Booked for next March on Freedom... didn't consider Spring Break

[UMDelt]

Hello everyone,

I booked my next cruise on Majesty not too long ago for next spring. It's an 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruise, sailing in mid-March. Something I didn't consider... Spring break. It's just my wife and me and we're both in our early 30's without children. I don't mind kids or families at all, but my fear is this cruise might be too concentrated with spring-break'ers.

 

Love Royal, will be Diamond after this cruise :) but I'll consider a different sailing if I find 8-night mid-March cruises are too "spring break-ish."

 

To the CC crowd: Any related experiences or advice to share on longer (8 night) sailings during this time? Freedom is one of the biggest, so even if there's a high concentration of spring-break'ers, does it even matter? I know this is subjective, but would love your thoughts.

 

Thanks all!

[Clarea]

The spring breakers tend to be more prevalent on shorter, less expensive cruises. We were just in a 7-day cruise last week and while there were a good number of spring breakers on board, they did not seem to disruptive at all.

[niksmom630]

Hello everyone,

I booked my next cruise on Majesty not too long ago for next spring. It's an 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruise, sailing in mid-March. Something I didn't consider... Spring break. It's just my wife and me and we're both in our early 30's without children. I don't mind kids or families at all, but my fear is this cruise might be too concentrated with spring-break'ers.

 

Love Royal, will be Diamond after this cruise :) but I'll consider a different sailing if I find 8-night mid-March cruises are too "spring break-ish."

 

To the CC crowd: Any related experiences or advice to share on longer (8 night) sailings during this time? Freedom is one of the biggest, so even if there's a high concentration of spring-break'ers, does it even matter? I know this is subjective, but would love your thoughts.

 

Thanks all!

 

Which "Spring Breakers" are you trying to avoid? The younger set (elementary through high school) or the college set?

 

Most universities are going to break in early March (the first two weeks) and the younger set obviously varies around the country....in Illinois we are usually the last week in March, first week in April, depending on the calendar.

 

If what you are trying to avoid is the college crowd, then as Bob points out, you will likely find them more prevalent on shorter cruises. We took a 5 night cruise on Navigator during a college spring break period and there were ALOT (1000+) of college kids.

[UMDelt]

Which "Spring Breakers" are you trying to avoid? The younger set (elementary through high school) or the college set

 

The younger set. As I mentioned above, I have no problem with children on cruises... but spring break could be "too much" for a just my wife and me. As for the college factor, I had already assumed an 8-night cruise would be too much for most college kids to afford :)

 

That said, do you have any general experiences to pass along regarding a mid-March, 8-night Caribbean cruise? You're right, it varies... which is why I'm asking the CC crowd for their experiences.

[9876]

I would think you would be safe with an eight nighter. If you can find a sailing that emcompasses weekdays over two weeks you would have the highest likelihood of being safe as schools typically are only out Monday through Friday for one week. So a Thursday to a Tuesday or something like that. I would think that would work for longer or shorter sailings and would open up more itineraries if you wanted to take a shorter option.

[UMDelt]

If you can find a sailing that emcompasses weekdays over two weeks you would have the highest likelihood of being safe...

Excellent point; too bad my sailing is Saturday-Sunday :D

[Ashland]

We've (including our adult kids) done the 8 nighters many many times to the eastern caribbean and have never had a problem....as the spring breakers tend to do the shorter less costly cruises.

[UMDelt]

The spring breakers tend to be more prevalent on shorter, less expensive cruises.

We've (including our adult kids) done the 8 nighters many many times to the eastern caribbean and have never had a problem....as the spring breakers tend to do the shorter less costly cruises.

I'm seeing a pattern, thanks so much for your inputs!

[Merion_Mom]

I am going to take a different viewpoint.

 

LOTS of spring break college students DO go on longer cruises. It is NOT just the shorter cruises.

 

You will definitely encounter some college kids. I just wouldn't worry about it.

 

As a teacher, I have had to sail only during school breaks, let the chips fall where they may. I survived. :D

Edited March 16, 2016 by Merion_Mom

[UMDelt]

Never mind. I misread.

Hindsight being 20/20, I could have phrased it better :p

Edited March 16, 2016 by UMDelt

[niksmom630]

That said, do you have any general experiences to pass along regarding a mid-March, 8-night Caribbean cruise? You're right, it varies... which is why I'm asking the CC crowd for their experiences.

 

 

Sorry. Not an 8 night in mid March. Did a 10 night, Monday through Thursday. Very few kids on board as I'm sure you can imagine.

 

With spring break timing changing year over year, you may not get very reliable answers here. We are on the Freedom 8 night sailing in February, which I know is a presidential week break on the East Coast, so I'm expecting there will be a lot of kids on board our sailing, particularly because the Freedom is a family friendly ship...

[stleda124]

With an 8 night cruise I think you are safe. Most kids vacations are one week so many won't be booking a 8 night cruise.

[diesel1973]

We don,t cruise during spring break time partly because flights are costlier and sometimes harder to find fitting our schedule.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[wenny101]

We did a 8 night last year March 13 out of Fort Lauderdale, it was great! Families yes but I wouldn't say a wild spring break crowed at all.

[tessaluvsjesse]

Last year we did b2b on Indy and the 8 night had only a few kids, but the 6 night one was when the party apparently started ;)

 

 

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[Cruzin-K]

You couldn't give me a free cruise in March from the U.S. if it was under 10 nights. An 8 nighter isn't really any different from a 7 nighter meaning that it's just from one weekend to the next, so anyone out of school that week could go.

[elaine5]

you will have lots of families, which tend to be well-behaved for the most part. You should not have many college-aged or high school trips, which tend to be 5 days or less. For ex, a Feb cruise of 2000 passengers might have 100 kids 3-18, while a March-early April cruise could have 2500 persons (higher capacity in rooms that sleep 3 or 4) with 400 of them kids.

Edited March 17, 2016 by elaine5

[MrsPete]

If other dates are convenient for you, I'd consider changing.

 

We've sailed in prime summer season and on a holiday, and I won't do either of those again. When you go on a week with lots of kids, the ship may sail with greater than 100% capacity, which means that you have more than two people in every cabin. This means the ship is more crowded. Once, back when everyone did traditional dining, we didn't even get a spot in the dining room -- we were assigned to a lackluster little side room, which was probably intended for groups traveling together.

 

It also means prices will be at a premium -- not only the cruise ticket itself, but also plane fares, etc.

 

We much prefer to avoid all this.

[RCI Cruisers 004]

Just a thought, but an 8 day cruise might be out of the price range for college kids on the Freedom. But I'm sure you will encounter a few. We also try to plan our cruises when there will be less kids of any age onboard . Another thought, you could change the cruise to a Celebrity cruise where there should be even less kids .

[stleda124]

Just a thought, but an 8 day cruise might be out of the price range for college kids on the Freedom. But I'm sure you will encounter a few. We also try to plan our cruises when there will be less kids of any age onboard . Another thought, you could change the cruise to a Celebrity cruise where there should be even less kids .

 

 

Agreed.

 

 

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[HesterMofet]

Not the same, but our first cruise was a 7 night on Freedom that ended on Easter. So it was smack dab in the middle of the spring break season. They even announced at the Captain's Welcome that there were 1200+ kids onboard. We hardly noticed them. The only evidence we saw of bad behavior was someone who scratched the name Kourtney into one of the elevators on the inside door. I was scared that we were going to be overrun because it was our first cruise and I am not a fan of misbehaving children. I was pleasantly surprised.

 

I agree with others who said that spring break is so spread out now, I don't think one week is going to be overrun with little ones.

[Paulette3028]

you will have lots of families, which tend to be well-behaved for the most part. You should not have many college-aged or high school trips, which tend to be 5 days or less. For ex, a Feb cruise of 2000 passengers might have 100 kids 3-18, while a March-early April cruise could have 2500 persons (higher capacity in rooms that sleep 3 or 4) with 400 of them kids.

 

The numbers you are using are pure speculation.....we have sailed for the past few years in February, specifically during the week that includes President's Day, and some years, lots of kids on board and then in other years, many kids on board for the same week.

 

I believe people need to change their conception of what 'college kids' can afford as a vacation.....they or their parents seem to have the money to cruise on itineraries longer than 3-4 days.

[Merion_Mom]

The numbers you are using are pure speculation.....we have sailed for the past few years in February, specifically during the week that includes President's Day, and some years, lots of kids on board and then in other years, many kids on board for the same week.

 

I believe people need to change their conception of what 'college kids' can afford as a vacation.....they or their parents seem to have the money to cruise on itineraries longer than 3-4 days.

 

What's the difference between "lots" and "many"? :confused:

[Keith1010]

If you can find a longer cruise such as 10 days or as one mentioned a cruise that wraps around two weeks that would be a good approach.

 

Whatever you do, have a great cruise.

 

Keith

[2CatsInFlorida]

We were on Freedom February 21, 2016 Eastern Caribbean 7 nights. Just a few kids and no spring breakers that were obvious. Everyone we saw was nicely dressed in the MDR and well behaved.

 

Friends took a 4 night Bahamas cruise on February 18, 2016 Enchantment. It was loaded with cub scouts and young girls running wild, holding up elevators. One girl was hiding under our friends table in the MDR. Also many spring breakers. They complained to guest relations, who said there was nothing they could do to control the situations, but did give our friends $100 extra obc on their next cruise.

 

I think the short cruises on old ships are the cheapest and attract the spring breakers.

 

 

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