School holidays

[Vict0riann]

I just heard from my sister-in-law in Australia asking when the school holidays start in the U.S. and Canada, because they want to book an Alaska cruise before the family-filled cruises start. I figure it's early June in the U.S. and later in the month for Canada, but I really have no idea, actually. Any ideas?

[NMLady]

I just heard from my sister-in-law in Australia asking when the school holidays start in the U.S. and Canada, because they want to book an Alaska cruise before the family-filled cruises start. I figure it's early June in the U.S. and later in the month for Canada, but I really have no idea, actually. Any ideas?

 

Some schools in the US get out in May, some in early June, some in mid-June.

It varies from state to state.

[Vict0riann]

Some schools in the US get out in May, some in early June, some in mid-June.

It varies from state to state.

 

Thanks, NMLady - boy, that's early. I don't remember mine ever getting out in May when we lived in Virginia, but I suppose the school year is getting shorter and shorter. I think they are hoping to cruise in June, they're going to get around-the-world air tickets, and come here in June and have July in the U.K. I'd better warn them to book an early cruise.

[Susie51]

Here in N. CA schools get out around May 23, 30, and June 6. My friend sailed to Alaska May 12, 2014 to May 23, 2014. She had sunny weather the whole time.

 

I cruised 3 times to Alaska. Each time it was cold, windy, and rainy. Whatever you do, make sure I'm not on your cruise.

[Vict0riann]

HaHa! I'll warn them to stay away from you!:D

[nana51]

Thanks, NMLady - boy, that's early. I don't remember mine ever getting out in May when we lived in Virginia, but I suppose the school year is getting shorter and shorter. I think they are hoping to cruise in June, they're going to get around-the-world air tickets, and come here in June and have July in the U.K. I'd better warn them to book an early cruise.

 

School year is the same amount of days as before. They start in August though. Most schools still aren't out until mid June.

[Vict0riann]

School year is the same amount of days as before. They start in August though. Most schools still aren't out until mid June.

 

:D I figured a "nana" would know all about it!

[sail7seas]

Here in the snow belt the last day of school can vary by how many days schools were closed that year because of snow. The dates the schools get out varies by private school, religious schools and public but most end about mid June.

Edited January 2, 2015 by sail7seas

[POA1]

As a general rule, summer vacation is in full swing from mid June through the third week in August in the Northeast US. There are some outliers, but that's been the peak season.

[sail7seas]

School year is the same amount of days as before. They start in August though. Most schools still aren't out until mid June.

 

I think our state requires school be in session 180 days.

 

[PathfinderEss]

Here in Southern California schools typical gets out mid June and stays out until around the first week in September. I know in Central and Northern California they get out mid May.

 

We usually do late May, early June for Alaska and there are not that many kids on board.

[POA1]

I think our state requires school be in session 180 days.

 

Yes, indeed. But I think they shoot for around 183 to be safe. :)

 

http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr27.html?section=all

[xlxo]

Even if classes are over... some students stay back for exams that goes to late June.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Here in PA the children must attend 180 days but some districts have lengthened the school year to 185 days -- as back up days for SNOW. Usually by now we have had the schools closed at least 1 day because of snow. But we have had only 0.02 inches of snow in all of November and December.

Our schools usually get out by the middle of June.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

In Arizona, school can begin in mid-July and end in early May - left over from early days due to the heat and before air-conditioning. As you can see it varies a lot throughout the U.S.

 

I would say that one would see few children between early May and Mid-June and then probably a lot between mid-June and mid-August.

[VioletHorse]

We cruised Alaska a few years ago in late May, and there were lots of kids on that cruise. We've also cruised Alaska in early and mid-May, and there weren't many kids.

 

I'd say early in May is the best time to cruise with a low number of children. However, many parents home school their children and do not have set vacation schedules. Also, more parents are willing to take their children out of school for vacation regardless of any scheduled school vacation time. We usually cruise during non-school vacation times and it always suprises me to see how many school-age kids are onboard.

[Roz]

In the South, the school year ends the first or second week in May. That said, the Alaskan cruise I took in May had only a handful of children and those were practically all pre-schoolers and infants.

 

Roz

[iflyrc5]

Many of the schools in Indiana have "year round school". It is still 180 days but starts earlier and then has longer (usually 2 week) breaks. Some start school as early as the end of July and then get out for the summer break which is longer in mid May.

[Essiesmom]

All of the cruise lines will have children aboard, but those that market the most to families, Disney, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCL will have more. but for the most part, you won't want them to sail those anyway, because with a few exceptions, they do not visit Glacier Bay, and to come all the way from OZ to Alaska and not see Glacier Bay is a shame. HAL and Princess have the most permits, Carnival usually visits the first and last cruises of their season, and NCL Pearl and Sun make regular visits.

[Danni3ll3]

I just heard from my sister-in-law in Australia asking when the school holidays start in the U.S. and Canada, because they want to book an Alaska cruise before the family-filled cruises start. I figure it's early June in the U.S. and later in the month for Canada, but I really have no idea, actually. Any ideas?

 

Here is a link to the page that has a pdf file for the school calendars for all of Canada. Hope this helps.

[Vict0riann]

Thanks, all. :) I emailed her and said that if they want to make it June, then the earlier in the month, the better.

[1of4]

I know you sent the email, but we sailed Alaska in 2011 beginning August 24 and there were only Canadian children onboard. DD and DS were 2 of 13 I believe. Our elementary schools go to the last Friday in June and start up again the first Tuesday after Labour Day. High schools get out a bit earlier, depending upon when their exams finish up.

[Himself]

Many Schools in the States are out by mid or late May and they start in Mid August. Now I think Wisconsin has a rule which says grade schools cannot start until after labor day. When I was young, we were never in class until after labor day but that has changed over the decades.

[Vict0riann]

Thanks, Father Himself - Maybe it has to do with climate change!

[nana51]

I know more because I worked in the education field for over 30 years 😄 also, being a "nana" helps.