While most weeks onboard a cruise ship are all about stuffing yourself with delicious foods, cruising over Thanksgiving adds a festive holiday spirit, individualized menus for each guest, and the best part of all, no cooking and no clean up.

My own family decided to give it a try last Thanksgiving. We took a Disney cruise out of Port Canaveral with my family of nine, including my four children and two grandchildren, and it was one of the best Thanksgivings of our lives. Granted, we weren’t surrounded by our extended family, but our immediate family had everything that we normally would have at home, but on a grander scale with a tropical setting, water sports and activities, Broadway-style entertainment plus an amazing variety of delectable foods for all of our various dietary requirements. The sports bars played the football games so the fans could celebrate victory with new friends, and those who don’t like football could have their choice of other activities. Celebrating onboard created lasting memories for our family, and we can’t wait to go back again this year.

There are a number of options for Thanksgiving cruises and since Eanes ISD is offering a whole week off for the holiday, it’s a great time to go. In addition to Disney Cruise Line, you can choose from luxury lines to contemporary or ocean to river cruises, with destinations cruising the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Europe, South America and Asia. For those who want to stay in one spot, all-inclusive resorts are another great option for Thanksgiving fun with either adult-only resorts or family-friendly resorts.

Reserve your dream vacation by contacting Lainey Melnick, the owner of the Westlake-area branch of Dream Vacations, 855-GR8-TRIP, www.855GR8TRIP.com, lmelnick@dreamvacations.com. Lainey has been a part of the Westlake community and an Eanes ISD parent for more than 20 years. She is the 2017 recipient of the OPAL Award for Women for outstanding performance and leadership, and leads the Westlake Chamber of Commerce Humanitarian Committee.