Carnival Liberty 10/31/09 or 11/14/2009?

[gracie65]

We always try to take two cruises a year, one with our son(now 9) & one without. With the economy as it is we're changing our routine to one & it will be with our son included. I'm a photographer at a touristy beach area & the summer months are the only months I make real money so the summer travel months are out. We normally go the last week of August (with son) & during Superbowl without son which is also our Anniversary week. Would rather go in the Fall but concerned if there will be enough kids at the camp. Would you think 10/31 during Halloween or 11/14 would be the week with the most kids? I have looked at the school calendar the last 3 years & neither of these weeks have ever had any of the standardized testing etc. during those weeks. Our son is in honors so the rest of the work would be easy to take with us to make up. Pretty much narrowed the ship down to The Carnival Liberty. Any imput regarding these two weeks would be appreciated.

[gracie65]

Anyone?

[kjunea]

Well, as a teacher, I would talk with the principal of your son's school. I know here in Tennessee, we already have a tentative testing schedule for next year available to us.

 

Have you thought about Thanksgiving week? There will probably be lots of kids that week.

 

Most schools around here have their fall break during the middle of October, and lots of my kids go on cruises with their parents then, not end of October.

 

Hope that helps a little!

[farmerjohn]

We were on the Carnival Liberty during the first week of December in 2007. We did not have our children with us but ended up speaking with the director of the children's program in the elevator. She said they had over 200 kids on that cruise. She indicated it went to over 800 during holidays and summer.

[gracie65]

Well, as a teacher, I would talk with the principal of your son's school. I know here in Tennessee, we already have a tentative testing schedule for next year available to us.

 

Have you thought about Thanksgiving week? There will probably be lots of kids that week.

 

Most schools around here have their fall break during the middle of October, and lots of my kids go on cruises with their parents then, not end of October.

 

Hope that helps a little!

 

As I stated in my OP I had already checked the Calendar & based my two dates that are weeks where no testing went on. I don't want to get into a discussion about to take a child out of school or not.

To take out or not is not the topic of this thread. I have also over the years scoured those threads & it's simply a decision a parent has to make based on their child.

We live in a touristy area & I am a beach photographer. All the weeks the kids are out of school are my prime times to make money. That is true for the summer, Thanksgiving & Christmas.

We have selected the 10/31 date. School is out on 10/30 which will be our travel date. Had we gone with the other date we would have had to pull him out of school early to allow for travel time.

[crusinmama06]

If he doesn't mind missing trick/treat at home, then I would travel during Halloween. Someone sent me pictures this past year from a Carnival ship during Halloween and there were lots of kids. They brought their costumes and had a Halloween party onboard in Camp Carnival.

 

I have those schedules from this past Halloween (thanks Danita!) All ages are there.

http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/cruisinmama06/Camp%20Carnival%20Capers/

 

Nov 14th wouldn't have as many kids. We did the week AFTER thanksgiving. My kids weren't the only ones, believe me. But it wasn't crawling with kids either...which was nice. :D

 

But if I had a choice and he didn't mind missing the events at home, then I would go for Halloween.

[gracie65]

If he doesn't mind missing trick/treat at home, then I would travel during Halloween. Someone sent me pictures this past year from a Carnival ship during Halloween and there were lots of kids. They brought their costumes and had a Halloween party onboard in Camp Carnival.

 

I have those schedules from this past Halloween (thanks Danita!) All ages are there.

http://s204.photobucket.com/albums/bb196/cruisinmama06/Camp%20Carnival%20Capers/

 

Nov 14th wouldn't have as many kids. We did the week AFTER thanksgiving. My kids weren't the only ones, believe me. But it wasn't crawling with kids either...which was nice. :D

 

But if I had a choice and he didn't mind missing the events at home, then I would go for Halloween.

 

Michelle, Thanks for the Halloween week of Capers. He will be almost 10 (B'day 11/9) when we cruise again. We I told him what I was planning he said "well I'm getting too old to trick or treat around the neighborhood anyway". He's now excited & already wants to get a Pirate costume.........wonder how many of those will be there (lots I'm sure).

He is also a big boy for his age 5"2 & weighing 130 pounds. Most people think he's about 11.

[crusinmama06]

Michelle, Thanks for the Halloween week of Capers. He will be almost 10 (B'day 11/9) when we cruise again. We I told him what I was planning he said "well I'm getting too old to trick or treat around the neighborhood anyway". He's now excited & already wants to get a Pirate costume.........wonder how many of those will be there (lots I'm sure).

He is also a big boy for his age 5"2 & weighing 130 pounds. Most people think he's about 11.

 

Well then there you go. :D I am glad he is excited about it.

Looking at the Caper, they have a "Family Halloween Bash" for his age group and "Trick or Treating" on the ship. Very cool! :D Have a great cruise!

[Julienatul]

We have sailed Carnival the week of Oct 13th for the last few years. Carnival starts their "trick or treating/Halloween parties" this week and it runs through Halloween week. They have kids dress up in their costumes and do a scavenger hunt trick or treat on the ship ending in a big party in the disco. Its alot of fun. While there arent as many kids as summer, there still are kids in every age group so your son would not be alone. Instead of having 30 kids in his age group, there may be 10. I would pick Halloween because I bet there will be even more then.