Heavy/Getty stars on the first Hallmark Christmas Cruise included Tyler Hynes, Jonathan Bennett and Kristoffer Polaha
Fans and Hallmark Channel stars who were on board the first-ever Hallmark Christmas Cruise to the Bahamas have headed home after four fun-filled days at sea from November 5 – 9, 2024.
Among the highlights attendees have shared about the many Hallmark-themed experiences on board the Norwegian Gem cruise ship were holiday sing-alongs, festive game shows, Christmas tree lightings, celebrity panels and, of course, glimpses of the Hallmark hunks’ chiseled abs.
Hallmark’s first-ever fan cruise was announced in July 2023 and sold out within hours, prompting Hallmark to announce a second cruise on August 2, which will be held from November 17 — 21. That, too, sold out within hours.
Stars Share Photos & Videos of Hallmark Christmas Cruise
“Finding Mr. Christmas” star Jonathan Bennett served as host and emcee of most events on the ship — even crowd surfing on a deck swarming with fans — and he’ll oversee festivities again on the second excursion.
Bennett was joined on the cruise by fellow Hallmark stars Ashley Williams, Kristoffer Polaha, Tyler Hynes, Brooke D’Orsay, B.J. Britt, Brendan Penney, Rachel Boston, Heather Hemmens, Will Kemp, and Hunter King.
The stars chatted and took selfies with as many attendees as possible and appeared at a variety of events, from a pajama party to a Christmas gala. They also spent some downtime with each other when the ship docked in Nassau for a day, as seen in multiple Instagram Stories they shared.
Many of the stars shared their videos, photos and reflections on Instagram during and after the cruise, including Hynes, who posted a video montage of highlights. Polaha, meanwhile, shared a post-cruise selfie at the airport and wrote, “As they say, veni, vidi, vici. We came, we saw, we concurred – hearts and minds – and had a heck of great time doing it. Thank you for the memories”
King shared a collection of photos from the ship and wrote, “Having boatloads of fun on the @hallmarkchannel Christmas cruise🎄🛳️❤️.” She shared another post on November 10 in which she called the trip an experience “I will never forget.”
On the same day, Boston shared a video featuring some of her favorite scenes from the cruise including an evening Christmas tree lighting, and wrote, “What an incredible time we had on the first ever Hallmark Channel Christmas Cruise!!! Loved celebrating with you all and kicking off the holiday season ❤️ Bringing home so many amazing memories.”
Fans have gushed about the cruise on social media, too, and have been sharing their tips and tricks for getting the most out of the experience in a Facebook group dedicated to sharing info about the cruises.
Hallmark Hunks Get Tongues Wagging With Bahamas Pic
One of the cruise photos that got the most attention was a snapshot of the participating Hallmark hunks hanging out in the Bahamas, with five out of six going shirtless. Though Kemp had a black tshirt matching his black swim trunks, the others — Hynes, Britt, Bennett, Polaha, and Penny — had their six-packs on full display.
Bennett wrote in the caption, “Name this Hallmark movie” and received hundreds of funny responses from fans and fellow Hallmark stars.
Polaha suggested, “The Six Knights of Hanu-Hunk. 🕎”
Andrew Walker, who will be on board the second cruise, wrote, “Flex Off 2024 💪”
Kemp chimed in, “The twelve nipples of Christmas?”
Among the ideas fans came up with were titles including “Hunks in Trunks,” “The 12 Hotties of Christmas,” “Hunks of Christmas Island,” and “Bahama Boys.” The shirtless photo also inspired multiple people to request a Hallmark Hunks Christmas calendar.
The second sold-out cruise, leaving Miami on November 17, will have Bennett and Hynes on board again. The other stars joining them will include Benjamin Ayres, Wes Brown, Paul Campbell, Nikki DeLoach, Sarah Drew, Aimee Garcia, Erin Cahill, Kimberley Sustad, and Walker. Hallmark has not announced yet whether it will hold additional cruises in the future.
Liv Lane is an entertainment writer who covers the Hallmark Channel, HGTV, American Idol and The Voice for Heavy. Based in Minneapolis, she has three decades of experience as a local and national radio host, columnist and publicist, interviewing and working with a wide range of celebrities over the years, from Deepak Chopra to Lil Nas X. More about Liv Lane
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