The holidays are always a special time for most around the world. A time to gather with family and friends, a time to laugh, a time to reminisce, and a time to take a break from busy schedules – to mix, mingle, and of course eat! But most of all holidays are about tradition. Planning of the menu, making sure to invite all of the right family members and, “forgetting” to place invitation calls to the ones who will no doubt be embarrassing and stress over how to make the perfect holiday meal that will be talked about until the next grand family celebration – this is what it’s all about.

Here, on board a Carnival cruise ship, it’s no different. We just throw in a little bit more mixing, a little bit more mingling, and a whole lot of eating… not to mention, some sun, and good old Carnival fun! Oh, and most importantly, you get to leave the burden of the menu planning and preparation to us. While we’re at it, we’ll take you to exotic places just so you can forget about the stress of the holidays back home.

Thanksgiving is always exciting because for the first time since the summer months we see large groups of families on board our ships – the kids are out on break and folks who really would rather have a vacation retreat than the stress of planning a holiday get together and allow us to take the planning off their hands. It’s a double edge sword though, because seeing the families having so much fun together can sure warm your heart, but no doubt, it will also bring a sense of longing for your own family back home. So, we work hard to make our on board family feel just as special as our guests and create a wonderful loving holiday tradition that is enjoyed by both guests and crew.

During our Thanksgiving cruises, guests can expect the traditional Thanksgiving meal prepared by our world-class chefs – with all of the trimmings you would find at home, including the pumpkin pie, a personal favorite of mine. We also have extra special activities and games revolving around the holidays that focus on families and all age groups. And even though the majority of our Carnival team members represent an international mix, we have special Thanksgiving festivities for the crew as well. Including a holiday meal and a special get together so that we all can reflect on what we are thankful for this year.

As I spend this holiday away from my family back in Minnesota, I am grateful to be a part of the Carnival Family and excited that I will be an integral part of planning and implementing holiday fun for all of our guests. Most of all, this year I am especially thankful, that even though the world’s economy has been in a slump, we have not let it affect the once-in-a-lifetime experiences that we create each day on all of our “Fun Ships.” Some traditions can weather any storm!

So, if you’ll be sailing on the Carnival Liberty this Thanksgiving, make sure you stop me to say hello and tell me what you’re thankful for.