Table Of Content
Countries all around the Mediterranean are gearing up for Christmas throughout December. Although you may envisage Christmas markets as being in snowy settings, you’ll find them everywhere, from Tenerife to Gibraltar. They make a colorful addition to any cruise, not to mention a great shopping opportunity. Pack layers and a light waterproof jacket for October cruises, as well as good walking shoes as cobblestones can get slippery in the rain. Evenings are balmy, too, so there’s no need to pack any warm clothes unless you plan to spend a lot of time in air conditioning. Expect highs of up to 79°F (26°C) in Marseille and 81°F (27°C) in Mallorca.
Best Mediterranean cruise lines
Once you let go of your need to see and do it all and accept that you're on a sampler tour, you'll be better able to make your cruise selections and enjoy the ports your ship does visit. Some bring travelers to the French and Italian rivieras for food, wine and cultural pursuits. Others head east to the Greek Islands, where passengers alternate days sipping ouzo at a beachfront taverna with trips to ancient sites. Luckily, peak summer brings the best swimming temperatures in the Mediterranean, allowing you to cool off at the beaches in port.
December
If this is your first time, you’ll likely want to see some of the top things to do in Rome, and the cruise line excursions will not disappoint. Many include transportation and tickets to a variety of site like the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain as well as the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Other excursions that may appeal to return visitors include tours of Civitavecchia or a pasta-making class. Many cruise excursions include a mix of the city’s top sites such as the Blue Mosque (aka Sultan Ahmed Mosque), an example of gorgeous architecture featuring spires and domes. Plan ahead if you visit the mosques, as women typically are required to cover their heads with a scarf, and everyone must have covered shoulders and take their shoes off before entering. In addition to the religious buildings, there are the museums — The Great Palace Mosaic Museum, Hagia Sophia, and the Turkish and Islamic Art Museum.
Split, Croatia
The majority of ships, however, arrive in the spring and depart in the fall, choosing warmer climes like the Caribbean for holiday sailings. Most of those are European-based lines, such as Costa Cruises, MSC Cruises and Celestyal Cruises, but Viking also braves chilly weather for its destination-focused itineraries in Europe. Crowds will not be as prevalent on a fall cruise to the Mediterranean due to the start of the school year and end of summer vacation. European tourists flocking to Mediterranean beaches in August have returned home by mid-September, and the peak season for land-based tours and travel has ended.
Beach Vacation in February
With 15,000 people in port, I don't know how you'd be able to walk through town at all. Santorini is a good-sized island, but most of the things cruisers want to see are perched on the narrow rim of the cliffs. You can even ring in the new year on a winter Mediterranean cruise in areas like Rome’s Piazza del Popolo, Athens’ Syntagma Square or Barcelona’s Plaça d'Espanya. Peak season for Western Mediterranean cruises runs from April through November, with stops generally in Spain, France, Italy and Malta. The Canary Islands and the warmer Eastern Mediterranean (Croatia, the Balkan countries, Greece and Turkey) welcome cruises between April and December, with a sprinkling of winter cruises from select lines. May and late-October Canada and New England cruises are the cheapest times to cruise, but don't expect to be using the onboard swimming pool much.
During this time of year, you’re likely to see ships near full capacity, and not only will ships be busy, but the ports of call you visit are likely to be busier, too. Tourists from around the world flock to Europe’s world-class destinations in the summer months, which may lead to more lines and higher demand for popular activities in port. The best time to cruise the Mediterranean will vary depending on your particular interests and schedule. Cruising the Mediterranean during the fall, especially in September, October and November, is also known as the best time for a Mediterranean cruise. That’s because as the temperatures drop and the shoulder season enters, crowds begin to disperse, creating a more serene and relaxed experience compared to the peak summer season.
Popular Activities
My biggest tip for any cruise — but especially for Americans traveling to Europe for a Mediterranean cruise — is to arrive at your embarkation city at least a day before your sailing starts. Going early or late in the season usually means you'll have more tolerable weather and smaller crowds in some of the big destinations like Athens. As someone who's taken over 50 cruises all over the world, I know firsthand how popular cruising is this year. But one seabound itinerary people often forget to add to their bucket lists is a Mediterranean cruise. The Panama Canal cruise season picks up at the end of the rainy season, so you'll find fewer tourists during October and November when the weather is still wet. You'll find moderate temperatures (in the mid-70s to low 80s) and drier weather in January and February.
The Mediterranean cruise shoulder season returns in September as a new school year begins, leading to fewer crowds and lower prices. In addition, the temperature in early September remains excellent, making the month one of the best times of the year for a Mediterranean cruise. Of course, cruising in the peak summer months does not always have to come with a huge price tag.
European Cruise Destinations
Cruise the Mediterranean for over a month for less than $5,200 - USA TODAY
Cruise the Mediterranean for over a month for less than $5,200.
Posted: Tue, 25 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Mediterranean islands like Mallorca and Mykonos are brilliant with mauve bougainvillea. While Ramadan is culturally an interesting time to visit, it won’t affect you as a visitor. Cruises depart from Barcelona for the Canaries, visiting ports in the Mediterranean and Morocco along the way. Expect average highs of 68°F (20°C) in Tenerife, and six hours of sunshine. Beyond the most recent developments in the Mediterranean, here’s what you need to know about what each season holds.
As the school calendar comes to an end and families prepare for summer vacation, expect crowds and prices to rise. The months of April and May will bring fewer crowds on a Mediterranean cruise compared to mid-summer. As the school year has not finished yet, there tend to be fewer families and children onboard as well. However, if you prefer milder temperatures and a more relaxed atmosphere, the shoulder season of autumn or spring may be more suitable.
However, if you enjoy a lively atmosphere, bustling markets, warmer water temperature, and vibrant nightlife, a summer Mediterranean cruise may be the perfect fit for you. It’s worth noting that summer cruises can be busier and the fares will have higher prices due to the high demand. Springtime in the Mediterranean is a delightful season marked by pleasant temperatures, blooming landscapes, and fewer crowds. Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Europe, so your November cruise vacation won’t include any major holiday weekends. The only significant public holiday is All Saints’ Day, November 1, which is celebrated in most Catholic countries. Cruises that overnight in Tuscany are a great opportunity to enjoy the buzz of Florence after dark, when locals emerge for their evening stroll and aperitivo hour.
The Med, as it's known, is a year-round destination, with seasonal wine festivals and bustling holiday markets. What time of year you're looking to sail depends on if you want to soak up the coastal sun or save a little money and avoid the crowds in the process. Rain is more common across the Mediterranean in October and November than most other months, but the average monthly rainfall, even in the fall, is three inches or less.
The summer months are also the best time to see several species of whales off the coast of Newfoundland, including humpback whales. December, March and April also offer nice weather, although the rainy season sometimes starts as early as mid-March before continuing through the fall. The shoulder seasons will also have fewer passengers and tourists — and you may even have some attractions to yourself in the cities and towns. Shoulder season in the Caribbean is May through November, the months just before peak season, which is December through April.
You can also pay a visit to Mediterranean towns with German influences, like Palma de Mallorca, which host Oktoberfest festivals with beer, food and live music. In some cases, heat waves and low rainfall can cause European rivers to be too low for ships to sail. Additionally, depending on where you're sailing, July and August may mean some local cafes and restaurants are closed for summer holidays. Baltic and Northern European cruises have a shorter season, running from April to October. Keep in mind that April and October can still be quite chilly in Scandinavian and Baltic Sea ports. Lines like Viking and Hurtigruten offer Northern Lights sailings to the region's northern reaches from January through March.
This is the time when you'll typically find better deals on pricing, especially in May and September to November. Oceania Cruises has several itinerary options, offering stops in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Albania, Croatia, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, Turkey and others. They feature itineraries that offer a mix of stops at ports in Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco and Spain.
Immerse yourself in the stunning architecture of Spain and Italy, bask in the sun on Greece's beautiful shores, or marvel at the ancient treasures of Istanbul and Malta. A seven-night sailing from Boston to Montreal in May 2024 with Holland America starts at $779 per person. A similar seven-night itinerary from Boston to Quebec City in late September starts at $1,279 per person. The summer offers some of the nicest weather, with daytime highs in Boston and New York between 80 and 90 degrees. Along the coastal areas in Maine and Canada, you'll find highs in the 70s in July. To avoid crowds in port, try not to cruise during the Panamanian festivals that take place in early spring and from November into the winter.
No comments:
Post a Comment