What is considered a lot of kids on a cruise?

[cruzdude1]

1

[cathi007]

On 12/29/2018 at 1:21 PM, Homosassa said:

Be very careful of any cruise leaving from NYC on Sunday, January 20.

No worries, the Escape goes out of NYC on the 20th, but it is a 14 night cruise and it is not kosher

[careyayn22]

I am not a cruising expert, but I know that that week is definitely low season for family travel.  The following day is MLK day, so places like Disney will have a brief surge that weekend and maybe the day or two before, but I’d be more concerned about the following week since many schools have that Monday off. I’m a high school teacher, and I might have a couple students out in January for week long or more vacations, but February and March are much more likely (we don’t have a spring break in my district). Even with MLK and the Yeshiva break, it is one of the lowest weeks at Disney (probably only a handful that are lower). 

 

Like others have said, “too many” is relative. I travel with my twin 11 year olds. We are cruising to Alaska this summer and I expect many kids on the Joy. When we sailed Alaska back in 2002 on Princess, I don’t remember a lot of young kids. I do remember older kids, but I am pretty tolerant of kids and don’t seem to notice or get as annoyed as some. Not that I don’t occasionally get annoyed with misbehaving kids/clueless parents, but they don’t bother me more than entitled and/or whiny millennials, drunk and/or rude middle aged or cackeling and/or clueless old people. 

 

On another note, I have wondered about Panama Canal cruises. We have talked about taking the kids, and it is on my mom’s list. I’d have to take over a week off during the fall/winter and try to attach it to a school break. I have wondered how my kids would do.  They like the kids area, but they aren’t in love with it. They generally prefer to be with us.  They’d likely be young teens when we went. I don’t think they would mind not having other kids/teens, but it would be a different vibe. 

[JuliaSugarbaker]

20 hours ago, gmbhardy said:

My experience is based on departures out of Miami and Cape Canaveral only, but there have been a lot of kids on all our cruises, even those in January. It seems nowadays parents don’t hesitate pulling their kids out of school to go on vacation. In my day my parents wouldn’t pull me out of school for anything especially not for a vacation. 

 

My kids attend year round school, where the schedule is 9 weeks on, three weeks off. They currently are on the long break which is a total of 5 weeks because of Christmas so they don’t got back the last week of January. 

 

School calendars are so different now than when I was a kid attending school in the very same district as my own children do now. 

 

I wouldn’t just assume parents are pulling kids out necessarily. We always go on vacation in January because that’s WHEN my kids are out.

[Markanddonna]

I retired from teaching in an upscale district and can assure you parents have no hesitation in taking elementary are children out of school for winter vacations. Like others have said, there are plenty of kids to be on a school sanctioned vacation. Don't forget that there are many children from South America who are on their winter break in January.

[Aesop081]

Try sailing with Viking, not that I have anything against NCL...I  don't.  But we have one child left at home and she comes cruising with us in the March April time frame but she is in school in January. Viking is 19 and older only and definitely not geared for anyone going on a booze cruise.  It's a bit more no argument, but if you really, really, want to have an adult vacation try them.

[Phaedrus78]

I don't know exactly how many is a lot, but I know on the last cruise my wife and I were on with Carnival a couple of years ago it definitely felt like too many for us.  We don't mind kids (though we have none of our own), but when they're swarming at the buffet and the only semi-safe haven feels like the adult only pool area, it's more than we'd like.  

 

Of course, the last cruise ran from December 18-24, so we were in prime Christmas vacation time.  We probably should have known better, but my wife was working for a school system at the time so it was the only real time she could take off.  This time we're running a 10 day cruise departing January 23, so we're hopeful that we're avoiding the swarms.

[keishashadow]

On 12/28/2018 at 10:12 AM, KDCXO82 said:

I am cruising out of Miami on the Getaway Jan 13-20. What number of kids is considered to be a lot of kids on a sailing? For those who are experience cruisers, how safe do you think that week in January is from having a ship overrun with kids? I have 3 kids (not going) and I love kids but this is our adult only vacation. I am just trying to prepare myself mentally if this is a prime kid's week. Also, is there anyway to tell how many kids and the total number of cruisers that are on board once you get there? Thanks! 

Enjoy your adult only cruise!  Dining late helps for a more leisurely experience all the way around.  

 

I’ve done DCL with extended family down to just my DH (don’t judge lol).  there are always plenty of adult areas to be found, even on their ships and private island, to ‘hide from kids’.  

 

jmho, it’s not the number of little darlings who have boarded the ship that come into play, but what seems to be increasing numbers who appear to be of the free-ranging sort, set loose with minimal parental supervision especially later in the evenings running through the passenger deck hallways.

 

I enjoy listening to karoke, far too shy to get up and sing, but it annoys me when children are permitted to participate in adult version.  family karoke scheduled a few times during the week in a lounge or other like activities should be offered in addition to the kids’ club options.

 

 

[Seatbelt_Bag_LOVE]

We always cruise in Mid/late January.  We have gone on Getaway & Escape and both times I think the number of kids was around 700.  That is per what the cruise director said at a show.  It seems like parents don't have any problems pulling their kids out of school. On the contrary, we went on a 10 day cruise on Celebrity Equinox the same mid/late January week, and there were only 13 children under the age of 18. 

[Markanddonna]

20 hours ago, Seatbelt_Bag_LOVE said:

We always cruise in Mid/late January.  We have gone on Getaway & Escape and both times I think the number of kids was around 700.  That is per what the cruise director said at a show.  It seems like parents don't have any problems pulling their kids out of school. On the contrary, we went on a 10 day cruise on Celebrity Equinox the same mid/late January week, and there were only 13 children under the age of 18. 

Correct!  Especially if the sailing ever qualified for "Kids go Free."  No guarantee, but sailings of 10 days or more and those that don't offer "Kids Free" will attract fewer children.