Mickey and Minnie on deck in Christmas Sweaters
  • On Aug 23, 2025
    Petra from NY Asked Please note that experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    Hello! My family and I are going on a cruise on the Fantasy from December 26th through December 31st. Will there still be Christmas decorations up for us all to enjoy? Thank you so much in advance for your response. We are so excited!

    Hello, Petra,

    Welcome to planDisney. From one Disney Cruise Line Guest to another, I am so excited for you too! When I saw your question, I knew I just had to be the one to give you an answer. My family and I sailed on the Disney Fantasy last December during the week after Christmas Day. So we were literally in the same boat as you will be this year: hoping that we might experience Christmas decorations on board.

    Your sailing aboard the Disney Fantasy isn't designated as a Very Merrytime Cruise. So I couldn't technically say for certain that you will get to experience Christmas decorations during your voyage. Certain events and experiences, such as characters in Christmas-themed costumes, will only be featured during official Very Merrytime Cruises. However, given that your sailing is immediately after Christmas Day, I am going to cautiously give you some hope that your wishes may be fulfilled to some extent.

    Our sailing last year embarked on December 29th. We were so thrilled to see that many of the major decorations from prior Merrytime cruises were still on display. There were even ornaments and decorations in the cruise port terminal at Port Canaveral. We loved seeing lights and garland strung throughout the main atrium. The scent of the large gingerbread house on the far side of the atrium welcomed us into our new home on the high seas. And the sight of the grand Christmas tree reaching almost up to Deck 5 was such a sight to behold! Even Castaway Cay still had a towering Christmas tree and some sand people made to look like snow people when we visited on January 4th. Santa's sleigh had already moved back to the North Pole by then. But it was still a lovely thing to behold that portions of Christmas still lingered on Castaway Cay.

    Again, I can't say for sure that Christmas decorations will still be found once you board your cruise this December. But I'm also not saying you shouldn't perhaps still plan to pack your Christmas jammies to snap a beautiful family photo in front of the tree to use on next year's holiday cards and photo gifts, just in case it's all still there. That said, if Christmas décor should still be up, I would recommend taking advantage of it early on in your cruise. During our cruise, we noticed crew members taking down and boxing up garland. And the 750 pounds of gingerbread dough and 160 pounds of icing sugar that made up the gingerbread house were among the first few things to be removed during our time on board the Fantasy. So plan accordingly.

    Happy Holidays and bon voyage, Petra! Please visit again with any more Disney Cruise Line or other Disney Parks questions you may have.
    ~Tony

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Meet the Panelist: Tony, Utah

Coming to you from the Beehive State, I’m a Disney-loving dad and husband, buzzing with excitement to share advice and tips for making your Disneyland Resort vacation as magical as possible! I’m excited to help you discover the storytelling magic of the “Happiest Place on Earth!” Learn More About Tony

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