What's the Best Month to Cruise? Pros & Cons of Sailing Each Month of the Year
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In Jamaica, parades known as Bacchanal, take to the streets during both months. Stop trying to game the system and focus instead on planning the perfect cruise vacation you and your loved ones will reminisce about long after you've forgotten how much you paid for the trip. If that sounds like too much math homework, I recommend that you call a travel agent.
Best Time to Cruise Alaska: June - August
Plus, winter storms in the U.S. can increase wave action in the Atlantic and in the Gulf of Mexico. The farther north your departure port, the more likely you are to experience a rough ride until your ship sails south into calmer water. Ships that sail seasonally in Alaska and Europe often call the waters of the Caribbean home for a few months in winter. Except for the weeks that include holidays, ships aren't likely to be at capacity or filled with screaming children. Fares in winter are a bit below the yearly average (excluding the holiday weeks, which are often the highest of the year).
Traveling on Cruises in January - February
Transiting the Panama Canal from the Caribbean to the Pacific Ocean is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for many travelers, especially for history and engineering buffs. If you're considering this bucket-list sailing, you'll want to find the best time to cruise the Panama Canal, whether that be to find better weather, lower pricing or fewer crowds. Attractions and shops will switch to peak-season hours at the end of the month; Denali National Park & Preserve switches into summer mode in May. You'll find those who work in tourism excited to be back in business, considering that many people in southeast Alaska earn their income from out-of-state visitors. Cruise lines will offer the opportunity to extend your cruise with land tours, which include accommodations, transportation and some meals.
When is the Best Time to Cruise the Caribbean?
Not only are holiday cruises more crowded, they see an increase in pricing, too. If you are cruising from Sydney, you may also want to be prepared for Australia Day, which occurs at the end of January, as this holiday draws large crowds to the city. Nonetheless, April and May are excellent times to enjoy Bermuda outside of just beaches, from cycling the historic Railway Trail to horseback riding and celebrating local holidays.
When to cruise to Hawaii for the best weather
Regarding our top picks, we almost always point towards November and April, as they provide the least precipitation, the calmest waters, and plenty of sunshine. These are also some of the most expensive months to travel, so you may want to pick some other time during the dry season. In other words, plenty of cruise lines offer Caribbean voyages during this period, but demand is lower than during the peak travel months. This increases the chances of scoring an amazing Caribbean cruise deal. When you book a cruise that sets sail between August and September, you almost guarantee that you will travel during the peak of the wet season. May tends to be the informal beginning of the wet season, so temperatures increase alongside humidity levels.
Pirates Week is the national festival of the Cayman Islands, taking place in November. As you might imagine, it's a week filled with reenactments and spectacle, paying homage to the islands' rich history and cultural ties to piracy.
Best times to go on a cruise: Alaska, Caribbean, Mediterranean - USA TODAY
Best times to go on a cruise: Alaska, Caribbean, Mediterranean.
Posted: Thu, 29 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The best time to cruise the Panama Canal
“Resident” orcas (who stay near shore and feed on fish) are easy to spot and fun to watch from the cruise ship or on a whale-watching excursion. If you purchase a balcony cabin, you can take advantage of the long days in the Land of the Midnight Sun. As your ship reaches the Inside Passage, the early morning views outside of your room are breathtaking. However, the views and ability to go sightseeing from your room on ocean days make the higher price worth it. Because of its latitude, Alaska experiences extremes in daylight in the summer and darkness in the winter. Holland America Princess, and Royal Caribbean have Alaskan Inside Passage cruises departing from Vancouver at the end of April.
The beginning of the month is a great time to see whales in Antarctica, but as March fades the Southern Hemisphere winter closes in, bringing expedition cruising here to a close. Regardless of which month you cruise, the temperature will average somewhere in 80s. Moreover, summer is busy in general with many land-based tourists and Europeans taking summer holidays, meaning that you will encounter more people while exploring each port of call. A 7-night Norwegian Fjords cruise on Anthem of the Seas from Southampton begins at $1,270 for sailings that depart in July 2024. Due to the variety of destinations offered, the best time to cruise can vary from place to place.
July and August can be the most expensive months to cruise the Caribbean, but there are plenty of exceptions. Because more and more ships sail the region every year, prices can be competitive for families, couples and friends planning their summer getaway. February just might be the best time of year to cruise the Caribbean, as blue skies and warm temperatures are the norm throughout the region. You can expect highs in the mid-80s in the Southern Caribbean, with lows typically no cooler than the mid-60s in more northern destinations like the Bahamas or Puerto Rico. The best month to cruise the Mediterranean depends on what you're looking for in a vacation. We took a look at factors like weather and sea conditions, festivals and, of course, pricing, to determine which travel dates are right for you.
Hurricane season can have some impacts on the region, although not as common as in the Caribbean. Cruising has become increasingly popular, visiting hundreds of destinations worldwide, all year long. The best months to cruise vary by location, and for those who are flexible, scheduling the right time can make your cruise even better. While cruise lines are usually prepared to sail away from storms, it's always a good idea to supplement low fares with travel insurance for incidentals like flight changes. Keep in mind that July and August means families are taking advantage of school breaks and vacation days.
Well, while the islands aren't generally hit by hurricanes, they come closest in September and weather patterns can bring hot, humid weather to the islands despite technically being dry season. They can also kick up storms that lead to rough seas and less-than-ideal excursion conditions. With the warmer temperatures, March is an ideal month to head to the beaches on one of the San Blas Islands, an archipelago of about 365 islands and cays off the Caribbean coast of Eastern Panama. Some cruise lines that visit the archipelago are Windstar, Star Clippers, Hapag-Lloyd and Ponant.
Cruising in September will give you the highest chance of viewing the Aurora Borealis on an Alaskan cruise. You won’t want to miss this indescribable sight, so watch for clear night skies and set an alarm to go on deck (or on your balcony) for potential middle-of-the-night Northern Lights shows. In September, the scale now tips towards later sunrises and earlier sunsets in Alaska. By the end of September, there are less than 12 hours of daylight in Juneau. There is a chance you will see some snow, so a winter coat, gloves, and a hat are a smart addition to your packing list. You might see bears that are continuing to fatten up before hibernation.
This line hosts LGBTQ+ welcome parties, social hours and other events on almost every cruise, from the Bahamas to the Mediterranean to Australia. You’ll want to book now for the fifth annual Pride Party at Sea, which will held next June. Each ship in the fleet will participate in this vibrant celebration of the LGBTQ+ community—and that, in itself, is worth celebrating. Cunard has been sailing for more than 180 years, and you could say they’ve perfected it. Wherever you’re heading, you can choose from a variety of Romance Packages featuring everything from flowers and champagne to couples massages and breakfast in bed.
These lines still offer the occasional flash sale, but they don't always fall on the same day of the week. Carnival is a festival in mid-January in Panama City and other towns around the country. It's one of the biggest celebrations in Central America — even bigger than the Christmas holidays for most families, so you can expect crowds during that time. Take advantage of the final weeks of the dry season to book active outdoor adventure excursions like hiking, kayaking and zip lining.
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