Taking A Cruise In March
Pros: With warmer weather and Spring Break, a cruise is on many peoples minds come March. In fact, if you are a Spring Breaker, this is a great time to sail as a cruise offers an affordable getaway to the beach without having to worry about flights or hotel. Just hop on the ship and start your vacation.
As well, if youre headed to the Caribbean, March can be warm but not too warm compared to the heat of the summer months.
Cons: If you arent a Spring Break fan, then this might not be the best month to sail. Cruises especially shorter trips will have a younger crowd and more of a party atmosphere. Youll also see a spike in prices starting in mid-March as cruise lines raise prices for trips that coincide with Spring Break.
What About The Weather
There are a few different things to consider when deciding on the best time of year to cruise the Caribbean. The weather is generally warm and sunny year-round, so thats one thing you dont have to worry about. However, hurricane season runs from June to November, so if youre hoping to avoid any chance of bad weather, you may want to plan your cruise for outside of those months.
From a weather perspective, the best time to cruise the Caribbean is during the shoulder months of April, May, October, and November. The weather is typically milder during these months, and there is less chance of hurricanes. However, school holidays can make cruising during these months more expensive and crowded.
When Is The Best Time To Cruise The Caribbean
23 Mar 2022
We all need a bit of sunshine now and again, so its no surprise that one of the questions we often get asked is when is the best time to cruise the Caribbean? Its a great year-round cruising destination, and with so many different islands to visit, its one of those places you can return to time and time again and rarely see the same thing twice.
There are just as many things to do in the Caribbean during the quieter months of the year as there are during peak season. The locations you visit will depend on whether you choose a western or eastern Caribbean cruise itinerary there are more than 700 islands in total, so plenty to go at!
From swimming with sea turtles in Barbados to whale watching in Dominica, making chocolate in Grenada to learning to dance in Cuba, the Caribbean has it all. And if youre still wondering when is the best time to cruise the Caribbean, we have just the information you need to help you make your decision.
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Understanding When And Why Cruise Prices Drop
Wave season may be a popular time to find cruise deals, but not every company releases their best deals and promotions during that period. Sales are often based on what is and isn’t selling. If a cruise is filling up quickly, the company has no reason to release a sale to entice customers. But if a cruise’s departure date is fast approaching and the ship is only partially booked, prices will drop and free add-ons will increase, resulting in some happy customers.
Taking A Cruise In June
Pros: If you want a summer getaway with warm weather and water, June is a great choice. Hurricane season starts June 1st, but its still rare that youll have a chance of a hurricane this early. Meanwhile, the Caribbean is starting to heat up so you can have a true beach summer vacation without worrying about it being too chilly. Also, with the kids out of school, you can take them on your trip without worrying about absences.
Cons: With schools out of session and the popular summer vacation season, fares spike for June and through the rest of summer. Youll usually be paying more for the same cruise compared to taking it earlier in the year. As well, if you arent the type that likes to cruise with families on the ship, then keep in mind that summer months typically see an influx of kids on the cruise ship.
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The Caribbean Cruise Season
High Season: Late June August Christmas and New Years weeks February mid-April
Sailing during this season: During the peak Caribbean sailing period, there are generally two types of cruisers sailing families off from school, and those trying to escape the winter chills. It is a great time to sail with kids, and the childrens program is usually in full swing. The trade-off, however, is that it can be quite pricey, especially when you must add in flights, which you often must book even before you book the cruise because of the high demand.
If you are looking for peace and quiet on your Caribbean cruise, you may want to look outside of holiday weeks, as this is when the ships are at their highest capacity, especially with the American travellers. Cruise lines also send their biggest and most innovative ships to this region during high season.
Low/Shoulder Season: Late April May September early January
Sailing during this season: With great weather and smaller crowds, the low season
can often be the perfect time to take a Caribbean cruise. You can often pay hundreds less per
person than what you would pay at peak times. However, Hurricane season does pose a threat and can mean a change of ports/route if one is brewing.
Cruise : The Best Time To Book A Cruise
From expert tips to answers for your burning questions, heres now to make the most of a vacation at sea.
Vacations are about the memories you make, and it starts with the anticipationfrom finding just the right destination and pinning down your itinerary, to nabbing a value that gets you even more excited to get away. With a lineup of more than 260 destinations, newly modernized ships and a new, $250 million private island destination, Royal Caribbean is dialing up the adventure like never before. Whether youve cruised before or are considering it for the first time, youll want to start off your planning with a few basics on timing.
Curious to know the best time to book a cruise and your flight, or if there are surefire ways to score upgrades. Read on for our tips to help you plan like a pro.
How Early Should You Book a Cruise?
Guests book within different time frames for a variety of reasons and benefits. Weve broken it down into three buckets:
12 to 18 months: As a general rule of thumbthe farther you are traveling, the further out you will want to consider booking. Cruise lines open their new itineraries around the world earlier than airlines do. If youre planning a bucket-list trip around Australia or the Baltics, or headed to a locale best explored by sea , its wise to book early. Having plenty of lead time will give you the greatest choice when it comes to choosing your preferred style of accommodations and airfare.
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Eastern Caribbean Cruise Weather: Best Times To Go
| St. Thomas is a popular eastern Caribbean cruise port. Credit: Visit USVI |
Eastern Caribbean cruise weather matters a great deal to anyone planning a cruise in that region of the world.
Eastern Caribbean cruise weather ranges from the low 80s Fahrenheit in the winter to high 80s in the summer. The dry season goes from January through April, while the main rainy season is June through November.
Cruises generally are available for the eastern, western and southern areas of the Caribbean. Ports of call in the eastern region may include Antigua, the Bahamas, San Juan, St. Kitts, St. Maarten, Turks and Caicos and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Bahamas arent technically in the Caribbean Sea, but they are a common stop on eastern Caribbean cruises.
The weather can vary greatly from one island to another for one simple reason. The distance from the Bahamas in the north to St. Kitts in the south totals more than 1,000 miles. So anyone taking a cruise can see major changes in the weather during a single trip, especially temperatures.
Spring Cruises To The Caribbean
During the months of March and April, the best beaches in the Caribbean attract a rush of spring breakers and families looking to take advantage of school breaks.
If youre thinking of taking a Caribbean cruise during the spring, we recommend booking your vacation as early as possible, since prices tend to go up and cruise ships often sell out during this popular travel season.
Of course, its no surprise why travelers flock to the Caribbean during the early spring months. The weather is often blissful, with temperatures fluctuating between the mid-70s to low-90s. Plus, March and April are still well within the dry season, so you wont have to worry about rain or storms during your trip down south.
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Sail Away On A Relaxing Caribbean Cruise
A tropical island paradise awaits when you decide to book one of many superb Caribbean cruises on offer throughout the year. Go beach hopping and get yourself some vitamin D while sailing the Eastern Caribbean. Discover the marvellous Mayan culture while exploring the Western Caribbean. Visit extraordinary island paradises on a voyage to the Southern Caribbean. All the while trying truly delicious local cuisine at each bustling market or lovely city. Wherever you decide to explore, it is safe to say that a Caribbean cruise offers timeless adventures for a wide variety of different travellers and holiday styles.
What About Shoulder Season
Spring late April and most of May is regarded as shoulder season, with competitive pricing. Be aware, though, that April is spring break for American university students and cruises out of Floridas ports, in particular, can be packed with partying students.
Late November and early to mid-December are also shoulder season and can be a fantastic time to travel. Americans tend to celebrate Thanksgiving, their biggest annual holiday, at home with family, so cruises falling over the fourth Thursday in November can be a real bargain. Early December, too, is perfect for avoiding the darkest nights of the British winter and working on a pre-Christmas tan.
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Northern Europe Cruise Season
High Season: June August
Sailing during this season: Northern Europe is at its loveliest during the summer months, with ports that line the Baltic Sea and Norways fjords. The temperatures are generally balmy, the skies are clear and sunny, and the cities turn themselves inside out life is lived outdoors, out on the water, roaming the city and sipping drinks at sidewalk cafes.
Low/Shoulder Season: May & September
Sailing during this season: The kids are back in school, the ports are less frenetic, the weather is still beautiful and crisp, and the prices are much lower. Enough said.
When To Go On A Caribbean Cruise
When is the best time to go on a Caribbean cruise? When to go on a Caribbean cruise and the best time to go, might vary depending on the reasons you want to go. There are several departure ports for accessing cruises at in the Caribbean. These departure ports include: Galveston, New Orleans, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, San Juan, and Panama.
Similarly, there are a variety of Caribbean cruise destinations. Visitors can choose to take a southern Caribbean, a Western Caribbean, an Eastern Caribbean, or cruise that hits ports of call along Central America. Because all of these ports and destinations are in the same tropical Caribbean region, this means the weather is fairly consistent and the best times are usually the same. A Caribbean cruise is one of the best ways to experience an eclectic taste of the various island cultures.
The Caribbean cruise season varies depending on reasons people travel.
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High Humidity Levels Until September
For summer cruises to the Caribbean, you want to make sure that you are ready for weather that hits 90 degrees and higher. And 90 degrees is not a high in the month of August it’s actually an average temperature. So, that means that in the summer the Caribbean temperatures can get up to 100 degrees with humidity really sticking.
The humidity in the Caribbean is not like Miami or Florida humidity it’s much heavier and you really feel it throughout the entire day. There is also a lot of rainfall during the summer months which can equate to a higher count in the number of bugs that you will feel about. The point is, you don’t want to head to the Caribbean on a cruise in the summer and expect perfect weather.
If you’re going to travel to the Caribbean you want to be able to enjoy your surroundings and not feel like you want to head into air conditioning. So, it’s just important to note that youre going to be experiencing hot and humid weather if you are embarking on a summer cruise to the Caribbean.
School Holidays / Other Passengers
Particularly if youre looking for a quiet vacation, you should avoid school holidays. Thanksgiving, the Christmas and New Years period, Spring Break, and the peak of summer are periods that see a spike in passenger numbers. This high demand increases prices significantly.
On the other hand, if you have children yourself, this is pretty much the only time of year that you can go on a cruise. If thats the case, make sure to watch out for deals and/or book well in advance.
The summer holiday, especially, is often the most expensive times of year to cruise the Caribbean. This is because both children are out of school and some employers let their personnel take their annual vacation between June and August. Virtually all cruise lines raise their prices in summer.
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So What Are Your Options
You can cruise during the off-peak season which is generally considered to be anytime outside of peak season. Dates vary depending on where you sail and when, but you will generally pay 25%-50% less than what you would pay if you cruised during peak season. This is because this is one of the best time to cruise Caribbean.
For example, a seven day Caribbean cruise departing from Miami on Thanksgiving week would cost about $500 per person. If you were to cruise on the same week, but outside of peak season, it could be as low as $300 per person.
You can also try cruising during the shoulder season . This is considered to be anytime between peak and off-peak seasons for example, Thanksgiving week through December.
For example, a seven day Caribbean cruise departing from Miami on Thanksgiving week would cost about $500 per person. If you were to cruise the same week but during shoulder season, it could be as low as $300 per person.
Note that this is just an example dates may vary depending on where you sail and the time of year but you get the idea for the best time to cruise Caribbean.
So, if money is your only constraint, then it would be best to cruise during shoulder season or off-peak season. If you dont have a lot of money to spend on your vacation, it may be better to avoid best time to cruise Caribbean.
But keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, such as:
The Beaches Get Crowded During Holidays
The Caribbean is absolutely one of the most frequented places in the world because of the clear blue waters, the white sands, and the weather. The Caribbean is also a highly frequented place for tourists to visit because it feels like a remote getaway during the holiday season.
There is a sense that you really escape when you’re on Caribbean islands, especially if you’re more of the adventurous type and hike, snorkel, or zipline.
Obviously, if you don’t have the chance to get away in the month of May or October, then definitely go on a winter cruise to the Caribbean and you wont be disappointed. The beaches will be crowded, but you will enjoy stunning views, breathtaking weather, and have a chance to shake your winter slump.
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Best And Worst Times To Cruise The Caribbean
The best time to cruise to the Caribbean depends on personal preferences for weather, prices and crowds.
But some months are better than others, especially spring to early summer when temperatures are warm and the risk of rain is low.
But for the most part, the best time to cruise the Caribbean is January through April during the dry season, especially in April when temperatures are warmer. The worst time is September and October during the peak months of the Caribbean hurricane season.
May is a brief rainy season for some destinations. June through August are popular with families on summer break. June is the best time to cruise the Caribbean in the summer because it has a lower risk of rain than July or August.
The weather is a major factor because rainfall is often quite heavy in the Caribbean during certain times of the year.
It is especially true during the Caribbean hurricane season, which lasts from the beginning of June to the end of November. During that period, total rainfall rises until it reaches a high point in September and October. As a result, both months are the least popular times of the year to vacation in the Caribbean.
Temperatures also are a factor to consider. People who love beaches may find that winter in the Caribbean brings cooler seawater, especially in more northern destinations.
During the summer, people who dont like humidity and temperatures higher than 90 degrees Fahrenheit will find some destinations uncomfortably hot.
