Do families with children cruise in October

[darcydoodle]

My brother and his wife are planning to cruise with us in October 2007. They have 2 young children ages 8 and 11. They are wondering if there would be other young children on the cruise.

[DaytonCruiser]

My brother and his wife are planning to cruise with us in October 2007. They have 2 young children ages 8 and 11. They are wondering if there would be other young children on the cruise.

 

Usually you will find younger kids, since school just started , many parents wont take their kids out of school. But with so many kids going year-round and home-schooled. Parents are being given more options that just spring, winter and summer breaks to plan a cruise.

 

I sailed in early Oct last year and I believe there were 200-300 kids onboard.

[Caliber1]

Welcome to Cruise Critic, and yes there will be other children aboard. Being that school is in session, probably not as many as say spring break, Christmas, or summer time. We have cruised in Dec., Jan., and May, and there have always been children. Have fun and enjoy your cruise.:D

[torybruno]

There will be children on board, just not nearly as many as summer, or a holdiay week. Most likely it will be kids that are home schooled or on a track system that has off that particular week.

 

When my kids were 11 and 8 I wouldn't think twice about taking them out for a week for a vacation, but now that they are in high school, there's no way to make up all that work.

[Julienatul]

We cruised last October with our one year old but there were planty of kids on board. In fact, they had a halloween party and trick or treating on board the whole month of October last year. There were about 50-60 kids our sailing. Not as many as spring break/summer but plenty of every age group.

 

Julie

[addicted to cruising]

Yes there will be kids, just not a boat load full. They are sure to find a friend at the pool, arcade or at camp carnival. I always cruise in off season with Oct being my fav fall month to cruise and we always have children on board. To be honest, many families can only afford to travel in the off-season. Tell them not to worry.

 

This year due to my children entering high/middle school along with both playing football I have no choice but to go in June. There is no way they could get caught up from missing a week of school...the cost is killing me, so tell your friends to do it now...cheap...before they cant.

[MikeNKim]

I have cruised in Oct twice, first time on Disney there was a ton of kids.

 

Just cruised this last Oct and there was no other teens on board and about 30 younger kids. I know this cause when we went to the first meeting night to see if my DD could move into the older group they had no problem with it as it was only her and my DS and they said there was only about 30 younger kids. We cruised the week of Halloween.

 

Kim

[Dawn125408]

We will be cruising on the Legend - leaving Oct. 21st from Tampa. There will be 6 in all - and two granddaughters - 11 and 17.

[mamajules]

My son (14) and I are cruising on the Glory out of Port Canaveral leaving October 20. It's his fall break, so we're taking advantage.

[SharkCruiser24]

I was on Miracle last October, it was my last cruise as a 'teen'. There were about 20-30 other teens that participated in the night time activities, and about 30 others who felt they were too old for them, (myself included). I did notice quite a few 8-12 year olds. Most were from Florida. Last year was the last year we Floridians had a fall break which was on the first or second week of October. With the new start date (August 20) we no longer have fall break, that might effect the amount of kids on the cruise. I knew nearly all of the teens on the ship, as most of them went to my high school and surrounding high schools.

[darcydoodle]

Thank you all for responding. I'm really looking forward to this cruise. Just hope I don't get sea sick. :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Glama]

We've cruised with our kids twice in October (they are now 11 and 13). We are taking them on the Liberty this October, over Halloween. We're also taking them on the Freedom in November, 2008. If you asked them, I think they would tell you that they would rather cruise during the "off months", because they themselves don't like dealing with toooooo many kids. They will have a great time!

[PINEVIEW01]

I was on Miracle last October, it was my last cruise as a 'teen'. There were about 20-30 other teens that participated in the night time activities, and about 30 others who felt they were too old for them, (myself included). I did notice quite a few 8-12 year olds. Most were from Florida. Last year was the last year we Floridians had a fall break which was on the first or second week of October. With the new start date (August 20) we no longer have fall break, that might effect the amount of kids on the cruise. I knew nearly all of the teens on the ship, as most of them went to my high school and surrounding high schools.

Thank you for posting this info. I never new about any school having a fall break. That explains why some of those "bad parents" had thier kids out of shcool:o .

[Glama]

Thank you for posting this info. I never new about any school having a fall break. That explains why some of those "bad parents" had thier kids out of shcool:o .

 

There are more and more families home schooling now, too. Friends of ours who home school always travel in the fall. I'm sure everyone assumes that they pulled their kids out. We do pull our kids out, though. We must be HORRIBLE parents!! ;)

[travel girl23]

Five years ago we sailed on the Jubilee out of Galveston over our Fall Break in October (DH and I worked for the school district). We thought we were the only school district in Texas that had a fall break. WRONG! Almost the entire state of Texas had fall break and it was over the weekend we sailed! :eek: There were over 800 kids on the Jubilee with us. Even with a full ship of fall breakers, we had a wonderful cruise! TG23

[deborahjo]

Sorry could not resist this one. Yes we have children and no they are not cruising with us in October.

[PlanoDebbie]

We sailed on Conquest in October with our daughter. It happened to be our Fall Break, so there were tons of local kids on that ship. Thanks to the num-nuts in Austin, that was our LAST Fall Break as school must start 3 weeks later than what we were accustomed to.

[5xrivs]

October is the only time we cruised with our kids. There are some school districts with breaks in October like ours used to be. This is the first year they've taken the "fall break" away from us. So it just depends on other school districts.

[chitown cruisers]

Sometimes the parents work in a senority situation and can NEVER get a week in the summer or time over a normal "break" in the kids school program..........the choice is pull them for a week or NEVER take a family vacation. Does this make them a bad parent? Some here think so

 

I don't see it that way...we don't live in the same state as my parents so my kids don't get any time with them. The result is we cruise with them in September/October............7 days total interaction with the Grandparents is worth 5 days out of school.

 

Hopefully over the next few yeras my senority situation will get better and allow me more choices over other times of the year....but until that happens....I do what I have to do.

[WillieBluffU]

Our 8 year-old will turn 9 on his third cruise this fall.... It's his Fall Break

[fllady61]

Our 8 year-old will turn 9 on his third cruise this fall.... It's his Fall Break

 

 

My daughter goes in Sept/oct. However she is homeschooled. Fla has such strict rules now, you can not take a child out of school, and if they miss 3 days, the DCF gets called. so I home school. She can take breaks when ever she wants.

[4me-itstheC]

My daughter goes in Sept/oct. However she is homeschooled. Fla has such strict rules now, you can not take a child out of school, and if they miss 3 days, the DCF gets called. so I home school. She can take breaks when ever she wants.

 

Are u serious? That is crazy!!!! We live in MO and it seems to me that these kids are out of school more than they are in it. Too many breaks, 1/2 days, etc. I don't remember having that much free time when I was in school. But oh, well I digress.

 

To the OP, we cruised in Oct when our kids were on their fall break and there were plenty of kids on board.

 

Here's to a great cruise!!!!

[direfun2000]

My brother and his wife are planning to cruise with us in October 2007. They have 2 young children ages 8 and 11. They are wondering if there would be other young children on the cruise.

 

 

None that I know of.:p

[Magic City Cruiser]

We were on the Holiday out of Mobile last October 19. We met a family with a 5 yo and 13 yo on our Roll Call. They were cruising on the kid's fall break. There were enough kids to give both plenty to pal around with so that a good time was had by all!

[fllady61]

Are u serious? That is crazy!!!! We live in MO and it seems to me that these kids are out of school more than they are in it. Too many breaks, 1/2 days, etc. I don't remember having that much free time when I was in school. But oh, well I digress.

 

To the OP, we cruised in Oct when our kids were on their fall break and there were plenty of kids on board.

 

Here's to a great cruise!!!!

 

When we went in October last year, there were plenty of kids on board. my DD made some friends, and enjoyed her cruise. She loves cruising. The teen group was about 20 or so, and the kids were more than that. So there will be plenty of KIDS on the cruise.

 

One reason that they now have that put into effect is because of all the kids playing hooky. I love virtual school though. My DD starts school in June or July, and is done in Janurary. Depending on the course. Some courses take a little longer. The school system here is ok for Elementry school, but in Middle school, it is like they do not care. I tried to see the principle in October, I finally saw her a month before the school year was over. The teachers were coming to school sick passing it on to the kids, and my DD ended up missing 4 weeks of school in a 3 month period because of it. I told the teachers she needed to be in the front of the class, and they put her in the back, she was getting pushed in the hall way, and not getting to eat lunch because they ran out of time before they even got their food. She does not eat sandwiches, so I could not send a lunch with her.

 

I decided then to Home school via VIRTUAL SCHOOL, and she is now starting her 3rd yr in virtual school. And her grades are much better with A/B averages as opposed to C/D averages. So it is really helpful to me. Plus I know if she is doing her work or not because I read her lessons for each day. then question her about them at the end of the day. If she does not do a lesson, I sit beside her till she gets it done.

 

I can tell the teachers I need such and such week off, they say ok, and put her on vacation that week, and there is no getting behind in class or missing test. I can take her laptop with us and she can do lessons where ever we are. I do not do that on cruises though because of the high cost of internet on the ships.