Cruise in Mid March?? Have I lost my MIND??

[Riley's Mom]

We have alwys taken our family cruise in mid April but next year may do so in Mid March.. I have heard this time of year is spring break and a nightmare!!

 

Anyone care to give me their opinions??? Please.

 

I am still trying to make up my mind when exactly we will go...

Voyager out of Galveston..

 

 

Thanks again..

 

Carla

[ISTDS]

Hi

 

DW & I just sailed on the Voyager, The last week Of March. I would not Hesitate to do it again. We had no problems at all. All the kids Seemed to be Very well mannered and Controlled by their parents.

 

ISTDS

[amybear912]

Mid-March is typically college spring break time... at least, all of the universities in my area are on break then...

[Sue L]

Spring break runs anywhere from the last week in Feb (my son's school) right through and including the week or two after Easter. There was a schedule that showed all the school breaks throughout the country but I can't seem to find it right now. The first and second week in March last year were the weeks with the most colleges and universities off.

[weechloe]

We quite often cruise in March and honestly the ships capacity of people didn't change from when we cruised in December and May. They can only take so many people and we always seem to sail on a full ship. As far as kids go, if there's 100 or 500, as long as the parents have control there should be no problem. You could sail in October and if the kids are running about and acting up, then their parents should take control. It shouldn't matter when you sail and I say, go for it. Anything is better on a cruise ship than staying at home.

[firefly333]

Easter is earlier in 2008 so you will be hitting it. We went this year the week of Easter and we had lots of kids and they did run up and down the halls, but we didnt really mind the kids. Just expect it and dont let it bother you.

[Merion_Mom]

We have alwys taken our family cruise in mid April but next year may do so in Mid March.. I have heard this time of year is spring break and a nightmare!!

 

Anyone care to give me their opinions??? Please.

 

I am still trying to make up my mind when exactly we will go...

Voyager out of Galveston..

 

 

Thanks again..

 

Carla

Carla, THIS is the year to go in mid to late April. It's not spring break for very many schools at all. (I know, because it *is* my spring break, and I am getting a GREAT price on a cruise, because it's NOT during spring break time this year!)

[Len3]

If you don't have a choice, then just go with it. I have heard many stories of spring break nightmares - 600 kids running the halls, playing on the elevators, etc. Some parents just don't watch their children. It's not for me.

[PantherFan]

I have done early March on the Voyager which is a nice time to go due to less kids and the weather was good for us.

 

We have also done 3 Spring Break cruises and didn't get over run with kids.

 

Though, AOS out of San Juan seemed to always have one of those "birthday celebrations" I don't know what they are called.

 

In the evening, the girls are dressed in long white gowns, families are there to. Anyway, they are more annoying because they push & shove into every venue without waiting for it to end just so they can get a seat.

 

I can deal with a kid running down the hall, I can't deal with 4 people hovering over me while trying to finish my bingo game.

[cb at sea]

We've done both March and April, and honestly, there's not much difference! Schools do spring break all during BOTH months!

[willysgrandma]

Are you taking Riley with you? If so, then won't she enjoy being on a ship with lots of other kids?

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Folks do complain about the horrors of Spring Break cruises, but I have been on a few of those as recently as this year on Majesty of the Seas. I think the horrors are exaggerated. It all depends on your tolerance for children and college kids.

 

Maybe our relative ease is due to the fact that we don't do the things the college crowd are most likely to do and we aren't in areas where the kids congregate. Cruise ships are so big now, each group of people with their specific interests are pretty much out of the way of the others most of the time.

 

I didn't realize how sensitive many people are to noisy, boisterous children until I came here to Cruise Critics and began reading about it. I understand their concerns because I do have a brother-in-law very much like that. He might be bothered on a Spring Break cruise, but for the average person I really see no problem cruising in mid-March and the weather can be absolutely wonderful.

[sailor moon]

We sail at spring break with our kids every year. In 2008 it will be a week later than usual (March15) as Texas changed the school calandar to start at the end of August and it shifted spring break by a week. Surprisingly, it is cheaper for us to fly to Fort Lauderdale and sail the Liberty of the Seas than drive to Galveston to sail on the Voyager. Go figure....

[msunrullieone]

We are going to try it this year too. My DS is 10 years old; he is so excited because he thinks there will be lots of kids to play 'gaga ball' with!! We all have our perspectives, don't we? :)

[Riley's Mom]

The 2 dates we are looking at are March 23rd...Easter ...and April 6th

The March 23rd date is $500 cheaper per cat cabin.. I was very surprised by this price difference..I thought it would be more expennsive on Easter and with Spring break.

I remember last year I read a reveiw from a cruiser who was on an Easter cruise and had many,many Mexican nationals on this ship..The reveiwer stated that they were very rude and didn't take care of their children.. I guess that really doesn't matter. I live in San Antonio and we have many Mexican Nationals here during Easter week and other times of the year. They do tend to take over the shopping malls at that time ..but not a problem.

Thanks to everyone who replied. I am thinking seriously of changing our original plan and going in March.

Thanks//

Carla

[birdylady]

What an excellent question. I didn't even think about that when we booked. We are on the Mar 2, 2008 Mariner sailing.

 

BTW - Weechloe - which March Mariner sailing are you on?

 

Erika

[logan1_2000]

interesting how the thread has expanded from spring break to perceptions and reports of manners and behavior by various nationalities.

 

We're cruising March 16th from Port Canaveral. That is DS's spring break. Many of the private schools in ATL will be on break that week, and many of the public schools will be on break the week of April 6th. So beware all you cruisers out there--you know how rude and pushy Atlantans can be.:p