Cruising in January...Does Port Canaveral attract younger passengers?

[luv2gonow]

Hi,

Trying to decide on my cruise this January. My friend who never cruised wants to join me....with her 18 year old daughter and her boyfriend.

 

I figured Port Canaveral should attract a younger crowd because of WDW.

 

The 1/15 sailing of the Dream would work....BUT....they only have balcony rooms left in locations i don't want....And i wanted a Cove.....grrrrr and she dosen't want to go to Mexico....grrrrr I know...I love the western and was dying to try it.

 

Soooo....I could go to Ft Lauderdale...but reviews seem to be an older crowd. What do you think??

Thanks

Kerri

[CrusingJoe]

Hi,

Trying to decide on my cruise this January. My friend who never cruised wants to join me....with her 18 year old daughter and her boyfriend.

 

I figured Port Canaveral should attract a younger crowd because of WDW.

 

The 1/15 sailing of the Dream would work....BUT....they only have balcony rooms left in locations i don't want....And i wanted a Cove.....grrrrr and she dosen't want to go to Mexico....grrrrr I know...I love the western and was dying to try it.

 

Soooo....I could go to Ft Lauderdale...but reviews seem to be an older crowd. What do you think??

Thanks

Kerri

 

Carnival or Royal draws younger passangers. Best bet is a seven day cruise durning spring brake going to Mexico.

[vacruizer]

It could have been just the sailing I was on, but my experience wasn't so much an older crowd, but a "dead" one. We sailed the first week on January and had lots of families with college age kids onboard since colleges hadn't gone back. But the vast majority of passengers seemed miserable and not the relaxed, I'm on vacation crowd I know from Carnival. I felt bad for the CD (Butch), the social hosts, and the comedians. No one would laugh at anything or get involved. They all just sat there. :confused: Probably an off week so I'm not sure that the crowd is typical or not.

 

The only time I've sailed from Ft. Lauderdale was in October and the crowd was very mixed on that one but did have lots of what we came to call the scooter brigade. :p I'm guessing there are lots of retirment homes nearby that they market to last minute. Had to watch out for my toes on several occasions while wearing sandals to dinner. :eek:

[pozz]

could it be that people who cruise in January are the ones that take vacations because they are getting away from the winters and WORK, so all they want to do is RELAX, Hmmmmmmmm

[mermaid72]

It could have been just the sailing I was on, but my experience wasn't so much an older crowd, but a "dead" one. We sailed the first week on January and had lots of families with college age kids onboard since colleges hadn't gone back. But the vast majority of passengers seemed miserable and not the relaxed, I'm on vacation crowd I know from Carnival. I felt bad for the CD (Butch), the social hosts, and the comedians. No one would laugh at anything or get involved. They all just sat there. :confused: Probably an off week so I'm not sure that the crowd is typical or not.

 

The only time I've sailed from Ft. Lauderdale was in October and the crowd was very mixed on that one but did have lots of what we came to call the scooter brigade. :p I'm guessing there are lots of retirment homes nearby that they market to last minute. Had to watch out for my toes on several occasions while wearing sandals to dinner. :eek:

Better to have your toes stepped on than some young dude throwing up all over them!

[yesaccasey]

January is not a great time to go for a younger crowd, however, I would suggest cruising out of Miami. Miami attracts a younger crowd simply because the cruises are the cheapest out of Miami. I would say no to FLL and Port Canaveral would be my second choice. Any breaks, Spring Break, Winter Break, Summer Break, or cruising during holidays are going to be your best bets for a younger crowd.

[mrpayroll]

could it be that people who cruise in January are the ones that take vacations because they are getting away from the winters and WORK, so all they want to do is RELAX, Hmmmmmmmm

That describes us perfectly.....Don't need to be entertained 24 hrs

[Synthetic]

Of all the cruise lines, Carnivals adult age average is lowest. As far as ports - no real difference in ports in January - the demographic cruising out of Florida is the same regardless if you are thinking Miami, FLL, Tampa, JAX, Canaveral...

 

January cruises are typically cheaper, therefore you do get younger averages...

[luv2gonow]

Thanks everyone.....I will check out Miami thanks:)

K

[Rotnkid49]

We will be cruising out of Ft. Lauderdale on the Freedom the end of January with my dh, mom, dd, son-in-law & 2 grandchildren, ages 4 & 7. We will be down there for a family function & decided to extend our trip to include a cruise. Hoping there will be some other young children aboard. I know its an off time because of school & it will be between the Christmas break & Presidents week.

[vacruizer]

Better to have your toes stepped on than some young dude throwing up all over them!

 

I'll actually take the latter as gross as it is!:p At least I can wash off, it wasn't stepped on that was the problem - it was being run over by the motorized scooters that were pushing and shoving to get to the front of any line or event. Those things could do permanent damage if they ran over your foot and I had to jump out of the way several times so they wouldn't run me over. The scooter brigade seemed to thing they had earned the right to just plow on through instead of waiting for people to move or asking if they could move so they could go to the front. Although I'm not sure why being on a scooter means you can't sit there in line on your scooter with everyone else.

 

Only had one sailing we ever had that problem on, but man those people were rude!

[travelntreats]

The port of embarkation (in this case PC) will have minimal effect of the age of passengers much less the fact it is near WDW... The time of year is where the age factor is going to be different. January cruising....less children or college age crowd... they are for the most part in school :)

[5waldos]

I must be age blind- I really couldn't even guess as to the average age of the other passengers on any of the ships I have been on. I recognize when there are a lot of O2 club age kids because I have one. Other than that- don't people leave their ages at home when they cruise?

[Fourseventeen]

Not to sure port really matters. Its all about the cruise destinations, the price of that cruise and most importantly when the cruise is. Carnival has always attracted the younger crowds...much more so then any other cruise line. My experience has shown that there is a MUCH younger crowd on any of the Mexico cruises then any others I have been on.

[manmtnmike]

The port of embarkation (in this case PC) will have minimal effect of the age of passengers much less the fact it is near WDW... The time of year is where the age factor is going to be different. January cruising....less children or college age crowd... they are for the most part in school :)

 

Hi all,

 

If I had a choice...Don't mind cleaning my shoes in place of a "dead" cruise, for sure!;)

 

IMHO..time of year is a factor... Longer cruises, brand new ships, and new itineraries seem to attract the "scooter" crowd. Especially if they are experienced cruisers, they have "been there done that" idea.

 

3-5 day cruises bring out the younger partier-types. we're sailing out of Port Canaveral in late Jan 2011, great prices, kiddies back to school.

 

Mike

[luv2gonow]

Ok....scenerio changed......Not going to work with my friend so I am doing a combo:D Land/Sea:cool:

4/12-17th WDW. then Carnival Sensation 4 daycruise 4/17-21st.....then back to WDW till 4/24.

 

Talk about crowds:o

K