2023 Holiday Cruises: Enjoy Your Vacation Away

Are you considering going on a vacation for the winter holidays? People often think about cruises in the summertime, but winter is one of the best times to take a cruise. Norwegian offers some options overlapping with important holidays, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and Hanukkah. Our 2023 holiday cruise options range from closer-to-home possibilities such as the Bahamas or The Caribbean, or you can fly to Europe to visit some of the best European cities without summer crowds. While the holidays may not be the first thing on your mind this time of year, the best way to plan the holiday vacation of your dreams is to book and plan ahead so you can simply embark and enjoy when the time comes.

If you need a little inspiration, here are some destinations you can visit on a Norwegian 2023 holiday cruise.

1. Mexican Riviera Holiday Cruises

Celebrate a Christmas cruise in the Mexican Riviera. This cruise is an excellent itinerary for people on the West Coast, as Mexican Riviera cruises typically depart from Los Angeles. Mexican Riviera cruises can include stops in Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Ensenada.

The Pacific Ocean side of Mexico is renowned for its deep sea fishing, party atmosphere, and more. Book a deep sea fishing adventure in Cabo or Mazatlan. Explore 26 miles of beaches in Puerto Vallarta and visit the famous blowhole La Bufadora in Ensenada.

2. Panama Canal Holiday Cruises

Enjoy a Thanksgiving cruise without preparing any meals by booking a Panama Canal full transit cruise departing from Los Angeles and disembarking from Miami. Norwegian offers several different Panama Canal cruise options in addition to cruising during Thanksgiving. Potential cruise ports include popular Mexican Riviera destinations such as Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. Other ports of call on a Panama Canal cruise include Central American countries such as Costa Rica and Guatemala and Caribbean destinations like Cartagena.

This cruise offers a wide variety of adventurous excursions. Go deep sea fishing in Mexico, explore the rainforest in Costa Rica, and walk along historical pirate hangouts in Colombia. Of course, the highlight of this cruise is a daylight transit through the Panama Canal.

3. Australia & New Zealand Holiday Cruises

If you are looking for a Christmas and New Year's cruise, consider a cruise to Australia & New Zealand. Spend your holidays below the equator where it's summer, and explore some of the best natural attractions and landmarks. Visit the iconic Opera House in Sydney, devour amazing eats in Melbourne's Chinatown, explore New Zealand's only castle in Dunedin, and find various filming locations for the "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" series.

If you hope to see some wildlife and stunning natural landscapes, Australia and New Zealand won't disappoint. Catch a glimpse of penguins, platypuses, koalas, wallabies, and more. This itinerary also includes cruising through iconic fjords and sounds, such as Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound, and Milford Sound.

RELATED CRUISES:
7-Day Mexican Riviera Cruise from Los Angeles
15-Day Panama Canal Cruise from Los Angeles
12-Day Australia & New Zealand Cruise from Sydney
7-Day Hawaii Cruise from Honolulu

4. Holidays in Hawaii

With weekly departures from Honolulu, you can book a cruise during Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, or Hanukkah and celebrate in beautiful Hawaii. Norwegian offers the only Hawaiian cruise sailing to four islands year-round.

Explore Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to the active Kilauea Volcano, and learn about World War II history at Pearl Harbor. Go golfing in Maui, take a surf lesson in Kona, climb to the top of Diamond Head in Honolulu, attend a luau in Kaua'i, and more.

5. The Caribbean Holiday Cruises

Norwegian offers a wide selection of cruises to The Caribbean, including Western, Southern, and Eastern Caribbean itineraries. Choosing the best Caribbean itinerary depends on which islands you want to visit. On a Western Caribbean cruise that stops in Mexico, Belize, and Roatan, you can explore Maya sites and rainforests. Scuba divers can spend their days under the sea at some of the best dive sites in the world on a Southern Caribbean cruise that visits Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao.

6. Holiday Cruises to The Bahamas

If you want a quick holiday cruise somewhere warm, consider one of Norwegian's 3-day Bahamas cruises. All Norwegian cruises to the Bahamas, including longer Caribbean itineraries, stop at Great Stirrup Cay. This is Norwegian's private island reserved exclusively for Norwegian cruise passengers. Spend your day here snorkeling, relaxing, zip-lining, and more. For a more exclusive experience, consider renting a cabana or private villa. Guests who rent a Silver Cove villa also have access to the upscale Silver Cove buffet.

RELATED CRUISES:
7-Day Caribbean Cruise from New Orleans
3-Day Bahamas Cruise from Miami
14-Day Europe Cruise from Venice
16-Day Antarctica & South America Cruise from Argentina

7. Holidays in the Mediterranean

Skip the crowds and spend the holidays in Europe. With November and December departures from the Mediterranean, you can spend any winter holidays abroad on a Norwegian cruise. Depending on the itinerary you choose, visit iconic destinations such as Naples, Rome, Dubrovnik, Cannes, Barcelona, and more.

Explore the well-preserved 13th-century walls in Dubrovnik, Baroque architecture in Valletta, the Colosseum in Rome, the Duomo in Florence, and Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Walk the promenade in Cannes, tour one of the largest cathedrals in the world in Seville, eat pizza at some of Naples' famous pizzerias, and learn about Slovenian wine in Koper.

8. Antarctica Holiday Cruises

Book an Antarctica and South America itinerary for the ultimate winter holiday cruises. If you've been dreaming about checking off one of the least visited continents in the world, this is the cruise for you. Norwegian's South America cruises take you to some of the world's most beautiful natural landscapes, including Tierra del Fuego National Park and Uruguay's Punta del Este, called the Saint-Tropez of Latin America.

Norwegian's Antarctica cruises doesn't stop in Antarctica, but you'll have two days cruising by Paradise Bay, Elephant Island, and Cape Lookout. You'll see stunning sheets of ice, rugged mountains, and plenty of penguins and seals. Elephant Island gets its name from all the elephant seals that hang out here as well as the shape of the island.

While you decide which cruise is right for your 2023 holiday plans, don't forget to sign up for Norwegian's cruise deals. This way, you won't miss out on any upcoming discounts and special offers.