Spring Break question

[shipmate13]

I just booked the Allure of the Seas for March 22. Can someone tell me if I dodged spring break? I kind of looked at schedules for colleges and high schools and it looked like the one I scheduled is in between spring break and Easter so I hope I am right.

Edited September 16, 2014 by shipmate13
forgot to add Easter holiday

[Clarea]

I'm guessing there will still be a significant number of Spring Break guests on March 22.

[reallyitsmema]

I just booked the Allure of the Seas for March 22. Can someone tell me if I dodged spring break? I kind of looked at schedules for colleges and high schools and it looked like the one I scheduled is in between spring break and Easter so I hope I am right.

 

I just checked the website I use to see spring break numbers and there are approximately 900,000 students on spring break the week you sail. The prior two weeks are over 2 million and over 3 million students out on spring break so you are at the tail end of the peak season for college spring break.

 

I would link the site for you but it is a TA site and against CC TOS. Google spring break, lots of sites (mostly TA sites) that have lists of all the schools on break.

[voyager70]

Always a lot of spring breakers any week in March & early April.

[Bobal]

We sailed on Allure on 2 March sailing this year (presumably peak spring break time) and can honestly say we weren't affected by Spring breakers. Perhaps that's because we didn't go to the same places they did but I think that's the joy of the Oasis class - there are plenty of places to suit everyone. :)

 

We saw one group making liberal use of rum runners, having hogged a whole load of loungers one day and then my husband said he saw them later in the Solarium clearly the worse for wear but that was our only experience and didn't impact on our cruise.

[shipmate13]

Ouch, I understand it is a huge ship and it will be full but I am hoping for an enjoyable time and not being overrun by spring breakers. Hopefully they will all head to a beach instead. Nothing against college students before someone thinks I am anti children but I have had some really bad experiences on previous cruises during spring break and this is the only time I can schedule or I would change it. No matter what I will make the best of it.

[TheInnocentAge]

I just booked the Allure of the Seas for March 22. Can someone tell me if I dodged spring break? I kind of looked at schedules for colleges and high schools and it looked like the one I scheduled is in between spring break and Easter so I hope I am right.

 

Shipmate13,

 

Living here in Florida in a town that is a popular destination for spring breakers, I can tell you that the crowds exist from early March through about mid-April. Different schools have their breaks at different times, and it seems like most are during that six-week period. Broward County (Fort Lauderdale / Port Everglades) schools have their 2015 spring break from March 21st to March 29th.

[fumbalah]

This has been said somewhat already, but working at a college I can speak to this. Colleges tend to stagger their spring breaks all throughout the month of march, so that not every school will be out at once within a certain area. So you will probably see plenty of SBers

[cb at sea]

All of March, April and May will have "spring breakers"...mainly families, since most college aged kids can't cruise alone on RCI until they are 25.

[mark290]

I don't think Allure will be ground zero for college Spring breakers. Younger kids yes but I don't think you will see much in the way of beer pong.

[TheInnocentAge]

All of March, April and May will have "spring breakers"...mainly families, since most college aged kids can't cruise alone on RCI until they are 25.

 

RCI allows 21 year-olds to cruise alone.

[orville99]

One of our favorite spring break cruise pastimes is standing on our balcony watching the "march of the drunken breakers" back to the ship at the end of a port stop:D

[Kkross]

We were staying at "sandals" one year during spring break time. A cruise line had an excursion to that resort. A few the kids were in a contest or 2 and own bottles of rum. And decided to chug prior to returning to the ship (since they wouldn't have been able to enjoy it there anyway). Let's just say it didn't end well for at least 2 of them. One of them blew chunks in the buffet line (at least it was outdoors) and the other lost it right where the tide rolled in. Oh the college years! Lol

[Russ Lomas]

I just booked the Allure of the Seas for March 22. Can someone tell me if I dodged spring break? I kind of looked at schedules for colleges and high schools and it looked like the one I scheduled is in between spring break and Easter so I hope I am right.

As a teacher, the March Break (or Spring Break time) is the only real option for my family to sail. Christmas/New Year's is too expensive for a family of 6 and it is already hot in the summer, so I like going in March.

 

We travel every March Break. You WILL encounter Spring Breakers the week you are sailing on the Allure (We travel the week prior to you on the Allure). That being said, I do not feel that you will see many of them. I feel the college spring breakers often book the cheapest cruise possible and then spend the money on the alcohol and other items. Also, they often choose a shorter cruise, like a 3-5 day cruise.

 

We encountered many more college breakers on the shorter and cheaper cruises we have done at this time. I was shocked to see how few of them were on our Oasis sailing 2 years ago on the March Break. The price for this class of ship is often double what other cruises for the same length of time cost. I think many of them pick up the $300 cruise and drop a $1000 on booze (have seen this on others - NCL out of NYC was the worst for this, 5 day on the Liberty of the Seas had a lot of this, anything with Carnival...is probably a given due to their lower cruise pricing).

 

You will see lots of families who are on their March Breaks and a fair number of older clients (just a bit older, but not like on Holland America) compared to what you normally find.

 

My advice...don't sweat it. I do not think they will impact your cruise in the slightest on the Allure that week.

[Cigar King]

I just checked our academic calendar. Spring break is from March 20th, through the 29th. If Spring Break is a deal killer, you may want to change.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[newbiecruiser09]

Easter is APril 4th this coming year. Many ES/HS breaks are either the week before or the week after Easter. Not to say there will no be college spring breakers cruising your week but my guess is "tome" won't pay the Allure prices (unless mom & dad are footing the bill) and will opt for the shorter cheaper cruises. Allure should be big enough for you to enjoy yourself even with larger crowds. Wish I was going too :)

[link99]

Count on 2200 to 2400 kids.Their were 2300 on our Allure Spring Break Cruise. Lots of middle school and high school kids.

 

 

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[9876]

DD went on a Norwegian ship once for college spring break. There were a variety of groups on board. Three college spring break groups, one Cougar Group, and one Bear Group. I must say I felt sorry for the random families on board. If those walls could talk I bet they had stories from that sailing. They seriously pretty much emptied the bars of alcohol. DD has pictures; it was like nothing I have ever seen. It was one of their smaller older ships leaving out of New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Just the perfect storm. The trick with cruising (or any vacation) is you never know exactly who is going to be there. Now, I don't think you will find this on Allure and I think this was an anomaly. I am sure there will be Spring Breakers of all ages but that ship is so big it will be hard for any group to take it over. Have fun!

Edited September 17, 2014 by 9876

[jamesr3939]

Spring break is spread over several weeks. We are sailing the Oasis the week prior to you, because two couples we sail with are both teachers and that's their spring break week in California. In 2013, we did Mariner for spring break and while it was crowded it wasn't out of control. However, I think it was the week prior to the majority of spring breakers as we sailed from Galveston and it was dead the two days before we left.

[matj2000]

Make sure you bring your own "Beer Bong"...

[shipmate13]

Thank you everyone for all your feedback, even to those of you who checked schedules before responding, that was kind. I am certainly going ahead with plans as this is the only time I can go. I believe it will be what I make of it. Looking forward to the vacation aboard the beautiful ship.

thanks again.....