Christmas is coming to the Queen Mary to start a new holiday tradition in the 2018 winter season. A Queen Mary Christmas is setting sail from November 23, 2018 to January 6th, 2019 and bringing holiday cheer to the harbor. Aboard the Queen Mary you can experience a wide array of festive activities that are fun for the whole family including ice skating, building gingerbread houses, decorating stockings, listening to live carolers sing your favorite holiday classics, witnessing a tree lighting ceremony, drinking hot cocoa while listening to Mrs. Klaus’ stories, meeting Santa, and a 4D Polar Express experience.

This year, the Queen Mary Christmas has replaced Chill, a holiday event that was a staple at the Queen Mary during the past winter seasons. Although some of the activities are the same, attendees visiting the Queen Mary Christmas should not expect a similar experience to Chill. The Queen Mary Christmas takes place completely on the ship and provides a more intimate experience compared to the wide outdoor theme park style of Chill. Additionally, there are less food options this year at the event and minimal themed items other than hot chocolate and a gingerbread house you can build. There are three restaurants open to all guests on the ship if you want to grab a bite, just make sure you don’t miss any ticketed events you may have purchased.

In its inaugural year, the Nightmarish Conjurings team discovered some great tips to help you make the most of your time at Queen Mary Christmas. Regarding ticketing there are many options to design your experience how you would like it. With a general admission ticket of $22 for Adult and $16 for children under 11, you have the opportunity to ice skate, create a gingerbread house, and decorate a stocking for an upcharge of between $10-15 per experience. With this ticketing structure, you can personalize your ticket to accommodate all members of your family. If you would like all of those experiences and have time for a tour, the VIP Grand Passport is likely your best value package for $70 adult and $55 for children.

When planning your evening at the Queen Mary Christmas it is also important to consider how much time you plan to spend on the ship. The ice skating, gingerbread house making, and stocking decorating are only open at specific times and may require reservation at their location if busy. Additionally, many of the events take place in different locations on the ship and can be difficult to find. The 45 minute ice skating session is open the latest and might be best to complete last to provide time to experience the other holiday activities. Although small in size, the ice skating rink is a highlight of QM Christmas. Located on the top deck of the ship, the ice skating rink provides a view of the harbor lights caste behind your favorite holiday tunes. In Santa’s quarters, you design your very own stocking with a variety of felt add-ons to bring some holiday spirit to your home. For an additional $20 you can also take a photo with Santa without having to wait in long lines that you may find at the mall. Another classic holiday craft is gingerbread house making which takes place on the stern of the ship near the 4D Polar Express experience. When you are ready for a cozy experience, you can head to Mrs. Klaus story time and take advantage of the hot chocolate bar with six different toppings to add to your holiday cheer. For $8 you can also take home an adorable snowman mug to enjoy all season long. In addition to the activities, guests of the Queen Mary Christmas can enjoy carolers singing throughout the ship and a tree lighting ceremony to celebrate the season.

All in all, a Queen Mary Christmas is a family friendly holiday experience where you can enjoy traditional holiday activities all in one place. Although expensive, the ticketing structure allows you to pick and choose activities creating a personalized holiday experience. Behind the historic backdrop of the Queen Mary, you can celebrate the season and make some holiday memories of your own.

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Danielle Nicole

From a young age, Danielle has been drawn to all things creepy, cute, and weird. In 2017, she fell in love with horror by way of immersive theater and never looked back. Her passion for consumption of Southern California’s spooky art forms has brought her to haunts, film screenings, escape rooms, immersive theater and pop-up events. With a Master’s in Counseling Psychology, she is specifically interested in exploring the psychological aspects of horror.

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