Spring Break Cruise

[1Honey12]

This will be my first SBC and I'm wanting the good, bad, and ugly from anyone who's been on a cruise during Spring Break.

 

My son requested a cruise for his 13th birthday and I reluctantly agreed.

I'm usually one of those "why do people bring their children on a cruise" :confused: type of person but being that he's 13, he's able to roam freely a bit more.

 

Also, are the pools on the ship closed due to temp.?

I've only cruised during May, June, and July. I'm used to seeing tons of people in and around the pool as soon as I board.

 

Cruising from Galveston FYI

[Lovefuninthesun]

We did a spring break cruise several years ago with our daughter, who was then 15 or 16.

We had a good time, but everything was very crowded and tons of kids, as you might imagine.

The pools all were open -- the weather was hot, but we sailed out of Miami.

[tkportersat]

Definitely more kids and more crowded feeling, although we have always had fun on our SB cruises as a family. We have never seen anyone get any more out of hand during this time. He will have more people to make friends with on the ship. Pools will definitely be open, all but one of our cruises has been out of Galveston. It might be chilly leaving TX but will get warmer as the cruise progresses.

 

 

This will be my first SBC and I'm wanting the good, bad, and ugly from anyone who's been on a cruise during Spring Break.

 

My son requested a cruise for his 13th birthday and I reluctantly agreed.

I'm usually one of those "why do people bring their children on a cruise" :confused: type of person but being that he's 13, he's able to roam freely a bit more.

 

Also, are the pools on the ship closed due to temp.?

I've only cruised during May, June, and July. I'm used to seeing tons of people in and around the pool as soon as I board.

 

Cruising from Galveston FYI

Edited September 29, 2014 by tkportersat

[asalligo]

In my opinion Spring Break cruises can be fine. It depends on many factors though. A 3 or 4 day spring break cruise out of Florida will be a hard partying boat, but a 7 day or better cruise out of any port will be much more tame. Take the Pride for instance out of Baltimore and you would have no problem over spring break.

[near the beach]

We have been on many spring break cruises. They were no more crowded than our cruises any other time of the year. We have found the weather in March good for cruising.

We are doing another spring break cruise next March.

Have a fun cruise.

[missa03319]

We are going on a spring break cruise out of Galveston as well but since its a 7 day, I think it should be just fine. I am more nervous about leaving out of Galveston than the cruise itself. We normally cruise out of one of the ports in Florida

[Kd_chocolate]

We sailed on a SBC years ago out of New Orleans and had a wonderful time! The weather was gorgeous and the pools were open. I don't think it was more crowded than usual. Or maybe since we didn't have any major issues, I couldn't tell...lol! You'll have a ball!

[txlonghorn]

This will be my first spring break cruise and first time bringing my son (7 yo). I cruised in Feb this year out of Galveston on the Triumph (Super Bowl cruise) and there were lots of people around the pool when we left and at sea. It got cold as we returned though but I actually spent most of our last sea day in the hot tub on the cool misty day. I'm looking forward to a March cruise! I'm going on the Freedom this time.

[Shipbound]

I've cruised during March many times and the Weather was great but the little darlings will be all over the ship. In April spring break is big during Easter week, the week before and the week after for High School kids. Have Fun!!!!!

 

Gary

[latitude918]

I'm usually one of those "why do people bring their children on a cruise" type of person

 

The wife-to-be and I mainly cruise when school is in session, and I am often times left wondering, -shouldn't those kids be in school

 

Now to answering your question...You're likely to find everything from college aged kids drinking til they puke to diamonds enjoying their 12th free cruise of the year.

 

At 13 I'm sure he'll be fine. I've noticed kids seem to group together in packs during cruises.

[JulieMcCoy]

My upcoming cruise is the first one that has NOT been during spring break! I enjoyed all of them. Things were quite lively! I did get the opportunity to point out to my teenage daughter the importance of drinking responsibly when she is old enough, as we passed a college-age girl throwing up in an alley outside Senor Frog's.

 

One recommendation: Be very careful about washing your hands frequently. As I was washing my own hands in the public restrooms, I frequently noticed particularly drunk women skipping the hand-washing part of a trip to the bathroom.

[WendyVF]

You may need to define Spring Break. It can span several weeks depending on school schedules in different parts of the country. In our area Spring Break is always Easter week. We've sailed during that time several times and have always had a great time. Easter week cruises will have significantly more children than you will encounter at other times.

[lcgvol]

We have cruised during Spring Break for 7 years and have always had great weather and calm seas. There are plenty of kids your son's age but I have noticed fewer and fewer college age kids on the ship(all have been 7 day cruises).

[Shipbound]

We have cruised during Spring Break for 7 years and have always had great weather and calm seas. There are plenty of kids your son's age but I have noticed fewer and fewer college age kids on the ship(all have been 7 day cruises).

 

The reason that you notice fewer college kids is probably the affordability for a seven day cruise is a factor but they usually go on the 3,4,or 5 day cruises which will have lots of college kids on all the ships.

 

Gary

[Drazil65]

We have found that SB on a 7 day a little different than SB on a 4 or 5 day, all seem to have many more kids but the 7 day was not as noticeable I think. We have taken our son since he was a toddler and now at 12 is going on his first NYE cruise in about 6 weeks (this is his birthday cruise as well). We have always enjoyed cruising as a family so I think you will have a blast.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

Another thing to keep in mind is that pre-cruise hotels may be significantly more expensive during the typical SB time of year. My family sailed last year the week after Easter. While the ship did not seem that crowded, the hotel was very $$. I booked the flights on SW right after the dates were released so they were bearable..... but as the time got closer, the price of the flights continued to climb until they were sold-out.

 

So just a heads-up on the incidentals if you will be flying in and/or needing a pre-cruise hotel.

 

 

.

[Shipbound]

Another thing to keep in mind is that pre-cruise hotels may be significantly more expensive during the typical SB time of year. My family sailed last year the week after Easter. While the ship did not seem that crowded, the hotel was very $$. I booked the flights on SW right after the dates were released so they were bearable..... but as the time got closer, the price of the flights continued to climb until they were sold-out.

 

So just a heads-up on the incidentals if you will be flying in and/or needing a pre-cruise hotel.

 

 

.

 

You are right about the Hotels especially during March. The hotels costs during April are less. I am staying at the Clay Hotel April 24, 15 which is the day before my April 25, 15 cruise on the Glory. The price for that one night was about $50.00 less than in March. My air was $286.00 on JetBlue and SW was $319.00 from BDL to FLL.

 

Gary

Edited November 15, 2014 by Shipbound

[familycruzr]

Make sure your son goes to Circle C on the first night. We cruised with friends when our daughters were 13 and 15. Their daughters did not want to go to the teen clubs, so my daughters were not going to go. My girls have always loved the kids programs and prior to this were looking forward to going. I told them they had to go the first night, but they did not have to go back if they did not want to. Since my girls had to go, their friends decided to go with them. The younger 2 were in circle 2 and they older 2 were in club O2. They loved it and when we cruised together again 2 years later their girls could not wait to get to club O2.

 

The first night is key because everyone is new that first night. That seems to be when they find the new friends that they meet up with for the rest of the week.

Edited November 15, 2014 by familycruzr

[cruisexlife]

Just went and finalizing our 2015 Spring Break cruise while onboard the GLory for Thanksgiving Break.

 

Our son was 13 at the time, Carnival Freedom, 6 days. He's always been allowed to roam the ship, and he take him on every cruise.

 

There are lots of kids, but a lot of older kids between 16-25 as well. College kids love Jamaica without their parents :D.

 

But the crew knows it's an important time of year and they make ti special. The clubs are more involved and there are more kids. He should have friends before falling asleep the first night, and he will usually roam with them, which is less strssful knowing he's not alone.

 

You'll have a blast, enjoy it!

[cruisecraze96]

I took my kids on their first cruise on the Dream this past March for spring break. I was very surprised at how well it turned out, there were tons of kids for both my 11 year old and 4 year old to hang out and have fun with. My 4 year old did not want to leave the camp and ended up eating dinner there every night. They both had fun on the slides and pool and then they really enjoyed the ports. Even though we were sailing a on a full ship, and one of the larger ones, it never seemed that crowded.

 

I was going to do it again next Spring Break but didn't book airfare in time so we are going to wait until the following year. It was one of the best spring break trips we have done.

[sewingmolly]

I have just booked my 4th spring break cruise out of Galveston, first with Carnival. On my three previous cruises, we had great weather on two of them - high 70s leaving Galveston and warming up as we went south. On the last cruise, we weren't lucky with the weather. It was low 60s and drizzling when we left Galveston and the front traveled south with us. We finally got ahead of the front for a nice day in Belize, but then we turned north and went back through it. It really never seemed warm enough for a beach day on that cruise; however I'm a native Texan and was raised by a mother who thought it need to be over 90 before it was warm enough to swim. Those cruises were the 3rd week of March. This year my cruise is the 2nd week of March and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for good weather. Either way, I've never seen the pools closed due to weather.

 

We've never had a problem with the kids. Yes, there's alot, but I've never seen any bad behavior. Leaving from Galveston in March, the ships are all full of Texas families on spring break, lots of multi-generational groups. It's another reason to hope for good weather. With the ship so full, people need to be using the outside areas or it really seems crowded.

[crusnbee]

Going on second SB cruise next April. It is just too hard to pull kids from school as they get older....

 

There are definitely more kids on these cruises, but I have never seen any different behaviors from anyone at any other point....

 

CJ