How bad can Spring Break be?

[LPYRCRUISER]

One year DH and I did a 4 day out of Pt Canaveral, during spring break. In the next cabin, we discovered, as we were preparing for bed, were 4 college aged men. I think they had just finished late dining and were planning their next activities.

We were nervous as we could plainly hear their plans. I was sure they would wake us up in the night.

Never happened..... I don't know what time they made it back to their cabin, but we never heard them any of the nights.

we have seen foolish behavior on most all of our cruises, not just the ones taken during spring break.

[jamesr3939]

We have done two SB cruises due to traveling companions being educators. One was on Dream out of Galveston and the other was on Oasis out of FLL.

 

Never had an issue and I would do it again. However, what has been mentioned about the shorter vs longer cruises is dead on. I wouldn't do a 3-4 day cruise over SB.

 

We also did a land trip to Mexico during SB and the all inclusive resort next door to us was a zoo. Fun to watch from afar, glad I wasn't staying there.

 

Mexico drinking age 18 vs cruise ship 21 and threat of legal trouble (deep pockets) if something happens, you decide?

 

It seemed to me the embarkation inspections were much more in depth on the SB cruises than any of our other trips.

[Tink1987]

Thanks so much for your help everyone - really great informative responses. I was more concerned about the older college kids with being louder and drunk. I now know it's nothing to worry about. I'm used to lots of kids as we go to Disney parks a lot and have done Disney cruises. Thanks again!

[elainmir]

We did the Glory in 2015 and it was fine..I actually had some pretty cool conversations with some of the frat boys! Smart kids and polite also. And this year hubby and did the Paradise and it was fine. I tell you honestly I have more issue with younger kids who leave trash and ice cream cones in the hot tubs, whose parents are NOT watching them or correcting their behavior. They use the cabin as a gymnasium. I'd rather have a kid free cruise than a college kiddo free one!

[tallnthensome]

Hi all,

 

I am looking at the March 25th Vista Southern Carribean cruise as part of my 30th birthday celebrations.

 

I've read certain things about Spring Breakers on Carnival and just wanted to get others opinions please. Would you avoid this cruise? I've tried looking at college calendars and seeing as Easter is a little later next year some spring breaks seem to be a little later compared to previous years I've seen.

 

It would just be my husband and I and I've already admitted my age up there :) . We like a few drinks on the evening but don't want unruly college kids taking over the pool, the whole cannonball competitions etc.

 

Really hope I haven't offended anyone with those comments - just wanted to get honest opinions. Thanks everyone! :)

You're fooling yourself. On a Carnival cruise on spring break is the last place and time I would book a cruise.

[simplelife]

Stick with 7 day or longer.

 

 

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[berrieh]

At that time and length, the "spring break" traffic is way more likely to be families with kids. I am a teacher and thus cannot get away from families with kids, but they aren't too bad to be honest. I've never been on a cruise less than 7 days and often at peak times, including my school SB (which here is always March, to be fair, but I've been on April cruises as a kid when I was off from school, with my parents) as a 30 something adult and it didn't feel like there were tons younger than me. Lots of families though.

 

I think the college kids, if they cruise to party, stick to shorter cruises. I've only seen college kids traveling with their families (parents, siblings) that I recall (I'm sure there were a few errant ones on board, I go on the larger ships and don't interview everyone, lol, but in terms of what I notice!) and never noticed it to be any more boozy than any other Carnival cruise.

 

Carnival does have a semi-party atmosphere (very PG though except for the few adult entertainment events which are marked and we enjoy anyway though we are not "party people") with mixed drink competitions, the pool activities, etc. it's not quiet and serene all around but we like that, of course. But I don't think you'll experience massive issues with it feeling like you're stuck in a floating frat house unless you go for short cruises maybe.

[easyboy]

We usually avoid short cruises on spring break.

[SadieN]

You're fooling yourself. On a Carnival cruise on spring break is the last place and time I would book a cruise.

 

We've sailed almost twenty 3/4 cruises out of Long Beach/San Pedro. All times of year, including Spring Break.

 

Our wildest 3day cruise was on Princess.

 

 

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[riclop]

Hi all,

 

I am looking at the March 25th Vista Southern Carribean cruise as part of my 30th birthday celebrations.

 

I've read certain things about Spring Breakers on Carnival and just wanted to get others opinions please. Would you avoid this cruise? I've tried looking at college calendars and seeing as Easter is a little later next year some spring breaks seem to be a little later compared to previous years I've seen.

 

It would just be my husband and I and I've already admitted my age up there :) . We like a few drinks on the evening but don't want unruly college kids taking over the pool, the whole cannonball competitions etc.

 

Really hope I haven't offended anyone with those comments - just wanted to get honest opinions. Thanks everyone! :)

 

Yes especially on Carnival.

[boltnut55]

I've gone on 2 cruises during spring break and will never do it again (I did the 2nd one because I forgot how bad the first one was). The main reason is that there is SO much more people (therefore noise, lines, etc.) compared to other times of the year. And now I'm at a point when I can go at other times (child in college), so I have a choice.

 

I will say that I didn't see a lot of running around unruliness, just so much more people.

[Computer Nerd]

Hi all,

 

I am looking at the March 25th Vista Southern Carribean cruise as part of my 30th birthday celebrations.

 

I've read certain things about Spring Breakers on Carnival and just wanted to get others opinions please. Would you avoid this cruise? I've tried looking at college calendars and seeing as Easter is a little later next year some spring breaks seem to be a little later compared to previous years I've seen.

 

It would just be my husband and I and I've already admitted my age up there :) . We like a few drinks on the evening but don't want unruly college kids taking over the pool, the whole cannonball competitions etc.

 

Really hope I haven't offended anyone with those comments - just wanted to get honest opinions. Thanks everyone! :)

 

i know for a fact that will be a great 8 night cruise cruise......because i'm on it. :D

Edited August 14, 2016 by Computer Nerd

[AryMay]

I know everyone's experiences are different, but to answer your question "How bad can Spring Break be?" I would have to answer emphatically...BAD.

 

If your cruise is longer than 7 days then I would "guess" that you will be OK, but thought I would share our experience just to point out that spring break cruises can turn out to be a disaster.

 

We did B2B cruises on the Glory during the first two weeks of March 2015. We booked during a sale and got unbelievable prices on both weeks for a guarantee inside cabin. The first week was $230/person and the second week was $250/person...and both weeks included a small amount of OBC as well.

 

The first week we didn't notice any difference in the amount of kids onboard...either young or college age. During the second week the amount of college kids skyrocketed and from the minute they boarded it was obvious they were there to party. I'm sure the low price was the draw to most.

 

They started drinking the minute they got onboard and by evening they were wild. At one point I counted 22 young adults in one of the hot tubs. The staff would tell them to get out and they would either ignore the request, or just move to a different hot tub or pool.

 

During the night one of the college students apparently leaned over his balcony railing to throw up and fell overboard. His friends didn't miss him till early morning...hours after he had fallen. (His fall was recorded on the ship's surveillance cameras.) By law, the ship had to turn around and sail back to the spot where he had gone overboard and do a search. Other ships in the area were called in to aid in the search, but the young man was never found. Because of the time this took, we had to skip Half Moon Cay.

 

In the future, we will be a little more selective if we choose to cruise during spring break. This past March we did an 11-day Hawaiian cruise on the NCL Pride of America and had no issues at all, but it was a much more expensive and longer cruise (which is most likely the case with your cruise.)

 

I hope you go and have a great time. The Southern Caribbean is one of our favorite routes!! :)