey dinner with all of the trimmings and your journey will feature lots of family friendly activities and a visit from Santa on the big day itself.

Their itineraries are mostly limited to the Canaries, the Caribbean and the Med and their ships tend to be very crowded, but that is the case for many on this list during the holiday period.