When do you cruise the caribbean?

[Indianaseadog]

I'm sure there have been previous threads on this, when is the best time in your opinion to cruise the caribbean? Having just finished my 1st cruise earlier this month I find myself already wanting to plan my next one. But what time of year is the best. Do I try to get a better deal but risk colder weather? Do I go when I know it will be warm/hot and risk the rainy/hurricane season? And what are your reasons for picking these times.....no kids or with kids, rates, weather?

[GTO-Girl]

I'm sure there have been previous threads on this, when is the best time in your opinion to cruise the caribbean? Having just finished my 1st cruise earlier this month I find myself already wanting to plan my next one. But what time of year is the best. Do I try to get a better deal but risk colder weather? Do I go when I know it will be warm/hot and risk the rainy/hurricane season?

 

Our favorite times are Oct/Nov or April/May.

[beachbum6264]

We usually cruise the last week of August/first week of Sept. We have our house rented out for a 10 day horse show, so we have to go somewhere! The prices are lower, but you do take the risk of having some changes due to weather - I should know, I'm called "Hurricane Magnet" by friends - check my sig: 4 changes, so far.:D. But we don't care where we go, just put us on a ship and we're happy (as long as they don't run out of Margaritas, then there would be trouble :eek:).

We're trying a Christmas cruise this year for the first time - one stop shopping for our kids! Spending Christmas cruising the Gulf of Mexico sounds good to me.

[cruizinwoman]

Anytime!

[stargate fan]

I'm sure there have been previous threads on this, when is the best time in your opinion to cruise the caribbean? Having just finished my 1st cruise earlier this month I find myself already wanting to plan my next one. But what time of year is the best. Do I try to get a better deal but risk colder weather? Do I go when I know it will be warm/hot and risk the rainy/hurricane season?

 

We have sailed to the Caribbean in February, March, July, October, and November. Each time we had mostly glorious weather.

 

Where you go in the Caribbean will be a factor in the weather. The Bahamas and Bermuda are not that warm during the winter months. The Caribbean is hotter than Hades in the summer.

 

Of all the cruises we have taken, the one in October had the nicest ocean temps but we did experience a couple of brief showers. The prices were quite reasonable because school was in session. We had the most beautiful weather on our February Caribbean cruises, but the prices were high because they were during school vacation.

 

Does this help at all?

[Room Service!]

October has been good to us. Weather can be hot, but not like it would be in the summer months.

Water is very comfortable for swimming. We tried Nov. last year the water was too chilly.

Kids are in school, but that's not a huge factor.

Rates are great.

[dallas52]

anytime you can get a deal.

[RuthlessBoss]

Likely fall to spring. Rates start to drop late fall. I'd have to be desperate to summer cruise due to tropical heat and humidity. But, I'm not locked into school vacation time off, and live in driving distance of ports. The south had a weird cold spell in Dec. of 2010, could not believe how cold it was, made quite a damper on that cruise, most were bundled up. That was a rarity.

[EMc&DrS]

We like the summer because of the extra long days! The sun is still setting when it's time for the 8:15 dinner seating, and the breeze always makes it feel a little cooler. Can't worry about the weather. If there's a named storm, they usually can find a way to avoid it. We followed a cat-4 hurricane around the Caribbean on our first cruise, and we saw less rain and the waters were calmer than when we sailed the Crown Princess in November '08.

[kcparrothead]

We usually cruise the last week of August/first week of Sept. We have our house rented out for a 10 day horse show, so we have to go somewhere! The prices are lower, but you do take the risk of having some changes due to weather - I should know, I'm called "Hurricane Magnet" by friends - check my sig: 4 changes, so far.:D. But we don't care where we go, just put us on a ship and we're happy (as long as they don't run out of Margaritas, then there would be trouble :eek:).

We're trying a Christmas cruise this year for the first time - one stop shopping for our kids! Spending Christmas cruising the Gulf of Mexico sounds good to me.

 

WOW - you ARE a Hurricane Magnet! :D We've cruised 5 times during the 2nd week of September (cruise prices are rock bottom then) and we've never been diverted! We've tried it twice in January to Cozumel. Once was decent weather, but last January it was COLD the last day at sea! Water in Cozumel has been cold both years in January, too...

[dodger501]

We go in the dead of winter, Dec-Jan.

When you get south of Bahamas, it's always great weather.

[Kitt Lady]

We go Jan - that's only because of work. The Caribbean is wonderful in Jan. The two cruises we have been on - we left home in snow storms. Ohhhh the feeling of being warm after freezing your tuckus off...:p

[BigDfromTN]

We normally have to go in the summer for the most part. BUT prefer the colder times of year. I nice contrast in weather and much better pricing!!!

[hancogran]

We always do a Southern Caribbean in January, sailing from San Juan! :D Last January we decided to skip it and sailed Voyager from Galveston! Never again.. the first two days were way too cool to sit by the pool, and then coming back we also lost a day due to cool weather. I guess if you like participating in a lot of the on board activities, it's not a huge problem but we love to sit by the pool and relax.

 

Another favorite time is May.. just sailed Pride from Baltimore last month and the weather was awesome going down and coming back! :)

[usrbphi]

Usually go in spring and fall, Feb and Nov. Don't want to risk hurricane season. Weather has always been nice once you have left port.

[zqvol]

Watch out for Feb - April. There are often very large swells out of the north and it can get quiet rocky. Hurricane season is much calmer unless there is a storm around.

[Islandbear]

HI Indiana Cruiser,

 

I too am from a cooler temp area of these great states. My favorite times to cruise are Nov. and April.

 

I focus on Verteran's day and Non-Spring Break weeks in April & May.

 

That way I can start the long cold winter with a tan or look forward to a spring vacation during the cold months of winter. :D

[Cruise-Crazy]

I will go ANYTIME!! :D

[evandbob]

I guess so far I've cruised every month except September and November. Nothing against those months, but I generally do land vacations then.

[dewats784]

We go in January. Love to get out of the snow here in the midwest. You can easily forget that it is snowing at home when you are sailing around in the Caribbean. Also the price is usually cheaper than if you wait until February or March. Also not many children sailing in January.

[Mxlady]

We usually always go the 2nd week in Dec because of our jobs but have never been disappointed.

[Mybearsbaby]

My vote for anything south of the bahamas is November! The weather is usually not too hot, like in summer. Plus less kids then cuz most are in school. We went Western Caribbean in April and loved it, but it was a little too hot. Surprisingly, the bahamas in Feb was very nice...we even swam! Water was a little brisk, but not too bad. My fave hands down though is November.:cool:

[williamson_ja]

We like to go in the winter to get out of the freezing temps. It can get -25 farenheit where I live. Last cruise was in Jan. This coming cruise is December. Even when it's 50 degrees outside, it feels pretty tropical to me! However, in January, Bahamas was about 72 and the caribbean was about 85. Perfect weather.

[halos]

Jan/Feb/March ~~ Southern Caribbean (preferred)

Oct/Nov~~ Any Caribbean

[tvman18]

2nd/3rd week of May. Temps not hot, kids are still in school. Hurricanes have not started yet and the high price time has not yet arrived.