Avoiding spring break

[Javadelcamp]

Hi, all! DH and I are thinking of taking both sets of parents for a cruise next year and are weighing dates. We don't have kids, so need your collective advice. After bad experiences in the past we're hoping to be on a cruise that is NOT during spring break (we know that spring break is different weeks in different places). Typically we like to cruise at the end of April, but I won't be able to get that time off next year.

 

So, what do you think? Would a 9-nighter from March 28-April 6 leaving from Bayonne, NJ be packed with high school and college kids, or will we have just missed the traditional spring break weeks?

 

Thanks for the info!

[papermans]

Yes, you will have some spring breakers. We went the week after Easter this year thinking we would miss the spring breakers. I had checked all major cities. I apparently missed some. We had alot of preschool age and teenagers from other countries also.

[Host Kewlguy]

So, what do you think? Would a 9-nighter from March 28-April 6 leaving from Bayonne, NJ be packed with high school and college kids, or will we have just missed the traditional spring break weeks?

 

Thanks for the info!

 

You should be fine. Spring breakers prefer the shorter cruises verses the longer ones. The longer ones are too expensive for the average college kid.

[Javadelcamp]

You should be fine. Spring breakers prefer the shorter cruises verses the longer ones. The longer ones are too expensive for the average college kid.

 

I hadn't thought of that!

[Micki Dee]

I agree with Kewlguy. Most spring breakers will be on the 3 or 4 day booze cruises. Not many can afford to take a 9-nighter. Take the 9-nighter and have a great time!

[Hatsoff389]

The majority of the college kids probably don't even pay for there springbreak vacations. I'm sure the parents are the ones that are paying for them.

[RareBird]

i'd say you'll hit spring break no matter the length of the cruise. 9 day is actually only a workweek + 1 work day.

 

I'd suggest anytime in may or february, completely missing march and april.

 

we've gone on May 12 and May 13 previously, and didn't see ANY kids around.

[elleluv]

The majority of the college kids probably don't even pay for there springbreak vacations. I'm sure the parents are the ones that are paying for them.

 

That sure wasn't the way it worked in my family... if we wanted to go, we paid for it ourselves...

[Micki Dee]

The majority of the college kids probably don't even pay for there springbreak vacations. I'm sure the parents are the ones that are paying for them.

 

 

You got that right! We paid for our DD and her cousin's spring break on the Sov in March and we went along and chaperoned also. No "girls gone wild" for our 21 year old!

[elleluv]

I don't think you'll miss all the spring breakers with a 9 night cruise... You'd probably have less college kids traveling alone, but there will still be plenty of parents taking their kids on vacation during March and April.

 

I agree with Rarebird, if you want to miss the spring breakers, you'll need to go in February or May. Just don't go during Presidents week in February or you'll hit a different school break. :)

[jkfreeman33]

We went on Mariner 2/25/07 - 3/3 and didn't have ANY spring breakers. My sister was on Voyager the week after 3/3 and had a whole group of them.

We only had old people on ours - I would have enjoyed a few younger (under 55-60) ones and we are in our 40's!!

[PhoenixCruiser]

i'd say you'll hit spring break no matter the length of the cruise. 9 day is actually only a workweek + 1 work day.

 

I'd suggest anytime in may or february, completely missing march and april.

 

we've gone on May 12 and May 13 previously, and didn't see ANY kids around.

 

Agreed, you might miss some of the adult spring breakers, however you may end up with many, many more "spring breakers in training" :eek: :D

 

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[TravlGrl]

Hi, all! DH and I are thinking of taking both sets of parents for a cruise next year and are weighing dates. We don't have kids, so need your collective advice. After bad experiences in the past we're hoping to be on a cruise that is NOT during spring break (we know that spring break is different weeks in different places). Typically we like to cruise at the end of April, but I won't be able to get that time off next year.

 

So, what do you think? Would a 9-nighter from March 28-April 6 leaving from Bayonne, NJ be packed with high school and college kids, or will we have just missed the traditional spring break weeks?

 

Thanks for the info!

 

My husband and I like to vacation in the Spring and try to avoid large crowds of spring breakers. This year, I found this website -- http://www.tripsmarter.com/panamacity/springbreak/sbcalendar2.htm -- that shows the most popular weeks for college spring breaks in 2007. I couldn't find a calendar for 2008 yet (though we went ahead and booked our April 2008 land vacation anyway), but this could be a good guide when you're choosing dates...as most schools keep the on the same (week) schedule from year to year.

 

It looks like the same week you've chosen, when compared to that week in 2007, was the 4th most popular spring break week out of the 6 weeks lised in March and April.

 

Hope this helps a bit!

[firefly333]

We went the week of Easter this year and never saw so many children. I think you will have a lot of kids, just have to not let it bother your cruise.

[Candleonwater]

I would worry about the week you mentioned. I know it's the week after our spring break... so I'd be worried, not about college age, but rather the younger crowd... you know, the elevator button pushing kind.

[ARKUBIAK]

We were on the 3/3/07 Voyager. Had about 500 college spring breakers. They were NOT a problem at all! Yeah, there were a few old biddies complaining about them.........I thought they were way OK. (I am 53) Son and his bride were on cruise with us..........he commented that Dad and I never sent him on spring break!!! Yep, that's right....................dad and I were too busy paying housing and tuition! We could not afford to send him and his sister on spring break!!!!!! Spring breakers on cruises are OK!!

[PhoenixCruiser]

I would worry about the week you mentioned. I know it's the week after our spring break... so I'd be worried, not about college age, but rather the younger crowd... you know, the elevator button pushing kind.

 

LOL, I'm glad someone agrees with me :D ;)

 

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[aqhacruiser]

Hi, all! DH and I are thinking of taking both sets of parents for a cruise next year and are weighing dates. We don't have kids, so need your collective advice. After bad experiences in the past we're hoping to be on a cruise that is NOT during spring break (we know that spring break is different weeks in different places). Typically we like to cruise at the end of April, but I won't be able to get that time off next year.

 

So, what do you think? Would a 9-nighter from March 28-April 6 leaving from Bayonne, NJ be packed with high school and college kids, or will we have just missed the traditional spring break weeks?

 

Thanks for the info!

 

Easter is March 23 in 2008 so grade and high schools in NJ, NY, and Pa. will be closed around then so you should be ok with that, but college kids, hard to say as it's the first year the Explorer will be sailing out of Bayonne during that time frame and there are several colleges in NJ. Sailing out of Bayonne would save them on airfare to Florida so we'll have to wait and see how 2008 goes. :)

[rosejazz]

Having a middle school child and a HS child, and have lived in several states up and sown the east coast, I can tell you School Age children spring Break will run from early March to Mid April. The college aged students typicaly spring break in Early-mid March. Pick your poision....but if I wanted a spring break free cruise (and I certainly enjoy thoses too!)....I'd cruise late Jan (always had great weather when I cruise then) to February or AFTER May 1st.

 

Good luck.

[mic328]

I know this will sound way off, but how about October?, Or even November (not thanksgiving week)? This year we went on a cruise in February out of New York on NCL, it was great!!, there were no college kids on board and not many other kids.