Give it to me straight--how bad IS spring break?

[blessedwith12]

I took my first cruise on the Holiday last March during spring break. After reading some posts on here, I was very concerned. I had read about people having sex in public places, drunks everywhere, nudity, people throwing up, etc. It was nothing like that at all. I was surprised at how well mannered the children on board were. We met very polite children who would hold elevators for you, etc. While I like kids (having my own large collection), I was looking forward to some time away from them. I was so pleased there were no crying babies or children behaving badly in the dining room. We saw one loud intoxicated guy, who happened to be pretty amusing. The most obnoxious people I met were slightly intoxicated middle agers in the hot tub - but still nothing bad at all. We were awake and around the ship most days between 6 a.m. and midnight. If there was total madness going on - it must have been between midnight and 6. The one thing that did annoy me was having all the little kids singing karaoke. Some acts were really only something a mother could enjoy.

[chuz2cruz]

Oh, boy---we had to change our sailing to March 15--22. Spring break, as well as the Parrothead cruise! This promises to be the least boring cruise we could possibly have booked! What can you all tell me about your experiences with spring break and/or large group cruises? This one is a 7-day. Aren't most really rowdy spring break ones shorter ones? (Please???) Will this be a week-long conga line with coconut bras? Not that I'll mind, necessarily, I'll just have to get in shape.

 

Hey Tanya! Are you saying that March 15 - 22 is spring break for college kids in the States? It is spring break for the highschool and elementary school kids here in Ontario Canada. We are booked that week as well and now you have me wondering?????? Thanks!

[wrp96]

Hey Tanya! Are you saying that March 15 - 22 is spring break for college kids in the States? It is spring break for the highschool and elementary school kids here in Ontario Canada. We are booked that week as well and now you have me wondering?????? Thanks!

 

 

College spring breaks in the US vary - they are spread out throughout the month of March and the first few weeks of April with the biggest concentration usually in the 2nd and 3rd week of March. I know that at least one of the schools I attended always had spring break the 3rd week in March.

 

That week is also spring break for some of our local elementary and high schools (others are a week later). Around here, schools do not tie spring break to Easter so that is not a good indicator of when spring break will be.

[judyjbest]

We've always cruised as a couple during the fall and early in the year when kids are in school, because we really didn't want to travel with lots of kids. This year, we sailed Spring Break with our daughter aboard the Dawn Princess to celebrate her 16th birthday, and we just got back from the Holiday over Thanksgiving, our getaway to keep our mind off our son's absence from the table while he's deployed in Iraq.

 

We both commented as we headed home, that while there were more kids on both these cruises than we normally experience, it wasn't a bad experience at all. Problems are always based on problem groups. So, if there's a large family with rotten kids running amok on a ship, it wouldn't be any more fun than cruising with a large group of (name whatever adult group you wouldn't have any fun sailing with ... ) rotten adults.

[mouche]

I travel in March of this year, and it was not bad at all.

[momofzeke]

The drama is way overblown on the boards about spring break cruises. Even better the week that the OP wants to go is not really spring break for the K-12 kids, it is more like a college time and not that many of them cruise.

 

I couldn't agree more. All 3 of our Carnival cruises have been during spring break. Our spring break in Oregon is the last week of March for K-12 and most colleges.

 

Sailed on Pride out of Long Beach, Miracle out of Tampa and Valor out of Miami. NEVER once had any problems.

 

Yes, the ship was full.

 

Yes, there were lots of kids of all ages......young, teens, and some college age. There were also lots of adults of every age.

 

Yes, there were lots of kids in the pool and hot tub. I don't use the hot tub so it didn't matter to me, and if I wanted peace and quiet I went to the Aft pool where there were no kids....and I did see them kick a few out.

 

Never had problems with noise in the hallways or any cabins around us.

 

Never saw any drunk kids causing problems or being rowdy. Yes, there were some tipsy college kids, tipsy adults (heck, I was one of them ;)), but no worries.

 

Never had kids hitting every button on the elevator.

 

Don't worry, OP.......it will be fine. The Parrotheads sound like fun to me! I'd go ahead and join in with them and kick up your heels. Have fun! :cool:

[hkolln]

When we cruise normally it's during Spring Break if we bring the kids. On carnival you don't see the kids because they are busy with the kids program...so we didn't notice alot of kids.

 

BTW: Our spring break here in NE Florida is March 27th-April 6th.

[devilsguy2]

You know while everyone is so busy talking about the college spring breakers and how they get fall down stupid drunk and blaming the younger generation for ruining these cruises the fact that it is also the parrothead cruise is the same week. Now being a huge Jimmy Buffett fan and goin to many of his concerts and seeing true parrothead's in action most of being in the 40 year old and up catergory, to me it would not matter if this cruise was in March or October you will get the drinkers and the partiers. All I am saying is that anyone who has experienced the parrothead way of life know what they are in for, and if it isnt your cup of tea then there are always other options.

[figs]

You know while everyone is so busy talking about the college spring breakers and how they get fall down stupid drunk and blaming the younger generation for ruining these cruises the fact that it is also the parrothead cruise is the same week. Now being a huge Jimmy Buffett fan and goin to many of his concerts and seeing true parrothead's in action most of being in the 40 year old and up catergory, to me it would not matter if this cruise was in March or October you will get the drinkers and the partiers. All I am saying is that anyone who has experienced the parrothead way of life know what they are in for, and if it isnt your cup of tea then there are always other options.

 

Yeah, that's what I was trying to say earlier. My aunt and uncle are huge parrotheads, and I wouldn't wish that group on my worst enemy....in a confined space. They are amazingly fun, awesome people---but I would NOT want to be stuck on a ship during one of their parties. They're not jerky or anything, but they WILL be loudly having a blast. I prefer my vacations a little more relaxing, so it would be my worst nightmare.

 

That SAID, if you want a fun party ship with a bunch of happily wasted (possibly toasted) primarily 40-65 y/o's....this is the cruise for you!!! (but not for me!)

[tkportersat]

Ha, I second that! The adults are the ones I have had problems with as well. It will never be ok to hold a block of multiple chairs for over an hour and then yell at someone when they finally take your stuff off. It also isn't ok to cut at the buffet or the line to get off the ship at port. If the kids are a problem, look who they are learning it from :) ha.

 

We have been on 3 cruises during Spring Break. We have loved every one of them. The rudest people we have ever encountered were older adults (w/ kids) who think that: 1. they should not have to wait in line for anything--2. think it is okay to be rude to crew 3. others should babysit their kids and 4. hogging chairs is okay, but only for them. The college kids have always been respectful and for the most part a lot of fun. We've even hung out with them at times. As far as the little ones go, we usually head for the more adult areas of the ship.

 

My DH and I are both educators, so either it has never been a problem OR we have learned to tune anyone under 18 out. :)

[hockeyluver]

Like i said before its the Parrotheads that will take over your cruise not the grade school or college kids.

[tkportersat]

Just out of curiousity (sorry if I missed it as I didn't read the entire thread) isn't there a website that shows when groups have cruises planned? I remember reading one last year because people were up in arms about a swingers group.....

 

 

 

Like i said before its the Parrotheads that will take over your cruise not the grade school or college kids.

[estella15]

I went on a Spring Break cruise when I was in college, and we were the only college kids on board the ship! Actually, one night at the disco, we thought we had met another group of college kids, but turns out they were the dancers from the show. Now, this was a 7-day cruise on Holland America (we were 18 and 20 at the time, and Holland America was the only line allowing younger people to cruise without a chaperone), so a different scene than Canival. Still, I'd bet that if you're gonna see crazy drunk college kids anywhere on the trip, it will be on the islands (especially if you're going to a big Spring Break destination). Now, the parrotheads may be a different story, but I'm sure they'll provide tons of entertainment!

[cruise.freak]

We cruised RCL during spring break last year and everything was just like it was on all of out other cruises. There was just a couple drunks kids but we have that on every cruise. We have to cruise in the summer so kids are not a issue with us.

[spikester]

I was on a "spring break" cruise a few years ago, and it wasn't wild at all.

There were a lot of college kids on board. The funniest was seeing all the girls laying out first thing in the am with their buckets of coors light!

 

I went this past year in the first week of March and it was spring break for Quebec K-12. And there were a fair number of children, but nothing too bad. I had worse experiences with children during summer cruises.

And worse experiences with drunks on the 3 day cruises out of FL.

 

I just don't mind unless they are cutting in the buffet lines and running around without regard for other people.

[Uncle Doug]

Just look at it as free entertainment. We have been on a couple of spring break cruises. One many years ago on Commadore cruise line there were a large group of collage kids from the same school who were a little rowdy out by the pool but they were buying rounds of beer for all their friends and anyone else that happened to be there. The cruise line tried to get them to settle down at first but realized that they would make a bundle off them from the bar sales. In those days everyone lined up at the pursers desk the last night to pay their bar tab. More than one of them were crying as they handed over daddies credit card to pay the tab.

[hockeyluver]

Just out of curiousity (sorry if I missed it as I didn't read the entire thread) isn't there a website that shows when groups have cruises planned? I remember reading one last year because people were up in arms about a swingers group.....

 

 

i just saw a post with the site in it last week, if i find it i will put a link to it here.

[tess18]

We were on the Freedom of the Seas last Spring Break - Easter week and it was great. We had no problems. This year we are doing the Inspiration out of Tampa and I am a little worried about all the kids. I do have two boys myself. It is just something I have in the back of my mind.

[flem1064]

The cruises at the Spring Break time of year are typically a little on the expensive side. The ships are pretty darn full, and a lot of kids. From our experience, it's been more smaller children than "Spring Break" college aged students.

 

We never have a problem with embarkation, because we arrive early. Debarkation on the other hand has been dicey. We've had some long lines getting off the ship, and some crowds in the terminal getting baggage. Custom lines can be lenghty too, but all in all, not too bad.

 

I think it's a great time for kids to cruise because there are many other kids on board to meet and play with. You do get a lot of kids playing games on the elevators which can get slightly annoying, but again, nothing that would spoil the cruise for me.

 

I would advise booking excursions in advance when possible. And if your cruise includes Half Moon Cay, and you want a shot at a cabana, you need to be on the ship very early and go right to the tour desk and wait on line for them to open to reserve your cabana.

[Megnolia]

Tanya, I cruised last March with the Parrotheads (I'm not one, but was on their cruise) and this March will be with them again (and you, too, welcome aboard!)

 

We LOVED our cruise. There were over 1000 Canadians on board, which was neat. There were 500 kids. There were 500 Parrotheads. The ONLY difference I noticed from previous cruises was that the nightclubs weren't very full because the PHs were in their private events.

 

You'll have a blast! You'll wish you were a Parrothead.

 

Come on over to the rollcall!

[bankerbabe]

In the last 10 years we have taken 2 spring break cruises. Not intentionally, just forgot it was that time.

The ship WILL be packed, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 days, it will be overfull.

Being the lecherous, dirty old man that I am, I'm able to tolerate the 500 or so bikini clad college girls running amok. Mirrored sunglasses don't help, they KNOW!:rolleyes:

But the whole crowd of youngsters throw off so much energy, I feel some of it sticks to me.

 

Dan

 

If you would keep your tongue from hanging out, you might not be so obvious:D

[tanyanubin]

well, jeez, how do I get to be a parrothead, then? I don't want to feel left out of the festivities!

[tanyanubin]

Just realized that tomorrow I'll be under 100 days! wooohooooo!!!

[Irishlinny]

Just out of curiousity (sorry if I missed it as I didn't read the entire thread) isn't there a website that shows when groups have cruises planned? I remember reading one last year because people were up in arms about a swingers group.....

There are a number of different sites that post groups. This is the one I've found that seems to have the most groups listed (it covers hotels as well, so you kind of to wade thru it)...

http://shoretrips.com/common/groups2.asp?grpsrch=GRPNAM

[dan40]

If you would keep your tongue from hanging out, you might not be so obvious:D

 

I dint wan dem to tink I wuz ignoren dem.

 

Dan da drooler