A Christmas Ship at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
HMS Warrior, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth · 5 December to 6 December 2026
For one weekend HMS Warrior is dressed for a Victorian Christmas Eve in 1863, with the crew preparing their festive show and Father Christmas waiting in the Captain's Cabin. Families can join in with carols, parlour games, crafts and a present trail around the decks.
Highlights
- Meet Father Christmas in Victorian dress in the Captain's Cabin, with a Victorian gift for each child
- The ship's brass band playing carols, with hand bells and a magic lantern show
- Crew customs such as judging the best-decorated mess and the tastiest plum duff
- Parlour games, deck games, Christmas crafts and a chance to dress as a Victorian sailor
Good to know
- Advance booking is essential for a visit with Father Christmas
- If you already hold a Dockyard ticket, you only need to book your slot
- From November the Dockyard's last entry is 4pm and the site closes at 5pm
Getting there
HMS Warrior, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Victory Gate, Portsmouth, PO1 3LJ
Get directionsChecked on 19 October 2026 against historicdockyard.co.uk, historicdockyard.co.uk, historicdockyard.co.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the organiser before you travel. How we check
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Nearby
Meet The Team Onboard HMS Victory - October
Visitors can meet members of the conservation team working on the Victory Live: The Big Repair project onboard HMS Victory in Portsmouth. The sessions run daily from 26 to 30 October 2026, between 11:00am and 3:00pm, and suit families visiting during half-term. Booking is recommended.
Caulking workshop onboard HMS Victory
A caulking workshop at Victory Live: The Big Repair on HMS Victory in Portsmouth, led by expert shipwrights. Visitors learn the traditional method of sealing wooden ship seams. Booking is recommended, and it suits families over the October half-term.
HMS Victory
Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar, now in dry dock at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. The ship is in a long conservation project, so visitors can see the work under way and hear the tools being used.