What will the weather be like on a cruise in December?

[cmh1976]

We are thinking of going on a Carnival cruise in December right before Christmas to the Bahamas.

 

What is the temperature/weather like on a cruise ship, especially around that time? What temperature/weather should I expect in the Bahamas?

 

Thanks so much!!

[hooked-on-travel]

Will you be sailing from FL? I've not done Dec, but I've done Jan. out of FL and TX. You'll certainly feel silly leaving some shorts outfits out when you pack them away in the fall, but you will use them once you get far enough south. Our FL January trip was shorts weather for sure from the minute we hit Orlando. Our most recent TX January cruise hit TX at an odd cold snap. Coming from negative nubmers in KS the 70 degree daily high in Galveston felt pretty good, but it still wasn't generally shorts weather until after the first couple days. So, for my answer, assuming you're leaving from FL and weather averages play out you'll be looking at shorts weather the whole time. But there are no guarantees. You'll definitely want to check weather forecasts before you leave home so you can adjust what's in your suitcase, if need be. Worst case you buy a sweatshirt on the ship, right? Have a good trip.

[Julienatul]

It depends on what cold fronts come through. We have sailed twice in December for New Years. Mostly is warm but twice we got one day of colder weather (50's) in bahamas and again at Cayman Islands but then that was very unusual. Its mostly 70's to 80's. Pack warm weather clothes with a few layering items just in case. The water will be cooler though. It was a bit too cold for us to swim but we are from Fl

[RoadTripFanatic]

I would go to a weather website and look up the averages for that time of year. That will give you a good idea. I haven't been there in December but I've been there in January. The water is FREEZING cold compared to the water there in April!

[cmh1976]

We would either leave from SC or FL we are near both of them but haven't decided yet. Thanks for the advice!

[Keith1010]

We are thinking of going on a Carnival cruise in December right before Christmas to the Bahamas.

 

What is the temperature/weather like on a cruise ship, especially around that time? What temperature/weather should I expect in the Bahamas?

 

Thanks so much!!

 

We use this web site to look up historical temperatures for each port of call. Temperature can vary from day to day anywhere but this will give you a sense.

 

http://www.wunderground.com/

 

Keith

[hooked-on-travel]

Ah, so you live in the south anyway. My advice wasn't so spot on then. You may be like those Texans on my last cruise who wore hats and gloves to muster. :D LOL

[mcfam5]

The website for The Weather Channel also gives good information for historical temperatures. You can view a month at a glance and I believe it also includes precipation.

[Julienatul]

Last year when we got back from our New Years Cruise the temp in Ft Lauderdale was 29 degrees!!! I wish I had a hat and gloves, I lived in my sweater all week. Belize was in the 50's!! You just never know.

[shoppergirl10]

last year was an odd year weather wise, apparently....we were on Freedom of the Seas at Christmas and our first stop in Coco Cay, Bah, was so cold and windy that we headed back to the ship, because I couldn't "relax". The rest of our 7 day cruise was not sunny and it became a bit of a joke on board, it was not at all what I expected weather wise. I'm hoping for better weather this December when we go on our 10 day Equinox Christmas cruise.....

[Keith1010]

last year was an odd year weather wise, apparently....we were on Freedom of the Seas at Christmas and our first stop in Coco Cay, Bah, was so cold and windy that we headed back to the ship, because I couldn't "relax". The rest of our 7 day cruise was not sunny and it became a bit of a joke on board, it was not at all what I expected weather wise. I'm hoping for better weather this December when we go on our 10 day Equinox Christmas cruise.....

 

Your experience last year was a reminder how no one knows for sure what to expect.

 

We were also on a cruise around the same time frame. When we arrived to Key West it was 32 degrees and with the wind chill factor it was in the teens.

 

Like you, we will be back on a cruise again around the same time frame and we are hoping that the weather wil be more normal like so that it will be a lot warmer.

 

Keith