Kids on cruises during school time

[vsmccutcheon]

Hi- I have an 8 year old and am considering a cruise that is not during a typical school break because it works best for me work-wise and price-wise (week of Mar 6th, Norweigan to Mexico). It would be very disappointing to her if there weren't other kids her age to play with... what can I expect during a week like this? I'm also a little concerned because it's pretty close to Easter break and I'm thinking a lot of families would wait for that week, making my week have even less kids?? Any advice would be super helpful! Thanks!

[cb at sea]

You won't be the only one taking their kids out of school...don't worry---there may not be tons of kids, but yours will NOT be the only ones!!!!! (Lots of "homeschooled" out there, too!)

[MNmomof4]

Some schools have their spring break then and there are always families who home school. Even when kids are suppose to be in school there seems to be plenty of children on board. I wouldn't worry about it.

[sbhdmh]

DH is a professor and that is a popular week for college students to go on spring break. Not sure about your specific sailing but I know sometimes fraternities and sororities do cruises for spring break. How would you feel about a bunch of college students on your sailing?

[highbridge5]

Places that have year-round school might have a couple weeks off at a time (or more) during any week of the year.

 

I am going next week during a mostly non vacation week and I know just from my CC roll call that there are a at least 6 kids going from our roll call and our roll call is only about 50 of the 1,900 people that are going to be on our ship. If the percentage holds up, there should be about 200 kids on my cruise.

 

Join the roll call here on cruise critic for that cruise and ask around or read the posts.

 

hb5

[vsmccutcheon]

Thanks everyone for all the great advice, I'm gonna go for it!

[tmitchell82]

We pulled DD from school back in Nov for our cruise on the Crown Princess. There were 27 kids 3-7 on the ship. Not a lot, but it was a good sized group and she readily made friends in the kids club and in the pool. I think you will get fewer kids while they are in school, but unless you are going on an exotic and longer cruise, there will be kids.

[VillaHappy]

I took my kids (ages 5 and 9 at the time) to Mexico via the Mariner last March - the same week you are looking at. There were other kids on the cruise, but it wasn't over-crowded with them. We found the March attendance in Adventure Ocean was about 1/2 of that in the summer months. HTH.

[Baxter]

I typically call the cruise line and ask how many kids they have on board. Gives us a heads up. We sailed the second week of December one year and there were 12 kids on board. Loved it! (Our daughter was a babe-in-arms at the time so we weren't looking for playmates)

[craftsnvines]

I went round and round with my teeanger this year, he didn't want to go because he is a senior and would fail the nine weeks. I bribed him and he had a great time!

Went to the dr and got a dr excues for the days missed, the school had to accept the excuse and he isn't failing the 9 weeks.

rules were made to be broken and I always take my kids on vacation during school. It's cheaper and not nearly as crowded full of tourists and little brats running around.

[6rugrats]

I went round and round with my teeanger this year, he didn't want to go because he is a senior and would fail the nine weeks. I bribed him and he had a great time!

Went to the dr and got a dr excues for the days missed, the school had to accept the excuse and he isn't failing the 9 weeks.

rules were made to be broken and I always take my kids on vacation during school. It's cheaper and not nearly as crowded full of tourists and little brats running around.

 

You got a doctor to lie for you? You "bribed" your child? Nice. With fewer children, was it only your "little brats" running around :)?

[Baxter]

I went round and round with my teeanger this year, he didn't want to go because he is a senior and would fail the nine weeks. I bribed him and he had a great time!

Went to the dr and got a dr excues for the days missed, the school had to accept the excuse and he isn't failing the 9 weeks.

rules were made to be broken and I always take my kids on vacation during school. It's cheaper and not nearly as crowded full of tourists and little brats running around.

 

Wow. How selfish.

[Essiesmom]

I went round and round with my teeanger this year, he didn't want to go because he is a senior and would fail the nine weeks. I bribed him and he had a great time!

Went to the dr and got a dr excues for the days missed, the school had to accept the excuse and he isn't failing the 9 weeks.

rules were made to be broken and I always take my kids on vacation during school. It's cheaper and not nearly as crowded full of tourists and little brats running around.

And, what GREAT lessons to teach your kids! EM

[malittlefoot971]

We are taking our 7yr old out of school for a week to go on a cruise. We ok'd it with the principal when the school year started and all we gotta do is let them know a few wks b4 we leave. I am sure ya make it a educational trip as well for them. Do what ya gotta do to make it educational. have them sit down at nites b4 bed an jot down what they did and then when you return they can take it to school with them along with some pics. just remember memories last a long time. and go for it!