Christmas without the cold? Princess Cruises has unveiled its holiday season programme for 2026-27, with festive sailings running from Thanksgiving through New Year's across Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Panama Canal — and the line says cabins for this season are already filling up.
The itineraries span a wide range of budgets and timeframes. A seven-day Mexican Riviera roundtrip from Los Angeles on Discovery Princess runs November 21-28, 2026. Closer to Christmas, Caribbean Princess sails a 12-day Panama Canal, Costa Rica and Caribbean holiday voyage from Fort Lauderdale, December 17-29, 2026, while Regal Princess offers a shorter six-day Eastern Caribbean trip — including a call at Celebration Key — from December 20-26. For those with serious time to spare, Ruby Princess departs San Francisco on December 26 for a 16-day Hawaiian Islands holiday sailing through January 11, 2027. If that all sounds appealing but too soon, 2027 holiday cruises are already on sale.
Onboard, the line leans hard into festive tradition. Ships get full winter wonderland treatment — trees, garlands, twinkling lights and floral displays — with the centrepiece being tree-lighting celebrations in the Piazza. Sphere Class and Royal Class ships stage the big version with a full cast performance, while other vessels host a more intimate vocalist-led version. Select ships even run a "Let it Snow" experience, with artificial snow falling in the Piazza, and Star Princess and Sun Princess add "Piazza Magical Moments" pairing the falling snow with whimsical displays on the giant LED screen.
The rest of the programme is designed with families in mind: an ugly-sweater party with a silent disco, candlelight concerts and singalongs; a Festive Family Faire with crafts for all ages and a festive pyjama night; gingerbread house decorating; Storytime with Stanley; and holiday films on Movies Under the Stars. Food plays its part too, with special holiday menus, turkey-carving demonstrations, cookie decorating, festive cocktails and hot chocolate stations.
For a cruise line aiming at multi-generational travellers, this is the pitch in a nutshell: skip the cooking, the snow shovelling and the logistics, and let someone else handle the tree, the turkey and the entertainment while the family actually spends time together. Warm-weather Christmas and New Year sailings tend to sell out early because families book them as their main holiday gathering, so if a sunshine Christmas appeals, booking well ahead is the realistic option. Note that religious observances are included in the programming, which matters to many Christmas cruisers.
Who's it for? Families who want Christmas sorted without hosting it, couples chasing a warm-weather festive escape, and anyone eyeing a longer holiday voyage — that two-week Hawaii sailing is a genuine holiday-and-vacation-in-one. Bookings go through travel advisors, by phone on 1-800-PRINCESS, or via the line's website.
Story via Breaking Travel News.
