Spring Break on MSC

[Markanddonna]

I hope you can provide some input into the spring break issue. First, I realize nothing is normal as we are hopefully at the end of the pandemic.

 

I would like to take out 8 year old granddaughter on a 4 night cruise out of Port Canaveral in mid March (her spring break). My DH is worried about "spring breakers" (read college students on the ship.)  To be honest, I'm so sick of no travel that I'm willing to brave random nonsense. Does MSC tend to attract a lot of college students and locals who are heavy partiers on their 3-4 night cruises?  We tend to go on my longer cruises, so don't have much experience with the shorter ones.  Any thought or advice on this?  Thanks.

 

[Fla Mike]

Not spring break, but we were on a four nighter on Divina in early November... very few to none college age heavy revelers.

 

Contrast that to our Carnival Magic cruise in September which is the reason Carnival has it's reputation.

 

My guess is the Spring Break crowd will go where they know their crowd is.

I'd avoid Carnival, RCL, and NCL.

 

[FrostyJoe]

27 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

I hope you can provide some input into the spring break issue. First, I realize nothing is normal as we are hopefully at the end of the pandemic.

 

I would like to take out 8 year old granddaughter on a 4 night cruise out of Port Canaveral in mid March (her spring break). My DH is worried about "spring breakers" (read college students on the ship.)  To be honest, I'm so sick of no travel that I'm willing to brave random nonsense. Does MSC tend to attract a lot of college students and locals who are heavy partiers on their 3-4 night cruises?  We tend to go on my longer cruises, so don't have much experience with the shorter ones.  Any thought or advice on this?  Thanks.

 

I have no clue except avoid avoid Freedom of the seas at all costs out of POM (https://collegepartycruise.com)

 

I recommended comparing prices of the sailing you’re interested vs weeks surrounding it. Relative pricing is probably a decent indicator of load factor and spring break crowd. 
 

Also, worst comes for worst, I would imagine spring breakers will mostly hang out in the main pool area; but y’all can probably fine peace at other parts of the ship.

 

I would also try to find a room furthest away from the elevator to minimize chance of hallway noise..

[mushroom]

Seriously consider Yacht Club. The party crowd won't bother you there.

[Two Wheels Only]

The crowd that you are worried about will be on Carnival.

Most of that crowd (thankfully) doesn't even know that MSC exists. 

[FrostyJoe]

What about second part of OP question? About difference in crowd/locals for 3-4 night cruises vs the longer one?

[Fogfog]

It’s possible because MSC has super low rates right now

The 4 days last week wasn’t bad because it departed Sunday

The 3 day that started Thursday was packed with parties and lots of brides, girls trips etc. and some teen girls about 12 with their moms.

Even in YC there were some partiers and behavior we haven’t seen before.

So I’d chose a 4day starting a Sunday 

 

 

[TrinaLC]

It may be changing as MSC becomes better now, but in our experience the college crowds haven’t really discovered it yet. I would certainly view it as a better bed than the main stream “US“ cruise lines

[mlbdude]

Before the pandemic we would always sail on MSC during our elementary kids Florida spring break for a 7 day cruise.  It was always one of the busier cruises but filled with more families with young kids over young adults on break themselves.

Edited February 6, 2022 by mlbdude

[FrostyJoe]

2 hours ago, mlbdude said:

Before the pandemic we would always sail on MSC during our elementary kids Florida spring break for a 7 day cruise.  It was always one of the busier cruises but filled with more families with young kids over young adults on break themselves.

Were you able to find quiet areas with bar service back then if you wanted to get away from the crowds?

 

I haven’t sailed MSC yet but pretty much all the other lines we’ve sailed so far that was the case…including NCL Sky when they were open bar shipwide

[mlbdude]

31 minutes ago, FrostyJoe said:

Were you able to find quiet areas with bar service back then if you wanted to get away from the crowds?

 

I haven’t sailed MSC yet but pretty much all the other lines we’ve sailed so far that was the case…including NCL Sky when they were open bar shipwide

The SeaSide was the toughest.  Not a chance up by the pools.  Inside was fine and quieter.

[FrostyJoe]

27 minutes ago, mlbdude said:

The SeaSide was the toughest.  Not a chance up by the pools.  Inside was fine and quieter.

Ah I see. I guess with the OPs grand daughter, it’ll change the calculus especially of if the GD likes to swim. I doubt MSC will be that busy either way this March. 
 

I will say though, we’ve started almost exclusively using the pools in the evenings before or after dinner (and before the rowdier crowd comes). It’s so much nicer not to deal with the sun beating down, crowds/noise….almost magical if it’s some quiet solarium with no one around.   Maybe this is something the OP can consider doing with GD.
 

Of the cruises we’ve been to with rowdy crowds, they usually hung out in the mid ship pools in the evenings. The ones in the rear seemed almost always  either couples, families, or no body else with completely different vibe that felt like a different ship. 
 

But I do remember seeing YouTuber TheShipLife on a recent MSC sailing and aft was where the most active party was going on so maybe MSC is different 🤷🏻‍♂️

Edited February 7, 2022 by FrostyJoe

[dexddd]

14 hours ago, mushroom said:

Seriously consider Yacht Club. The party crowd won't bother you there.

Maybe not college kids in YC, but we had one extended family with several young kids who were a train wreck.  Add that they let diapered kids in the pool.

[dexddd]

We sailed Seaside during spring break a few years ago and college kids not an issue.  YMMV.

 

We've sailed NCL several times during spring break and never a problem.  Those were all seven day trips though so I'd worry more about the shorter, cheap trips.  Like Carnival.

[mlbdude]

We are on the Seashore March 12th this year and my expectations is it will be less crowded than normal.  I think the OP will fine.  The pools on MSC are deep and don’t allow drinking in them so even when seating is limited the pools are fine.  
 

On sea days we plan more indoor time during peak top deck usage.

[Luke gs Daddy]

Take her on a Disney Cruise.

JMHO.

 

[Markanddonna]

1 hour ago, Luke gs Daddy said:

Take her on a Disney Cruise.

JMHO.

 

We humble people from Columbus Ohio just don't have the funds for a Disney Cruise. 🙂

 

[FrostyJoe]

1 hour ago, Markanddonna said:

We humble people from Columbus Ohio just don't have the funds for a Disney Cruise. 🙂

 

Not to mention I bet Disney is sailing full! And will be full next year, and years to come…

 

vs. a unique situation with the other lines now…

[Luke gs Daddy]

8 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

We humble people from Columbus Ohio just don't have the funds for a Disney Cruise. 🙂

 

I get it. you can take 2 Carnival or MSC for 1 Disney.

We are from Columbus too.

Wife and I did a 4 nighter last month on MSC and enjoyed it. Although, it sailed way less than 50% we had fun.

We did not see hardley any young people and it was not spring break either.

 

[Markanddonna]

2 hours ago, Luke gs Daddy said:

I get it. you can take 2 Carnival or MSC for 1 Disney.

We are from Columbus too.

Wife and I did a 4 nighter last month on MSC and enjoyed it. Although, it sailed way less than 50% we had fun.

We did not see hardley any young people and it was not spring break either.

 

Luke gs Daddy,  I noted you were from Columbus so that is why I mentiioned we were just humble people from Columbus...also looking to get away from the snow, ice, and cold.

[TrinaLC]

Also on the “seaxxxx” ships there are tons of deck areas away from the pools and bars where you can easily get away from the crowds, if any

[JAGR]

1 hour ago, Markanddonna said:

Luke gs Daddy,  I noted you were from Columbus so that is why I mentioned we were just humble people from Columbus...also looking to get away from the snow, ice, and cold.

Columbus (technically Westerville), too!  To clarify, we TRY to get away from the snow, ice, and cold, but we also know that it always tries to follow us.  I'm trying to recover from our heat wave yesterday!😎

[YellowDog]

For the GD...don't forget the Seashore has a whole waterpark area tailored to kids.  My kids (8 at the time) loved it on the Seaside.  Also, the Jungle pool area had a smaller wading area for kids as well on the Seaside...that may be mirrored on the Seashore too.  Im on this cruise too with 2 11 y/o.  Not worried about the college crowd.  

[Markanddonna]

I reminded my daughter about the copy of the birth certificate today. She obviously forgot and I went into panic mode. Fortunately, it is now ready at the office for pick up. 

[morpheusofthesea]

On 2/6/2022 at 3:10 PM, Markanddonna said:

I hope you can provide some input into the spring break issue. First, I realize nothing is normal as we are hopefully at the end of the pandemic

We were on the Seashore February 12 ,2022. Now I know it is 7 night vs your 4 night, but what the CD (cruise director) Gene mentioned in his intro to our evening theatre show was 'telling'? He must have been exaggerating when he announced to the audience that there were just over 1000 guests on our sailing, but that bookings report that spring break will be 6500 (kind of hard if maximum capacity of Seashore is 5632 guests). Speaking to a butler on Ocean Cay he repeated the jump in numbers for spring break, but then suggested that numbers will go back down after spring break. He followed up by stating that it really doesn't matter for service in the YC.