March is the unofficial beginning of spring break season. College students and young partygoers flock to the warmer weather in Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean during this time of the year. Starting in late February and finishing in early April, spring break is a popular time for travel — especially for cruisers.
Unfortunately, one traveler’s 4-night vacation has turned into a “cruise nightmare” after finding themselves surrounded by spring breakers. Turning to social media, the Celebrity cruiser shared their experience on Reddit, warning others about the rowdy, party-like atmosphere onboard — even on premium cruise lines during this time of year.
The Redditor posted, "My best friend and I are currently on [Celebrity] Silhouette for our 45th birthdays. We had no idea this was a spring break destination. More than half the boat are spring breakers.”
“The party vibes by the bars and pool are fine. But slamming doors, running up and down the halls, and room parties until 4am are not,” continued the poster.
Even after upgrading to a veranda balcony stateroom, the cruiser described the experience as worse than staying at a rundown hotel because of the constant noise aboard Celebrity Silhouette. While they didn’t mind the party atmosphere, the lack of sleep was unbearable.
The poster stated, “It’s the total lack of sleep that’s killing us. Like I said, we’re cool with party vibes, if we got any sleep.”
Continuing, the cruiser shared, “We complained, but have offered no assistance. Reddit posts warned of some spring breakers but [we] had no idea we were reliving MTV spring break 2001. Double check your dates and RUN. This has been a total waste of $2,000.”
In addition, the poster shared a screenshot from the program College Party Cruise, which organizes all-inclusive spring break cruises each year. For 2025, the College Party Cruise offered three itineraries aboard Celebrity Silhouette. All three of the itineraries for the College Party Cruise are 4-nights long and depart from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
According to its website, College Party Cruise provides an all-inclusive experience for spring breakers, featuring unlimited alcoholic beverages, including cocktails, beer, wine, and spirits. The website promotes its cruises as a VIP experience for college students, showcasing hundreds of college students partying in photos.
In fact, College Party Cruise brands itself as hosting the “largest group of Spring Breakers at sea” and details the premium experience with parties, gourmet dining, poolside cocktails, and dancing the night away under the stars.
Despite the party-centric marketing, the program also highlights the premium nature of sailing with Celebrity Cruises as an adult-focused experience. The program emphasizes the cruise line’s personalized service, sophisticated ambiance, and top-notch dining.
Read more: Spring break cruises: are they fun and should you try one?
The Reddit post has amassed over 100 comments, with many echoing frustration over spring break crowds
Any cruise can attract a party crowd, especially shorter itineraries. However, the weeks surrounding spring break typically bring an especially rowdy clientele onboard most mainstream cruise lines. While some travelers enjoy the high-energy vibe, those seeking a relaxing getaway may find the late-night parties and rowdy behavior to be frustrating.
In particular, many commenters online were surprised by the spring break cruise being hosted on Celebrity Cruises compared to other options, such as Carnival Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean.
One of the top comments reads, “I wouldn't expect that on Celebrity. Never would I think they would even have an actual college spring break party cruise. Which I wouldn't have appreciated even when I was in college.”
Another user echoed this sentiment, questioning how Celebrity Cruises became a spring break hotspot: “Can’t believe Celebrity is a spring break destination-I know I didn’t have the funds to do that when I was in college! I guess mommy and daddy do though.”
Similarly, another commenter was surprised by the choice of cruise line, writing, “I’m a little surprised that it's happening on Celebrity of all cruise lines, but... yeah that's a risk you have to consider when you book a short Caribbean cruise at any time, but especially during spring break.”
“Wow, what a change! I was on the Silhouette on this same date a year ago and it was fine. However, it was a 10-day cruise to the Southern Caribbean which probably made it immune to the Spring Break crowd. I remember seeing [a while] back that the Silhouette was only doing shorter Caribbean cruises this year,” explained another cruiser in the comment section.
Additionally, several commenters pointed out that choosing a short cruise in March, which is considered peak spring break season, made this outcome somewhat predictable.
“Not to point out the obvious but a 4 day cruise in March is going to be spring break. All 3-4 day cruises are party central,” one cruiser remarked. Another cruiser replied similarly, “The Nightmare Warning was there at your first thought of booking a 4N cruise in mid-March.”
Defending their decision, the original poster explained, “I grew up lower class and in Wisconsin, a cruise for spring break would never have crossed my mind.”
Even still, many expressed their sympathy towards someone with a ruined vacation
No one wants to spend their hard-earned money and vacation time on a miserable cruise. One commenter shared, “That sucks! I wish there was an easy way to figure out when you are booked on a cruise with a large group on board.”
Others expressed sympathy for the crew members and cabin stewards who need to ensure the ship is clean, organized, and up to standards. This can be especially difficult when spring breakers wreak havoc onboard.
“Let’s all say a prayer and light a candle for the room stewards,” reads the top comment in the comment section.
Some guests aboard the spring break sailing shared their own personal experiences on Celebrity Silhouette
One passenger aboard the Celebrity Silhouette shared, “We’re also on this cruise, other than some chairs being pulled on a veranda during daytime hours it’s been pretty normal, we’re not party people and away from the pool deck it’s pretty normal.”
The comment continued, “Now at $2k, I would be disappointed, but considering both [our] cruises and airfare were $2k for [Concierge Class or Aqua Class], we just roll with it. From what we observed in the MDR last night, people weren’t too rowdy and were actually polite with folks in all age groups.”
However, not all frustrations stemmed from noisy passengers. A second guest on the spring break sailing raised concerns about closed venues, stating, “I am on this cruise currently. No problem at all with other people who paid to be here. My problem is they are closing major venues for private events for 8 hour blocks.
“No changes to schedule, so when you show up you get told to go elsewhere. We paid to access those too and there was no indication those amenities would not be available to us like they normally would,” continued the comment.
If you’re seeking a relaxing and quiet cruise, it’s best to avoid short sailings in March
Most people likely think of Carnival Cruise Line as the poster child of spring break cruising. Known for its party-like atmosphere onboard, Carnival considers itself the most fun cruise line in the industry. Spring breakers naturally gravitate towards this type of lively onboard experience.
Other mainstream, family-friendly cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises are also other popular options for spring break itineraries. When booking a Celebrity Cruise in March, many travelers might not even consider spring break as a potential issue.
Celebrity Cruises is often branded as a more premium cruise line with upscale dining, elegant decor, and stellar entertainment. This refined experience seems like a far cry from the wild parties that spring breakers seek. For this reason, many would assume that Celebrity Cruises detracts from rowdy cruisers.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for those wanting a more peaceful vacation. While this cruiser might have expected a more subdued atmosphere onboard Celebrity Cruises, this couldn’t be further from their experience.
For those planning a cruise during this time, especially on 3-night to 4-night itineraries, be aware that these voyages often attract a livelier crowd during spring break. Even 7-night itineraries during March can attract more college students and families than a typical cruise in the winter or spring.
If you find yourself cruising during the spring break timeframe, make sure you are prepared. Expect a noisier crowd onboard, and consider bringing earplugs or a portable white noise machine to help block out excess sound. Avoid booking a stateroom near public venues, elevators, nightclubs, or the pool deck to minimize disturbances during your vacation. Additionally, upgrading to specialty dining can provide a more peaceful dining experience, away from the potentially rowdy main dining room.
Allie Hubers
Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a tiny toddler. What started as a yearly vacation with family quickly turned into a passion for travel, cruising and adventure. Allie's been on over 45 cruises all over the world. She even studied abroad on Semester at Sea, sailing the world on a ship while taking courses for college and visiting 4 continents.
