Sprink break crowds currently?

[Wannacruise81]

For those who are currently sailing, how are the spring break crowds? We will be cruising on the Conquest out of Miami on Monday and wondering how crowded the ships are and if we will be experiencing a college spring break party atmosphere. (We hope not)

[pe4all]

We sailed the first week of March, and there were already several spring break college students on board.  I think capacity is no longer limited on Carnival - our ship was pretty full.  Shorter cruises are definitely a bit rowdier than longer ones, as people feel they have less time to enjoy the ship/booze, so bring it on!

[mondello]

I wouldn't be too worried about college age Spring Breakers as Carnival requires 1 adult over 25 to book. The shorter cruises tend to draw a drinking bunch, more so on weekend cruises. I'm on Vista 3/26 and I expect a pretty full ship. There are plenty of offers with great rates and capacity is definitely increasing. That 4 day Conquest cruise is priced so low that with meals included it's cheaper than staying in a hotel.

[sunonfire]

Along the same idea I am trying to decide between April 10 and April 17. Same cruise 7 days out of Tampa. Prices are exactly the same I have been checking various school vacation schedules from various states and a lot only have Friday and Monday off. 

[crewsweeper]

The 17th is Easter  so a 7 day isn't going to be as full or crowded with families as a 3 day leaving Saturday or a 4 day leaving Friday.   However, there is a tendency for many parents to take youngsters out of school during that time.  Colleges will, for the most part be back in session.

 

If looking to avoid Easter weekend book the 10th.  If hoping most aren't sailing on Easter, book the 17th.  Again for a 7 day, spring break issues are over.

[sunonfire]

Thanks. That is what I was thinking. However both dates seem to have almost the exact number of cabins showing as available which is quite a bit. We always book balcony. Both dates have 20 oceanview cabins available which seems like a lot for both dates. There are also 6 categories of inside cabin choices on both dates. It is weird.

[anyone4cruisin]

Information regarding age to travel alone above is inaccurate.

The minimum age to travel alone is 21. And there is an exception on that rule for legal marriages and military personnel.

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2544
 

And I agree that it’s primarily the shorter cruises, 3-4 days, that may have more of a party atmosphere. But that applies any time of the year.

 

[mondello]

3 minutes ago, anyone4cruisin said:

Information regarding age to travel alone above is inaccurate.

The minimum age to travel alone is 21. And there is an exception on that rule for legal marriages and military personnel.

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2544
 

And I agree that it’s primarily the shorter cruises, 3-4 days, that may have more of a party atmosphere. But that applies any time of the year.

 

College age Spring Breakers would most likely meet neither exception, married nor military.

[cruiserbrianj]

14 minutes ago, mondello said:

College age Spring Breakers would most likely meet neither exception, married nor military.

But they would be 21. We just got off the Sunshine this week (Monday) and the pics that my SO showed me from FB for the current cruise is packed...I mean PACKED with college kids.
I really think it depends on the length of the cruise too...college kids are going to do the 5 night or less cruise not the 7+ nighters. 

[mondello]

14 minutes ago, cruiserbrianj said:

But they would be 21. We just got off the Sunshine this week (Monday) and the pics that my SO showed me from FB for the current cruise is packed...I mean PACKED with college kids.
I really think it depends on the length of the cruise too...college kids are going to do the 5 night or less cruise not the 7+ nighters. 

Maybe Carnival decided to look the other way and accept these bookings and the revenue they generate from drinking? I just think nobody would want to deal with unruly mobs misbehaving like what you see on Florida beaches.

[dbrucern]

Large group of Spring Breakers when in Cocoa Beach last week as well on our Magic cruise.

[cruiserbrianj]

30 minutes ago, mondello said:

Maybe Carnival decided to look the other way and accept these bookings and the revenue they generate from drinking? I just think nobody would want to deal with unruly mobs misbehaving like what you see on Florida beaches.

I don't believe there was any "looking the other way" by Carnival....I really don't think they can do that.  If you're over 21 you can book, period....and a lot of college "kids" are over 21....I have one.  And actually, he turned 21 the day after the Sunshine was set to leave and he wanted to go but they couldn't book because his GF is 21 but at the time of debark he would have been only be 20.  

[Lee Cruiser]

Don't know about the loud factor, but John Heald did say earlier this week that many ships are back to full capacity.

[mondello]

1 hour ago, cruiserbrianj said:

I don't believe there was any "looking the other way" by Carnival....I really don't think they can do that.  If you're over 21 you can book, period....and a lot of college "kids" are over 21....I have one.  And actually, he turned 21 the day after the Sunshine was set to leave and he wanted to go but they couldn't book because his GF is 21 but at the time of debark he would have been only be 20.  

Maybe so, but it was just posted recently a girl complaining about the unfair policy that one guest must be 25 to book. Good luck to all of 'em.

Edited March 18, 2022 by mondello
Correction

[iriecruising]

Just off a 5day on the Sunshine out of Miami and Spring Breakers were not an issue. There were some small groups of them. Like 10-12 people sized groups. But they were all well behaved. There were also a very small number of kids on board. I honestly think it is hit or miss. I cruised NCL one and there was a single group of 800 spring breakers on that cruise and it was crazy in a not good way!

[1kaper]

4 minutes ago, mondello said:

Maybe so, but it was just posted recently a girl complaining about the unfair policy that one guest must be 25 to book. Good luck to all of 'em.

I missed that thread but their policy is you have to be 21 to sail alone.  If you are under 21, someone in the room has to be 25. 
I'm guessing someone in her group was under 21. 

[mondello]

2 hours ago, cruiserbrianj said:

But they would be 21. We just got off the Sunshine this week (Monday) and the pics that my SO showed me from FB for the current cruise is packed...I mean PACKED with college kids.
I really think it depends on the length of the cruise too...college kids are going to do the 5 night or less cruise not the 7+ nighters. 

Yes, you are half right. The actual policy is guests must be 21. The other half, is that if any of them are under 21, they must book with an adult 25+. Any college students under 21 would have to book with someone 25 or older.

[mondello]

3 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

I missed that thread but their policy is you have to be 21 to sail alone.  If you are under 21, someone in the room has to be 25. 
I'm guessing someone in her group was under 21. 

I wasn't real clear on the rule as I'm long past my 20's. They consider under 21 to be minors as in not of drinking age. Confusion sets in because 18-21 are not minors, just can't legally drink onboard.

[Thenagers]

6 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

The 17th is Easter  so a 7 day isn't going to be as full or crowded with families as a 3 day leaving Saturday or a 4 day leaving Friday.   However, there is a tendency for many parents to take youngsters out of school during that time.  Colleges will, for the most part be back in session.

 

If looking to avoid Easter weekend book the 10th.  If hoping most aren't sailing on Easter, book the 17th.  Again for a 7 day, spring break issues are over.

My kids spring break is the week of the 10th.  They tie it into the Easter Break every year even though the Quarter is already passed.  Probably more schools would use the week before Easter because they already get good Friday?  This is a really late Easter.  BTW we are from Raleigh NC. The largest school district in NC.

[crewsweeper]

39 minutes ago, Thenagers said:

My kids spring break is the week of the 10th.  They tie it into the Easter Break every year even though the Quarter is already passed.  Probably more schools would use the week before Easter because they already get good Friday?  This is a really late Easter.  BTW we are from Raleigh NC. The largest school district in NC.

This is why it's so difficult to determine how spring break will affect cruises in March and April.  Every School district and every college and university is different.

[famof4togo]

Just now, crewsweeper said:

This is why it's so difficult to determine how spring break will affect cruises in March and April.  Every School district and every college and university is different.

I agree...I think if you cruise from Mid March - late April you should assume you will be in the mix with the Spring Break crowd...We cruise next week as that is my childs Spring Break.  

[kctwinmommy]

7 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

The 17th is Easter  so a 7 day isn't going to be as full or crowded with families as a 3 day leaving Saturday or a 4 day leaving Friday.   However, there is a tendency for many parents to take youngsters out of school during that time.  Colleges will, for the most part be back in session.

 

If looking to avoid Easter weekend book the 10th.  If hoping most aren't sailing on Easter, book the 17th.  Again for a 7 day, spring break issues are over.

We're doing a cruise from the 10th-17th, because that is my son's spring break. Catholic school for him, so he finishes it with Easter at the end (since it's later this year). Some of the Catholic schools are starting their spring break on Good Friday and going through that week after Easter. So, you might still have a lot of HS kids.