Am I Making a Mistake - Thanksgiving Cruise

[tlund]

We've sailed a lot, but we typically do not sail when the kids are out of school.  I have been trying to get friends of ours to go on a cruise and they have finally agreed, HOWEVER the only time they can go is Thanksgiving week.  They are sailing with or without us on the Symphony.  I'm trying to decide if we should go along, considering we typically don't sail when there will be a lot of kids on board.  Would love to hear some opinions from people who have sailed during that week.  Trying to figure out if I will be aggravated all week when there are a ton of kids running wild and we can't find a pool chair/seat anywhere and can't get reservations for anything.  I'd love to go along with these friends but I want it to be an enjoyable trip.

[Sunshine3601]

Traditionally all the major holiday sailings will be very busy with lots of families and full ships.     If the amount of people and amount of children will take away from your sailing, then book for another time.  I do find it nice to cruise during the holidays to see the decorations onboard and get in the holiday mood but I avoid sailing during the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas and News Years.

[Tee & Chilli]

I would try to avoid that week if possible. 

[celoplyr]

We have to sail when there are a lot of kids (my whole family are teachers) so it doesn't bother me.  However, it will be crowded, but a lot of kids will be at the kids club.  So I don't know what reservations you're hoping for, and how kids will affect those (like if you're hoping to go to the ice skating show during the day time hours, yes that will be harder to get reservations, but if you're late night people, it won't make as big of a difference).  how aggravated do you get normally at the small number of kids?

 

Maybe for us, it isn't as big of a deal, because Mom puts on her "teacher voice" and I have a "teacher stare" and all of a sudden the kids scatter like roaches away from us! If we really need it, Dad puts on the "principal voice and stare" and whoosh there goes everyone, even the parents!

[Jerseygirl1416]

We did a Christmas week cruise on year. I would not do it again. It’s not just the kids on board it’s the big family type groups that make everything more crowded. 

[tlund]

9 minutes ago, celoplyr said:

We have to sail when there are a lot of kids (my whole family are teachers) so it doesn't bother me.  However, it will be crowded, but a lot of kids will be at the kids club.  So I don't know what reservations you're hoping for, and how kids will affect those (like if you're hoping to go to the ice skating show during the day time hours, yes that will be harder to get reservations, but if you're late night people, it won't make as big of a difference).  how aggravated do you get normally at the small number of kids?

 

Maybe for us, it isn't as big of a deal, because Mom puts on her "teacher voice" and I have a "teacher stare" and all of a sudden the kids scatter like roaches away from us! If we really need it, Dad puts on the "principal voice and stare" and whoosh there goes everyone, even the parents!

I appreciate parents like you.  I'm more worried about the parents that don't even know what their kids are doing or let them do whatever because THEY are on vacation.

[ONECRUISER]

Done 8 Thanksgiving Cruises in last 12 yrs, BUT mine were longer 10+ niters and on Radiance Class at most 30-50 Kids. On Oasis Class, lot more

[OCSC Mike]

Like someone posted above, my wife is a teacher so we have ONLY ever cruised with lots of kids on board.

 

However, as we have no kids, it doesn't bother us much b/c we spend our time in the Solarium, Diamond Lounge, etc. and not where kids congregate... pool deck, boardwalk, water slides, kids club, etc.

 

The pool situation may aggravate you. Reservations shouldn't be an issue, make them ASAP like any other cruise.

[tlund]

11 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Done 8 Thanksgiving Cruises in last 12 yrs, BUT mine were longer 10+ niters and on Radiance Class at most 30-50 Kids. On Oasis Class, lot more

I remember doing a cruise the week after Thanksgiving and it was mostly older people.  Very few kids. 

[mek]

I did a 14 day RT to Hawaii during Thanksgiving and there were only a few kids, but I would imagine a shorter Caribbean cruise would have considerably more.

[OCSC Mike]

15 minutes ago, mek said:

I did a 14 day RT to Hawaii during Thanksgiving and there were only a few kids, but I would imagine a shorter Caribbean cruise would have considerably more.

 

Safe assumption that any Caribbean cruise when school is out has plenty of kids.

[Cruise a holic]

If thanksgiving week is the only time you can sail- just do it.  If you can, consider a suite as less kids in suite venues.    Sometimes kids behave better then some obnoxious adults.  

 

Just enjoy your cruise.  And stay at adult areas if you are concerned about noise.

[cruisegirl1]

27 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

If thanksgiving week is the only time you can sail- just do it.  If you can, consider a suite as less kids in suite venues.    Sometimes kids behave better then some obnoxious adults.  

 

Just enjoy your cruise.  And stay at adult areas if you are concerned about noise.

We sailed Harmony Easter week and LOADS of families in suites/coastal kitchen.  The place was crowded.    

 

What we do find is that families are not necessary where we go.  Solarium,. late shows, late dining, gym,  casino etc .  

 

OP - enjoy the cruise and don't worry about kids.  RCCL is a family line and kids are part of that mix!

M

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, tlund said:

I remember doing a cruise the week after Thanksgiving and it was mostly older people.  Very few kids. 

At 56 I'm in the Younger 10%

[deliver42]

Most kids don't have Thanksgiving week off. Only the weekend. They have Christmas week off,

[OCSC Mike]

In central Florida they have the whole week off. It varies by location.

 

And of course some parents will also just take them out of school the few days before Thanksgiving.

[taglovestocruise]

1500 + kids on summer and holiday cruises on Oasis class. Did a 14 night TA on Symphony and there were 12 kids under 16yo.

[shippmates]

We would sail the longer cruises at Thanksgiving on the Grandeur.  Not many kids, now the Thanksgiving cruises are only 7 days and lots of kids.  We no longer sail this week.

 

[tlund]

Just curious.  Do most of the families with kids get off at the ports to do something on these holiday cruises?  Since we've been to most of the ports multiple times, I would consider staying on the ship while most of the people were off the ship if that means less crowds.

[MightyMike]

We were on Symphony of the Seas spring break. Oasis class ships have such a variety of things to do that I honestly don't think it will be a problem. I assume there were long lines at the flowriders, rock-climbing walls and waterslides--but I don't know for sure because we were rarely near those things. The Solarium was still pretty much empty evenings--plenty of room in the hot tubs. Entertainment (Studio B, Royal Theater, Aquatheater) always had empty seats (albeit not prime seats). Kids were all over the place at embarkation and Coco Cay, and the buffet was sometimes busy, but other than that, we really didn't cross paths much.

[OCSC Mike]

9 minutes ago, tlund said:

Just curious.  Do most of the families with kids get off at the ports to do something on these holiday cruises?  Since we've been to most of the ports multiple times, I would consider staying on the ship while most of the people were off the ship if that means less crowds.

 

Speaking for the summer cruises that are full of kids, yes, the ship is wonderfully quiet on port days. We stay on the ship (or maybe just get off to walk the port and shop for an hour) in several ports. There's actually a long ongoing thread about this topic.

[Cigar King]

We have sailed many times on Thanksgiving.  Sure. there are plenty of kids aboard, but we get to take a week and only have to burn 3 vacation days.  It's a trade off that works for us.

[topnole]

4 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

1500 + kids on summer and holiday cruises on Oasis class. Did a 14 night TA on Symphony and there were 12 kids under 16yo.

I’ve been on a few transatlantics and all had very few kids.  I found it sad in a way.  It’s fun to see kids having fun being kids.  I felt this way before ever having my own children.  They are the life blood of our future and to me a form of constant entertainment.  Granted, those misbehaving at an alarming level are another thing, but that is rare and I typically see more adults misbehaving than kids.  

[ARandomTraveler]

7 hours ago, tlund said:

We've sailed a lot, but we typically do not sail when the kids are out of school.  I have been trying to get friends of ours to go on a cruise and they have finally agreed, HOWEVER the only time they can go is Thanksgiving week.  They are sailing with or without us on the Symphony.  I'm trying to decide if we should go along, considering we typically don't sail when there will be a lot of kids on board.  Would love to hear some opinions from people who have sailed during that week.  Trying to figure out if I will be aggravated all week when there are a ton of kids running wild and we can't find a pool chair/seat anywhere and can't get reservations for anything.  I'd love to go along with these friends but I want it to be an enjoyable trip.

I'll be traveling on the Symphony Thanksgiving week too, for the same reason, (it's the only time my kid and I can coordinate our schedules). But my kid is 20.
 

I'd rather sail a non-holiday week due to the crowds (and the small children, and the cheaper prices), but I'm excited to not have to cook Thanksgiving dinner this year, and my other option was to not go at all.

 

I've sailed during summertime twice, and I've done a spring break cruise, and while there are more children, the bigger issue is that people are sailing together in larger groups than normal, and they can often take up more seating in some of the eating and show areas. But it's not that bad. I wouldn't be too worried about it. Just be glad you can enjoy your vacation and you're not responsible for those tiny, energy draining humans 😉.

[loman]

If you think its going to be an issue , dont go . 

Your friends will still be around later, whether you go or not. 

Why go, if you are having negative  thoughts of having a bad time even before you get there. 

Take a cruise when its convenient for you , not for your friends.