What temperature/weather is normal for Transatlantic crossing from Fort Lauderdale to Rotterdam?

[CateMD]

Just wondering what I should be packing for the HAL sailing from FL to Rotterdam on April 13th.  Last time I was on a transatlantic crossing was 1967 and I was too young to remember.  Does it stay warm for the first few days or does it get colder as soon as we head into the Atlantic Ocean?

[Gigi1977]

It will be cool on the crossing. At least that has been our experiences. 

[kevinrm]

We will be on the same cruise.  We did an April transatlantic crossing in 2019 and it went from hot to cool.  I'm expecting the highs to be in the high 70s for the first 2 or 3 days, dropping to the low 70s and high 60's for the next 3 or 4 days.  The highs in Ponta Delgado should be in the 60's.

 

Temperatures will get cooler as we head north across the Bay of Biscay.  It looks like the high temperatures for France and Southern England are likely to be in the high 50's or low 60's.  Of course, rain and stormy weather can blow my estimates out of the water.  Needless to say, you need to do a lot of layering.

[ORTravelGal]

@CateMD There are a few "roll calls" for this trip; one for the first two weeks and another for people who are doing the full three week trip.  Please check those out, if you haven't already and let us know if you're interested in joining our Cruise Critic Roll Call Meet & Mingle session on April 14, for a social gathering to meet other travelers on this trip.

[Kay S]

It depends on the time of year, of course, but I have done TAs in the fall and the spring.  I remember being pretty chilled a lot of the time.  We didn't spend long hours on the verandah as we normally do.

[cruiseaholic78]

13 hours ago, CateMD said:

Just wondering what I should be packing for the HAL sailing from FL to Rotterdam on April 13th.  Last time I was on a transatlantic crossing was 1967 and I was too young to remember.  Does it stay warm for the first few days or does it get colder as soon as we head into the Atlantic Ocean?

Welcome to CC, now you have found it you may want to join your roll call for your sailing. The link is shown below, here you can also discuss things with your fellow cruisers. Have a great cruise.

 

[kazu]

I’m from Canada so my definition on cold and someone from the South are probably different 😉 

 

We found the weather “nice”. First few days are quite warm and then it has still been nice - 60’s usually.  Early morning (like 6 AM) is cool and needs a sweater, jacket or towel.

[aliaschief]

Gulf Stream could give you a couple of nice days in beginning but after that it could go either way. One crossing in late April we encountered 20-30 foot seas and another it was fairly nice and able to enjoy outdoors.

Light jacket and sweater are always recommended in Europe. 

[*Miss G*]

It will definitely be warm the first few days out of Florida.  Mid-Atlantic will be cooler but still nice.  We did a March TA in 2022 and it was a bit chilly for a couple of days, but once we got away from the storms we had from FLL to Mid-Atlantic it was sunny and warm.  Honestly, you’re not going to need anything more than you’d wear in Chilliwack at this time of year.  I’m on this sailing and am bringing sweaters and a raincoat.  The sweaters are for morning and evening, and during the day in case it gets chilly.  The raincoat is for, well… rain.  I’m leaving tomorrow so I guess I’d better pack.  lol 

[Mosaic]

Welcome, keep in mind that the wind can be a bigger problem than the temperature!