A woman splashed out $2k (£1,600) on a Hallmark Christmas cruise and reckons it was “money well spent”.
Setting sail from Miami, Florida on November 5, Ashley Gitzlaff, 38, and her five pals joined the 2,700 passengers aboard the sold-out inaugural Hallmark voyage for a festive four-day jaunt stopping in the Bahamas.
A self-confessed Christmas and Hallmark movie fanatic, Ashley didn’t hesitate to grab a spot on the cruise’s first-ever trip. The price of her ticket covered both her room and food, and she was thrilled with the jam-packed itinerary featuring ‘carol-oke’, pyjama parties, and even an exclusive screening of a brand-new Hallmark film.
Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she works as a brand manager, Ashley gushed: “Being part of the inaugural cruise was really special.”
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She added: “I enjoyed being around all these people who have a passion for Christmas and loved the holidays.” Ashley, who has never experienced anything like this before, found it heartwarming to be surrounded by fellow holiday and Hallmark enthusiasts, she said: “It was really special.”
The opportunity to join the cruise was one Ashley and her Christmas-loving friends couldn’t pass up. After their Bahamian adventure, they returned to Miami on November 9, with Ashley reflecting, “My close friends and I love the holidays and we love watching the movies. We thought it could be really fun.
“Hallmark movies are notoriously cheesy and you can always predict the outcome being a happy ending. They are feel-good films for the holidays to watch and you know they will make you feel good.”
After setting sail on November 5, Ashley and her mates joined in with carol-oke, a silent disco, pyjama party and even got an exclusive first look at a new Hallmark Christmas movie. Ashley gushed: “Christmas carol-oke was so fun. I sang a few times – it was really popular.
“There was a silent disco and they had the world premiere of a Hallmark movie. We got to hear from the actors in the film and got to take pics with them. Everyone on the cruise decorated their doors with stockings which was really nice.”
Ashley shared that Christmas has always been dear to her heart, especially as it brings back memories of her mum who died seven years ago from breast cancer.
She reminisced: “My parents always made Christmas really special growing up. Mum put so much effort into making the holiday very magical. Sadly she passed away seven years ago but it makes me remember her extra during this time of the year – it makes me feel close to her.”
Ashley felt the cruise was “money well spent” and she’s already planning the next one with her friends. She revealed: “When we got off the cruise we were like ‘is this something we do once and never do again?’ But then we thought about it and said we would love to do it again.
“I mainly went on this cruise because it was a Hallmark cruise and I really enjoyed myself. It was extra special as it was curated for Christmas. Even the staff on board were really excited to have the Christmas spirit onboard.”
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