How crowded during February break?

[fourandtwo]

We are booked on the Carnival Magic for Feb 2020.  It's an 8 day cruise that will be over our February break for schools.  

 

We have 4 kids, who will be 14, 12, 7, and 6 when we go.  We expect it will be full because of break week, but also thought it may not be crazy crowded because it is an 8 day cruise.

 

We just got back from the Sensation.  There were very few kids on ship this time, and it really had an impact for my kids.  

 

Does anyone have experience with break week cruises?  What should we expect?

 

Thank you!

 

 

[KmomChicago]

We have cruised during the two most recent spring breaks (last week of March for us) and the ships (Carnival Triumph and Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas) were both at maximum capacity (nearly every extra berth filled, up to safety specifications) and also slap full of kids, which worked great for us as we have one of those ourselves. I would assume from mid-February to mid-April most sailings will be completely full and will have a high percentage of kids.  I don't think the 8 day matters much as long as it begins and ends around the weekend. People will take their kids out one extra day to sail on Friday or to arrive back at port on Monday.

 

We also cruised at the very end of Christmas break this past year (first week of January, also on Sensation, by the way) and definitely noticed a lower ratio of kids.  My daughter managed to find a couple of teens to hang around with, but I could tell they sort of tolerated her and she did not find anyone to bond with as she did on the spring break cruises. I don't think the fall break thing has gained a lot of momentum here in the U.S. so I would expect a non-holiday autumn cruise to be relatively child-free.

[marco]

And if you have to fly to the port, airfares historically are higher during school breaks.  We weren't taking a cruise but last year we had to attend an event in Fla and it was semester break.  The best we could get was $300-something.  The next week it was $103.

[MCC retired]

OP did not specify dates in Feb for their school break , but if it is Presidents Week , their should be plenty of kids onboard .

Just beware of airfares if needed.

[navybankerteacher]

Because it is break week there is a higher likelihood of more school age people on board.  The fact is: practically every sailing (possibly excepting some repositionings) is sold out - so all are “crowded”:   the only difference being the average age.

[KmomChicago]

40 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Because it is break week there is a higher likelihood of more school age people on board.  The fact is: practically every sailing (possibly excepting some repositionings) is sold out - so all are “crowded”:   the only difference being the average age.

 

Yes, I agree with this - sold out based on double occupancy, at a minimum.  The ships sail with very few unoccupied staterooms.

 

I did get the impression that more of the 3rd and 4th berths are used during high seasons from what one of the cruise directors told me, exceeding 100% occupancy rates in that case and adding to crowds overall.

[CruiserBruce]

47 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Because it is break week there is a higher likelihood of more school age people on board.  The fact is: practically every sailing (possibly excepting some repositionings) is sold out - so all are “crowded”:   the only difference being the average age.

 

Agree, almost every ship sails full, or so close you can't tell the difference. What you might notice is increased triple or quad occupancies, with all the kids on board.

[cb at sea]

It's not a "break week" for every school system....some schools only get a day off...if that.  8-nighters tend to have fewer kids than 3-5 nighters.....and even, 7 nighters!

 

[capriccio]

2 hours ago, cb at sea said:

It's not a "break week" for every school system....some schools only get a day off...if that.  8-nighters tend to have fewer kids than 3-5 nighters.....and even, 7 nighters!

 

But it is spring break in New England, New York and other places that people want to desperately get away from in February (I know, I grew up in Massachusetts).

 

Hotel rooms on Presidents Day weekend especially will be charging the highest prices of the month and some of the highest of the winter season. 

[zqvol]

Not that many schools have a week off in February. While there should be some kids on board, it is not considered spring break time, and it may not be a maximum capacity cruise like occurs during the traditional spring break weeks.

[iancal]

We did a late eight day San Diego cruise on Carnival  a number of  years ago.  It started mid week and finished mid week.  Carnival.  There were apparently 300 children on board.  We did not really notice.  It was in Feb or March.  Cannot remember.  But when I look up spring break the dates went for mid Feb to mid March depending on school/post secondary institution and location.  

Edited November 22, 2018 by iancal

[fourandtwo]

Thanks for the input!  It makes us feel much  better!  

[navybankerteacher]

7 hours ago, capriccio said:

But it is spring break in New England, New York and other places that people want to desperately get away from in February (I know, I grew up in Massachusetts).

 

Hotel rooms on Presidents Day weekend especially will be charging the highest prices of the month and some of the highest of the winter season. 

 

No, in New England the February school vacation (usually a week, sometimes a very long weekend) is called Presidents’ Week (Washington & Lincoln) - Spring Break - in March or April is in addition.

[capriccio]

34 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

 

No, in New England the February school vacation (usually a week, sometimes a very long weekend) is called Presidents’ Week (Washington & Lincoln) - Spring Break - in March or April is in addition.

My typo I meant winter break.

[navybankerteacher]

17 hours ago, zqvol said:

Not that many schools have a week off in February. While there should be some kids on board, it is not considered spring break time, and it may not be a maximum capacity cruise like occurs during the traditional spring break weeks.

 

There are a LOT of schools in New York City, Boston, many districts in Connecticut (to name just a few) that I am aware of which do have that February break - where people get very tired of the winter weather, and do go on family cruises.

[sail7seas]

On 11/22/2018 at 8:07 AM, marco said:

And if you have to fly to the port, airfares historically are higher during school breaks.  We weren't taking a cruise but last year we had to attend an event in Fla and it was semester break.  The best we could get was $300-something.  The next week it was $103.

The fact your cruise is 8 days is not a fac tor as to how full   the ship will be.   wingter/ spring  Break dates   vary across  the U.s. and unlike Christmas,  not every school has vaca tion  the same time.  Don't worry, you and the children will be fine. :)

[Joebucks]

Up here in Ohio, I've never heard of February break. For my schools, it was always in March. I booked a February week 1 cruise. It was a much lower price than March. I assume because of Spring Break demand.

[mjkacmom]

On 11/23/2018 at 9:32 AM, navybankerteacher said:

 

There are a LOT of schools in New York City, Boston, many districts in Connecticut (to name just a few) that I am aware of which do have that February break - where people get very tired of the winter weather, and do go on family cruises.

Most of NJ has off that week too.