Sarah BretzIf you’ve landed on this article, chances are good you’re considering taking a cruise for New Year’s. That’s a great choice! For many cruise lines, New Year’s Eve is the biggest party of the year complete with champagne toasts, music, and a countdown to midnight. In our opinion, you can’t go wrong with just about any cruise for this holiday.
In this guide to New Year’s on a cruise, we’re going over how cruise lines celebrate New Year’s Eve, when you should book and whether NYE cruises are expensive, and what you should pack to have the best celebration on board. We’ve also rounded up some of what we consider to be the best New Year’s Eve cruises. Keep in mind that when we recommend a specific ship, we’re also recommending that line in general. The programming for New Year’s is usually similar across an entire fleet.
Why spend New Year’s Eve on a cruise?
If you’re a cruise lover, what better way to ring in the New Year than while at sea doing one of your favorite things? Cruise lines will offer special New Year’s themed events, food, and beverages on their ships, and there might even be some Christmas decorations still up as cruise lines wind down their Christmas season offerings.
Taking a New Year’s cruise provides a unique way for families to celebrate a new year together. You have the opportunity to make new friends from lots of different places, celebrate the hope of a New Year with a crowd of like-minded people, and participate in cruise activities and events that are specifically themed to the holiday. Plus, if you live in an area that gets cold over New Year’s, it’s a nice change of pace to spend the holiday in a warm, tropical climate — it’s nice to not have to wear a coat every time you step outside!
How do cruise lines celebrate New Year’s Eve onboard?
New Year’s celebrations are just that on NYE aboard cruise ships — celebrations! While each line will do things a bit differently, you can expect a big New Year’s Eve party complete with music, dancing, noisemakers, a countdown to midnight, and a champagne toast. Most ships hold this party either out on the main pool deck or in the ship’s central atrium/promenade. For added surprise and fun, you might even experience a confetti cannon or balloon drop when the clock strikes midnight!
You can also expect a special New Year’s Eve gala dinner prior to the big party, which is a great excuse to don your sparkliest and fanciest outfits even earlier in the evening. The ship might also have other New Year’s themed activities and events throughout the day and into the evening such as trivia and karaoke. Look for special beverages and menu items for the holiday, too.
The kids’ clubs might also get in on the fun, hosting activities and parties late into the night so that kids can have their own New Year’s celebration while their parents party elsewhere around the ship.
If you’re seeking an extra-special New Year’s cruise experience, look for a unique itinerary that has a late-night or overnight port day on New Year’s Eve. Some cruise lines will plan special itineraries for the occasion, choosing ports strategically for the holiday that host massive fireworks displays or other celebrations to welcome a new year.
What should I expect on New Year’s Day on a cruise?
Since most of the celebrating takes place on New Year’s Eve leading up to midnight and then into the wee hours of the morning, New Year’s Day on a cruise tends to be more quiet and laid-back. On some lines guests enjoy a special New Year’s brunch, often with extended hours for those who partied hard the night before and might not wake up as early as usual.
Otherwise, you can expect lots of people lazing by the pool, hanging out in the lounges, and doing normal things that you’d encounter on any day during any cruise. Cruise lines often design their New Year’s itineraries to have a sea day on New Year’s Day for obvious reasons, but it is possible that you could be in port on the first of the year as well — it just depends on your specific itinerary.
What should I pack for a New Year’s cruise?
First and foremost, you should pack for a cruise based on the climate in the region where you’ll be sailing. Most cruises in the winter are in warm-weather places like the Caribbean or Mexican Riviera. Therefore, pack accordingly with lots of shorts, t-shirts and tank tops, a couple swimsuits, and sandals.
Of course, you’ll probably want to dress up for the New Year’s Eve festivities on board. Many guests will wear sparkly, shiny outfits with rhinestones or sequins. Maybe you’ll want to buy some fun 2027-themed glasses or headbands and bring them along on the cruise. And don’t forget other extras and accessories like makeup, jewelry, hair tools and accessories, and anything else you want to complete your NYE look.
If your cruise line allows door decorations, consider bringing some fun New Year’s themed magnets or other decorations to add some festive spirit to your stateroom corridor. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to pack all of these things, so the smaller/more packable the components of your costume are, the better.
Are New Year’s cruises expensive?
“Expensive” is certainly a relative term, and whether someone considers something to be expensive is a subjective opinion. However, in general terms, yes — New Year’s cruises will pretty much always be more expensive than a comparable cruise that doesn’t take place over a major holiday. In fact, don’t be surprised if the fare is double (or more!) than the usual fare for that itinerary.
The Christmas/New Year’s timeframe is a very popular time for travel because kids are on Christmas break and travelers are itching to spend their precious vacation time on a tropical getaway. Plus, cruises are an excellent (and safe!) way to party, so taking a cruise over a holiday that’s all about partying into the wee hours of the morning is an attractive choice.
If you’re looking for a good deal, you’ll probably be hard pressed to find one that includes New Year’s Eve/Day. But if your heart is set on ringing in the New Year out at sea, start looking far in advance and consider enlisting the help of a travel agent. Our travel partner, MEI-Travel, will be happy to help you book your perfect New Year’s getaway.
When should you book a New Year’s Eve cruise?
The weeks that encompass Christmas and New Year’s are among the busiest cruise timeframes of the entire year. Though we recommend booking as soon as you can for any cruise, it’s especially important during this very popular time period. Prices will already be at a premium due to the popularity of a Christmas and/or New Year’s cruise, and will only creep up the longer you wait to book.
If you’re planning a New Year’s cruise really far out, try to book as soon as the itinerary opens for bookings. Otherwise, book as soon as you set your plans in stone — and move quickly, because the most popular ships and itineraries can sell out well in advance of the sail date.
Our Top New Year’s Cruises to Ring in 2027
Royal Caribbean – Symphony of the Seas: 7-night Western Caribbean roundtrip from Galveston to Roatán, Costa Maya, and Cozumel
When sailing one of the world’s largest cruise ships, you’re going to expect a massive New Year’s Eve celebration — and you’d be right in doing so. Setting sail on December 27th, you can celebrate New Year’s in style aboard Symphony of the Seas with a party complete with a balloon drop on the main promenade. This itinerary includes a perfect mix of sea days and port days, visiting Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico, as well as Roatán, Honduras.
Carnival Cruise Line – Carnival Panorama: 6-night Mexican Riviera roundtrip from Long Beach to Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada
If you’re sailing on a ship with “carnival” in the name, you know New Year’s Eve is going to be one epic party for the whole family. Setting sail from Long Beach, California, the Vista-class Carnival Panorama spends not one, but TWO days in the popular resort city of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The itinerary also includes a visit to Ensenada, as well as two days at sea for fully enjoying the ship.
Virgin Voyages – Valiant Lady: 7-night Southern Caribbean roundtrip from San Juan to St. Kitts, Martinique, Aruba, and Curaçao
Few cruise lines know how to throw a party like Virgin Virgin does! And the line’s huge New Year’s Eve celebration is no exception. Similar to Scarlet Night, New Year’s Eve is a ship-wide affair with lots of happenings. Add some sparkle at the glam station before taking a photo with a special New Year’s Eve backdrop. Afterwards, grab a themed cocktail and hit the pool deck for the biggest party of the year. This southern Caribbean voyage includes four ports and only two sea days, so rest up before you set sail!
Celebrity Cruises – Celebrity Ascent: 11-night Southern Caribbean Holiday roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale to St. Maarten, Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, Dominica, and St. Kitts
Seeking an epic holiday adventure that encompasses both New Year’s Day AND Christmas? Look no further! This cruise aboard one of Celebrity’s newest and biggest ships will have you ringing in 2027 in style during the line’s “Best Party of the Year.” During this special sailing, you’ll spend New Year’s Eve in Dominica and New Year’s Day in St. Kitts, taking in some of the best destinations in the Caribbean. With two sea days on the way out of Florida and two on the way back, you’ll have plenty of time to rest, recharge, and enjoy the ship in between fun port days and travel back home.
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