Last-Minute Christmas Travel Ideas & Packages for the Family

Planning a Family Vacation by Starting a New Holiday Cruise Tradition

By Sherri Eisenberg | Published on January 30, 2026

Someday, you might look at the calendar and realize the whole family is off from work and multiple schools, and that the days line up perfectly for once. The only catch? The holidays are approaching quickly and you may be kicking yourself for not planning a family vacation ahead of time. However, there is a special joy to taking advantage of last-minute Christmas travel packages.

One great way to take advantage of last-minute trip deals is by booking a cruise. Because a cruise includes your meals, entertainment and stateroom, you can worry about the details of where you'll eat and what you'll do later. In most cases, you don't even have to think about the details until you arrive. Here's a guide to making the most of an impromptu family-friendly cruise this holiday season, including the few exceptions to the "figure it out later" rule.

Key Takeaways: Last-Minute Family Christmas Vacation Ideas and Tips

● Gather the family: Talk about holiday trip ideas and work together to snag last-minute deals.

● Bring your traditions along: Pack small but meaningful traditions so your family still feels the holiday spirit at sea.

● Reserve special experiences early: From spa treatments to specialty dining, popular experiences book up fast. Plan ahead for the moments that matter most.

● Check shore excursions in advance: If there’s a once-in-a-lifetime tour on your list, grab it early. Excursions often sell out before you even board.

● Confirm how the ship celebrates: Cruise lines lean into Christmas holiday travel packages with festive menus, decorations and countdowns. Check what’s included so you know what to expect.

● Explore kids club programs: Let the kids dive into age-appropriate activities while you sneak in a little downtime of your own.

● Make new memories together: Instead of worrying about what you’re missing at home, celebrate the unique traditions your family will create on board.

● Capture the moments: Don’t forget to snap photos of your family’s holiday-at-sea highlights — they’ll become part of your tradition, too.

● Explore cruises to secure your last-minute travel package in the best vacation destinations at sea.

First Steps When Planning Last-Minute Christmas Trips

Normally, holiday tasks might include hours of decking the halls or weeks of planning the perfect family dinner menu. On a cruise, you get to leave all that to the crew, relax and enjoy yourself. For parents who often feel more like staff than guests at their own holiday celebrations, you can't underestimate the value of being able to enjoy your vacation and the time with your kids instead. For that reason alone, booking a last-minute Christmas travel package on a cruise is a true gift.

It's important to gather together the family to gauge interest — and confirm buy-in — for a spontaneous family vacation over the holidays. Make sure you set expectations that, for some holidays, this is a nontraditional, yet still festive, celebration. Making the choice shouldn't be stressful!

Eleventh-hour planning can make the trip even easier for two reasons. First, because you don’t have to overthink it, and second, because you can secure really good deals when you book close to the date. If you’re seeking budget-friendly options, hopping over to The Bahamas or the Caribbean is a great family Christmas vacation idea that makes planning your holiday super easy and convenient.

Bring Along Important Family Traditions

If you’re booking a vacation on a cruise this holiday season, think about what you want to pack or plan in advance to align with your own family traditions. Not sure what your kids would and wouldn't miss? Have a family conversation about the vacation at dinner one night and get them talking. Better yet, surprise them by secretly packing Santa hats or the Elf on the Shelf.

Plan Ahead For Those Coveted Family Vacation Experiences

If there's a specialty restaurant on board that books in advance and tends to fill up or a popular spa treatment with limited availability, take a moment to book these experiences as soon as you book your cruise to ensure you get the experience you've always dreamed of.

Secure Must-Have Shore Excursions Early

If you're visiting a new destination for the first time, check out the shore excursion list once you book and sign up for any opportunities that catch your eye. Some tours may fill up before you board. Don't miss out on this chance to do something you've always wanted to do. Your last-minute Christmas travel package could lead to swimming with pigs in The Bahamas, visiting The Baths in Virgin Gorda, ziplining through Hawaiian pineapple fields or wandering through the ruins of Pompeii. Also, keep an eye out for any special holiday experiences on each island.

Of course, it helps if everyone's passports are up to date. It's a good idea to check them and update any that are close to expiration, even if you don't have a trip planned.

Determine How the Cruise Line Celebrates the Holiday

If you're traveling over Christmas, you may want to inquire about how the cruise line acknowledges the holiday. Most family-friendly cruises really lean into celebrations, so plan ahead and make sure you have time to soak it all in.

Enjoy the Challenges Cruising Eliminates

In my house, our family of five often enjoys three or four different meals simultaneously — we just can't get everyone on the same page at the same time. So, the true beauty of last-minute Christmas trips on a cruise is that my littlest can have chicken fingers and fries for dinner while the oldest has mac and cheese and pizza and the middle child (our adventurous eater) explores whatever new options the menu brings his way.

Best of all, I don't have to cook any of it. There's so much triumph in that sentence that it bears repeating. At breakfast, one kid can have pancakes while another has eggs and hash browns and a third has waffles and bacon — again, I didn't have to cook any of it.

Explore The Kids Club Options

Royal Caribbean cruises offer an onboard kids club, which is usually divided into age groups. If your kids find they're a good fit, you may even get some (gasp!) actual alone time on a cruise. These clubs include staff-led and hosted activities for everyone from nursery school kids to teenagers.

For the older kids, there's evening programming as well. If your children choose to do finger painting, rock out in a karaoke tournament or join a pool party, chances are they'll be just as thrilled as you are with this part of their vacation. Some ships have nurseries for families with babies and toddlers. Be sure to check out what special holiday events they have planned, too.

Lean Into The Novelty Of A Holiday At Sea

While Christmas at home may be all about building snowmen and warming up in front of the fireplace with hot cocoa, you and your family may love the change of pace of a sunny beach holiday this year. My kids are never happier than when they're spending the whole day in the pool, splashing and playing, only getting out of the water when their tummies rumble or they need to reapply sunscreen. Because we live in the Northeast, we can't beat the treat of having a sunny "summery" day in the middle of winter.

Plan To Make New Holiday Memories on Your Family Vacation

Instead of lamenting what you're giving up on this last-minute getaway for the holidays — which, in addition to snow angels and steaming apple cider, also includes shoveling the driveway and doing load after load of post-holiday dishes — lean into the novelty and pleasures of the new things you may get to experience on a last-minute trip.

Christmas vacation ideas, like a Caribbean cruise, may give your family a chance to taste proper fruitcake and take pictures with Santa on the shore in their shorts or swimsuits.