When Is Off-Season for Cruises?

St. Lucia

The timing of off-season cruises depends on where you are in the world. One region’s peak may be another’s quiet time. Increasingly, cruise ships are visiting some parts of the world all year round, regardless of typical tourist seasonal trends.

Some destinations—like Bali or the Canary Islands—barely have an off-season and are considered year-round places to visit. When you go depends entirely on your personal preferences.

Barbados

Caribbean cruises generally have defined seasons. Broadly speaking, the peak months are late December to March or April. May and June are shoulder season, as is late November, around Thanksgiving, and early December, before the Christmas rush. July to early November is off-season.

Why? Because June to November is officially regarded as hurricane season in the Caribbean. But this doesn’t mean there will be hurricanes everywhere, all the time.

Curacao

The most southerly islands, like Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, are almost desert-like in landscape and tend to be out of the main hurricane belt. You can visit the ABC islands in November and early December on Celebrity’s itineraries from Fort Lauderdale.

Barbados, which lies on the far eastern side of the Caribbean, also tends not to be affected by hurricanes and is a good bet if you want to cruise in September and October. Try Celebrity’s Southern Caribbean cruise, which also visits Tortola, St. Lucia, Antigua, and St. Kitts.

Florence, Italy

In terms of culture-packed cities, the Mediterranean is a year-round destination. If you are intent on visiting museums and galleries in places like Athens, Florence, Rome, and Malaga, you won’t be disturbed by cooler weather.

But when it comes to seaside vacations, the off-season is late November to April. During this period, you’re unlikely to be basking on the beach or swimming in the sea.

The further south and east you head, the better the weather in the Mediterranean in winter. Celebrity Infinity has some wonderful itineraries sailing from Athens throughout the off-season. Some visit Kusadasi, the gateway to ancient Ephesus, which is magical without the crowds.

Athens, Greece

You’ll also call at Limassol in Cyprus, which enjoys fine weather year-round as it’s in the far eastern corner of the Mediterranean, and the islands of Rhodes and Crete. What’s more, there are overnight stays in Athens and Greece’s second city, Thessaloniki, so you can make the most of this delightfully slow-paced itinerary.

Winter itineraries in the Mediterranean are, of course, carefully designed to avoid places that all but shut down in low season. This would not be a time to visit places like Mykonos, which is mainly about summer beach life, or Santorini, which gets very windy in winter.

Cadiz, Spain

If you want to combine culture with sunshine in the off-season, try a cruise from Barcelona to Tenerife, Lanzarote, and Gran Canaria, all popular winter sun destinations for Europeans. You might also visit cities including Malaga and Cadiz, the port for Seville.

Winter is actually the best time to visit Seville, which can be punishingly hot in peak summer. This cruise also calls at two Moroccan ports, Casablanca and Tangier, both of which enjoy mild winter weather. It’s the perfect time for sightseeing and shopping in the markets.

Bangkok, Thailand

Asia’s off-season varies by region. What might be off-season in Thailand and Vietnam, for example, which would be the wetter months of May to October, would also be one of the best times to visit Japan, which is much further north and enjoys greater variations in weather.

In some countries, like Malaysia, one area could be enjoying dry weather when another is in the middle of a monsoon. Generally speaking, the off-season for Southeast Asia—Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia—is the summer months, when the monsoon rains fall and humidity is intense. If you want to visit Asia in summer, head to Japan.

Tokyo, Japan

Parts of the country, which spans 1,900 miles from north to south, are rainy, but this is a great time for hiking in the mountains. Come October, when it’s still raining in Southeast Asia, Japan’s trees take on their glorious fall colors.

If you want to see the fall colors and take in some Asian countries further south, try a cruise from Tokyo to Singapore. This 14-night voyage takes in southern Japan in fall and heads south via Hong Kong, Taipei, and Vietnam.

My Son, Vietnam

The latter will still be in its low season, and you will likely encounter hot and humid conditions, but all the temples, palaces, and museums will be open. The temples of historic places like Vietnam’s My Son are arguably all the more atmospheric when they’re slick with rain. Just pack a waterproof jacket.

Endicott Arm, Alaska

Alaska has a short summer season, with June, July, and August the peak months and May and September the lower season. Cruises to Alaska don’t operate in winter; it’s way too cold and dark, with snow and ice on the ground and animals in hibernation.

But you could cruise Alaska in September, the end of the season, when there are fewer crowds and glorious fall colors. The mountains are dusted with the first snow and the bears are gorging themselves on the last berries in preparation for hibernation. There’s even a chance of seeing the Northern Lights as darkness falls earlier.

Skagway, Alaska

For a taste of low season in the 49th state, try a September itinerary that visits Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Ketchikan, and the Dawes Glacier on a round-trip cruise from Vancouver.

And when you’re in port, make time to check out the shops—there are some enticing end-of-season sales on Alaska merchandise and gifts in September. It’s a great chance to do some early Christmas shopping.

New Zealand

Off-season is called off-season for a reason, and the weather is unlikely to be as perfect as it is in peak season. But this doesn’t mean the weather will be bad. Cruise the Mediterranean in winter and you should expect cooler days and more rain—but some sunshine.

Sail the Caribbean between July and October and you can expect higher humidity and the possibility of storms—but with rainfall most likely in early evening, which clears the air.

Pompeii, Italy

But there are points to remember. For example, if you don’t care about sitting on the beach and you want to visit Europe for the museums and galleries, then why not cruise in the off-season? You’ll have no trouble getting into the Uffizi in Florence or the Doge’s Palace in Venice. There will be no crowds at Pompeii and no selfie sticks blocking your view of the Parthenon in Athens.

St. Lucia

It will never be cold in the Caribbean; quite the opposite, but some people love heat and humidity. And there’s always the cool sanctuary of an air-conditioned ship to return to after a steamy day ashore, not to mention a choice of indoor and outdoor venues for cocktails and dinner.

If a hurricane is forecast, ships can be moved or can take shelter. Celebrity Cruises and its sister companies have their own expert meteorologist who is in direct contact with all the captains and bridge teams to help them avoid bad weather.

Read: Cruising During Hurricane Season: Everything You Need To Know

Solarium

All the same onboard activities as usual are offered during the off-season. You’ll have the same sparkling pool available as you would during busier times. And just because you might not get in for a dip doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy a morning coffee by the pool on a comfortable lounge chair, or lunch al-fresco. The running tracks will be open, as well as the pickleball courts.

All of Celebrity’s ships have a Solarium, a balmy, glass-enclosed indoor space with a pool and lounging space. You can relax and swim here whatever the weather outside.

Spa

You may even find there are more activities than usual on offer in the off-season. If the weather isn’t suitable for enjoying the open decks, the entertainment team will make sure everybody has the option of quizzes, craft classes, wine tastings, and cocktail demos. The spa is always available, as are classes in the state-of-the-art fitness center.

You will find a wide array of shore excursions on offer during your low-season cruise. There may be more of a focus on, say, city tours in Europe than days on the beach, for obvious reasons.

Snorkeling in St. Kitts

In the Caribbean, life continues as normal in the quieter season, and you will be able to visit the beach and enjoy watersports. Just be prepared for more rainfall than in the peak winter months and reduced visibility for snorkeling in some places.

Read: Things to Do Outdoors on a Cruise Ship

Resort Deck

There are plenty of pros to cruising during the off-season. For many, the prospect of fewer crowds is the biggest appeal, especially somewhere like Europe, where July and August are very busy months. Early January and Easter aside, winter is outside school vacation time, too, so fewer families are traveling.

You could come across an exciting festival during the off-season. Several places in Europe celebrate Carnival in February, which is always a riotous affair. Go to Barbados in early August and the Crop Over festival will be in full swing. The Bahamas celebrates Independence Day in July, a time for parades and street bands.

Come to the British Virgin Islands in early August and join the Emancipation Festival, a joyous celebration of dance, music, and parades. Mexico, meanwhile, celebrates Independence Day on September 16, which can be a great time to be in Cozumel.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

In destinations that have very intense high seasons, like the Greek Islands and Croatia, you could find a slower pace of life in progress by the low season. Locals have time to chat. Coffee shops are buzzing. People who have left cities like Dubrovnik to dodge the summer crowds and heat have returned.

The cons of taking a cruise off-season are mainly the weather. Don’t expect perfect beach weather in Mexico in August, or Greece in January. There could be increased rain or humidity. You could also find that local business owners have taken advantage of the low season to take their own vacations.