Christmas cruises 2026: the Christmas and New Year sailings to book

How we picked

We ranked lines, not individual sailings, because the line decides most of what a holiday cruise feels like: how the ship is decorated, what’s on the menu on December 25, how the New Year’s countdown is run and who your fellow passengers are. Each pick is scored on the criteria in how we rate cruises, weighted toward holiday programming and value for that week. From-prices come from our monthly snapshot and show the date they were checked.

The best Christmas and New Year cruises for 2026

1. 1

   Best for families

   Disney Cruise Line, Disney Wonder (from San Diego)

   Why: Disney's Very Merrytime Cruises run on select sailings in November and December 2026 and add Christmas trees and decor, characters in holiday outfits, a tree-lighting ceremony and a holiday party, and the kids' clubs are the strongest at sea. Disney Wonder sails from San Diego all season, so West Coast families can skip the flight to Florida.

   Watch out: The highest fares on this list, and Christmas week sells out early. You're paying for the Disney layer, not the ship.

   Fares change daily; check current prices
2. 2

   Best New Year's Eve party

   Royal Caribbean, Icon of the Seas (7-night Caribbean from Miami)

   Why: The biggest ships have the most venues for a countdown, from a pool deck party to quieter bars, so everyone in a group finds their version of midnight.

   Watch out: Very full ships over the holidays. Drinks, specialty dining and many activities cost extra, so the fare is only the start.

   From $604 per personChecked September 2026
3. 3

   Best for couples

   Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Beyond (Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale and Miami)

   Why: A modern premium ship with better food and a calmer feel than the mass-market lines, without luxury-line prices.

   Watch out: Its All Included fares bundle a drinks package and Wi-Fi, so the headline price looks higher than cruise-only fares elsewhere. Crew tips are still charged on top. Compare like with like.

   From $824 per personChecked September 2026
4. 4

   Best for food lovers

   Oceania Cruises, Allura (17-day Tropical Serenade from Miami, December 21, 2026)

   Why: Specialty restaurants, Wi-Fi and tips are included in every fare, and Oceania is adults-only for new bookings (18 and over), so a holiday sailing stays calm.

   Watch out: No children means it doesn't work for a multigenerational trip with kids. Evening entertainment is modest.

   Fares change daily; check current prices
5. 5

   Best for a traditional holiday

   Holland America Line, Eurodam or Nieuw Amsterdam (holiday Caribbean sailings from Fort Lauderdale)

   Why: Mid-size ships and a slower pace suit trips with grandparents, and the line sells holiday Caribbean sailings longer than a week as well as 7-night ones, which can be good value per night.

   Watch out: Fewer late-night options than the big ships. Teenagers may be bored.

   Fares change daily; check current prices
6. 6

   Cheapest way to cruise over Christmas

   Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Radiance (3- and 4-night trips from Long Beach)

   Why: 3- to 5-night sailings give you the holiday at sea for a fraction of a full week's fare.

   Watch out: Outside Long Beach, most short holiday sailings leave from Southern ports, and flights to them are expensive that week.

   From $2,048 per personChecked September 2026

Which week to book

Christmas week (leaving December 19 or 20). You’re home by December 26 or 27, so New Year’s is still yours. It’s the week families with young children tend to pick.

New Year’s week (leaving December 26 or 27). This covers New Year’s Eve at sea. Both holiday weeks are expensive: Cruise Fever’s analysis of more than 2,000 sailings for 2026 put the week starting December 22 at the highest average daily fare of the year, with the week starting December 29 close behind.

Both weeks. Some lines sell back-to-back sailings or a single 10- to 14-night holiday voyage. That’s the easiest way to be at sea for both days without paying two sets of port fees and flights.

Thanksgiving instead. If the holidays matter more than the date, Thanksgiving week is cheaper than Christmas (in the same 2026 data, about a quarter less per day) and easier to book. Holland America, for one, serves a classic Thanksgiving dinner on board.

Category winners

• Christmas markets: a river cruise on the Rhine or Danube in late November or December, with a market stop most days. River cruises get their own guides later this year.
• No flight from the Northeast: winter Caribbean sailings from New York and New Jersey or Baltimore. Expect two cold sea days each way.
• Warm weather guaranteed: the Southern Caribbean (Aruba, Curaçao, Barbados), which sits well south of the winter cold fronts that can reach the Bahamas. Some lines start these sailings in Puerto Rico; our San Juan cruise port guide covers the piers and what to do before you board.
• Adults-leaning holidays: see our adults-only cruise picks. Few lines are truly child-free, but some draw far fewer families.

Sample sailings

Christmas cruise FAQ