Hallmark Channel’s four-part docuseries “Christmas at Sea” aired in July 2025, with a star-studded wedding and a boatful of happy Hallmarkies who spent five days in November 2024 aboard the second-ever Hallmark Christmas Cruise, with 11 of their favorite stars along for the ride.
Each episode of the limited series, which is still available to stream on Hallmark+, followed the journeys of multiple “super fans,” all of whom were celebrating big changes and important milestones in their lives. Those fans became stars of the show, and many viewers want to know what’s happened in their lives since. Here are a few fun superfan updates!
Did ‘Christmas at Sea’ Star Paige Move Away From Home?
Tyler Hynes super fan Paige Vermeer, 28, went on the Hallmark Christmas Cruise with her mom, Kerry, and sister-in-law, Alexandra. During the cruise, Paige got up the courage to tell her mom that she was considering moving away from Austin, Texas, and back to San Francisco, where she grew up (Kerry said on the show they’d moved to Austin four years prior).
Paige, who turned 28 in August, DID move, but not to San Francisco. She’s now living in New York City, where her company offered her a “nice job situation,” Kerry told the Heart Full of Hallmark podcast in July. Paige shares her single life adventures on social media (no, sorry, she and Hynes did not live happily ever after), including completing the Chicago Marathon on October 12.
Kerry also told the hosts that though she tried to get on the 2025 Hallmark Christmas Cruise, she wasn’t able to get a room. That cruise sold out in a day, and the October 2026 cruise is filling up.
‘Christmas at Sea’ Besties Gail & Alicia Will Appear on ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’
HallmarkWe allll fell in love with best friends Gail Stansell and Alicia Griffin-Powell, who attended the Hallmark Christmas Cruise to celebrate their 60th birthdays and their lasting friendship. Together, they conquered fears and had some deep conversations, including a beautiful afternoon spent with Hynes.
Stansell, who’s a minister with a passion for working with marginalized communities, appeared in late September on the “Heart of a Pastor” podcast and talked about the importance of allowing for friendships to develop with people from all walks of life, just as she and Gail connected with others on the ship.
“God can send us people who may not look like us, who may not come from our same background,” she said. “Some of my greatest encouraers in life have been people that I would have missed had I not seeking God because I just didn’t they didn’t fit into the box that I thought that God would use for my life.”
Happily, Hallmarkies got another chance to watch this dynamic duo when they appeared on the second season of “Finding Mr. Christmas,” during the fall of 2025. They served as superfan guest judges during a talent show, and were part of the week’s elimination ceremony. On October 12, Alicia wrote on Facebook that they had “a holly, jolly time” filming with Jonathan Bennett, Melissa Peterman and the hunky contestants.
Newlyweds Rob & Donna Are Loving Life Together
Newlyweds Rob and Donna Bianco recently celebrated their first anniversary, since they spontaneously got married on the cruise in November 2024 with Hallmark’s Paul Campbell as their officiant and other Hallmark stars as their wedding party. They continue to travel, have fun together, and Donna’s already got her incredible collection of Christmas decor ready to go!
When “Christmas at Sea” first aired in July Donna posted a sweet thank you note to everyone involved in the making of the show that said in part, “Thank you for making magic happen. Your warmth, kindness, and professionalism created something truly unforgettable, and I am beyond honored to have been welcomed into the Hallmark family, even if just for a short time. Being part of Christmas at Sea was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.”
In December, Donna celebrated the two-year anniversary of her brain surgery, sharing photos and her reflections on Instagram, writing, “Recovery hasn’t been easy. The first few months were challenging. I’m still learning to be patient with my body. Knowing it wasn’t a cure scares me of a future surgery. But now, two years later, I’m celebrating how far I’ve come. I Survived a complex surgery involving craniotomy, laminectomy, and duraplasty. I Gained a deeper appreciation for my resilience and support system. To my amazing family and friends who stood by me through every doctor’s appointment, recovery day, and moment of uncertainty. Their love was my greatest medicine.”
The happy couple also attended the first weekend of the Hallmark Christmas Experience in Kansas City, sharing in multiple social media posts about how special it was to reunite with the stars who were part of their wedding.
The Sook Sisters Are Birthing All Kinds of Great Things
Fans — and the stars — were rooting for the Sook sisters – Victoria and Laura — throughout “Christmas at Sea.” Since sailing with their Hallmark heroes, both have been very busy.
For starters, Victoria became a mommy again; she revealed her pregnancy on the show, and as the series aired in July, the two sisters posted a cute video in which Victoria was holding her newborn — and confirmed he was with them on the boat.
Meanwhile, the theater director and choreographer is getting ready for her next big production, directing “Frozen: The Musical” at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center in Oklahoma, from January 9-26, per her website. And guess who lives in Tulsa? Laura and her family!
Speaking of Laura, she bravely shared her first Hallmark script with multiple Hallmark stars on the ship, including Paul Campbell and Kimberley Sustad, who moonlight as screenwriters and offered great feedback. It’s not clear if Laura, who’s also published two novels about female pirates, plans to move forward with her screenwriting, but it can often take years for a script to go from draft to becoming a movie.
Nate Can Now Take His Grandmas for a Spin!
Many fans were charmed by one of the ship’s youngest cruisers, Nate, who adorably asked to go on the Hallmark Christmas Cruise with his two grandmas, Cathy and Carol, as his 16th birthday present, which he called “the best birthday ever” on Instagram.
Since the cruise, Nate has earned his driver’s license and got his first car, per an Instagram update about his summer. He also keeps busy running his own drone photography business called Pittsburgh Drone. The young entrepreneur will graduate from high school in 2027.
thank you for the update. Its nice to see what happen after the show.
Thank you for this wonderful article! I’m happy to report we are all doing well, and are excited for the Holiday season around the corner. I’m so glad everyone enjoyed Christmas at sea!
– Nate, Nunny, and Grammy