Spring Break? How bad?

[SeaNStars4Me]

Thinking of taking a 7 day cruise on the Oosterdam out of Tampa in March. I realize this is college Spring Break time and I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this, on this particular cruise line, in the past.

Since it's Holland, which apparently appeals to an "older" crowd, I'm thinking it might not be as bad as other cruise lines....but it could also be helpful in making things somewhat livlier on the ship.

I'm in my early 50's....single and rather youthful for my age...but not a huge partier by any means.

Would like to be a on a cruise with a "mix" of ages (and not tons of young children)...

Feedback appreciated!

[Cruisegoer]

LoL I had to chuckle reading this but if HAL is offering some dirt cheap rates just maybe but I don't think cruising is capturing the college spring break market just yet. You might however be more inclined to find families with smaller children on as that can be a more popular time for travel as many children get a "spring break" near the Easter holiday as well.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[SeaNStars4Me]

I know...LOL!!!! The rates aren't dirt cheap but they are lower than Royal Caribbean. It is a 7 day cruise, too, and I suspect the college Spring Breakers are more into the shorter 3-5 day cruises. I'm just looking for a "mix"...not all seniors and not all college spring breakers.

[take us away]

Seems like the spring breakers tend toward the 'party lines' such as Carnival who often caters to the college crowd and RCL with their monster ships as so many activities. You should be fine with a blend of people but not big crowds of college kids. Also spring break runs for almost 2 months and actually starts in Feb and ends after Easter in April which helps with the crowding.

[easyboy]

The college spring breakers also usually take the shorter cruise.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[HALrunner]

We have sailed on HAL during college spring break, it was a 7 day out of port everglades. We saw hoards of college students boarding the carnival ship across the street, but only one group of 4 girls was on our HAL ship. I'm sure they were wishing they were on the carnival ship;)

 

I would be more worried about traveling during the primary/secondary school's spring break. We just did a Thanksgiving cruise on HAL and probably will avoid those school holiday weeks in the future. And to put it in perspective, we always travel with our 7 & 9 year old (who are almost 4 star). We love kids, just not hundreds of them in a confined space or in the pool at once!

[lvz2cruz]

Our Easter cruise last year was frustrating in that a big group of older teens would take over the aft pool a few times each sea day. I think when the kids club was on a break or had an activity they were not interested in they all hit the pool.

HAL put up handmade signs on the Lido pool saying family pool but the older kids came outside, probably to get away from the preteens inside.

They were very rude, doing cannonballs and throwing a football not caring who they hit. That small aft pool had over 20 people at times and they still did this. It was not big enough!

Eurodam has signs at the back pool saying 18 and over. This was on Zuiderdam whose sign says adult pool in one place and another sign I think said 16 and over.

[cb at sea]

Spring break runs from March thru April...all schools "break" at different times. It's usually families, and not college breakers....especially on 7 nighters. Maybe more so on 3-4 nighters.

[Tampa Girl]

Our Easter cruise last year was frustrating in that a big group of older teens would take over the aft pool a few times each sea day. I think when the kids club was on a break or had an activity they were not interested in they all hit the pool.

HAL put up handmade signs on the Lido pool saying family pool but the older kids came outside, probably to get away from the preteens inside.

They were very rude, doing cannonballs and throwing a football not caring who they hit. That small aft pool had over 20 people at times and they still did this. It was not big enough!

Eurodam has signs at the back pool saying 18 and over. This was on Zuiderdam whose sign says adult pool in one place and another sign I think said 16 and over.

 

We have sailed out of Tampa many times in February and March and have never had any problems. However, Easter may be another story because it is a more universal holiday, whereas "spring break" varies from school to school, state to state, etc.

[Sunshineliving]

I am leaving from FLL in March and hoping there are not a lot of young children.

 

For local schools, Hillsborough County's ( Tampa's school district) and USF spring break is March 13-17 and University of Tampa's spring break is March 5th for the week. I understand that people fly in and there are more schools around, but I thought I would add some local details.

[MoonflowerGirl]

We booked this cruise March 17-31. I figure that spring breakers will not be on a two week cruise at this time. Easter is in April so you will not get the elementary school/high school kids either. I'm a retired teacher from NJ, so I know pretty well how to pick the "KID HEAVEN" places and cruises. I could be wrong, but you should have a good mix of people on this cruise. Not too many kids! I'm a young 61 and hubby is 54, and we always find fun folks from 18-85 to party with!