8-day Easterrn Carib on Freedom during March

[Michelle1959]

I am thinking about booking this cruise for two years from now (March 2012) - has anyone cruised her in March and how is the weather on this itinerary that time of year?

Thanks!

[Luanne Russo]

Michelle,

I am so proud of you. I remember when you first started cruising, and you have gone wild booking, since then. You go Girl

I would think the weather would be hit or miss.

[Fern]

Ummm - March = Spring Break = inumerable young people !

[2Littletime]

I second Fern's thoughts. The weather is not the problem in the Caribbean in March, we have cruised twice that time of the year and the weather was fabulous. However, the ship was full of college kids and families with out of control kids. Even my children were overwhelmed. If you can sneak off the last week of February, it seemed to be better than the two middle weeks of March as far as the crowds go. We did the Southern on one trip and I just checked my journal and the temps were: 92, 90, 88, 87, 90, 91, 84 with sunshine and smooth sailing. The second trip was similar except we had one day of wind that brought the temps down into the low 70s which we didn't mind because the note in my journal said it was -26 at home that day

[rosetattoo]

I would agree with the comments about the spring breakers on board, lots of them. I just returned from my Dream cruise to the eastern Caribbean last week and it was chilly on deck...St. Thomas was warm (not hot) and we went snorkeling but the water was cold...St. Maarten was in the low 80's but we had rain on and off all day. We went to sit on the Serenity deck one day and the wind was so fierce we couldn't even stand up and everyone was bundled up. The best months to cruise, in my opinion, are May, the first two weeks of June, and October and November. We had a very cold winter in Florida this year and last week was no exception, a little too cool on the decks for me, I would have preferred sailing in May but was out voted by my fellow travelers.

[Trip]

The March cruise experience,can turn a good cruise, bad fast....The prices just a few weeks later maybe so much better, if your schedule allows...oh, and less kids!

[green_rd]

The 8-day length might shake off a few spring breakers. But we did our Southern Caribbean cruise spring break week (the DW works in a school) and the ship was crawling with kids.

[Michelle1959]

My mom and I didn't see a ton of spring breakers on our Imagination Cruise... do the kids all take the longer cruises? Also, as long as I have my ipod to tune itnto I can tune out any noisy kids.

Right now I can only go when my son is with his dad and I don't know what my schedule will be once he starts college as he'll still be living at home (local community college for 1.5 - 2 years to do the basic requirements then tranferring to a local college.

I agree, as long as it's warmer where I cruise than it is back here in Chicago, I iwll be happy!

Thanks for your responses, everyone!

[catty]

We cruised southern caribbean in the first week of march and it was warm from leaving puerto rico until we got back, a little windy, but warm... great trip. We also cruised to the western caribbean in march and it was also great weather and not many kids. I think it can be hit or miss....I do love cruising in May and the first 2 weeks of june...dec was too cold on deck to cruise last year.

[cruisingrandma]

We just came back from our Freedom cruise April 24 to May2.. The weather was so perfect and the cruise was one of our very best. Love Carnival and the Freedom is so beautiful. The service was so grerat. Everyone was smiling and courteous. Food was out of this world. I have no bad parts. I have to do my post for the cruise review yet. Loved the entire trip! Even the day before in Ft Lauderdale was such fun.
the weather was 85 to 93 degrees every day. I would think March would be ok. But then again i always cruise the end of April. Never been disapointed. Happy cruising...