Lee Monson has a nice spring break planned.

Monson, a 22-year-old Kansas University senior from Chicago, is taking a weeklong cruise of the Caribbean with five of his female friends.

“We leave from Miami, and we go to Key West, Cozumel, Progresso (Mexico) and Grand Cayman,” Monson said, smiling at the thought. “We’re seniors and whatnot. We wanted to get away from the Cancðn thing.”

Monson is no doubt one of many Kansas snowbirds eager to use the upcoming spring break  March 18-22 for KU and Lawrence public schools  to escape the Midwestern winter weather and bask in the warmth of a sunny, southern clime.

He also illustrates some trends that Lawrence travel agents have seen while booking spring break trips.

“The (college) upperclassmen seem to going to a lot of the same destinations, but they’re buying better-quality packages,” said John Novotny, vice president of operations for Travellers, a travel agency at 831 Mass.

“We also noticed quite a bit more students this year taking cruises,” he said. “I think the type of (trip) specials that are being offered at this time helped to increase that number.”

Freshmen and sophomores, new to college spring break, are just excited to go somewhere.

“But the students who have been in school for two or three years, and have learned from past travel experiences, want to stay in better hotels and are willing to pay for it,” Novotny said. “Juniors and seniors  especially the fifth-year seniors  want a better-quality hotel, in a better location, with fewer students sharing a room than in the past.”

Students this year are typically spending $700 to $900 on five- to seven-day charter trips that include airfare and other transportation, according to Novotny.

“I got a pretty good deal on my trip. With the airfare and the cruise, it cost about $700,” Monson said. “We actually booked the airfare through a Web site. It was $140 round-trip to Fort Lauderdale, and then we’ll take a bus to Miami.”

The cruise, which Monson and his friends booked through Travellers, came to about $520. They made their arrangements two months ago.

“We had a range of what we wanted to spend  no more than $800. And we figure we’re going to bring $400 to $500 in spending money,” Monson said.

According to Novotny, the top spring break destinations this year are all in Mexico: Cancðn, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco.

In Florida, Fort Lauderdale and Daytona Beach remain popular among young people. Jamaica and the Bahamas also continue to prove a steady lure to students.

Other travel agencies in town are noticing the same trends.

“The biggest one that I have seen over the last few years is that students are willing to spend significantly more money than they have in the past,” said Anne Walters, general manager of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, 800 Mass.

“A few years ago, it was $600 and $700 for a week in Mexico. Now they’re spending $800 or $900. They don’t want the crummy hotel  they would prefer the little bit nicer one in a better, convenient location.”

Cancðn has been a popular spring break destination for quite a while, but Walters is starting to see college juniors and seniors who’ve been there a few times looking for alternatives.

“We’re sending a few to the Dominican Republic, and we have sent some on cruises, if they’re 21 and older,” Walters said. “They’re just looking for warm weather, saltwater and beaches.”

But Cancðn is still king.

“It’s extremely spring-break friendly,” she said. “There are wonderful places to spend your evenings, and it’s a good family destination, too. Lots of things to do, lots of water sports, great food and good hotels.”