Europe in Sept/Oct with kids

[jaykat]

We are planning a Mediterranean cruise for 2014, for end of September/beginning of October. That is when there are school holidays here in Australia.

 

I realise that in the US and Europe, there are not many kids on holidays.

Last year, at the same time of year, we had a great cruise on Carnival Breeze (12 nt Mediterranean) and while there were a few kids, there were not many.

 

This time, we are thinking about Royal Caribbean Liberty OTS, NCL Epic, NCL Jade or maybe Regal Princess.

 

Any suggestions about which might attract higher numbers of kids? Our kids will be 12 and 15 at the time.

[cruiserking]

In the US kids go back to school in September so you are unlikely to find many on cruises during that time period. But, Royal Caribbean would be your best bet I think.

 

Jonathan

[taglovestocruise]

From the ships you listed rci would have the most kids. We did rci Mariner of the seas last nov 2 and had a total of 6 kids under 16. happy cruising

[Keith1010]

There will be very few children this time of year.

 

Keith

[jocap]

European children holiday around the end of July to the beginning of Sept. In the UK there are now very strict rules about a child missing school, so it's doubtful there will be UK or many European ones on board. Sorry.:(

[Lerin]

Go with RCI or NCL, but either way I doubt you will find more than 50 children. And of those I'd predict around 40 will be under the age of 6.

[spookwife]

 

 

Any suggestions about which might attract higher numbers of kids? Our kids will be 12 and 15 at the time.

 

 

any cruise that is longer than a week will have fewer kids, no matter when it is. or where it goes. we just got off an 8 day cruise that had 7 kids on board.. most of whom were pre school aged.

[jlajr]

The bigger ships - Epic and Liberty OTS - might have more kids onboard, simply because more passengers overall can sail on them.

[puschi1906]

In Germany there is a 1 or 2 weeks school break in October (depends on what part of Germany). Don't know about other countries.

[Cruisin' Chick]

European children holiday around the end of July to the beginning of Sept. In the UK there are now very strict rules about a child missing school, so it's doubtful there will be UK or many European ones on board. Sorry.:(

 

It's like that here in the states too. Our local school district (which is the second largest in the country) requests parents to schedule vacation times when there are breaks (which for Los Angeles are now between early June and mid-August, the last two weeks of December/first week of January, and the week leading up to Easter). The schools get a daily amount per student in attendance from the state of California. So if a family takes off a week during the time school is in attendance, the school and school district loses money. Of course, it would be nice if the schools stopped assigning work during breaks, but that's another matter.

 

The exception here would be homeschooled kids. Parents can basically set up their own vacations, unless they're connected to a specific program.

 

So if trying to see if there would be a significant number of kids on a ship, one needs to do some research and find out what countries are usually represented in that itinerary, and when their school vacations fall. It's probably a safe bet if you go on a cruise out of an US port during the times I listed above, and it's not a line such as Oceania or Regent that do not cater to families...you'll have kids on board. Even during the two week cruises.

[jocap]

In Germany there is a 1 or 2 weeks school break in October (depends on what part of Germany). Don't know about other countries.

In the UK, apart from Scotland, it's 5 weeks in summer, then a week starting from the 3rd Saturday in October. This often coincides with a P&O Transatlantic to the Caribbean plus a week on the islands, but now that parents will be fined if the child is absent for such a reason, there will be few children even on that cruise.

[SadieN]

Italy also takes a week off in mid-October.

 

***

The amount of kids onboard isn't the problem, it's the mix of kids onboard. Some of the best cruises our kids have had was when there were only a handful of kids in their age group or on the whole ship.