A few days ago, my wife forwarded me a People magazine story about the Hallmark Christmas Cruise. I got a chuckle out of it because I have a little confession to make: I secretly enjoy watching Hallmark Christmas movies. And, of course, I love cruising.
I’ve been fortunate enough to go on more than three dozen cruises over the years, but I’ve never been on a themed cruise quite like this one.
Although, come to think of it, I did experience something pretty special back in 2014 when Princess Cruises invited me to the christening of the Regal Princess, followed by a three-day sailing to the Bahamas with the entire original cast of The Love Boat. I even brought my dad along, which made the experience that much more memorable.
Growing up, I watched The Love Boat every Saturday night and dreamed of visiting the exotic destinations featured on the show. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if that show was partly responsible for giving me the travel bug in the first place.
Not only did I get to meet all six original cast members, including Gavin MacLeod (Captain Stubing), Ted Lange (Isaac) and Jill Whelan (Vicki), but there were also dozens of celebrity guest stars onboard. I even got my picture taken with two of my favorite TV moms, Florence Henderson and Marion Ross!
It was surreal, and if that counts as a themed cruise, I’d argue it’s pretty hard to top. After all, The Love Boat and Princess Cruises helped introduce millions of Americans to cruising. You can read my original story and see all the photos from that unforgettable sailing here.
Years later, I also had the chance to interview several original cast members and guest stars about their favorite cruise advice. Some of their answers were hilarious, especially Ted Lange’s recommendation to wear rubber-soled shoes after drinking. You can watch those interviews and read their cruise tips here.
But as anyone who has cruised knows, not everything goes according to plan. Just like flying, cruising is at the mercy of Mother Nature. And unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to thousands of Hallmark Christmas Cruise passengers this week.
Hallmark Christmas Cruise Gets an Unexpected Extension
The 2026 Hallmark Christmas Cruise departed Miami on Friday, October 23, aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Joy, carrying approximately 4,000 holiday-loving fans. There were 18 Hallmark Channel stars onboard, including Jonathan Bennett, Nikki DeLoach, Andrew Walker, Ashley Williams and several other familiar faces from the network’s popular Christmas movies.
The itinerary included a stop in the Bahamas before returning to Miami on Tuesday, October 27. However, rainy weather and strong winds forced organizers to move several outdoor activities indoors. The cast and crew made the best of the situation, even adding extra performances so passengers wouldn’t miss out on the entertainment.
Then came the bigger problem. According to Just Jared’s firsthand coverage, severe weather around Miami prevented the ship from docking at its scheduled 7 a.m. arrival time Tuesday morning. Passengers were delayed approximately six hours before they could disembark.
For some, that meant missed flights, changed travel plans and unexpected expenses. For others, it meant a few more hours of Christmas magic.
And the Hallmark Christmas Cruise wasn’t the only ship affected. Other cruise ships, including Norwegian Getaway and Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, also experienced delays entering Miami because of the weather.
Hallmark Stars Turned a Travel Nightmare Into a Party
One of the things I loved about this story was how the Hallmark stars handled the situation. After the captain announced the delay Monday evening, hosts Jonathan Bennett and Nikki DeLoach addressed passengers during one of the onboard performances.
DeLoach reminded everyone that safety had to come first and compared the situation to an airline being unable to take off or land because of dangerous weather. She also acknowledged that passengers had real concerns about getting home to their kids, jobs and pets.
But apparently, some fans weren’t too upset about the delay. One even shouted that they wanted to stay onboard! With no need to wake up quite so early, the actors joined passengers for a late-night silent disco, where fans danced alongside their favorite Hallmark stars. Bennett reportedly even went crowd surfing.
I have to admit, if you’re going to get stuck somewhere, a cruise ship filled with Christmas decorations, entertainment, good food and Hallmark stars isn’t the worst place to be. Unless, of course, you have an expensive flight home that you’re about to miss.
Why This Story Has Me Nervous About Our Next Cruise
This story hit a little too close to home because my family and I are taking a Caribbean cruise next month. One of my biggest pieces of advice for anyone taking a cruise is to fly into your departure city at least one day before your ship sails. Preferably two or more days if you can swing it.
We’ve been doing this for years, and we’re following that advice for our upcoming trip. Why? Because if your flight is canceled, delayed or diverted on the day your cruise departs, there’s a good chance the ship will leave without you. And unlike an airline, a cruise ship isn’t going to wait around for every delayed passenger.
But there’s another part of cruise planning that doesn’t get nearly as much attention: booking your flight home. Cruise lines generally recommend allowing plenty of time between your ship’s scheduled arrival and your departing flight. Depending on the port, airport and cruise line, that often means booking a flight no earlier than late morning or early afternoon.
In fact, the Hallmark Christmas Cruise’s own travel guidance recommended booking return flights departing Miami after noon or Fort Lauderdale after 1 p.m.
And after reading about what happened to those passengers, I’m realizing I may have pushed my luck. Our ship is scheduled to arrive back in South Florida on a Saturday morning. Unfortunately, airfare out of South Florida that weekend is insanely expensive.
The Friday flights are relatively cheap, but prices jump dramatically Saturday afternoon and Sunday.
Since my kids can’t miss any more school, staying an extra day or two isn’t really an option. So I did something I normally wouldn’t recommend. I booked the cheapest reasonable flight I could find, which isn’t even nonstop, and it departs just three hours after our ship is scheduled to arrive in port.
Yes, I know. I’m breaking my own travel advice. I’m crossing my fingers that the ship arrives on time, we’re among the first passengers off and everything goes smoothly getting to the airport. But after seeing what happened to the Hallmark Christmas Cruise, I’m definitely a little nervous.
What Happens If Your Cruise Arrives Late and You Miss Your Flight?
If you booked your airfare independently, as many experienced travelers do, the cruise line generally isn’t responsible for reimbursing you for missed flights caused by a delayed arrival. That means you could be scrambling to find last-minute seats on another flight, possibly paying a significant fare difference, and if you’re traveling with kids, good luck finding seats together.
If you booked flights through the cruise line’s air program, you may have additional protections or rebooking assistance, depending on the specific program and its terms. But don’t assume every cruise line automatically covers all your expenses.
And if the disruption is weather-related, airlines generally aren’t required to pay for your hotel or meals simply because you missed your flight. This is one reason I always recommend considering travel insurance.
I have an annual travel insurance plan through Allianz, which gives me some peace of mind when I’m traveling frequently. However, coverage depends on your specific policy, the reason for the delay and whether the situation meets the policy’s requirements. Don’t assume every missed connection or cruise delay is automatically covered.
My Tips for Avoiding a Post-Cruise Travel Nightmare
Here are a few things I recommend doing before your next cruise:
- Arrive at least a day early. Never gamble on a same-day flight to your cruise departure port if you can avoid it.
- Give yourself plenty of time to fly home. Remember that the ship’s scheduled arrival time isn’t necessarily when you’ll be walking off with your luggage. Customs, immigration and transportation can all add delays.
- Check your cruise line’s recommended flight times. These vary by port and itinerary. Don’t assume that a ship arriving at 7 a.m. means you can comfortably catch a 10 a.m. flight.
- Consider travel insurance. Read the fine print, particularly the sections covering travel delays, missed connections and additional transportation expenses.
- Keep your airline’s app handy. If your ship is delayed, try to change your flight as soon as you know there’s a problem rather than waiting until you reach the airport.
- Have a backup plan. Know what later flights are available and consider whether an overnight stay might be necessary.
Bottom Line
The Hallmark Christmas Cruise passengers certainly got an unexpected ending to their holiday adventure. Fortunately, it sounds like many made the most of the extra time onboard. But their experience is an important reminder that even the best-planned vacations can be disrupted by weather.
I’ve taken more than three dozen cruises and flown millions of miles, and I still occasionally take calculated risks when booking travel. Our upcoming cruise is one of those times. I’m hoping that three-hour window works out, but if it doesn’t, I’ll have nobody to blame but myself.
And who knows? Maybe I should start watching a few more Hallmark Christmas movies. They always seem to have happy endings. Hopefully, our upcoming cruise will, too.
