Cruise MedallionClass™ for Christmas
This post is sponsored by Princess Cruises.
I’ve watched enough holiday movies to know that for some reason, the heroine is supposed to be stuck in some cold and snowy Christmas town to celebrate properly while her parents are off cruising the Caribbean. If you ask me, the parents have the right idea—get me on a boat! After the dreamy vacation I enjoyed sailing from Venice, Italy to Athens, Greece this fall with Princess Cruises, you can bet I’ll be taking my Mediterranean merry right into the holiday season. Thinking about gifting someone—or yourself—a cruise this month? Allow me to tell you all the reasons why that idea is nothing short of brilliant.
Anticipation
There’s nothing better than anticipating something wonderful. Christmas, a cruise, pay day, a birthday…even that first cup of coffee in the morning. The next best thing to cruising is anticipating the trip once it’s booked! Receiving your OceanMedallion™ in the mail before you depart is practically an early Christmas present, and utilizing OceanReady™ ensures you’re set to jet long before you even hop on a ship-bound airplane. Upload your passport information, profile photo, and contact information right from the comfort of your home so nothing is up in the air once you’re off at sea. With each passing year, people have less time—and since time is money, if you can save thirty to sixty minutes embarking on your vacation, that’s some serious bang for your buck.
Plus I have to say, there is so much information on the Princess website about every ship that you can really map out a blueprint of the restaurants you’d like to try or activities you’d like to experience while you sail (don’t miss the Lotus Spa and adults-only Sanctuary for optimum relaxation!). Whenever I book a cruise, I usually end up scrolling princess.com for hours getting pumped about all that will be happening on board…SailAway Celebration™! String quartets! Bingo! The Voice of the Ocean! Movies Under the Stars! They really don’t quit.
Tasty Treats
A warm, seasonal drink made especially for you at the Princess Live! café (my personal favorite bar on board…it has coffee!) is sure to get you in the holiday spirit in no time. While I was cruising the Mediterranean, taking a hot toddy back to our stateroom to sit on the balcony and stargaze was the most magical way to end our nights. You can simply the order using OceanNow™ on your mobile device and have a drink brought right to you, have the drink ready when you arrive at the bar, or have it delivered to your stateroom to be waiting for your arrival. It’s seriously incredible how many ingenious new ways OceanMedallion™ enhances the cruise ship experience!
Alex and I both share a love of sweets, so the International Café is another spot we visited…let’s just say a couple times a day. Whether you’re looking for a muffin or croissant, or possibly something more indulgent like Paris-Brest or a Napoleon, they’ve got it all, and it’s included in your passenger fare. Snack away! Everyone knows holiday calories don’t count…especially not at sea.
Family Bonding
One thing that’s brand new on Sky Princess is the Phantom Bridge Escape Room! They are a huge trend right now, and as usual Princess is way ahead of the entertainment game at sea. I’ve always been a little hesitant to try an escape room, but I’m sold now. Even the name “Phantom Bridge” sounds like a Nancy Drew mystery novel. I have always loved Nancy and my favorite is Mystery of the Brass Bound Trunk, so getting to solve a mystery on board a cruise ship is really a dream come true!
Another Christmas wish come true? The myriad dining options. If your family is anything like mine, everyone’s got their own idea of what dinner should be every night…and they almost never match up. With d-o-z-e-n-s of options on board Sky Princess, Alex and I could always find something we both wanted. Full of new restaurants and Princess favorites like Crown Grill and Sabatini’s (definitely look into Chef’s Table Lumiere for an unmatched dining experience), Sky Princess is a culinary destination all its own.
Stay Connected
Even if you’re off gallivanting around your dream destination, the holidays are a time to be together, and there’s no better cruise line to keep you connected to your loved ones than Princess. MedallionNet is the fastest WiFi at sea, and I’m always impressed by its reliability. I’ve published blog posts, uploaded videos, and streamed Netflix in the middle of the ocean without a glitch to be seen!
In between FaceTime calls with my cute nephew in Minnesota or my parents in Mount Vernon, I was also able to chat with pals I sailed with or with new friends we met on our excursions. OceanCompass™ is such a simple yet immensely effective way of communicating with your fellow cruisers. When you make a new friend, simply add each other as ShipMates™ to stay in touch throughout the duration of the cruise, or even keep tabs on your friends and family’s location. It’s worth noting that you can also hide your location from anyone you’d rather not share with.
If your holiday plans don’t include a cruise right now, you can always start planning for next year…or, you can surprise a loved one with the ultimate cruising experience: a MedallionClass™ cruise with Princess Cruises. With a Medallion™ in hand, the opportunities for adventure are endless.