Tired of spending time and money on holiday preparations and then being too exhausted to enjoy the season? Consider taking a cruise during the holidays. You might come out ahead money wise and you can let somebody else take care of meals, entertainment and decorations. "A holiday cruise continues to be a popular way to celebrate and mark the arrival of the new year," says Bob Sharak, executive director of CLIA. "On a cruise you can mark the holidays without the stress, hustle and bustle normally associated with spending the season at home."

"The holidays are a special time to be with family and friends, and a cruise allows you to enjoy that time without worrying about decorating the tree or preparing the holiday feast," says Sharak. "It can be a meaningful way to end one year and ring in another."

You can expect all the cruise lines to deck the halls of the ships to instill the festive spirit of the season. Traditional foods like eggnog, Christmas cookies and gourmet dinners will be on the menu. Religious clergy will be aboard to officiate Christmas services and Hanukkah events.

On family oriented cruise lines like Carnival, Santa will be onboard, handing out gifts to the children. Holiday music is piped into the cabins and signage throughout the ship offer holiday greetings. The children from Camp Carnival put on a special holiday show.

On Holland America Line, guests will find decorations, a crew holiday show with the international choir crew and staff singing native carols. Seasonal movies, and a visit by Santa round out the festivities

Royal Olympia Cruises will light the Menorrah and also serve traditional Hanukkah foods. Lighting the Christmas tree and visits with Santa keep children entertained. Being a Greek line, Royal Olympia will offer traditional Greek treats.

The focus of entertainment on the ships will include Christmas caroling, holiday shows and tree lightings. For those looking to learn or celebrate the holidays in another manner, consider taking a cruise on Cunard, Fred Olsen or another ship that caters to Europeans. Boxing Day activities, traditional foods and even haggis can be experienced first hand on these ships.

It's not just the large ocean going vessels that have geared up for the holidays. The barge cruisers have also planned for the holidays. River Barge's Christmas Bonfires excursion features a Christmas Eve tradition that has been celebrated for more than a century. Families, with rosy-cheeked children in tow, gather from local towns to light Le Pere Noel's (Father Christmas) way with bonfires on the levee, a magical night for all to enjoy.

New Years Eve on the ships will be similar to the typical hotel celebrations in big towns. Your hotel is with you so you don't need to worry about staying out to late or driving home. Your room is just a few steps away.

Believe it or not, you may still find a cruise for holiday sailings. When you call be sure to ask if the activities that interest you are happening on that particular cruise. A young child might be disappointed if Santa isn't on board, but will have the experience of a lifetime to be on a ship with Santa.

It's not just the large ocean going vessels that have geared up for the holidays. The barge cruisers have also planned for the holidays.

Call you travel agent or check out the following websites to see what last minute cruises are available. The one drawback with booking so late in the game is the cost of airfare. If you are lucky enough to live nearby a port, then consider driving. Otherwise, check out the low cost airlines or use Priceline or Hotwire to find good airfares.

Happy Holidays and Happy Traveling.

If you have questions, you may e-mail me at:

Theresa@photoandTravel.com