November or April cruising?

[palavra]

Hi,

 

We are brand new to cruising and would like to take a cruise during the next year with our 8 year old daughter. Since I am a teacher, we want to go on holiday breaks. Summer is just too expensive. So, our choices are Thanksgiving break (Nov. 20-28) or spring break (April 2-10th). We've found several cruises we like and the prices are not that much different between the two weeks. So, with everything else pretty much being equal, which month would you choose and why?

[cb at sea]

Spring...less chance of bad storms to redirect your itinerary! And it's NICE in the spring...the humidity isn't so bad!

[UKBayern]

Also depends on your destination. In some parts of the world it might be winter or cyclone season or whatever.

If you take a Caribbean cruise at spring break you might be confronted with out-of-control binge drinking youths (at least if I am to believe some of the reviews on Cruise Critic I've read).

[Essiesmom]

Hi,

 

We are brand new to cruising and would like to take a cruise during the next year with our 8 year old daughter. Since I am a teacher, we want to go on holiday breaks. Summer is just too expensive. So, our choices are Thanksgiving break (Nov. 20-28) or spring break (April 2-10th). We've found several cruises we like and the prices are not that much different between the two weeks. So, with everything else pretty much being equal, which month would you choose and why?

Well, first it depends on how long you want to wait for this vacation!

If you going to the Caribbean or Bahamas, in Nov. the water will not have cooled down so much that swimming is not comfortable. If you go in April, the water may not have warmed up enough to make swimming as much fun. Book an inside cabin and go both times...EM

[MamaParrotHead]

I've cruised both times of the year and weather is comparable.

[RoadTripFanatic]

If you toss out the Hurricane factor I personally love cruising over Thanksgiving. :) The crowd also seems a bit tamer than the spring break crowd.

[Heatherco]

I say BOTH!!!

[DALSAL]

If it can only be one, I vote November too...I dont ever cruise during Spring Break, because I dont have any spring breakers! And, too, it does depend on where you want to go. ..

[BESTOFTIMES]

Hi,

 

We are brand new to cruising and would like to take a cruise during the next year with our 8 year old daughter. Since I am a teacher, we want to go on holiday breaks. Summer is just too expensive. So, our choices are Thanksgiving break (Nov. 20-28) or spring break (April 2-10th). We've found several cruises we like and the prices are not that much different between the two weeks. So, with everything else pretty much being equal, which month would you choose and why?

 

 

I would say November. I have a 13 and 8 year old and I think April is just a crazy time of year with spring break. I am booked in November during Thanksgiving week and can't wait! Enjoy your trip!

[chipmaster]

Funny I can't recall pricing, but I'd think Summer being 3 months long versus the spring break and thanksgiving that pricing wouldn't be much cheaper and if anything more expensive given the amount of people trying to sequeezing into a couple short weeks versus 3 months to spread everyone.

 

That being said which week depends a lot on where you are going and if Thanksgiving or Springbreak holds some tradition. For us Thanksgiving is always family gathering so that doesn't work, but spring break I expect any carribean cruise if that is what you are doing to be wild in a good way of course :eek:

 

Hi,

 

We are brand new to cruising and would like to take a cruise during the next year with our 8 year old daughter. Since I am a teacher, we want to go on holiday breaks. Summer is just too expensive. So, our choices are Thanksgiving break (Nov. 20-28) or spring break (April 2-10th). We've found several cruises we like and the prices are not that much different between the two weeks. So, with everything else pretty much being equal, which month would you choose and why?

[Mack2]

I'll toss my hat in with the November crowd.

 

November is the tail end of Hurricane season... but really, that late in November the season is over. The crowd is tamer than the Spring Break time period. There will be enough kids on board the same age as your daughter, whereas there will be too many kids on board during Spring Break.

 

Our past 6 cruises, we've gone during the first week of November... in NJ, it's always the NJEA Teacher's Convention in Atlantic City... so the kids get that Thursday and Friday off from school. Additionally, election day closes the school on that Tuesday. Our district gives two half days that week, some districts in Jersey just close down for the week.

 

Costs to cruise during that time period are really inexpensive compared to the costs the cruise lines post after President's Day... so you get the added bonus of saving a lot of money (to spend at the Islands)

 

Spring Break cruises tend to have a lot of college aged kids enjoying their Spring Break. From what I've read on the boards, they are respectful but they are on the ship to party hard. Also, since it IS the Spring Break period.. the ships tend to have large mobs of people (as opposed to small mobs of people).

 

I suggest November since it tends to be less crowded and less expensive during that time period.

[crusinmama06]

I'm with the November crowd too! :D The Spring Break crowd add the colleges into the mix and that's never good. ;)

[topspot]

We have been cruising over Thanksgiving the past three years. The crowd tends to be families and extended families spending the holiday together.