Holiday cruises in focus

One of the biggest markets for holiday period cruises is the multi-generational group of family or family and friends. Why? Because getting away from home and the many tasks that people, particularly women, face over holidays is a great reason to book a cruise now: no celebratory dinner to cook, no house to clean, no need to prepare for the arrival of guests or to clean up after their departure – it’s all done for you buy the cruise ship crew and you, and your family, can simply relax and enjoy yourselves.

Christmas and New Year cruises are particularly popular and for this reason, they tend to be higher priced than non-holiday season cruises – perhaps twice as expensive as a cruise to the same region in October or November. But this year the cost is lower, because of the recession and many cruise lines are offering special deals and cost breaks to encourage family groups to book. For example, if you have children aged 17 or lower, you can take them on a Christmas cruise with MSC for free, as long as they share a cabin with two adults, while Costa cruises has an offer that means they sail for just £100 per child if their family books and Christmas and New Year cruise.

Norwegian Cruise Lines and Holland America Line both have staterooms available on sailings over the Christmas and New Year period and if you’re a sucker for new ships, there are still spaces on the 19th December Christmas themed sailing on mega-liner Oasis of the Seas, who will be launching later this month and sailing a range of inaugural cruises around the Caribbean.