Do you believe it is already mid-October? While many, especially those fortunate enough to live where there are beautiful fall foliage colors look forward to this time of year, dread can quickly set in when remembering the holiday season will be here before you know it.

Of course, you could look forward to a cruise over the Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year’s holidays, as well as Thanksgiving. How does the Caribbean sound? More and more people are turning to these holiday cruises, as they are totally hassle-free -- and they are fun!

Imagine the holidays without crowded stores, supermarkets, cooking, loading the dishwasher and not having to entertain all those relatives? Does being catered to on a cruise in the Caribbean with the gentle tropical breezes of the tradewinds, the scent of tropical flowers and the magnificent ports of the Caribbean, each with its own special charm, sound enjoyable to you? You could even do all your Christmas shopping there in the countless duty-free shops!

Thanks to many of the cruise lines, this does not have to be a fantasy! In fact, it is the perfect solution for extended families to also make this into a family reunion, with none of the hassles. There are specially prepared menus, including Christmas dinner, lighting of the candles for the Menorah and of course, Santa and gifts! All you have to do is enjoy the holidays and the family.

The New Year’s cruise is also celebrated onboard and what could be more fun than counting down to the New Year, enjoying some bubbly, without having to worry about driving home. There are onboard parties and there is nothing better than celebrating at sea.

In the next few weeks, I will be writing about what some of the cruise lines are doing more specifically for the holidays, so start thinking now about how you want to spend them, doing all the work or having someone do everything for you while you are pampered in the sunny Caribbean. These holiday cruises book up quickly; so don’t wait until next year for a holiday at sea.

If you have experienced a “holiday at sea,” please share you experience with us. Was it enjoyable for you? Did the entire family go? Would you do it again?