Semih
Travel editor at Reisedrop · 2026-09-16
At some point between the third Advent brunch and the annual question of who’s cooking the turkey this year, many people have the same thought: just get away. Not because they’re fed up with Christmas – simply because the festive season can be done differently. Say, at 24 degrees on deck, with Teide on the horizon and a gala dinner that nobody in the family had to spend hours preparing. A Christmas cruise to warmer climes is exactly that: festive atmosphere without festive stress. And yes, there’s still a Christmas tree on board.
Why choose a ship for Christmas of all times?
Because a ship solves the three biggest Christmas trouble spots in one go. First, the logistics: no shopping, no cooking, no washing up – the crew takes care of it, and does it in style. Second, the expectations: on board there’s something for every generation, from the kids’ club with a visit from Samichlaus to a Christmas concert in the theatre. If you’d rather lie by the pool, you lie by the pool – nobody has to join in with anything. Third, the weather: instead of slush and early darkness, you get sunshine, sea and a new island outside your balcony door every day. The best part is hard to put a number on, but everyone knows it: the debate over which side of the family to celebrate with disappears completely.
The Canaries: the classic for a warm Christmas
If there is a gold standard for warm Christmas holidays within reach of Europe, it’s the Canaries. In December, temperatures reliably sit between 21 and 25 degrees, the sea is still around 20 degrees, and the flight time from Switzerland is a little over four and a half hours – no jet lag, no malaria prophylaxis, no long-haul exhaustion. Typical routes start in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria or Santa Cruz de Tenerife and link four to five islands in seven days: Lanzarote with its volcanic landscapes, Fuerteventura with endless beaches, La Palma for walkers – and often Funchal on Madeira as a floral extra. The short sea distances mean almost every day brings a new port, with hardly any sea days and very little rocking.
The alternatives: Caribbean, Orient or Mediterranean
The Canaries are the easiest way to reach warmer weather, but not the only one. In December, the Caribbean offers 28 degrees, turquoise water and postcard-perfect beaches – but with a long-haul flight (from around 9 hours) and a correspondingly higher budget. The Orient around Dubai and Abu Dhabi scores with 26 degrees, spectacular architecture and short distances between ports; the flight takes about six hours. And the western Mediterranean? At 15 to 18 degrees it’s not beach weather, but ideal for city lovers: Lisbon, Seville or Valencia under the Christmas lights have a charm of their own – and prices are often significantly lower.
What does Christmas at sea really cost?
Let’s lay the cards on the table. A 7-night Canary Islands cruise over the festive period costs about CHF 900 to 1'400 per person in an inside cabin, depending on the cruise line and ship; with a balcony, CHF 1'400 to 2'200 – full board included. That’s around 20 to 35 per cent more than the same route in November or January, because the festive weeks are the most sought-after of the winter. On top of that come flights (from Zurich usually CHF 250 to 450 return), gratuities on board (around 10 to 15 euros per person per day) and any drinks packages. Important for the budget: family cabins and the cheaper categories are the first to sell out over Christmas – anyone booking in autumn will pay noticeably less than those scrambling in December.
What Christmas Eve on board is really like
The idea that Christmas on a ship feels impersonal is persistent – and rarely true. During the festive season, cruise lines roll out their biggest programme of the year: decorated atriums with towering fir trees, Christmas markets on deck, choir concerts, midnight Mass or ecumenical services, and a multi-course gala menu on the 24th and 25th. For children, Father Christmas usually comes on board in person – including present-giving in the kids’ club. German-speaking ships celebrate on 24 December, while more international cruise lines tend to focus on the 25th – if Christmas Eve matters to you, check before booking.
Getting there from Switzerland: easier than you’d think
From Zurich, Basel and Geneva, several airlines fly direct to Gran Canaria and Tenerife in December – the choice is wide, although over the festive period the prices are too. Two rules of thumb have proved their worth: first, book the flight ideally together with the cruise or at least one day before departure – anyone travelling on the day the ship sails is taking a real risk if the plane is delayed. Second, watch prices rather than guessing: a price alert on the route will show you when that December flight is genuinely cheap.
Who the Christmas escape suits – and who it doesn’t
A warm Christmas cruise is ideal for families who want entertainment without the planning effort, for couples keen to escape the fuss, and for anyone travelling solo who wants company over the festive days without any obligations – the shared gala evening breaks the ice all by itself. It’s less suitable for those to whom snow-covered mountains and the walk to midnight Mass in the village are sacred – in the Canaries, snow is found at most on the summit of Teide. And if you’re after absolute peace and quiet, it’s better to choose a smaller ship or an adults-only cruise line, because over the festive season there are plenty of families on board.