A landing pad for Santa has been added to an MSC Cruises ship to reassure children that they won’t miss out on a visit from Father Christmas while at sea this festive season.
It comes after a survey by MSC Cruises found two thirds of parents are regularly asked by their children to explain how Santa will find them if they are away for Christmas.
The poll of 1,000 parents highlighted common questions, such as “if I was on a cruise ship, could Santa find me if the ship was moving, and what happens if there is no chimney to go down?”.
To address this, a dedicated ‘sleigh pad’ has been added aboard MSC Preziosa for its week-long Christmas sailing to reassure kids that Santa will still be coming.
The ship is sailing from Southampton around northern Europe during the festive period. It departs on 20 December and cabins are still available from £599 per person.
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The five-metre festive sleigh pad is complete with reindeer hoof ports and Santa spotters, ensuring Father Christmas can make his deliveries.
It has been built on the pool deck of MSC Preziosa and the big screen will display the words “Clear for Santa Landing.”
Young passengers also get to meet and get a gift from Santa on Christmas Day during MSC Cruises sailings, and there is even a video showing him getting rescued at sea by the cruise ship.
Antonio Paradiso, managing director of MSC Cruises UK, said: “Santa always does his best to find families, but a cruise ship out at sea can be a moving object, so we thought he’d appreciate the extra help. Kids ask some very valid questions, so we’re pleased to show them exactly how Santa will find us at sea.
“Our research highlights that being away from home on Christmas Day often leads to tricky questions from kids, prompting parents to get creative with their answers.”
Mr Paradiso added that hopefully the sleigh pad will give kids some much-needed reassurance that Santa will still visit.
He said: “Across our fleet, we work hard to create special, memorable experiences for families, and making Christmas as magical as possible is high on our agenda. ‘Santa’s Sleigh Stop’ is part of the festive fun that kids – and their families – can look forward to on board.”
