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Mediterranean- Rainy in October???


Hatteras51
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I'm thinking of booking a Mediterranean cruise next October. We have one booked for September, but that's not going to work for us, so we are considering changing our reservation to October. I have read that October is fairly rainy. My question is for those who have been in October, particularly to Italy. How much rain did you experience on your trip? A rainy day here and there would be ok, but I would be disappointed if it rained on the majority of the cruise. We've cruised Alaska several times, and weren't too bothered by the rains, but would hope to have some sunny days mixed in on our Mediterranean cruise. Thanks in advance for your help.

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I'm thinking of booking a Mediterranean cruise next October. We have one booked for September, but that's not going to work for us, so we are considering changing our reservation to October. I have read that October is fairly rainy. My question is for those who have been in October, particularly to Italy. How much rain did you experience on your trip? A rainy day here and there would be ok, but I would be disappointed if it rained on the majority of the cruise. We've cruised Alaska several times, and weren't too bothered by the rains, but would hope to have some sunny days mixed in on our Mediterranean cruise. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

LIke all weather, it’s hard to say. October can be stormy but I was lucky when I went for a circle Med for a whole month and we had lovely weather all through. I think it depends on your itinerary planning and where you are going. We circled from Piraeus and did a lot of ports Eastern med.

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People seem to have the false idea that because October is 'rainier' on average in the Mediterranean, it's going to rain every day. Not true by a long stretch!

 

Put it into perspective:

 

Average inches of rain in Rome in September is 3. In October it's 4.2

 

Athens in September: 0.5 inches. In October: 1.9 inches

 

Barcelona in September: 3.35 inches. In October: 3.58 inches

 

Venice in September: 2.6 inches. In October: 2.7 inches

 

 

All of these places get less rain in October than where I live....and I wouldn't say that it rains 'a majority of days' here.

 

Of course, weather can vary from year to year. But what I would take away is that, while the rain chances are higher, they are still pretty low overall.

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Just like any place else you never know exactly what you're going to get.

 

We've traveled here many times and sometimes it's beautiful and sometimes it's rainy. Even the meteorologists don't seem to get it right most of the time. Take an umbrella and enjoy the day.

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We’ve cruised four times on the Med in October; around 50 days, of which it rained during the day around 4-5 times, sometimes just in the morning or late evening. Two days when the wind got up, and there was a little ship movement.

 

YMMV, of course!

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I've done two Med cruises out of Venice in November (RCL) and had great warm weather both times once we had left Venice, where it was grey and cool. I have also had a dazzlingly sunny, but cold and dry, vacation in Venice in December. Just no way to predict with any accuracy, but when it is nice, it is extra special because as has been mentioned, the crowds have gone.

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The later you go in October the more chance there will be of rain and a Western Med cruise will have a higher chance than an Eastern Med. Since you mention Italy I assume you are looking at a Western cruise. Some areas in the North have a higher chance of rain at any time of year, we've had a washout day in Genoa in May. It would be highly unusual to have constant rain for a week, but nothing is ever certain.

 

One point I would make is that although it's generally true that October will be quieter, the last week in October is a school holiday in Britain and some parts of Europe so you may find the ship and some of the places you call into quite busy if you travel that week.

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We were on the last cruise to the med before the Reflection before the Trans - Atlantic in mid October of 2016. Sunny and warm for most of the cruise. Only towards the end we wore a jacket on two days and it rained one.

 

It was a great cruise, water was still warm in Mykonos albeit windy. The water in Euphesus and Bodrum were as warm as the Caribbean. All sea days were spent by the pool with plenty of sun.

 

In 2017 we were on the Reflection for the Trans-Atlantic and it was warm and sunny the whole way. Not one cool day and not one drop of rain.

 

Maybe we have been lucky.

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Presently on the Eclipse at the moment in the Mediterranean. Whilst we will miss the worst of the rains and winds expected we were rocking last night and have thick clouds and cool temperatures today...

 

On previous cruises, usually nearer the end of October we have experienced mixed weather. Always some sunshine during our cruise but often heavy downpours too.

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If you google the monthly weather charts, you will see that summer is dry and the Fall season is quite wet......Fall is wetter than the Spring.

 

So...I would say, if this is a once in a lifetime trip to the Med., try to go a better time. If this is one trip of many and this is the only time you can go this year, enjoy the off season and go knowing the weather might be less than perfect some of the time.

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The weather in Europe, this year, is completely out of whack. I live in Southern Spain close to the coast. It’s hotter now than it was in mid July.

 

Another point, I previously lived in Florida then Puerto Rico. I find the rain here to better defined as a drizzle. It is a colder rain but much lighter.

 

No one can predict the weather, but I did a Mediterranean cruise,late October early November 2014, it was beautiful weather all except Rome, overcast with a drizzle.

 

Good luck

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I've done 3 transatlantic leaving from Spain or Italy, but not since 2014. All 3 times we had a multi-day pre-cruise stay in the port of embarkation followed by several days cruising in the Mediterranean before heading for the Atlantic. Our weather was quite nice (temps in mid 70s) and no rain to speak of. Another poster indicated that the crowds are less and that is also true. Also very desirable. If I was to do a "land only" trip, that is when I would go back.

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