First time DCL, vacation timing with spring break

[nanagose]

We are first timers on DCL and looking to book a March or April 2025 cruise out of PC, probably on the Fantasy but would consider the Wish. There are so many options that I am having a hard time narrowing it down. Where we live, spring break is the last week in March, but the only workable options seem higher in price that other weeks. I'm assuming the flights would be more as well. So we are looking at other weeks in March-April, and my question is - in terms of crowding on the ships, are there times within those months that are better/worse? I know other places have spring break at other times. Is the whole season problematic? Can I go by the pricing to determine crowds (making the assumption that a lower price = lower demand)? Are there even crowd fluctuations, or are the ships packed all the time? If there is no difference in crowding, I guess we could consider going over our spring break. I don't want to pull the kids from school if there is no benefit. May is not good for us, but we could also consider June. Those itineraries aren't out yet so I don't know what the pricing would be. Can I assume it would be more given that families will want to travel over summer break? Is June a poor time to cruise out of PC?

I noticed that there are itineraries bookended by weekends, and some that leave/return midweek. Do people have preferences? Cheaper to book airfare for midweek cruises, but more relaxing for the kids to have a weekend to recover before returning to school?

 

[lanejudy]

Anytime schools are out will be more expensive but also more crowded. That said, cruises tend to run “full” most of the time. The ships are designed for x number of passengers, unlike a parks vacation that just packs more people into the same space.

As to itinerary and day of the week — just pick what works. The dates, departure port, and budget are usually our deciding factors.

 

[lklgoodman]

The prices for cruises, airfares, and hotels are going to be more anytime schools are out. When my dd was in elementary school we would go in Jan because the same cruise in March/April, June-Aug was always a few thousands more. It was never a problem for her to miss a few days. Now she is in high school and we have to go in the summer. She doesn't want to miss any school because it's harder to make up the work. She also doesn't want to miss her extracurricular activities. My pocketbook misses the lower Jan-Feb prices.

 

[Louise97]

In 2025 it'll be either the Wish on 3/4 night sailings or the Treasure on 7 night sailings out of PC.

We've booked our first PC cruise for the first week of April 2025 - we've sailed out of the UK/Barcelona before - and I just picked the cruise with the best price. I expect an April sailing to be crowded given that it coincides with Easter break for us, and we're on the Treasure so I'm expecting those sailings to be popular since it's the inaugural season.

 

[Cheburashka]

We are first timers on DCL and looking to book a March or April 2025 cruise out of PC, probably on the Fantasy but would consider the Wish. There are so many options that I am having a hard time narrowing it down. Where we live, spring break is the last week in March, but the only workable options seem higher in price that other weeks. I'm assuming the flights would be more as well. So we are looking at other weeks in March-April, and my question is - in terms of crowding on the ships, are there times within those months that are better/worse? I know other places have spring break at other times. Is the whole season problematic? Can I go by the pricing to determine crowds (making the assumption that a lower price = lower demand)? Are there even crowd fluctuations, or are the ships packed all the time? If there is no difference in crowding, I guess we could consider going over our spring break. I don't want to pull the kids from school if there is no benefit. May is not good for us, but we could also consider June. Those itineraries aren't out yet so I don't know what the pricing would be. Can I assume it would be more given that families will want to travel over summer break? Is June a poor time to cruise out of PC?

I noticed that there are itineraries bookended by weekends, and some that leave/return midweek. Do people have preferences? Cheaper to book airfare for midweek cruises, but more relaxing for the kids to have a weekend to recover before returning to school?

Because there is limited capacity onboard, holiday crowding isn't a major issue like it is in the parks. It's pretty even because the non-holiday weeks are a lot cheaper, as you've noticed, so a lot of people go then. I wouldn't let concerns about onboard crowding drive my decision. Price is much more of an issue, because it's the same ship and pretty much the same cruise, holiday or non-holiday. There are a few perks on some holidays (like a NYE party with fireworks on that cruise, and sometimes a holiday lithograph for every stateroom if you sail over a major holiday), but a DCL cruise is a DCL cruise is a DCL cruise.

 

[cvjw]

We sailed the middle of April last year. Right after Easter. On the fantasy 8 night to Bermuda. Our head server told us the cruise before Easter and the cruise after Easter had 4300+ and 4500+ cruisers on board. He said it was absolutely nuts.

For reference, we sailed 1/23, 4/23, 11/23 and 1/24 on the fantasy. No cruise had more than 3600 guests on board, with a couple around the 3000 mark. I would avoid the weeks before and after Easter. I can’t imagine being on the fantasy with 4500 other guests on board.

 

[SnowWhite2]

The cruises almost always sail "full". But "full" means different things at different times. In the summer and holidays, full means more than 2 people in many staterooms. When school is in session, full means approx 2 people per cabin. That can be a difference of over 1000 people, more for the larger ships. It does make a difference. We are now an adults only family and try to go when school is in session so it is a bit less crowded on the ship.

 

[auntlynne]

As for June, early June can be better than late, as some schools are still in session until ~ the third week.

I like the first week of May for weather and crowds.

You have figured out some of the keys: higher prices when school-aged children are able to go.

Some families would appreciate the abundance of possible playmates in the kids clubs‘ activities.

Our favorite cruise times have pre-schoolers with their doting posse of parents and grandparents. Free-range middle schoolers are what I avoid.

You are going to be able to eat, see shows,… no matter the season. Pools are for wading/getting wet, not swimming. If lots of kids, there could be a limit to time in the pool.

There are patterns for price for hotels and airfares. Look at this years to help estimate next year’s budget.

 

[DCLMP]

We sailed the middle of April last year. Right after Easter. On the fantasy 8 night to Bermuda. Our head server told us the cruise before Easter and the cruise after Easter had 4300+ and 4500+ cruisers on board. He said it was absolutely nuts.

For reference, we sailed 1/23, 4/23, 11/23 and 1/24 on the fantasy. No cruise had more than 3600 guests on board, with a couple around the 3000 mark. I would avoid the weeks before and after Easter. I can’t imagine being on the fantasy with 4500 other guests on board.

That sounds about right. The difference is the number of kids on board. Most cruises run full "as in all staterooms are full", but to say that cruises aren't more crowded when schools out would be wrong.

 

[Cheburashka]

Keep in mind that when some of the posters here describe non-school-holiday cruises as being less crowded, they're talking about cruises that cover Monday - Friday (usually 7 night cruises, but also some 4 or 5 night cruises that sail M-F).

3-5 night cruises that include a weekend are pretty much the same as holiday cruises. As an educator, I've sailed both short and long cruises over many school holidays, and I have also sailed shorter cruises over non-holiday weekends, and not seen a significant difference in crowding or the number of kids onboard. Many parents are more likely to take kids out of school for 2-3 days around a weekend than they are to take the kids away from school for an entire week.

 

[Lillebelle]

Our favorite cruise times have pre-schoolers with their doting posse of parents and grandparents. Free-range middle schoolers are what I avoid.

I love this way of putting things haha -- and it's so true!

I do think you can use the price as a proxy for the expected demand for that cruise. I'll also just throw weather into the mix -- we did a cruise out of PC in late May/early June and found the humidity made it impossible to enjoy being on the decks or our balcony. Now, that might be just me being a spoiled Californian (and perhaps if you're from Florida you're used to it, I don't know) but we enjoyed our winter sailing out PC much more purely because of the weather.

Regarding departure day of the week, it's also worth considering your packing rhythm. I prefer to have a Saturday to pack/handle last minute errands/etc if I can swing it vs leaving midweek where I'd have to pack in the evenings only because of work. If you're really good about getting packing done early maybe this isn't a consideration for you though.

 

[auntlynne]

I love this way of putting things haha -- and it's so true!

I do think you can use the price as a proxy for the expected demand for that cruise. I'll also just throw weather into the mix -- we did a cruise out of PC in late May/early June and found the humidity made it impossible to enjoy being on the decks or our balcony. Now, that might be just me being a spoiled Californian (and perhaps if you're from Florida you're used to it, I don't know) but we enjoyed our winter sailing out PC much more purely because of the weather.

Regarding departure day of the week, it's also worth considering your packing rhythm. I prefer to have a Saturday to pack/handle last minute errands/etc if I can swing it vs leaving midweek where I'd have to pack in the evenings only because of work. If you're really good about getting packing done early maybe this isn't a consideration for you though.

I’m from the South and hate humidity. I have not done a Bahamas/ Caribbean sailing from June-August (mainly the crowds), but also the heat and humidity (same with WDW; even November there was miserable). Give me Alaska in the Summer, with its cool, crisp air!

We really like the sweet spot of the first 2-3 weeks following Thanksgiving. It’s a shoulder season for travel, in general, with deals on airfare, hotels, and cruises. Bonus: the water temp still has the heat from Summer. The late Winter water is trying to warm back up. (Although it really doesn’t vary much through the year.)

 

[nanagose]

Thank you everyone for the replies and very useful information. Some of these considerations I hadn't even thought of (which is why I posted of course)! We have settled on an early March 5-night Fantasy itinerary. Feels so far away

 

[auntlynne]

That sounds wonderful. You have a decent length cruise to get a feel for cruising. And you get both Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island) and their new (opening this summer) beach development on the Southern tip of Eleuthera. We cruised the Fantasy in September and left her in tip-top shape for you.

I love a five-night Double Dip Bahamas cruise (that used to be 2 stops at Castaway; maybe it needs a new name when visiting both beaches - maybe a Double Bubble, like the gum but because you are in the Disney Bubble in two places).

Easter is April 20 next year, so fingers crossed the crowds are a bit more normal.

Congratulations.