Caribbean Christmas Vacations: Celebrate the Holidays at Sea

Why a Caribbean Christmas Vacation Is the Ultimate Holiday Escape

Christmastime can be complicated. It's no fun to admit, but it's just a fact. If you're the lucky person responsible for organizing your family’s holiday celebrations, you have to find a time and place to get everyone together. This is made less enjoyable by struggles with holiday traffic and, depending on where you live, harsh December weather.

There's also the pressure to cook a nice dinner, and the extra challenge of finding presents for your nearest and dearest who are hard to shop for. Maybe they already have everything you try to buy for them, or maybe their tastes are just tricky to match. Either way, Christmas can turn from a season of cheer and enchantment to a month-plus of stress.

Did just reading that make you start to tense up? Breathe, relax and imagine yourself on a Royal Caribbean Christmas cruise​. The luxurious experience at sea and the careful itinerary planning mean that everything is handled for you. Once you pick an itinerary, you can put your feet up and enjoy the Caribbean breezes.

The cruise experience also has another hidden benefit: It can be a present for someone hard to shop for. Inviting your family to take a whirlwind trip to the Caribbean during December means swapping slush and stress for sandy beaches and gentle waves. Suffice it to say, that's a great trade.

It's hard to go wrong when you sail to the Caribbean in December — you're opting for warm tropical weather close to the Equator, as well as beautiful views and friendly experiences set up for your enjoyment.

With that said, a few Caribbean destinations can lay claim to being the best Caribbean Christmas vacation islands, and are especially welcoming when blustery December weather takes hold farther north:

●  St. Lucia: Defined by its warm, dry climate and beautiful scenery, St. Lucia is a perfect stop any time of the year. It also has a special attraction during the holiday season: the Festival of Lights to celebrate National Day on December 13.

●  Perfect Day at CocoCay®, The Bahamas: This is an attraction-packed resort on a private island. That description alone is probably enough to fire up your imagination. Specifically, it's home to luxurious spots like the Coco Beach Club®, along with Oasis Lagoon®, the biggest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, and the Thrill Waterpark®.

●  Nassau, The Bahamas: When you're in The Bahamas, you're in for fun in the sun — and all without traveling too far from the continental U.S. December is a great time to stop off in Nassau, because the local Junkanoo Festival turns the islands into a full-on party on Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

●  Oranjestad, Aruba: Aruba is one of the warmest places in the Caribbean during the holiday season, thanks to the island's location. You can spend the warm winter days exploring Oranjestad's pastel-hued Dutch-style buildings between gourmet meals and luxury shopping trips.

●  San Juan, Puerto Rico: Marvelously warm and full of Christmas spirit, you can have plenty of fun exploring the cobbled streets of Old San Juan. As a bonus for American travelers, visiting Puerto Rico doesn't require a passport — it's a U.S. territory.

●  Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands: The Caymans are known for their beautiful beaches and remarkably clear water. Exploring these islands is especially exciting during December, when you can get swept up in the world-class performances of Cayman Jazz Fest, which draws musicians from around the Caribbean — and the world.

●  Cozumel, Mexico: You may not naturally make the connection between scuba diving and Christmas, but one trip to Cozumel could change that. This Mexican port is home to world-renowned coral reefs to explore, along with Mayan ruins, fun clubs and many other attractions.

Slipping away to the Caribbean for Christmas combines all the fun of a tropical vacation with the ability to see how another part of the world celebrates the holidays.

Planning a Caribbean cruise vacation doesn't have to be complicated, even when you decide to think big and bring the whole family along. At Christmas or anytime, you simply have to agree on a few major details, which will allow you to choose a package that meets all your needs.

You and your nearest and dearest can choose what's best for you in terms of:

●  Number of days: Do you want a quick jaunt to a nearby destination like The Bahamas or Puerto Rico, or do you want to spend weeks cruising from one port to another? Every option in between is available, timing-wise.

●  Timing: "Holiday cruise" can mean a lot of things. Do you want to time your trip to perfectly coincide with Christmas or Hanukkah, or go a little earlier? What about the New Year? Or even an early-season Thanksgiving cruise? These are all on the table.

●  Destination: There are different agendas available depending on whether you'd like to cruise the Western, Eastern or Southern Caribbean. There are also specialized offerings, like trips that spend a lot of time on the open seas and others that go directly to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

●  Boarding destination: Cruises depart from multiple ports, so you can focus on ships that leave from Orlando, San Juan, Galveston or another fun city, which could become part of your trip.

Simply get on the same page with your friends and family about details and destination and your exciting cruise agenda will start to fall into place. Perusing the list of destinations shows just how many options you have.

What People Say About Christmas Cruises

Still not convinced that Christmas in the Caribbean is a top-shelf experience? Here are some Royal Caribbean reviews that show just what these trips mean for Royal Caribbean guests:

● "Food was outstanding, entertainment was top-notch, beaches provided much-needed relaxation. Instead of Christmas gifts this year, we took a vacation with our 12 and 13-year-old daughters. We all agreed this was much better than any gift."

● "The ship has so much to offer for any age group or interest. It was a pleasure to be on this vessel and seeing the Christmas decorations only added to the experience."

● "The Christmas tree and everything to do with Christmas were wonderful, and I just loved the Christmas music. Thanks for a great vacation."

The next amazing Christmas vacation in the Caribbean could be yours.

Taking a cruise at Christmas is a way to turn a slushy, complicated season into a sunny, fun adventure. Who knows, you may love tropical Christmas vacations so much that they turn into an annual holiday tradition.

And with so many ports to sail into in the Caribbean, you can add some variety while still getting out to sea.