Am I crazy cruising over Spring Break?

[jiggs]

thanks for all the replies. It will be a decision to be made soon. Airfare to SJU will be for sale in a month or two. I would like to get out of dodge, I think my better half would like to explore beyond a ship after a dozen or so cruises...we will see. Another Valor trip out of SJU would be hard to pass up.

[superjuice]

Avoid Charleston for spring break cruises. Way too many colleges in close proximity to that town and rich parents sending kids away with no supervision. Was on Fantasy March 8/2014 on 7 day cruise and will not repeat that time frame again. Did not get one good nights rest in 7 days due to drunk noisy passengers on our main deck cabins starting at midnight and going to 3:30 till they finally passed out.

 

Cheers and college kids do not mix well.They can and will exceed 15 drinks a day.

 

Ship/staff/food/weather was great, but Carnival did not have enough security at night to ensure even a little bit of quiet, not even once.

 

Yet 3 years ago from Tampa on Inspiration 5 day spring break cruise was amazing. Yes a little noise after hours now and then but nothing like this year. Based on that experience we booked a 7 day from Charleston. Then we found out departure ports do matter.

 

So my advice is choose a Florida port like Tampa or Miami and go 7 days if you can.And bring earplugs in case.

[l2c4fun]

We just took our first spring break cruise - 8 days on the Breeze. A crew member told us that the 6 day before us had 1500 age 21 and under. Our 8 day had less than 500 age 21 and under. The largest age group on our cruise was 41-50.

 

We honestly didn't notice any more children than we did on our cruise in early May on the Triumph a few years ago.

 

It was rather humorous to listen to some people on the elevator complaining about all the children on our cruise and how they will never cruise over spring break again. I contemplated sharing the stats from the crew member but decided against it. ;)

Edited April 2, 2014 by l2c4fun

[OCruisers]

No not crazy at all to cruise over Spring Break! With children or teaching just go when you can and enjoy! :D

LuLu

~~~

[Jimmy Geegitz]

Yup.... Flights are outrageous too.

[dwaterhouse]

Wife and I made The Mistake once "NEVER AGAIN"

 

Hubby and I usually cruise the 1st of march, 7 or 8 day and have never had a problem, it was mostly college kids..... Great cruises!

 

We cruised this yr on 3/15 for 8 days, and the kids on the ship were horrible.

1100 kids under the age of 18.... These kids obviously did the normal stuff like pushing all the elevator buttons... But the rudeness, lack of manners and the running the cabin halls at 330 am was just over the top for me.

 

We will stick with early march and sept/ October when the kiddos are in school!

 

My soap box: just because you are on vacation, you shouldn't be on vacation from parenting your children.

[Shaded Lady]

I cruised during Spring Break once and given my preference, I'd never do it again. It was crowded sure, but we expected that. But the Lido deck on Sea days was like one of those Galapagos Island beaches completely covered with wildlife!

 

Impossible to get a seat, the buffet was crowded and they acted up a lot (the teens, not the little ones). But if my choice was deal with the crowds or never cruise again, I'd be saying make room for me on the Lido deck because I'm going on vacation! :D

[jiggs]

I cruised during Spring Break once and given my preference, I'd never do it again. It was crowded sure, but we expected that. But the Lido deck on Sea days was like one of those Galapagos Island beaches completely covered with wildlife!

 

Impossible to get a seat, the buffet was crowded and they acted up a lot (the teens, not the little ones). But if my choice was deal with the crowds or never cruise again, I'd be saying make room for me on the Lido deck because I'm going on vacation! :D

 

thats the beauty of leaving out of SJU if we go. There is only one sea day on that trip, the rest of the time will be in the beach.

 

And we're up early, like before 6 each morning, I guess I could just return the favor to the teens by letting a five year old run the halls singing 'what does the fox say' while the sun is coming up and they're sleeping off the previous night.

 

We will do something for the week, now its just a matter of what...but at least a cruise is not out of the question.

[gelo7]

Then I must be certifiable.

[nbsjcruiser]

Our kiddo starts school next year and we are limited on weeks for our cruise. We are normally early February cruisers. This isn't a debate on pulling a kid out of school, its a debate on how much more 'nutty' is a ship over spring break? For the record, our spring break is the last full week of March.

 

On our last sailing we mentioned spring break to our waiter and he said if he could pick a vacation week that would be what he chose. He just said kids were everywhere. I just talked to someone fresh off another ship during the same time and said it wasn't noticeable.

 

With that being said, we're sailing with a kid so we would be one of them. I've sailed over Christmas and once over New Years and although busier, I wouldn't say it was awful.

 

I understand the carnival product and the carnival crowd. Is it better to head to a (primarily) flight only port like San Juan to avoid families packing up the Family Truckster and driving to the port?

 

Thanks!

 

On a larger ship for a 7 day cruise, then yea its a good time to go. We've done it several times. On a smaller ship on a 3 or 4 day cruise? No way. Stay away. It will be bogged down with college kids and you don't want to be anywhere near it.

[shark&minnow]

We went on a 7 day out of New Orleans over spring break a few years ago. There were a lot of college kids on the ship. I don't recall any more young kids than normal. The college kids were just fine. We don't tend to be late night partiers, so we didn't see any wild behavior and we weren't bothered by anyone on our floor, we slept fine, etc. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again if that's what worked for our schedule.

[Overwhelming]

We just returned from a 7 day spring break cruise. We ranged in age from 54-21 and traveled with two college students. There were more younger children with families than college students. We had a great time, no problems. No noise in the hallways, rude behavior, or overly intoxicated young adults. The only thing I did notice was several times when we got on the elevator all the buttons were pushed. No biggie, sometimes we just took the stairs. One way to work off all that food!

[pepperfeet]

I just got of the Liberty last Saturday. There were 1200 kids 18 and under on the ship. Would not pick that week again. Too many parents just let their kids just go on their own. I,m talking 10 and under running, pushing buttons on the elevators, ect. you know what I mean. Brats.

[porcupyn]

Now that I have a school-age kiddo, I've sort of accepted that life runs by her school schedule now. Places will be more crowded, kids will be plentiful. Such is life.

... and I like it that way. It is fun watching them have fun, and do the things that you are probably too old and/or big to be able to do. I don't think I can execute a somersault when tossed off the shoulder of my friend; nor can I do a cannon-ball without displacing half the water in the pool (ok, I am exaggerating a bit here but you get the point) ;-)

[near the beach]

We were on the Freedom for an eight days spring break cruise last week. The cruise didn’t seem any different for any other cruise we have taken in regards to crowds, children and other adults acting like children.

[Freedom2014]

Spring break for kids is way different than spring break for college students. Lol! College students are much louder and more out of control than kids simply going with their families for spring break.

[jp30338]

My last Canival cruise was apparently during LSU's spring break and we took a cruise out of NOLA since it was incredibly cheap. $200pp something like that for the western caribbean.

 

It was a like a frat house party!! Never again.... I didnt mind one of the lovely college girls doing a CANNONBALL into the hottub on a dare and sitting on my g/f's lap, though :D

[porcupyn]

My last Canival cruise was apparently during LSU's spring break and we took a cruise out of NOLA since it was incredibly cheap. $200pp something like that for the western caribbean.

 

It was a like a frat house party!! Never again.... I didnt mind one of the lovely college girls doing a CANNONBALL into the hottub on a dare and sitting on my g/f's lap, though :D

 

Wow! $200 pp is too good for a Western Caribbean itinerary - I would even stay in the room and venture out only for food and shore excursions! ;-)

[Caribbeanqueen03]

We have had more issues with the parents of smaller kids letting them go free without any supervision. My husband had to tell an 8 year old little girl to get out of his lap in the hot tub one evening. No, she was not mistaking him for a family member, as the kids, about 7 of them were going between pools and jacuzzis playing and my hubby and I were the only others out on deck.she just plopped herself in his lap like he was her father.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[res2cue]

We just sailed on the Liberty during spring break. There was noticeably more teenagers and children but we were not bothered at all by them. We would not hesitate to cruise during march break again.

 

We were worried about the college kids, they were having a good time for sure but never once offended us or took anything away from our vacation. I actually thought the college kids were pretty well behaved compared to what I was expecting

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Edited April 4, 2014 by res2cue

[sag1804]

Our kiddo starts school next year and we are limited on weeks for our cruise. We are normally early February cruisers. This isn't a debate on pulling a kid out of school, its a debate on how much more 'nutty' is a ship over spring break? For the record, our spring break is the last full week of March.

 

On our last sailing we mentioned spring break to our waiter and he said if he could pick a vacation week that would be what he chose. He just said kids were everywhere. I just talked to someone fresh off another ship during the same time and said it wasn't noticeable.

 

With that being said, we're sailing with a kid so we would be one of them. I've sailed over Christmas and once over New Years and although busier, I wouldn't say it was awful.

 

I understand the carnival product and the carnival crowd. Is it better to head to a (primarily) flight only port like San Juan to avoid families packing up the Family Truckster and driving to the port?

 

Thanks!

 

 

are you trying to avoid "KIDS" or spring breakers. Spring breakers are between March 1-23 every year...then comes the kids for the next month. Poor workers.

[justbreezing]

For what it's worth we sailed on the Breeze 6 day to Montego Bay, Cayman Islands and Cozumel Mexico. Kids in So Florida where I live had their spring break the week of our cruise. I took my six grandchildren on this one that sailed 3/23/14 - 3/29/14. We were told there were 1500 kids on our sailing. You would never know it. It was a wonderful cruise. We were never annoyed by children running wild. Our kids had a blast and so did all the adults in our party. We thought they would attend Camp Canaveral but after they saw all the things to do on this ship they never went to the camp. The colleges had spring break the week before this so although there were some teens on this cruise no drinking age college kids. That's what might make the difference. Check your dates before you book. You can google school calendars on the internet. Make sure your not in the college break zone and you'll be fine. Enjoy your cruise.

[CrystalBelle]

We have had more issues with the parents of smaller kids letting them go free without any supervision. My husband had to tell an 8 year old little girl to get out of his lap in the hot tub one evening. No, she was not mistaking him for a family member, as the kids, about 7 of them were going between pools and jacuzzis playing and my hubby and I were the only others out on deck.she just plopped herself in his lap like he was her father.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

eeek! that is odd. Why not go to the adult only hot tub?

 

On our cruise I will admit to the kids taking over the hot tubs on the lido deck but it was cold in the pool.... Each hot tub was full of about 10 kids, I'm not sure if it was "wrong" but they were going back and forth to the pool, etc. and to the slides. Was there no adult only deck?

[sag1804]

eeek! that is odd. Why not go to the adult only hot tub?

 

On our cruise I will admit to the kids taking over the hot tubs on the lido deck but it was cold in the pool.... Each hot tub was full of about 10 kids, I'm not sure if it was "wrong" but they were going back and forth to the pool, etc. and to the slides. Was there no adult only deck?

 

Seems that's the case every time I cruise and it's annoying. Nothing but little kids in the hot tub, everywhere..can't enjoy it at all!:mad:

[kellane]

We have taken a few "spring break" cruises and I definitely agree that the five day cruise was much more wild than the seven day cruise. While my friend and I did have an issue with a couple of college aged boys, what I was most surprised at was the number of parents who encouraged excessive under-aged drinking in their own children. :eek: