The month of March is here again and this means that many schools around the United States will soon be enjoying Spring Break. While Spring Break can vary by state, area, and school, many schools will have their Spring Break sometime during March. As schools give time off for a break, some families will spend this time on a cruise vacation. If you are cruising during the Spring Break time-frame or are considering a cruise around this time of year, here are a few tips & suggestions for you to consider: 

1. If You Don't Like Cruising During School Breaks Because Of More Children On-board, This Time Of Year Is Probably Not For You!
           There are some people that prefer to cruise, with very few children onboard. If you are one of these people, consider cruising during a different time of year when school is in session. Another option you could consider, is choosing a cruise line that is less family oriented. This could decrease your likelihood of sailing with children and families, but does not guarantee a child free cruise.

2.  The Weather May Not Be Perfect Or As Great As You Hope For
               Everyone wants his or her cruise vacation to have nice weather, but this does not always happen. Cold fronts and other weather systems can occur during March, which could have an effect on your Spring Break cruise. Check the weather forecast often before your cruise to see if precipitation is likely in the places you will be cruising. I hope the weather will cooperate for everyone cruising for Spring Break! 

3. Don't Forget Sunscreen or Sunblock
         If you plan on being outside for any length of time you need to make sure you bring sunscreen that will protect you from u/v rays and the sun. Bring enough sunscreen for you and your family.  However, don't forget to actually put it on before going outside. You may still get sunburned, if you are like me, but the sunscreen should help protect you. Put the sunscreen on as recommended by the label on your bottle and don't forget to reapply if the directions state the protection only lasts for a certain amount of time.
         Getting a sunburn during your cruise vacation could put a damper on your vacation or make you feel terrible.

4. Parents Please Watch Your Kids At Pools
          No matter what type of pool, slide, or water recreation activity your child wishes to participate in, make sure you keep an eye on each him or her. Most cruise ship pools have no lifeguards and are use at your own risk. The pools on ships can be used year round in some destinations, so this tip doesn't just apply to cruises that sail during spring break or the summer. Parents need to watch their children closely to make sure nothing happens to them. It is always much better to be safe than sorry!  ​

5. For The Ports - Keep Track of Time & Be Back Before The Designated Time
                  Sometimes cruisers get off in a port of call and then get too wrapped up in their excursion or activity, which causes them to forget about getting back to their ship on-time. Although this is an issue that pertains to all cruises, it is important to remember to give yourself plenty of time to get back to the ship before the designated return time. Once your ship has sailed, you are probably out of luck and will have to find transportation to meet the ship elsewhere. The simple solution is to keep track of time, get back to the ship early, and then you can enjoy watching others rush back to the ship because they arrived near the last possible second!

6.  The Price For Spring Break Cruises Can Vary
                    Typically, spring break cruises cost more than some of the cruises that sail identical itineraries around the same time of year. This is because cruise lines know their will be some demand for cruises during this time frame. You can most likely expect to find cruises that cost less than summer rates, but more than some of the other cruises offered during off-season times. However, do not wait until the last minute to book a spring break cruise because prices can go up and availability of staterooms will decrease.

​7.  Check The Dates Of When Your Cruise Begins and Ends 
                   Some cruises that offered around the spring break timeframe do not align perfectly with time kids have off from school. This could mean choosing a certain cruise could result in your kid(s) missing a little bit of school if you choose to book the particular cruise vacation.  

         Hurricanes can be a major disruption to any cruise vacation because these storms can make seas choppy, close ports of call, force itinerary changes, and damage many destinations. The 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 through November 30 and the Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season runs from May 15 through November 30. The time for hurricane season is upon the United States and many other places in the world once again.
         While many people will cruise during hurricane season without any inclement weather or disruptions to their cruise voyage, there always seems to be some cruises each year that have itinerary changes or rough seas because of hurricanes. Our goal is to help you plan for a cruise that could be potentially disrupted in some way by a hurricane or tropical storm. 


Onboard The Cruise Ship During A Hurricane
           If you find yourself onboard your cruise ship during a hurricane or tropical storm you do not need to panic. Many cruise ships will make an effort to avoid sailing into the storm and instead keep the ship in calmer waters. This is for the comfort of all passengers and the safety of the ship. However, this does mean cruisers onboard will not feel any motion. You may feel the ship rocking, but it should not be nearly as bad as the waters directly affected by the storm. The closer you are to the storm the worse the waves will be. 
           Your cruise ship may close the outside public decks as a safety precaution if winds are too high, the ship is rocking too much, or the ship deems there is a safety concern with letting people freely walk on the outside decks. Be prepared for this possibility, but keep in mind there are probably other things you can do in the interior spaces of your cruise ship. If there is rain outside most people will probably stay inside anyways. 
             I recommend bringing some medication or a safe remedy that will help you in the event you become seasick or ill because of the movement of the ship. Talk to your doctor about what remedies or medications may work best for you.

There Is A High Potential For Itinerary Adjustments & Port of Call Cancellations/Changes
           Cruise ships will often avoid areas that will be affected by a tropical storm or hurricane, if possible. This could mean a cruise's itinerary could be altered. In the past, cruise lines have cancelled ports of calls and made that particular cruise day a sea day. In other cases, when possible, cruise lines have swapped a port of call with another port of call. There are many factors that go into a cruise line's decision when making itinerary adjustments.

Before Cruising:  Could The Cruise Be Cancelled & How Would I Find Out? 
           Many cruise lines will make an effort to avoid cancelling a cruise, but in some cases cancelling is the only option a cruise line has. A decision to cancel a cruise could be based on the storm's expected landfall, how close landfall is to a cruise's departure date, port authority storm procedures, and more. 
              Many cruise lines will email guests about a cancellation or post information online. There are a few cruise lines that use a text alert system to give notifications to subscribed guests. If you feel like you are missing important information and a storm is likely to impact your voyage in some way, you should call your cruise line directly. 

Before The Cruise:  Can I Voluntarily Cancel? 
            The specific answer to this question will depend on your cruise line. In many cases, your cruise line will allow you to cancel, but not receive a refund. This is because you are voluntarily cancelling on a voyage that is still going to sail and you are held to the cruise line's cancellation policy. In some cases, cruise lines will show compassion and allow cruisers to cancel without a penalty, but this does not happen with all cruise lines. However, if the cruise is cancelled by your cruise line they should be providing you with a refund and compensation. 

Driving To A Cruise Homeport Where The Storm Is Expected To Hit: Things To Do
           If your cruise is still sailing and the storm is expected to make landfall around your departure port there are a few things you can do: 
-  Parking:   Flooding could occur at the place you park your car. If you can, try to park in a covered parking garage on a level higher than the ground. This will help protect your car from some flooding, but is does not guarantee your car will be 100% safe. Your car could still be damaged by water in many ways, including higher than expected floodwater. Don't forget that the wind can damage your car or blow objects into the glass. 
-  Take Valuables Out Of Your Car:   Before leaving your house to cruise, take valuables out of your car. You should not leave valuables in your car at any time, but in this case your car could be washed out from flooding or looted after the storm.

If You Live In the Storm's Impact Area -  Prepare Your Home 
           If you live in the area the storm will affect or potentially destroy, you need to prepare your home before cruising. I recommend doing tasks such as unplugging electrical devices from the walls to minimize your loss from a power surge, boarding windows, and storing objects that could be damaged easily in a safer place. There may be other tasks you must complete depending on your home's location and your own personal storm preparation plans. Some people have to deal directly with flooding, high winds, and other things. Make sure you prepare your home to minimize any damage that may occur while you are gone. 

Links To Further Your Hurricane Preparedness
National Hurricane Center:  http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ 
I will be adding more links at a later time.