November 2008- Panama Cruise- Is This A Mistake?

[VODKAMARTINI]

I read another thread about cruising around Thanksgiving and the amount of kids onboard and am now worried about our booking for 2008. We are first time Royal Caribbean Cruisers, reserved on Jewel of The Seas, Panama Canal Cruise leaving next year out of Miami on Nov. 17 and returning on Nov. 28. Thanksgiving next year is on Nov. 27th. The schools in our area are only closed the week of Thanksgiving and this cruise will be leaving a week before Thanksgiving week. Will people take their kids out of school 2 weeks before Thanksgiving for a Panama Cruise? If we don't necessarily want to be on a "Kiddie Cruise", should we try to re-book? The price of our 11 day cruise is the same price as a 10 day cruise leaving out prior to ours which is weird. Any advice? Thanks.

Sherry

[Sea Island Lady]

I don't think you have a thing to worry about! Longer cruises rarely have kids on the ship.

[sunlover5]

I don't know for sure, but it seems not!! Usually families don't do that long of cruises during school and seems they would do more western, or eastern routes with more shore excursions geared for families. I could be wrong, but you probably won't even notice the kids on board. Go and have a great cruise!!!!!

[isujim]

I think the fact you are leaving Nov 17th and Thanksgiving is Nov 27th you will be fine. We did a full transit in October last year.......total number of kids on the cruise was 9:) .........

 

Of course some may take their kids out for a week since they will have some time off anyway for Thanksgiving but I think by and large it will be fine.

[cb at sea]

We did the Panama 10-day and there were lots of kids--thankfully, we weren't troubled by them. (Aside from a few "elevator" incidents (all the buttons pushed!!!))

I think you will find kids on EVERY cruise. Pre-schoolers are cruising at any time, and primary school have different schedules than colleges. Frankly, I'd rather be around the smaller kids than the older ones. (More parental supervision)

[Sue L]

We did the 11 day the week before Easter and I was worried about the same thing. There still was a good amount of kids but they weren't a problem and it was definitely a lot less then we have had on 7 day cruises. I think they said we had 200 kids. It is a wonderful cruise, we did it on the Brilliance and loved it.