Did I just make a big mistake?! Sailing in March question

[Clearwater]

For the first time, I am booked in Spring. It didn't click... my husband and I do not have kids so we usually book for Octobers.

 

We just booked on the Breeze sailing March 14 for 8 nights.

 

Is this ship at that time going to be overrun with Spring Breakers (College and younger?)

 

I am not looking for a crazy party atmosphere nor 1000 kids. I love kids, but just not 1000 of them at the same time ;)

 

Thoughts? Is this a crazy time? If so, I can maybe push it earlier or later.

[dwaterhouse]

Loved the breeze, but sailing on her during springbreak.... Something I will never do again.

 

Lots of kids that were left unsupervised... Running the halls at 3 am

 

Had a hillbilly group of 8-10 using a beer bong in the pool and getting out of hand

 

A lot of undesirables on our last time, And it was apparent from muster drill on.

 

The year prior during the same time , same ship was totally different.

[SNJCruisers]

During the month of March and even into early April depending upon when Easter falls can result in an overabundance of kids on any of the Carnival ships. Some school districts have their spring break the same week every year, while others flex it according to when Easter falls. next year I believe Easter is on April 5.

 

The April 25th sailing is the same 8 day itinerary and is priced about the same. I would change it up. Another date possibility is 5/23, which leaves the friday before Memorial Day weekend, but the ports are different. Comparably priced and 8 days as well. Good luck.

[RuthlessBoss]

April 2, 2011 on Dream we found the ship loaded with youngsters and college age students. The college age ones were most visual but saw no misbehaviors. The problem was they monopolized all and any music venue and girls sitting on the sides of all pools in their bikinis.

[Drazil65]

We went on spring break a few years ago and vowed never again (and we have kids!!!)...We have been during other "crowded" times but for some reason spring break time was just a tad different. We wouldn't do it again...

[sweetsixteencruisers]

We have gone on 3 spring break cruises, we have never had a problem.

[lady_cruiser]

We did Spring Break, by mistake, a few years ago on the Magic.. Never again. The college age young adults behaved themselves. The high school kids were polite. Holding the elevators for people, excusing themselves if they bumped into you, etc. It was the middle schoolers and younger that was a nightmare. They pelted everyone with ice right before the elevator doors would open or close then take off running. They would take breakfast menu cards off doors, fill in menus cards and place them on other doors for early deliveries. Blocked stairwells by sitting on the stairs and cussing you out when you asked them to let you pass. Even when all you said was "excuse me" in a quiet voice.

 

If I ever book a cruise in March again I will make sure that I check Spring Break schedules not only in my home state of Louisiana but Texas too.

[BND]

Most college spring breaks are during March. Everyone else usually has spring break either the week before or after Easter so depending on that will determine whether you have more younger kids or supposed adults (18+ college students). We did a 8 night out of Baltimore a few years ago on RCI's Enchantment and due to the days we sailed, we had very few children and college students onboard. One of the ports we visited was Nassau and there were multiple ships there, from FL that had a lot of college students onboard. The 18-20 yr olds must have all been in Senor Frog's drinking as hard as they could since they couldn't on the ship. Those short cruises out of FL around spring break tend to be full of college students due to cost and fitting into their break schedule.

[Cruzin2paradise09]

Spring break runs different weeks from March to April. Also, a lot of east coast schools have winter break in February. We did a spring break cruise once....it was quite lively. However, that being said, I would do a spring break cruise before a Thanksgiving cruise ever again.

 

 

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[American Bear]

For the first time, I am booked in Spring. It didn't click... my husband and I do not have kids so we usually book for Octobers.

 

We just booked on the Breeze sailing March 14 for 8 nights.

 

Is this ship at that time going to be overrun with Spring Breakers (College and younger?)

 

I am not looking for a crazy party atmosphere nor 1000 kids. I love kids, but just not 1000 of them at the same time ;)

 

Thoughts? Is this a crazy time? If so, I can maybe push it earlier or later.

 

OK this is our 2015 count, approx because my eyes are old!:D

College vacations 2015 Spring Break,,,,

 

2/28 40 colleges on break

3/7 137 colleges on break:eek:

3/14 119 colleges on break:eek:

3/21 41 colleges on break

3/28 8 colleges on break

4/8 3 colleges on break

 

3/14 could be crowded, but 8 nights might save you!:eek:

Good Luck!:D

[cruisecraze96]

For the first time, I am booked in Spring. It didn't click... my husband and I do not have kids so we usually book for Octobers.

 

We just booked on the Breeze sailing March 14 for 8 nights.

 

Is this ship at that time going to be overrun with Spring Breakers (College and younger?)

 

I am not looking for a crazy party atmosphere nor 1000 kids. I love kids, but just not 1000 of them at the same time ;)

 

Thoughts? Is this a crazy time? If so, I can maybe push it earlier or later.

I took the kids on their first cruise last March during that week on the Dream and it was one of our best spring breaks. I did not feel it was over crowded, the bars and pools were busy yes but that made it more fun. I was on the Freedom in November and the nightclub was dead after 10pm so that wasn't very fun (I am 39).

 

The one your booked on is the exact one I was going to book for me and the kids again since that is their spring break but airfare got out of control since i didn't book soon enough so we had to change our plans.. The longer more expensive cruises won't have as many rowdy college kids, because well they are cheap ;) and look for the shorter 3-4 night ones.

 

Here is a fun site with the college spring break schedule http://www.tripsmarter.com/panama-city-beach/events/spring-break-college-university-dates

Edited December 6, 2014 by cruisecraze96

[drenee73]

We've done quite a few March trips and maybe we're just so late in March that it didn't matter.

 

I don't remember any memorable issues.

 

Next cruise in March is a 14 day and prices are crazy expensive now, so, I'm not worried this time.

 

We do tend to stick to March and October by choice.

 

Positive thinking - if you don't want to change, don't psych yourself into being convinced it will suck or you'll find a zillion things that make it suck.

[ParRoo]

Spring Break is unfortunately the only time that I can travel, because I am a teacher. I've always gone away with just adults on that week, and have never had a problem.

[sooser28]

March Break is that week for Canadian elementary and high schools. University Reading Week is Feb. 16-20, College Feb. 23 - 27.

[HawksFan74]

...and girls sitting on the sides of all pools in their bikinis.

Oh how horrible! :rolleyes:

[fireofficer5]

Undesirables, hillbillies, kids running the halls,

sounds like a typical cruise.

 

Other passengers never meet our level of behavior.

Edited December 6, 2014 by fireofficer5

[AmberTeka]

We took two cruises on Carnival during spring break. One on the Dream. Never saw an issue. My daughter, son in law and grandchild (4 yrs.) went with us. We had a wonderful time.

 

We also sailed on the Fascination. It was packed with college students. High School Students. Rug rats. I don't know if it was becasue most of them were from the Deep South..GA.AL.MS. TN.KY.SC.NC and some from LA. it was laid back. I had more doors opened for me than any time in my life. I rode the elevator with a seven foot guy in dreadlocks....I was never yes Mam'ed as much in my life. To me, the college boys spent hours at the "Vault" machine in the casino. Always a crowd of them there. Never rowdy. Also playing poker. Never rowdy. Girls.....pool. Laying out. Hot tubs. We go to bed at about ten, so the night life might have been hot, but they did not make a lot of noise.

 

Frankly...they gave me hope for humanity. Saw no drunks. Three girls in Bikinis that were barely there. If I looked like that, I hope I would still not dress like that. Leaving something to the imagination.........

 

We played Trivia with two high school grads. We won,and they both got a medal. Then they drug their parents over to meet my DH and the rest of our group.

 

Maybe that was the exception. Maybe it was because it was a deep southern passenger list. But it was a great cruise.

AND if I was really worried, I would book Princess. They have some great deals going now, they are owned by CArnival and they limit the number of young people allowed on their ships. Without Parents. and I think with parents No more than 600. Out of say 3,000. And a lot of those are little kids.

Edited December 6, 2014 by AmberTeka

[Clearwater]

Thanks everyone for the feedback...

 

I was curious if 8 days would dis-persuade some of the rowdiness but I am just unsure what to do. I seriously wasn't even thinking about Spring Break, I was thinking more Anniversary time. My husband and I have our 2nd anniversary in April so I wasn't thinking it thru correctly.

 

Sounds like it could go either way...

 

and I am only 40 and enjoy a lot of fun, being in a pool packed with 200 ppl who are completely trashed isn't fun to me. I really have been lucky in the past with less crowds, older crowd, not a ton of kids. So now I am worried it will be 8 days of hell lol.

 

What to do, What to do...

[Clearwater]

AND if I was really worried, I would book Princess. They have some great deals going now, they are owned by CArnival and they limit the number of young people allowed on their ships. Without Parents. and I think with parents No more than 600. Out of say 3,000. And a lot of those are little kids.

 

I had no idea, good to know!

[cb at sea]

We always cruise in spring...never have had a problem....there will be kids on every sailing, all year long. It's not a big deal, unless they are YOUR kids! Simply ignore!

[rhiannon35]

We are booked on same Breeze cruise as you. My kids are 21 and 11 and we have cruised during Spring Break the past three years on the Dis Dream, RC Allure and NCL Getaway.

MY DH and I are the types who like to have a couple of drinks and a lively atmosphere in the evenings, but don't want to be around a bunch of rowdy drunks at noon. On our cruises we've had plenty of the former, none of the latter.

I've never run into any problems with kids running wild (and although I have kids, I can[t stand when people don't watch theirs), or college-agers running wild. You can bet any college-agers are there with their parents, otherwise they wouldn't be able to afford a weeklong cruise on a new(er) ship. The closest I came to feeling like I was at Daytona Beach during SPring Break was in Costa Maya (on Allure) when a huge group that was likely too young to drink on the ship, made the most of being able to drink in port at the pool bar. They were loud, but not out-of-hand, and I never saw anything similar happen on the cruise again.

I guess I would say if you are happy with your dates/itinerary, don't worry too much. The ships are so big, if you do find an area that's too rowdy, there's plenty of room to go someone else, but I honestly don't see it being a problem.

[Athankfulheart]

We sailed sans kids on the Dream mid March 2012. The CD mentioned that there were 1400 or 1500 kids on the ship that week. We never encountered an issue, not once.

[Shipbound]

I 've cruised many times during spring break in March there are lots of kids on all of the Carnival ships. Next year I will be on the Glory 4-25-2015 most of the colleges and High Schools are done with spring break. Easter week starts April 4, 2015 this year so there will many kids that week, the week before and after, those are the weeks to avoid the high school kids.

 

Gary

[pusywillow]

I 've cruised many times during spring break in March there are lots of kids on all of the Carnival ships. Next year I will be on the Glory 4-25-2015 most of the colleges and High Schools are done with spring break. Easter week starts April 4, 2015 this year so there will many kids that week, the week before and after, those are the weeks to avoid the high school kids.

 

Gary

 

That's what I was thinking. I'm sailing April 12 and figured Spring Break would be over.

 

Sue

[steph7021]

Thanks everyone for the feedback...

 

 

 

I was curious if 8 days would dis-persuade some of the rowdiness but I am just unsure what to do. I seriously wasn't even thinking about Spring Break, I was thinking more Anniversary time. My husband and I have our 2nd anniversary in April so I wasn't thinking it thru correctly.

 

 

 

Sounds like it could go either way...

 

 

 

and I am only 40 and enjoy a lot of fun, being in a pool packed with 200 ppl who are completely trashed isn't fun to me. I really have been lucky in the past with less crowds, older crowd, not a ton of kids. So now I am worried it will be 8 days of hell lol.

 

 

 

What to do, What to do...

 

 

I really wouldn't worry about college kids. Remember; you are a 3rd or 4th year student before you are 21! Cruises aren't their party of choice. I've been on a couple spring break cruises. Magic literally had 1000 kids under 18. Ours included; so they loved it! But it was a lot of kids! I think the slides and pools will be crowded but the night life should be fine. We are going first week of May this time; hope there are some teens for our kids to hang out with! Price is much better though!