All-Inclusive Christmas and New Year Cruises 2026

Where Do All-Inclusive Christmas and New Year 2026 Cruises Go?

The festive sailing season runs from mid-December 2026 through the first week of January 2027, and the mix of destinations is wide. The Caribbean leads the way — Florida ports are the main departure points for the region, and most sailings there are round-trips, so you fly out and fly home from the same place. The Western Mediterranean is the strongest European option, with 2026 cruises departing from ports including Barcelona. Further afield, South America, Brazil, the Canary Islands and Southeast Asia all feature. Whatever direction you are heading, Cruise1st can arrange the flights, any nights in a hotel either side, and transfers as part of a joined-up holiday.

Which Regions Are Most Popular at Christmas and New Year?

The Caribbean

The Caribbean is where Christmas and New Year cruising is most concentrated. Most sailings depart from Florida — Miami and Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) are about half an hour apart, so a Florida trip can realistically sail from either; it is worth checking both for dates and prices. Port Canaveral is a further option on the Florida coast. San Juan, Puerto Rico is another well-used starting point, particularly for Southern Caribbean routes. The Western Caribbean is also well represented. Round-trip itineraries are the norm here, which keeps the logistics simple — you fly in, sail, and fly home from the same terminal.

Western Mediterranean and the Canary Islands

If you would rather stay closer to Europe, the Western Mediterranean has a solid run of all-inclusive departures over the festive period. Barcelona is the main embarkation point; sailings from there visit ports across the western Med. For a warm-weather alternative that avoids a long-haul flight, the Canary Islands is a reliable festive option — a perennial choice for UK travellers wanting winter sun without a transatlantic journey. If you are planning ahead, our Canary Islands 2026 cruises page shows the full range, and Mediterranean cruises from Southampton in 2026 covers departures that need no flight at all.

South America and Brazil

The South America and Brazil routes tend to attract travellers looking for something different over the holidays — longer itineraries, vivid ports, and a genuine sense of occasion. Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro both appear as disembarkation points, so some of these are one-way sailings; if that applies to your chosen itinerary, a flight home from the end port will be needed. Cruise1st can sort that flight, along with any hotel nights, as part of one booking.

Southeast Asia

A small but notable group of sailings head to Southeast Asia over the festive window — ideal if you want to combine a cruise with a wider holiday in the region. These are fly-cruise itineraries, and our team can put the flights, pre- or post-cruise hotels and transfers together as a Cruise1st Package. See the full picture on our Southeast Asia 2026 cruises page.

Which Cruise Lines Sail All-Inclusive at Christmas and New Year 2026?

MSC Cruises has the largest share of availability over the festive period, followed by Norwegian Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Explora Journeys and Azamara. Each line packages its all-inclusive fares differently, so what is covered varies — read on for a guide to what each tier actually includes, and call our experts if you want to compare them side by side.

What Do the All-Inclusive Fares Actually Include?

All-inclusive is not a single standard — each cruise line defines it differently, and the tier you choose within a line makes a real difference to what is covered on board.

Norwegian Cruise Line — Free at Sea

Norwegian Cruise Line’s all-inclusive offer is built around its Free at Sea tiers. The mid-tier bundles a premium beverage package, a speciality dining package, Wi-Fi and shore excursion credits of US$50 per port into a single fare. The upper Free at Sea Plus tier extends the dining package to all guests on the booking and increases the scope of what is covered at the speciality restaurants. There is also a lowest-fare option for those who prefer to add extras individually.

Costa Cruises — Comfort Plus and All Inclusive

Costa Cruises offers a Comfort Plus fare that covers full board, unlimited drinks, room service, reserved dining and use of pools and relaxation areas. The All Inclusive tier adds an Italian drinks and dining package on top. There are also fare types such as last-minute offers for those booking closer to departure.

Celebrity Cruises — Best Value and The Retreat

Celebrity Cruises runs 3 fare tiers on these sailings. The Best Value fare bundles a classic drinks package with basic Wi-Fi, which suits travellers who want predictable costs without arranging extras on board. The Retreat, at the top of the range, covers a premium drinks package, premium Wi-Fi, suite accommodation, exclusive lounge and sundeck access, private dining and dedicated personal service — it is the most complete package Celebrity offers, and worth considering if you are looking at suites for the festive period.

Which Ships Are Sailing at Christmas and New Year 2026?

Several well-known ships carry all-inclusive fares over the festive window. Here is what makes each one worth knowing about.

MSC World Europa

MSC World Europa is one of the largest ships in the MSC fleet. Its scale means a huge range of dining, entertainment and deck space — a good fit if you want the full resort-at-sea experience over Christmas. Explore the cabins and deck plans for MSC World Europa to find the right grade for your party.

MSC Preziosa

Preziosa’s public spaces are defined by Swarovski crystal staircases and a cobbled Italian piazza that runs through the heart of the ship. On deck there is Vertigo — one of the longest waterslides at sea — as well as a 4D cinema, F1 simulator, Platinum Theatre and bowling alley. The MSC Yacht Club offers butler service, a private pool deck and exclusive dining for those who want a quieter festive experience within a larger ship. Starlink Wi-Fi is available throughout. Cabin grades on Preziosa run from inside to full Yacht Club suite:

• Deluxe Inside Cabin Fantastica — 16 m², sleeping up to 4; 4 m² larger than the standard inside option
• Premium Ocean View Fantastica — 20 m² with a window, sleeping up to 4
• Balcony Aurea — 18 m² cabin with a 4 m² private balcony, sleeping up to 4
• Grand Suite Aurea — 38 m² with espresso machine, premium minibar and walk-in wardrobe, sleeping up to 4
• MSC Yacht Club Executive & Family Suite — 40 m² suite with separate living room and up to 3 beds, sleeping up to 4

See the full deck plans and cabin grades for MSC Preziosa before you book.

MSC Musica

Launched in 2006 and renovated in 2024, Musica is a 294-metre ship with a three-tiered waterfall atrium and La Scala Theatre, which seats 1,200 guests for Broadway-style productions of song, dance and acrobatics. The Kaito Sushi Bar and Butcher’s Cut steakhouse join the MSC Yacht Club for elevated dining options. Cabin grades on Musica include:

• Inside Cabin Bella I1 — 14 m², sleeping up to 4
• Ocean-View Cabin Bella O1 — 16 m², partially obstructed view, sleeping up to 4
• Super Family Balcony Cabin FLA — 40 m², sleeping up to 4; more than twice the size of standard balcony cabins
• Aurea Suite S3 — 28 m² balcony suite, sleeping up to 5
• MSC Yacht Club Royal Suite — 47 m² with separate living and dining area, sleeping up to 4

View the MSC Musica cabin grades and deck plans in full.

MSC Seaside

MSC Seaside has a Waterfront Boardwalk that wraps the ship with restaurants and bars at sea level, giving it a beach-club feel unlike most large ships. A 105-metre zip-line runs over the water, and Slideboarding — the world’s first interactive waterslide with an integrated video game — is on deck. The Balinese Aurea Spa includes a salt room, snow room, hammam and geyser room, making it one of the largest spa complexes in the fleet. Check the MSC Seaside deck plans and cabin options to find your grade.

Costa Favolosa

Costa Favolosa’s interiors are themed around a Gothic fairy-tale atrium with Versailles-inspired décor flowing across 3 decks of crystal and mirror. The Samsara Spa covers 6,000 m² across 2 decks and includes a thalassotherapy pool and ocean-view fitness centre. The Archipelago restaurant is helmed by 3 Michelin-starred chefs. Cabin grades on Favolosa:

• Inside Cabin I4 — 10 m², sleeping up to 4
• Ocean-View Cabin E1 — 13 m² with a direct sea-view window, sleeping up to 4
• Balcony Cabin with Sea View — 13 m² on lower, quieter decks, sleeping up to 4
• Suite S — 21 m², the largest suite on board, sleeping up to 4

See full cabin details and deck plans for Costa Favolosa.

Costa Smeralda

Costa Smeralda carries the world’s first Frescobaldi wine restaurant at sea — Osteria Frescobaldi — which is exclusive to this ship. The Solemio Spa runs to 4,500 m² and includes a rare snow grotto. The Colosseo Theatre spans 3 decks for evening shows, and the Food Lab cookery school is available on board. View the Costa Smeralda cabin grades and deck plans for the full picture.

Costa Fascinosa

Fascinosa takes its design cues from Italian cinema — interiors inspired by Fellini and Visconti, with gold leaf and deep ruby décor throughout. The Samsara Spa covers 6,000 m² across 2 decks with a thalassotherapy pool, and over 100 spa-access cabins are available on board. A three-deck theatre and the Archipelago restaurant, with 3 Michelin-starred chefs, complete the main on-board offer. Explore the Costa Fascinosa deck plans and cabins.

EXPLORA II

EXPLORA II sails for Explora Journeys and represents the luxury end of the festive range. View the EXPLORA II cabin grades and deck plans for more detail.

Azamara Onward

Azamara is known for longer stays in port and overnight calls, which suits a festive itinerary where you want time to explore each destination properly rather than a quick turnaround. Check the Azamara Onward cabin and deck-plan options before you book.

Costa Pacifica

Costa Pacifica rounds out the Costa fleet presence on these festive sailings. See Costa Pacifica’s cabin grades and deck plans in full.

Are There Any Discounts on Christmas and New Year All-Inclusive Cruises?

Reductions are available across a range of festive sailings, reaching up to 47% on a small number of departures — though that maximum applies to only 2 sailings and is measured against the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing, not a brochure rate. Most reduced sailings carry a discount of around 7%. It is worth comparing fares across grades and lines: the difference between a standard inside cabin and a balcony grade can shift considerably when a discount is applied to one and not the other. Cruise1st’s Christmas cruise deals page is kept updated with current offers.

New Year’s Eve at Sea — What Are the Options?

If you want to see the new year in while at sea, itineraries departing in the last week of December put you on board for the countdown. Check our dedicated New Year’s Eve cruises page for sailings timed around the occasion, and New Year cruises 2026 from Southampton if you want to avoid a flight entirely. For a shorter break, New Year’s Eve mini cruises from Southampton are a good fit — a few nights over the holiday without committing to a long itinerary.

Sailings from Southampton at Christmas

A small number of festive sailings depart from UK ports — Southampton in particular — which means no airport, no hold luggage fees and the chance to arrive by road or rail. For those, Christmas cruises from Southampton and Christmas mini cruises from Southampton show what is available direct from home. If you want a very short festive break without going far, a mini cruise over the Christmas period is a practical option. For the full range of all-inclusive Christmas 2026 cruises departing Southampton, that narrower page shows Southampton-only sailings in one place.

How Does Cruise1st Help You Book a Festive Cruise?

Most of the all-inclusive sailings in the Christmas and New Year 2026 window embark in the United States, Spain, Brazil or Italy, so for the majority of British travellers this is a fly-cruise holiday. That means arranging flights, potentially a hotel the night before embarkation, and transfers to and from the port. Our team handles all of that. As one of the UK’s leading cruise specialists, Cruise1st builds flights, hotels, tours, transfers and insurance around your cruise — as a bundle or a fully tailored holiday — through our Cruise1st Package. You get expert advice on the cabin grade and fare tier that suits your group, and everything goes on a single booking. We are ABTA and ATOL protected, and rated 4.5/5 on Trustpilot from over 7,000 reviews.

Other 2026 Sailings Worth Considering

If the Christmas and New Year window does not have exactly what you are looking for, there is a wide range of 2026 cruises across every region and season — from the Mediterranean from the UK in 2026 to Celebrity 2026 sailings from Southampton and MSC Virtuosa 2026 departures from Southampton. For the year ahead, Mediterranean cruises in 2027 are already bookable. January departures are covered on our January cruises page, and the wider all-inclusive cruises 2026 range includes sailings well beyond the festive window. If you are open to sailing without an all-inclusive fare, the full cruises listing gives you the broadest choice, and 2026 Christmas cruises shows every fare type for this season side by side.

Where a discount is shown, it is a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing, not a comparison between cabin grades or against a brochure rate. Discounts and prices shown are not kept up to date: the reduction available now may be smaller, or may have ended, and prices may have changed.