Empires of Mediterranean during summer

[Jjg34219]

We are currently booked Athens to Venice Early August 2024. If Viking will allow us to rebook and maintain all the onboard booking savings we got for booking while on our recent Orion sailing, we are wondering if we are better off to do an early June trip? Its still summer, just earlier summer, and living in Florida we are used to the heat, but a few degrees cooler is always helpful, and crowd wise maybe its a bit less crowded too?

[CDR2001]

Friends did this cruise mid August this year, and we’re also from Florida. They said the cruise was great, but the heat made some days unbearable. High temps were near 100 degrees, with many outdoor sites requiring walking and climbing in full sun. I’d go in June. (Personally we are doing this cruise in October 2023. My sister lives in Italy and said the last few summers have been awful….heat waves abound in Europe!)

[wine-wine-wine]

Agreed. We weee on a non Viking cruise in the Cyclades in late August. Half of the time it was hot beyond belief. 🥵 The other half was a yellow flag wind (37 mph gusts) which caused huge surf for our tiny vessel (proof forever that we don’t get seasick). 💨
 

My first preference would be April or October. Second May or September. Third June. No way July or August. 

[CDNPolar]

We did our Mediterranean cruise in May.  We are not heat lovers.  I know of people that do Europe in the summer and most have come back saying that it is too hot.

 

If you are just sitting on deck, great.  Most of the best excursions have a lot of time outside and walking, hiking, etc., and when it is hot it may be unbearable.

 

I have spent time in Florida in the summer, and if just sitting under cover, the heat is fine.  I would not want to be on a walking tour without cover. 

[CDNPolar]

The only thing to be aware of is if you move to another date, you may retain all the savings but if the price has gone up on future sailings, you will have to pay the difference.

[Jjg34219]

Thanks for all the inputs! For 24 at least right now, this itinerary only shows April, June, or July. Our fare will go up slightly going earlier but its probably worth the few hundred bucks. Wifey hates “cold” so was leaning early June as an alternative vs April

[lackcreativity]

Everyone has their own temperature preferences. I love the Mediterranean, but I hate hot weather. For that reason, we travel April or October most of the time. The trade off is that we have more than our share of showers and grey skies. I look back on my photos, and notice how often my very favorite places are the ones we just happened to visit on bright blue sky days. Coincidence? Maybe not! Even so, I know that if those bright blue skies were accompanied by temperatures above 85, I would be miserable.

 

Such is life. Perfect days are rare. That's why they feel so, well, "perfect"!

[Moonlion]

Our favorite time to travel to Greece is late May to early June or mid-to-late September.  May/June is nice for the long days but more likelihood of rain.  September is usually wonderful for weather and not as much rain. I would avoid July/August - too hot! 

[Nunagoras]

May I come in? For the ones that don't know me, I'm more prevalent on the MSC boards. Let me just to add my 2 cents from someone whom actually lives here in southern Europe:

 

If the price difference is not that big; I'd go for June, instead of August, and it's not just the weather subject. August will have strong heat; early June may have some rain and some cold evenings. There's not that thing named a perfect day, though if there is one, that'll to be mostly possible in June as well. But the problem is not really that. August is the main holiday month for most adult southern Europeans. Schools will be closed in most places late June to early September and on August most kids will be traveling around with their families. It will to be difficult for you to appreciate most of the attractions due to the huge crowds. In June, public transportation, if needed, will have the winter timesheet that usually means larger offer. Service elsewhere will be faster and more efficient, sometimes at lower price. I wouldn't recommend coming to Europe in August at all.

 

Personally; my favorite time of the year to cruise is mid-September to mid-October with early June as possible replacement.

 

Have a nice day and nice sailings!

[Jjg34219]

Thanks! Right now we will likely change to a late April sailing…., ending in Venice 2nd week of May.