Listen To: Merry Christmas - Island Style!

With Royal Caribbean cruises departing the Port of Baltimore year round there is no reason why Marylanders can't celebrate a Merry Christmas ''Island style!''

What does Santa Claus do after Christmas? That age-old question was answered on a recent winter cruise. He takes a winter vacation to the tropics! On this particular cruise there were SEVENTEEN Santas! All members of the Southern Bubbas Claus annual gathering of the Charles Howard Santa School from Michigan . There was even one Santa from Nome , Alaska .

Yes, there were visions of fully costumed Santas strolling throughout the cruise ship. Each had some Santa war stories to share. Santa Herman said that he enjoys looking into the eyes of the children to see what is going on in their lives. Santa Herman also said that most of the children that he has visited in Maryland over the years have been good with an occasional ''bad apple''who would receive a lump of coal.

The Santas were seen relaxing in the hot tub dressed in red velvet tank top swim suits with a big black belt and gold buckle....and of course a Santa hat.

Many of the passengers, including Jodi, were surprised to see Santa on a cruise to the Caribbean . Jodi said ''I came to have fun and now I've got to be good. That's a lot of pressure on vacation.'' Asked if she had been good so far, Jodi smiled and said ''I haven't been caught!''

With a cruise ship filled with virtual non-stop buffets, what would you think Santa's daily diet would be? Cookies, cookies with milk, and milk.....Cookies, cookies with milk and milk. Santa Doug was overheard saying ''that's what we're here for. We have to feed up on those cookies that we missed Christmas Eve!''