Holiday cruises: 'Seasons Greetings' always starts with 'Seas'

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Visit Holidays to Florida for more great deals, tips and advice to make the most of your Florida cruising holiday.

Cruise lines like to remind us that "Seasons greetings" is a phrase that always begins with "seas." And the lines do go overboard with festivities to celebrate the holidays --from Thanksgiving to Hanukkah to Christmas to New Year's -- serving up traditional feasts with all the trimmings, boasting festive holiday decorations, and featuring entertainment themed to the season.

Here are some holiday sailings on tap for the season that either begin or end in Florida ports. Arranged by cruise line category, the fares listed are the ones we found on the lines' websites at the time of writing. Fares are always subject to availability and subject to change without notice. Ask if there are specials and/or offers such as onboard credits when you are ready to book.

Luxury 

Silversea Cruises' yacht-like, all-suite vessels feature a variety of holiday voyages that begin or end in Fort Lauderdale. Among them is a 17-day Santiago, Chile to Fort Lauderdale sailing on the Silver Whisper from Dec. 20 to Jan. 6. The trans-Panama Canal cruise calls in Coquimbo, Arica, Matarani, Callao (Lima), Salaverry, Manta, Puerto Limon and Key West. Silver Savings fares start at $8,398. Another option is a roundtrip Fort Lauderdale 14-day voyage on the Silver Spirit Dec. 20-Jan. 3, with calls in Grand Turk, Antigua, Bequia, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Bart's, Virgin Gorda and Key West. Silver Savings fares start at $7,423. Other holiday sailings include San Diego to Fort Lauderdale on Silver Cloud, 16-days, Dec. 22-Jan. 7, from $6,438; and a Thanksgiving voyages, from Fort Lauderdale to Rio on the Silver Whisper, 18 days Nov. 8-26, from $7,038; and Barbados to Fort Lauderdale on Silver Spirit, nine days, Nov. 23 -- Dec. 2 from $3,638.

Upper-premium

Oceania Cruises' Marina features a 12-day Tropical Holiday cruise from Miami to such idylls as Grand Turk, St. Croix, Martinique, Antigua, Barbados. St. Barts and Tortola. The ship sets sail on Dec. 22 and spends Christmas Day at sea and departs Tortola in the late afternoon on Dec. 31 to ring in 2012 at sea and spend New Year's Day sailing as well. Visit www.oceaniacruises.com.

Premium

If the idea of spending Thanksgiving or Christmas with Mickey Mouse and his gang in the Caribbean or the Bahamas appeals to you, Disney Cruise Line may be your ticket. Among the holiday sailings offered by this line is a seven-day Eastern Caribbean voyage setting sail on the Disney Magic on Nov. 19 fromPort Canaveral to St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Castaway Cay (Disney private island in the Bahamas). Fares start at $2,817 for two adults in an inside stateroom. Those who want to get away over the Christmas holiday can choose a four-day Bahamas sailing on the Disney Dream from Port Canaveral to Nassau and Castaway Cay departing on Dec. 22. Fares start at $3,018 for two adults in an ocean view stateroom. Visit www.disneycruise.com.

Or how about ringing in 2012 on another premium line's ship,Princess Cruises' Grand Princess. Among this line's and this ship holiday sailings is one that sets sail from Fort Lauderdale on a seven-day voyage to San Juan, St. Maarten, and Princess Cays (private beach in the Bahamas) on Dec. 31. Fares begin at $799 per person, double. Visit www.princess.com.

Moderately priced

If you'd like to do something really big for Hanukah or Christmas this year, how about sailing on the biggest ship in the world, Royal Caribbean International's Allure of the Seas? The ship sails on a seven-night Western Caribbeanitinerary from Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 18. Ports of call include Labadee (private beach in Haiti), Falmouth and Cozumel. This sailing, among the line's holiday cruises is priced from $1,419 per person, double. Visit www.royalcaribbean.com.

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Visit Holidays to Florida for more great deals, tips and advice to make the most of your Florida cruising holiday.

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