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Spring Break Crowds on Smaller Ships


jeffmw

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My family and I (me, wife, kids 9 and 7) had planned on being on the March 19 on Harmony this year. We've been on Oasis ships and it's always packed with families. No concern there. 

We decided we wanted to do some other stuff around Orlando prior to the cruise so we are switching to the Mariner on March 22. It's a 4-night that goes to Grand Bahama and Nassau.

Wondering if anyone can offer insight as to what the crowd might be like. Would we still be looking at a lot of families or are we potentially talking about a more college-ey spring break crowd? Or is RC really not like that at all?

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I was on Liberty in March 2020 during Spring Break (the week the world shut down). There was a record number of kids on the ship (according to the captain), but not really the "Spring Break" party type. They were mostly families with their school age or younger. I'm a high school teacher, so I tend to really notice teens and there were a lot on board. However, they were not rowdy. I only had to resist the urge to use my "teacher voice" once when a group of them were rough housing on the upper deck, way too close to the rail for my liking. They stopped before I said anything. DW is not a teacher and didn't even notice them. College kids, in my opinion, aren't going to cruise Royal in mass numbers. It's too expensive. There may be a few on board, but couldn't see it being so many that it impacts your ability to enjoy the cruise. 

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We went on liberty in March of 15 spring break 4 day cruise. The pool area was a mob of collage kids and butt floss as far as you could see. They overwhelmed the staff to the point anything went. Forget getting in a hot tub or pool as they was double normal compacity in all of them. My wife and I would personally never do it again. But some might like that atmosphere.

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We made that mistake a few years ago - 4 night cruise which was fully of college kids who were drunk and uncontrollable.  We realized on day 2 that we were on the "college party cruise".  You can do a google search to find out when the sailings are each year so we always do that before we book.  According to their website, this year they are hosting 2 sailings on Freedom of the Seas March 7th and 14th so you should be fine on Mariner. I have no issue with the students having a good time - it is their vacation time; however, families or perhaps seniors likely don't want to be part of it.  RCCL does not advise when a ship has been chartered so we've learned to try to do some research.

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6 hours ago, kadmgs said:

I was on Liberty in March 2020 during Spring Break (the week the world shut down). There was a record number of kids on the ship (according to the captain), but not really the "Spring Break" party type. They were mostly families with their school age or younger. I'm a high school teacher, so I tend to really notice teens and there were a lot on board. However, they were not rowdy. I only had to resist the urge to use my "teacher voice" once when a group of them were rough housing on the upper deck, way too close to the rail for my liking. They stopped before I said anything. DW is not a teacher and didn't even notice them. College kids, in my opinion, aren't going to cruise Royal in mass numbers. It's too expensive. There may be a few on board, but couldn't see it being so many that it impacts your ability to enjoy the cruise. 

 

5 hours ago, Templecruiser said:

We went on liberty in March of 15 spring break 4 day cruise. The pool area was a mob of collage kids and butt floss as far as you could see. They overwhelmed the staff to the point anything went. Forget getting in a hot tub or pool as they was double normal compacity in all of them. My wife and I would personally never do it again. But some might like that atmosphere.

 

Uh... these are some pretty adverse answers 🤣

@kadmgs - I'm really not concerned with high school kids. Those kids are usually fine. They hang out with each other (most of them are just trying to get lucky while dodging their parents!) And obviously they don't drink. My worry is more about college kids viewing this as a Daytona Beach on the Sea. 

@Templecruiser - Looks like Liberty was out of Fort Lauderdale in 2015. Hopefully being out of Orlando it won't draw as many college kids. I'd also think there'd be more of that atmosphere on other cruise lines like Carnival or Princess. 

Fortunately, I looked at some schedules and it looks like most Spring Breaks will be over by my sail-date (3/22). 

 

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17 minutes ago, Pooch said:

We’re on Harmony March 13.  Hope we aren’t overrun!!!

I would highly, highly doubt you will on Harmony. The average college kid is looking for a budget spring break. They definitely don't have the cash to drop on a 7-day cruise on a really popular ship at peak rates!

In general, those Oasis ships are SO geared towards families. If anything, you'll be overrun with kids (I assume you don't mind that, though, given you're on the Harmony in the first place.)

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On 1/14/2022 at 8:47 PM, jeffmw said:

Fortunately, I looked at some schedules and it looks like most Spring Breaks will be over by my sail-date (3/22). 

Yes, most colleges and universities put their spring break the 2nd or 3rd week of March. You should be pretty safe. 🤞for ya. 

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Ahhh brings back fond memories of my college spring break cruises in the late ‘80’s aboard the old military supply ship turned cruise ship, The Emerald Seas. 
 

I fondly remember the scowls thrown our way (the college kids collectively) from the “seasoned citizens” as we screamed the additional (R rated) lyrics to Billy Idol’s Mony Mony in the disco. 
 

Now that I’m approaching seasoned citizen status, I must remind myself of the good old days of shocking old people in my younger years and chill out when in the presence of today’s youth. Although today’s youth are quite a bit more ummmm provocative. 
 

We generally just drank a lot and were obnoxiously loud. 😁

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