My family has been taking cruises ever since my kids were old enough to sail, and spending a holiday like Thanksgiving at sea was surprisingly satisfying.
I think most people associate major holidays that center around family being celebrated at home, but I've found real advantages to going on a cruise instead.
We picked a 7-night cruise on Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, Star of the Seas, to spend Thanksgiving and enjoy not only the holiday but getting away from it all.
Since this is a holiday sailing, a lot of other people have the same idea. The ship has a maximum capacity of 7,600 people, along with 2, 350 crew members. That means there can be as many as 10,000 people onboard the ship.
While that sounds daunting, the truth is this ship has been engineered to a point you'd never know that many other people are onboard with you. And it made for a Thanksgiving vacation that perfectly suited our needs.
The ship has so much to do, including a touch of holiday spirit
You won't confuse Star of the Seas for spending Thanksgiving at grandma's house, but that's not a bad thing either.
This is the biggest cruise ship in the world, and that means it's packed with so much to do. In fact, this is why I love to cruise because of how much there is to do.
Our cruise departed on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and for the actual holiday, our ship was docked in Roatan, Honduras for the day.
It's a little surreal when you're on a cruise ship for a holiday because you might forget what day it is. Rest assured there are plenty of reminders.
Royal Caribbean decorated the ship with Thanksgiving messaging and colors. It's nothing over the top, but a nice touch.
Plus, there are special Thanksgiving events aboard:
- Thanksgiving wordsearch
- Thanksgiving trivia
- Thanksgiving scavenger hunt
- Thanksgiving Scattergories game
Of course, there's plenty of the usual cruise ship activities too. Royal Caribbean's activities staff will add some holiday fun to the mix, but you can easily fall back on what you'd expect on any other cruise.
There's a special Thanksgiving menu for the traditionalists
Even though spending Thanksgiving on a cruise ship is anything but traditional, you don't have to forgo the basics.
Royal Caribbean ships still serve a full Thanksgiving dinner in the Main Dining Room (or Windjammer buffet), where you can get all the classic foods.
The main offering is a turkey dinner, complete with mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and and vegetables.
Plus, there's pumpkin and pecan pie to choose from.
I can't say it will be the best turkey dinner you've ever had, but it's undeniably a turkey dinner you did not have to prep, cook, or clean up after.
You can still watch all the football
A lot of people associate watching football games as much with the holiday as they do the food.
The major NFL football games are available to watch on the ship, and you can see it both in your stateroom as well as at various bars.
If you want the big game energy, Playmakers Sports Bar has the game on so many screens surrounding the bar that you can't miss it.
Plus, there's beers, bar snacks, and lots of people cheering along with trying to figure out why the Lions and Cowboys always play on Thanksgiving.
Spending thanksgiving in a pool is the best
But the best thing about a Thanksgiving cruise aren't all the things you can do at home on a ship. Rather, it's what else you can do!
The fact you can enjoy a warm Caribbean cruise means time in a bathing suit at the pool. Or on shore at a beach. For a lot of people that travel from colder weather back home, this is a real treat.
Even in late November, it's still plenty warm for outdoor activities. High temperatures each day were easily in the low to mid 80s.
Not to mention Star of the Seas is packed with lots of activities onboard to try, including a brand new Price is Right show where you could win cash prizes or even a new car.
I think the real appeal of cruising over a major holiday is you get to combine the holiday traditions with the best things about taking a cruise.
