I spent Christmas and New Year's Eve on a cruise with a few family members. I doubt I'd ever do it again.

"Despite traveling fairly frequently, I'd never been away from home for Christmas until recently In 2023 (into 2024), I spent Christmas and New Year's Eve on a 22-day Holland America cruise around South America and Antarctica. I traveled with my grandma and cousin, and our cruise began in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and ended in Santiago, Chile. I felt hesitant about booking a cruise that took place over the holidays, but I figured it'd be worth missing my traditions for one year to wake up to a view of Antarctica on Christmas morning."

"It was so hot in many of the ports that we stopped at, like Buenos Aires and Puerto Madryn, Argentina, because it was summer in the Southern Hemisphere. It felt extra strange because I was traveling from Chicago, where we always have a chilly Christmas. Due to the warm weather, it was easy to forget that Christmas was just around the corner - and it felt odd, but delightful, to see decorated cities."

"Fortunately, the boat was extravagantly decorated One of the most striking features on board was the ship's gingerbread village. The elaborate setup was just one of the beautiful decorative areas on the ship. Several Christmas trees were also displayed throughout the boat. It wasn't just the Holland America crew that decorated - other guests brought tinsel, ornaments, and small decorations to hang from their room's doo"

I spent Christmas and New Year's Eve on a 22-day Holland America cruise around South America and Antarctica, traveling with my grandma and cousin from Buenos Aires to Santiago. I woke on Christmas morning to views of Antarctica after hesitating to miss holiday traditions for one year. The ship featured extravagant holiday decorations, a gingerbread village, multiple Christmas trees, and themed events, while some guests added decorations to cabins. Many port stops were hot because it was Southern Hemisphere summer, which contrasted with a typical chilly Chicago Christmas and heightened homesickness. Puerto Aysén's decorated square stood out. The cruise was unforgettable, but I probably won't travel over the holidays again.

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