Hallmark Christmas Cruise will set sail next October
Azriel Dalman, Lucie Guest, Adam Stafford and Hilary Jardine star in "Holidazed," a Hallmark holiday miniseries from last year. Credit: Hallmark Media
For a third year sailing, the greeting-card and media company Hallmark has announced its Hallmark Christmas Cruise, featuring stars from the brand’s copious array of holiday movies, an onboard premiere screening, photo ops and other related events.
Bound from Miami to Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas, on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Joy, the voyage is set for Oct. 23-27, 2026.
Two rounds of ticket presales at hallmarkchristmascruise.com/presale have sign-ups ending Wednesday and Sunday, each at 11:59 p.m. General-public tickets go on sale Oct. 7 at 2 p.m. Six tiers of pricing range from an interior cabin starting at $1,445 per person to VIP accommodations in The Haven section, starting at $4,415.
Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Joy will be the ship for next year's Hallmark Christmas cruise. Credit: Norwegian Cruise Line
This current year’s cruise, from Miami to Cozumel, Mexico, Nov. 6 to 10, is sold out. The promotions company Sixthman, which conducts the cruises, offers a program called First Available (2025.hallmarkchristmascruise.com/firstavailable) that the firm says is not a waitlist but essentially operates as such.
A Sixthman representative did not respond to Newsday questions about the 2026 cruise’s stars or other specifics, after first saying he would investigate. The sold-out 2025 cruise is co-hosted by Hallmark Channel stars Jonathan Bennett (2023’s "Christmas on Cherry Lane" and last year’s sequel) and Nikki Deloach (2024’s "Our Holiday Story," the upcoming "A Grand Ole Opry Christmas") with 16 additional stars participating.
Long Islanders can take various airlines from several local airports, including Islip’s MacArthur Airport, to at least one of the three major terminals closest to the Port of Miami: Miami International, approximately nine miles and 20 minutes minimum away by car; Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International, approximately 25 miles and 40 minutes; and Palm Beach International, approximately 70 miles and 1¼ hours.
In addition to the movie premiere, photo opportunities and panels with the stars, and standard cruise-ship amenities, the Hallmark Holiday Cruise generally includes Christmas craft workshops, cookie decorating, a tree lighting, "carol-oke" singalongs, an ugly sweater contest, Christmas-inspired cocktail tastings and a talent show featuring Hallmark Channel actors.
Shore excursions at Great Stirrup Cay on Oct. 25, 2026, can be booked four to six weeks before sailing. Separately purchased amenities there include two-person kayaking and a beach cabana that accommodates up to six people.
Hallmark Channel holiday movies have become a distinctive subgenre of the romance genre. Generally featuring adults in their 30s and 40s who often exchange lonely big-city professionalism for small-town life and love in warmly picturesque locales, they provide a cozy escapism, festive cheer and a comfortable, predictable formula. Lacey Chabert, with 16 such telefilms since 2012, including the upcoming "She’s Making a List," has been nicknamed the Queen of Hallmark Christmas Movies.
