When Does Thanksgiving Vacation Begin

[TravelGal22]

I'm thinking of booking a cruise around Nov. of 2013 and we want to book when school is in session. Does Thanksgiving vacation usually start the beginning of the week during the week of Thanksgiving or more towards the middle of the week?

[Redsfan]

Thursday November 28th in the U.S. in 2013...always falls on a Thursday. Dunno much about the Canadian and I am Canadian !

[emelvee]

Our daughter (6th grade) has off Wed. 11/21 through Fri 11/23 this year, so probably the same (Wed 11/27 through Fri 11/29) next year.

[fla2nc]

Schools are out usually 1/2 day on Tues & all day Wed...I ask for any schoolwork my son might miss & we leave on the Sat before Thanksgiving (this Saturday on the Dream! :D ) & return the following Sat. Looking at the Western itinerary on the Dream for Thanksgiving 2013! :D For me, taking 3 days vacation & being off 9 days is a real treat!

 

P.S. If you want to see the Christmas decorations, then cruise after Thanksgiving in early or mid December if that time frame fits with your plans!

[scottsgal]

A lot of the school districts in the suburbs of Chicago near us have off the whole week of Thanksgiving - we usually cruise that week because it works for everyone's schedules. Thanksgiving cruises have tons of kids on them and lots of extended families - we enjoy cruising that week.

[chapel29]

Well we just got off the Sensation that sailed from Nov 4 to the 8th and there were lots of kids still on board at that time. Way more than I thought there would have been for it being during school time.

 

Although it was pretty entertaining to watch the parents play "see how many kids we can stuff into a hot tub game."

[okgirl]

If you want school to be in session, then book any Sunday departing ship on November 3rd, 10th or 17th or any Saturday departing ship on November 2nd, 9th or 16th.

[m-of-connor]

We have the whole week off. DFW Texas. Not all scholl districts in Texas do this but I know of a lot that do.

[Anthomaniac]

Lots of school districts - especially urban school district have the whole week of thanksgiving off.

[LHP]

Oddly enough, I have been told that Thanksgiving has record number of kids...rivaling any summer week...just FYI...

[KPGirl]

Kids in Canada only get one day, not really a "thanksgiving vacation".

[big_duck]

Canadian TG is in October, so it isn't relevant to the discussion.

 

To figure out which are the "Thanksging cruises", look for the most expensive November cruises.

[live.love.cruise]

Our kids are out all week. We look forward to cruising with family/kids during this time....already have '13 booked!

[Brenna's Mom1]

From past experience I must say that "family friendly" cruise lines have kids pretty much every week of the year...a lot of school districts do have year round school so vacations vary, spring break varies, college breaks vary depending on their semester system. And if the kiddies happen to be less than the "old" folks like me tend to multiply and we can be just as annoying as the little ones. And don't forget that large groups often book and you may get stuck with them, and some big corporations do special family cruises as bonuses for their employees and these don't always fall during traditional break periods.

 

Trying to book a cruise and gambling on the week you will have less kiddies, or old folks, or groups, or whatever is just that...a gamble.

 

By the way I hope I haven't put words into the OPs mouth but wanting to book "when school is in session" I interpret as not being to fond of traveling with kids.

[kjunea]

Well we just got off the Sensation that sailed from Nov 4 to the 8th and there were lots of kids still on board at that time. Way more than I thought there would have been for it being during school time.

 

Although it was pretty entertaining to watch the parents play "see how many kids we can stuff into a hot tub game."

 

When I worked at Disney, the first week in November was always called "Jersey week". When I asked why, they said most school systems in New Jersey have off all or part of that week for Teacher meetings or something and everyone comes down to Florida.

 

When I moved to the Gatlinburg area of East Tennessee, they called it that too, for the same reason!

[isaiahsnana]

Most central Texas districts have the whole Thanksgiving week off.

[Tbay-eh]

Wow I want to move to the States - in Canada we only get the 2nd Monday in October off. I always check out when the holidays or breaks are in the States when I cruise - man, I have never seen such varied time off as Spring break - it can literally run for a month depending on where you are from. Thanksgiving is one time I avoid as there are so many kids - don't get me wrong - I love kids and have two of mine own but like it a little quieter when I cruise. I am dumb and thought you guys just got off the one day and the rest was vacation time you had to take. Point of interest here - Remembrance Day is no longer a day off as there were never any kids at the ceremonies

[KirkNC]

Not until the day before for me.

[teetee6263]

Wow in NYC & Long Island they only get the Thursday & Friday off, but I suspect a lot of parents pull them out for the whole week.

[luvtheships]

I'm thinking of booking a cruise around Nov. of 2013 and we want to book when school is in session. Does Thanksgiving vacation usually start the beginning of the week during the week of Thanksgiving or more towards the middle of the week?

It starts on Wednesday for high school and younger and many colleges... and on Tuesday for some other colleges...but I would venture to guess that it doesn't make any difference anyway because....

 

If a family is going to take a cruise of 7 days then they are going from the weekend before TG to the weekend after TG..and missing some days of school...

 

heck..it is a great week to take the kids and do a 3 4 or 5 day cruise as well..early in the week...late in the week...middle of the week....LOL

[luvtheships]

Most central Texas districts have the whole Thanksgiving week off.

NICE!!!!! wish we had that too.

[Alliezona09]

Here in Arizona my kids get the Thursday and Friday off~ but they get a week off in October~ you can usually tell which week by the price of the 7day cruise out of Galveston! It's always more $$ than the other weeks!

[luvtheships]

When I worked at Disney, the first week in November was always called "Jersey week". When I asked why, they said most school systems in New Jersey have off all or part of that week for Teacher meetings or something and everyone comes down to Florida.

 

When I moved to the Gatlinburg area of East Tennessee, they called it that too, for the same reason!

I bet it was quiet this year during Jersey week. Hurricaine Sandy must have derailed lots of plans that week for Disney. Sad

[ScottsSweetie]

In Georgia, lots of districts have the entire week off. :)

[MIZZ_K]

I believe here in Mass it's a half day on Wednesday, and then Thursday and Friday off, I no longer have school age children so Wednesday might have changed.