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Planning A Cruise? When Is The Best Weather?
October 1, 2023 at 01:55 AM EDT
By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Fred Allen and Anthony Sagliani
Whether it’s the Caribbean, south Pacific, Europe or anywhere else, cruising the seven seas is a great way to explore new places and get a quick taste of local culture. However, when is the best weather for those once-in-a-lifetime trips?
Here is a glimpse of the best times of the year to book your next cruise:
Caribbean:
Even though it may be warm all-year round, there are rainy months and the hurricane season from June until November that could throw a wrench into your Caribbean Cruise plans. Having said that, April, December, and July offer the best dates to getaway. April, a simply beautiful month with highs in the upper 80s and lows in the 70s along with less than eight days of rain will deliver fantastic weather. July, a balmy month with temperatures ranging from 78 to 87 degrees is another great time to pick a cruise date to the Caribbean. The extra incentive is despite it being “Hurricane Season,” it is rare that such a storm would form and more deals might be available. The December getaway speaks for itself, as many northerners try to get away from frosty temperatures and wintry weather. With temperatures reaching the 80s during the day and lows dropping into the lower 60s coupled with a brisk afternoon trade wind, the weather will be simply delightful.
Southeast Asia:
Avoiding a typhoon may be a hard thing to do in Southeast Asia, but the best time to board a cruise ship is from November through February when generally drier and cooler weather prevail. That being said, temperatures average a balmy 80 degrees year-round and typical daytime highs range from the lower to upper 80s across Southeast Asia. Other reasons to pick this time of year include temperatures climbing into the upper 90s from March until June, while monsoon rain from June into October in most countries make diving, surfing, hiking or sunbathing difficult. The only exception to the rule is Malaysia and Indonesia, however, which their dry season exists from April to October.
Europe:
Waiting to board a luxury liner to explore the Mediterranean in the fall, especially in September and October would be a safe bet. This is when the sultry summer gives way to cooler, calmer and fantastic weather. Meanwhile, Northern Europe and the Baltics should be visited in July or August, where sunny and pleasant weather are normal and days are at their longest – there are only three to four hours of darkness at night here in early July. For Great Britian and many Atlantic Coast Europe locations, there’s only a small time when a Cruise makes sense, and it’s not during the spring and early summer when the weather can be unpredictable. Instead, visit these locations for sun and nice weather during the early autumn.
Australia:
If you are thinking of taking a cruise to Australia or the South Pacific, the most important factor to keep in mind is that seasons run opposite to the Northern Hemisphere. Setting sail to a northern Australian destination such as Darwin or the Great Barrier Reef might require some planning around the drenching afternoon thunderstorms or tropical cyclones that can frequent the region in the summer months. Drier weather during the fall and winter months, from April to August, along with typically gorgeous temperatures, is generally the ideal time of the year to travel to these destinations. On the other hand, if you’ll be heading to New Zealand or Australia’s southern Territories, perhaps to Perth on the west coast or Sydney on the east coast, winters can be a bit stormier, so these destinations may be better reached in the summer months of January through March.
Tahiti and the South Pacific:
Many will argue there is never a bad time to take a cruise to Tahiti or any of the other hundreds of lovely tropical islands that dot the South Pacific. Generally the most pleasant time of the year, and likely the best time to venture to these destinations, is May through October, when rain and thunderstorms will be at a minimum and there is little threat of any tropical cyclones.
Here is a glimpse of the best times of the year to book your next cruise:
Caribbean:
Even though it may be warm all-year round, there are rainy months and the hurricane season from June until November that could throw a wrench into your Caribbean Cruise plans. Having said that, April, December, and July offer the best dates to getaway. April, a simply beautiful month with highs in the upper 80s and lows in the 70s along with less than eight days of rain will deliver fantastic weather. July, a balmy month with temperatures ranging from 78 to 87 degrees is another great time to pick a cruise date to the Caribbean. The extra incentive is despite it being “Hurricane Season,” it is rare that such a storm would form and more deals might be available. The December getaway speaks for itself, as many northerners try to get away from frosty temperatures and wintry weather. With temperatures reaching the 80s during the day and lows dropping into the lower 60s coupled with a brisk afternoon trade wind, the weather will be simply delightful.
Southeast Asia:
Avoiding a typhoon may be a hard thing to do in Southeast Asia, but the best time to board a cruise ship is from November through February when generally drier and cooler weather prevail. That being said, temperatures average a balmy 80 degrees year-round and typical daytime highs range from the lower to upper 80s across Southeast Asia. Other reasons to pick this time of year include temperatures climbing into the upper 90s from March until June, while monsoon rain from June into October in most countries make diving, surfing, hiking or sunbathing difficult. The only exception to the rule is Malaysia and Indonesia, however, which their dry season exists from April to October.
Europe:
Waiting to board a luxury liner to explore the Mediterranean in the fall, especially in September and October would be a safe bet. This is when the sultry summer gives way to cooler, calmer and fantastic weather. Meanwhile, Northern Europe and the Baltics should be visited in July or August, where sunny and pleasant weather are normal and days are at their longest – there are only three to four hours of darkness at night here in early July. For Great Britian and many Atlantic Coast Europe locations, there’s only a small time when a Cruise makes sense, and it’s not during the spring and early summer when the weather can be unpredictable. Instead, visit these locations for sun and nice weather during the early autumn.
Australia:
If you are thinking of taking a cruise to Australia or the South Pacific, the most important factor to keep in mind is that seasons run opposite to the Northern Hemisphere. Setting sail to a northern Australian destination such as Darwin or the Great Barrier Reef might require some planning around the drenching afternoon thunderstorms or tropical cyclones that can frequent the region in the summer months. Drier weather during the fall and winter months, from April to August, along with typically gorgeous temperatures, is generally the ideal time of the year to travel to these destinations. On the other hand, if you’ll be heading to New Zealand or Australia’s southern Territories, perhaps to Perth on the west coast or Sydney on the east coast, winters can be a bit stormier, so these destinations may be better reached in the summer months of January through March.
Tahiti and the South Pacific:
Many will argue there is never a bad time to take a cruise to Tahiti or any of the other hundreds of lovely tropical islands that dot the South Pacific. Generally the most pleasant time of the year, and likely the best time to venture to these destinations, is May through October, when rain and thunderstorms will be at a minimum and there is little threat of any tropical cyclones.