Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year.

Forget the mess and the fuss of spending the holiday period at home when lines like Carnival, P&O, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Carnival, APT and many more provide special holiday cruises.

From decorations to delicious Christmas meals, the lines go all out to ensure that guests celebrate the festive season in style.

Or whether you want to ring in the New Year in a sophisticated black tie affair or just spend it with close friends and family, the lines have themed parties onboard.

Cruise Passenger picks some of the lines that put on a spread for Christmas and we find some of the best deals so you don’t break the bank on your holiday.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises decks their ships in holiday décor complete with wreaths, holly, mistletoe and of course, Christmas trees. The line even decorates the ship’s mast. There will be carollers strolling around the decks singing holiday tunes and waiters will be wearing Santa hats. Its special Christmas dinner includes roast turkey or goose as well as gingerbread mousse, mincemeat pie, chocolate Yule logs and Christmas cookies. One of the cruises on offer during the festive season is a South Pacific cruise. You can set sail from Sydney on your 13-night New Caledonia & Vanuatu Cruise onboard the magnificent Dawn Princess. Your 14 day cruise visits seven ports of call including Sydney, Champagne Bay, Wala, Vila, Mystery Island, Lifou, Noumea. The cruise starts from $2,180 twin cabin. Click here for more information.

Royal Caribbean

Onboard Royal Caribbean, Shrek and Puss in Boots will be dressing up for the festive season. While in the kitchen, the chefs will be preparing anything from Turkey with savoury apple and chestnut stuffing to delicious Christmas cookies. It’s not Christmas without Santa and guests can see him in a parade, take photos with him and even join in on some of the singing and dancing. And if you’ve forgotten some gifts for your loved ones, Royal Caribbean has special sale in its onboard shops so you can even snag a bargain. Royal Caribbean are also offering a special Christmas deal where you can cruise from Brisbane to the South Pacific and get up to $200 onboard credit and save up to 30 per cent. The cruise starts from $1,775 per person, twin share. Royal Caribbean is also offering something special over the New Years Eve – a special 10-night New Zealand cruise onboard Voyager of the Seas. Priced from $1,777 per person, twin share. To book, click here.

P&O

P&O celebrates fun in the sun with its special Australian and South Pacific cruises. The line is offering a number of Christmas cruises Pacific Jewel, Pearl, Dawn, Aria and Eden. On Christmas Eve, there is a special concert with guest entertainers and a Passengers Christmas choir as well a lolly grotto complete with lights, lollies and chocolate fountains. On Christmas cruise around the South Pacific starts from $1,299 per quad. P&O’s New Year cruise departs Melbourne on December 29. You will sail around Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia over 10 nights. Finish off December with a visit to Burnie then recover from the celebrations by the pool. Click here for more information.

Carnival Cruises

Carnival Cruises has special Christmas offers and deals for cruisers looking to get away. Like the other lines, they also take care of the food and decorations. The line has a ‘door decorating’ contest where guests can decorate the outside of their cabins. There are also plenty of Christmas themed games and activities. Carnival are offering guests a 10-night cruise starting from $1,311 per person, twin share. The cruise departs Sydney and calls at Airlie Beach, Yorkey’s Knob, Port Douglas and Brisbane. For more information, click here.

Celebrity Cruises

At midnight, Celebrity Cruises ships feature a ‘Tree Trimmers Buffet” on Christmas Eve as well as festive menus on Christmas Day. Santa will bring around gifts for children aged between three and 17 and every guest onboard gets a special Christmas gift bag. The ships are decked out in festive decorations and professional singers carol throughout the season. Celebrity has a number of holiday cruises available including a seven-night Southern Caribbean Holiday cruise from $999 per person twin share or a 12-night Greek Isles and Mediterranean cruise from $1,867.19 per person, twin share. For more information, click here.

APT

APT has a number of European Christmas cruises so if you’re dreaming of a snow-dusted holiday, you’re in luck. The ships are adorned with garlands, mistletoe and a giant Christmas tree. Guests will be treated to a special dinner of Christmas Day of turkey with all the trimmings. And on the itinerary are stops at some of Europe’s most famous Christmas markets like the Christmas Market in Nuremberg’s Main Market Square. Here, there are more than 150 booths offering a range of toys, dolls, gingerbread and plenty more. For more information, click here.