I’m regularly distracted by unique holiday cruise offers.
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To be blunt, I’m not a cruise person simply because I’m not a fan of busy places, open water, or buffets. That being said, I have a few cruises on my short list—and I’m planning to take the leap in the next year or two.
Along with my interest in river cruises and cold-weather cruise destinations, I’m intrigued by cruises that take place over New Year’s Eve.
They’re bundled experiences, letting you soak up a traditional cruise with the added flair of a big NYE experience.
But all cruises have different angles, routes, and atmospheres. And while the allure of a ship-wide New Year’s Eve soiree sounds pretty intriguing, the average NYE cruise comes with a fair share of warnings.
Can’t decide if a New Year’s Eve cruise is right for you? Me, neither. Let’s dig in together.
For this article, I’m relying on traveler reviews posted on sites like Cruise Critic, TripAdvisor, Reddit, and similar public forums. (Note: This article covers multi-day NYE cruises instead of single-night NYE cruise events.)
First up—what are NYE cruises?
NYE cruises are shorthand for New Year’s cruises—which come in all shapes and sizes, as aforementioned.
The main idea is that you’ll spend the big night on the ship or at one of its port stops. Most NYE cruises are bundled as holiday cruises, which may or may not include Christmas Day.
The most popular NYE cruises for Americans usually take off from Florida and then head into the Caribbean. Again, every single cruise provider and program is distinct—so make sure you read the fine print.
The last consideration worth mentioning is that—just like NYE parties—NYE cruises are some of the busiest of the year. We’ll cover this more below, but if crowds are a hard no for you, then you might already have your answer.
5 signs you’re the perfect candidate for NYE cruises
Sign #1: You don’t mind sharing space with kids
NYE cruises usually involve thousands of teens and kids thanks to school holidays.
For some families, it’s tradition to cruise through the holiday season. For others, it’s a special vacation that they booked during school vacation.
The larger the cruise company, the more likely you are to be sharing decks, pools, and buffet lines with thousands of teens and younger children. If you’re traveling with your family, that might be a major plus. If not… maybe not.
*If you’re hellbent on finding an NYE cruise that’s adults-only, have no fear—they’re out there. Brands like Virgin, Viking, Saga, & P&O Cruises are all rolling out their adult programs. Just be prepared to pay a little bit more.
Sign #2: You want an NYE like no other
Whether the cruise docks for New Year’s Eve or not, you’re in for an unforgettable and unique night. Similar to amusement parks, many cruise companies go over the top to please their guests.
That means you can expect things like fireworks shows, live performances, special meals and drinks, and more. In other words, if you can’t stand to sit through another boring, too-loud NYE party, then cruise options are a great choice.
They’ll also be very loud, but the festivities are guaranteed to be worth screaming about.
Sign #3: You’re on a tight budget
NYE cruises are more affordable than many people think. In fact, many are discounted thanks to Black Friday and other holiday sales.
The magic here is that most cruises are all-inclusive or mostly inclusive, meaning you aren’t expected to shell out money for every experience. Again, don’t be scared off by the ticket prices—most come with everything you’ll need included.
Best of all, you won’t be price-gouged when you want to get a taxi home.
Sign #4: You want to travel but don’t want to plan a trip
Once again, NYE cruises take the work out of party planning. No need to figure out where all of your friends are going and whether or not you want to tag along.
No more figuring out how to get home at 4 am or worrying about what you’re going to eat in the morning. Cruises take the thinking out of vacationing.
If that’s attractive to you, then book that NYE cruise right away.
Sign #5: You want to lounge, too
Based on my arguments so far, you might be worried that NYE cruises are over-the-top party vessels. While that’s certainly the case on the big night, it’s hardly true across the board.
Remember: Cruises come in all shapes and sizes, including NYE cruises.
And most of them are geared toward relaxing just as much as partying. All you need to do is lounge by the pool, take a look at the sunset, have another nap before dinner, and then do it all again the next day.
5 signs you should avoid NYE cruises like the plague
Sign #1: You like freedom of choice
You exchange your hassles for freedom when you board a cruise ship. In other words, you don’t need to stress about building an itinerary… but you also can’t jump ship if you’re not having fun on board.
If you’re someone who likes to jump around from NYE party to NYE party, you might get a little bored with a single event.
Sign #2: You’re not sure how well you handle the sea
It’s normal for first-time cruise travelers to pack a lot of Dramamine—but I’d recommend avoiding a NYE cruise if you’re worried about seasickness.
What’s worse than nausea brought on by stormy seas? Another dose of nausea brought on by a little too much NYE champagne. If you aren’t confident in your stomach handling the sea, a NYE cruise isn’t the time to find out.
Sign #3: You don’t like crowds… or noise
Here’s my biggest hang-up about boarding an NYE cruise: the crowds and the noise. If you’re hesitant to spend time around so many strangers on a regular cruise trip, know that these worries will be compounded on a NYE cruise.
Remember—they’re busier and more packed than any other time of the year.
*Again, it’s worth mentioning that you can seek out adult-only cruises and smaller cruise ships if you want to avoid the hectic crowds.
The hyper-busy NYE cruises I’m referencing here are from the largest companies out there. I’m sure you can find a smaller and more modest NYE cruise if the crowds are a big no-no.
Sign #4: You don’t have many days off
Some NYE cruises are tiny and run for a single night, while others might come with ten-day itineraries. If you don’t have too many days off of work (or have a shift on January 1 or 2), then NYE cruises probably aren’t a good fit.
The most affordable options usually run over five days, while smaller and more bespoke NYE cruises usually require a day or two of transportation—especially if they’re international.
Sign #5: You hate dress codes
Many NYE cruises include dress codes for their parties, captain’s dinners, and more. That’s even true in the case of single-night or double-night cruises—you might be expected to dress up.
This isn’t a problem for me because I enjoy dressing to the nines, but I’ve seen quite a few reviews in which guests complained about the dress code—especially when they were in the mood to party and/or relax.
