Christmas and New Year Cruises from the UK: Festive Sailings for 2026 and 2027

Ambassador, "One More Dream – Hamburg's Festive Delights" (A12630). 4 nights from London Tilbury on Ambience, 6 Dec 2026. From £299 (cabin grade not stated; example fare, checked 30 Oct 2026, 5:59pm UK time, on Ambassador's own page). Its 6-night Tilbury sailing on 1 Dec 2026 was already showing as sold out.

MSC Preziosa, 7-night Northern Europe. From Southampton, 11 Dec 2026. Inside from £599 (example fare, checked 30 Oct 2026, 6:00pm UK time, via a UK cruise agent). MSC Preziosa is MSC's Southampton ship for winter 2026/27, calling at ports such as Hamburg, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge.

Cunard Queen Anne, Hamburg, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge. 7 nights from Southampton, 13 Dec 2026. Interior £679 · Ocean view £679 · Balcony £809 · Suite £2,099 (example fare, checked 30 Oct 2026, 6:00pm UK time, via a UK cruise agent).

Fred. Olsen Borealis, Hamburg Christmas Markets and Honfleur (S2723). 5 nights from Southampton, 17 Dec 2027. Interior £799 · Ocean £869 · Terrace £999 · Suite £1,149 (example fare, checked 30 Oct 2026, 6:02pm UK time, on Fred. Olsen's own page). Fred. Olsen's Freedom Fares include gratuities.

Cunard Queen Victoria, Canary Island Celebration. 12 nights from Southampton, 16 Dec 2026, calling at Lisbon, Funchal, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. Interior £1,199 · Ocean view £1,299 · Balcony £1,479 · Suite £3,769 (example fare, checked 30 Oct 2026, 6:00pm UK time, via a UK cruise agent).

P&O Iona, Christmas and New Year Canary Islands. 16 nights from Southampton, 19 Dec 2026. Interior £1,379 · Ocean view £2,069 · Balcony £2,069 (example fare, checked 30 Oct 2026, 6:00pm UK time, via a UK cruise agent).

P&O Arcadia, Christmas and New Year Canary Islands. 16 nights from Southampton, 21 Dec 2026. Interior £1,679 · Ocean view £1,729 · Balcony £2,069. Arcadia is adult-only (example fare, checked 30 Oct 2026, 6:00pm UK time, via a UK cruise agent).

Cunard Queen Anne, Canary Islands Celebration. 14 nights from Southampton, 20 Dec 2026. Interior £1,859 · Ocean view £2,739 · Balcony £2,869 (example fare, checked 30 Oct 2026, 6:00pm UK time, via a UK cruise agent).

P&O Aurora, "New Year's Eve in Hamburg" (R623). 5 nights from Southampton, 29 Dec 2026 to 3 Jan 2027. The ship arrives in Hamburg at 7am on 31 December and stays overnight, leaving at 6am on New Year's Day, then calls at Zeebrugge. Inside £1,079 · Outside £1,229 · Balcony £1,379 · Mini-suite £2,219 · Suite £2,939 (example fare, checked 30 Oct 2026, 5:59pm UK time, via a UK cruise agent).

Cunard Queen Victoria, Zeebrugge and Amsterdam. 6 nights from Southampton, 28 Dec 2026. Interior £1,019 · Ocean view £1,069 · Balcony £1,199 · Suite £2,129 (example fare, checked 30 Oct 2026, 6:00pm UK time, via a UK cruise agent).

P&O Cruises. Expect a tree in the atrium, festive activities and entertainment. On Christmas Day, inclusive dining runs at two set sittings, 4.30pm and 7.30pm, with the day's shows planned around them. Club Dining guests keep their usual arrangement. The main restaurants serve Marco Pierre White's traditional turkey dinner. New Year's Eve has a special menu, including Highland haggis, and the dress code is Black Tie. On Arvia, the 6th Street Diner hosts a Wallace & Gromit festive feast and a Shaun the Sheep New Year family dinner. Speciality restaurants such as Epicurean cost extra.

Cunard. Cunard places Christmas trees around the ship and adds decorations and festive activities. There's a celebratory feast if you're on board for Christmas Day or New Year's Eve.

MSC Cruises. MSC decorates its ships and adds seasonal shows and family activities. On some sailings, Santa visits. Festive dining varies by ship (according to a UK cruise agent).

New Year fireworks. P&O notes that on sailings over New Year's Eve, you may see fireworks set off ashore while you celebrate on board.

Christmas itself carries a big premium. Cunard's Queen Anne sails a 14-night Canaries cruise from Southampton on 29 Nov 2026 from £1,009 for an interior cabin. The 14-night Christmas version on 20 Dec 2026 starts at £1,859, about 84% more for a similar route (both example fares, checked 30 Oct 2026, 6:00pm UK time, via a UK cruise agent).

New Year's Eve costs more than the week after. The 5-night New Year's Eve in Hamburg sailing starts at £1,079 inside. Queen Anne's 7-night Hamburg, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge sailing on 3 Jan 2027 starts at £469 (example fare, checked 30 Oct 2026, 6:00pm UK time, via a UK cruise agent).

Christmas market sailings were the cheapest festive fares we found. Early-December short breaks from Tilbury and Southampton start at £299 to £679.

Some 2027 festive sailings are already priced higher than 2026's. Queen Anne's Christmas 2027 Canaries cruise starts at £2,199 inside, against £1,859 for the 2026 sailing. Popular festive cabins sell out, and Ambassador's 1 Dec 2026 sailing has already gone.

Look beyond the fare. On P&O's Select Price fares, applicable festive sailings come with onboard spending money.