Greek Islands October/November

[MsSWhite]

Hello! Celebrity is offering a 9 night Best of Greece cruise. The only date that works for us is October 26-November 4. I'm worried about the weather being cooler. I'm assuming no beaches, pool or sunscreen?? Any experts or past cruisers that can offer advice or info would be greatly appreciated!!

[Lastdance]

34 minutes ago, MsSWhite said:

Hello! Celebrity is offering a 9 night Best of Greece cruise. The only date that works for us is October 26-November 4. I'm worried about the weather being cooler. I'm assuming no beaches, pool or sunscreen?? Any experts or past cruisers that can offer advice or info would be greatly appreciated!!

I wouldn’t put away the sunscreen, but definitely prepare for cooler weather.  I have only been there in early October, so cannot comment on your exact time period.  Only Mother Nature knows for sure.  Weather is so hard to predict, but you can Google the average temps for information.

[ChiosFan]

It will be gorgeous.   It is very hot in those islands in summer but perfect in the fall.   
 

Also, fewer crowds.   
 

beaches, pools, def sunscreen and lots of linen.    .   

[Liao]

On 5/23/2024 at 2:23 PM, MsSWhite said:

Hello! Celebrity is offering a 9 night Best of Greece cruise. The only date that works for us is October 26-November 4. I'm worried about the weather being cooler. I'm assuming no beaches, pool or sunscreen?? Any experts or past cruisers that can offer advice or info would be greatly appreciated!!

This is the only time I would do a cruise in the Greek isles.  The weather then will be perfect as through September it can be unbearable.

[tlens]

We were on a Celebrity Cruise at the beginning of October in Italy, Greece, Turkey.  It's a VERY slow time of the year.  We were in Mykonos on Sept 29 and all the beach stuff was closing down for their break.  It's not an ideal time to go.  Santorini will be ok, but a lot of other stuff won't be great.  Weather was good at the end of September/beginning of October.  It'll be coolish in November.

[Tom and Ingrid]

We did an X Turkey-Greece cruise from Oct 31 to Nov 12 2013 with Istanbul, Mykonos, Ephesus, Athens, Santorini, Rhodes, and some other stops. 

 

GORGEOUS weather, and definitely still warm.  We didn't swim, anywhere, but we definitely were still warm (often short sleeves) when out and about.  We had one day of rain (Rhodes) where we got to hang out under cover with the Captain (one of the Kafetzis brothers - I think Tasos in his first captainship year) waiting for a gap in the rain.

 

I'd repeat that cruise - ports and weather - in early Nov again with no hesitancy whatsoever.

[holidaylover10]

You may have a mixed bag weather wise, Anywhere north of Athens you could see a fair bit of rain but further south will most probably be really pleasant. We have travelled to Greece extensively on land based holidays and even the end of September we have had beautiful days and heavy rain. I would take a chance though as its a beautiful part of the world and the friendliest people.

[Stem to Stern]

Go for it.  I would welcome milder temperatures and fewer crowds while touring the Greek islands.  We were there first week of October 2022.  Shorts and t-shirts were appropriate attire for the balmy weather.  We were not interested in swimming and hanging at the beach.  We toured and immersed ourselves in the food, history, and culture of the nation.  Enjoy!!😉 

[villauk]

8 hours ago, holidaylover10 said:

You may have a mixed bag weather wise, Anywhere north of Athens you could see a fair bit of rain but further south will most probably be really pleasant. We have travelled to Greece extensively on land based holidays and even the end of September we have had beautiful days and heavy rain. I would take a chance though as its a beautiful part of the world and the friendliest people.

 

Let’s face it, it would still be better than the weather here at that time of year 😂.

[chemmo]

2 hours ago, villauk said:

 

Let’s face it, it would still be better than the weather here at that time of year 😂.

Yes!

 

When I was teaching we used to always head for the Med last week Oct/start Nov (half term break). Our weather was anything from the sublime to the ridiculous! Some holiday  weeks at this time of the year we would have perfect sunny days but unfortunately we also had the odd week where the sun was rarely to be seen. The beauty of a best of Greece cruise is even out of season and with less than perfect weather there is always something to enjoy doing…

[vjmatty]

I’ve been to Greece pretty much every month of the year at one time or another, and late October into November can be ideal depending on what you want to do.

 

We just spent a week in Athens this past February, and while it was definitely jacket weather, it was perfect for the Acropolis and other outdoor sites which tend to get unbearably hot in the summer.  We had one day of rain which we spent at indoor museums and lengthy meals in restaurants. October can only be better than this, as it is the end of shoulder season. One recommendation is make sure you choose accommodations that you wouldn’t mind spending a good part of the day in, just in case the weather is bad for a day. 
 

if you’re going north of Athens, pack a zippered fleece and maybe light rainwear that will fit over it in case you get some rain. I was constantly on and off with my jacket in Meteora and Thessaloniki.

 

If you’re going south, you’ll have surprisingly good weather especially in the southernmost islands such as Rhodes and Crete.  The Cyclades, such as Mykonos and Santorini, will be a mixed bag. It won’t be swim temps but definitely good weather to walk on the beach or stroll the village streets as long as there is no rain. The crowds in Santorini won’t be nonexistent as I don’t think they ever are, but much more manageable than the summer. Personally I think Santorini should be done as a land vacation to avoid all of the nightmare logistics of the cruise tender port, but I won’t unpack all of that right now 🙂
 

My favorite time to visit Greece is October. Less crowded, less expensive, and not unbearably hot.  The southern islands during a warm spell can actually be nice enough to lie out on the beach and even swim if you’re lucky, since the water has been heating up all summer. Highly recommended time of year if your expectations are reasonable.

 

ETA: As one of the posters mentioned, there will be some restaurants and other businesses closed, but trust me you won’t starve or be bored.  The popular areas get year round tourists and the ruins and other main attractions are always open every season, though may have more limited hours.

 

 

Edited Saturday at 11:08 AM by vjmatty
ETA

[villauk]

53 minutes ago, chemmo said:

Yes!

 

When I was teaching we used to always head for the Med last week Oct/start Nov (half term break). Our weather was anything from the sublime to the ridiculous! Some holiday  weeks at this time of the year we would have perfect sunny days but unfortunately we also had the odd week where the sun was rarely to be seen. The beauty of a best of Greece cruise is even out of season and with less than perfect weather there is always something to enjoy doing…

 

Isn’t it wonderful to be able to holiday out of school term time - I think it makes such a difference as there are less crowds and it’s considerably cheaper. I’m getting used to this very quickly 😂.

[hamrag]

On 5/23/2024 at 7:23 PM, MsSWhite said:

Hello! Celebrity is offering a 9 night Best of Greece cruise. The only date that works for us is October 26-November 4. I'm worried about the weather being cooler. I'm assuming no beaches, pool or sunscreen?? Any experts or past cruisers that can offer advice or info would be greatly appreciated!!

Your assumptions would match my expectations. Cut-off for us would be mid-October latest!

[scrabble6]

Last October 2023 we were in Athens from 24 Oct - 26 Oct, then cruised to Mykonos and Santorini the next two days.  It was warm and sunny--shorts and short sleeves were comfortable.  We didn't go to beaches so can't comment on that.  Yes to the sunscreen though--the sun was bright! 

We found it interesting that several of the restaurants we visited were closing for the season within a day or two of our visit.  There were still crowds but not overwhelming.

 

 We would definitely go back in October again if we ever get the chance.

[robbinsca]

Thank you to my fellow CCers. After reading this thread I changed my cruise dates next year from June to October. Not in Celebrity, but still made the change thanks to the warnings about the heat in June!

[chemmo]

20 hours ago, villauk said:

 

Isn’t it wonderful to be able to holiday out of school term time - I think it makes such a difference as there are less crowds and it’s considerably cheaper. I’m getting used to this very quickly 😂.

Yes, to us the first and best cruise when I retired was to be able to do a TP. Also not to be ‘stuck’ with set dates and be able to extend your cruise with time before and after. So pleased my husband and I were able to enjoy 10 years of this flexibility before I sadly lost him last year. Now, cruising with family members with holiday times becoming restricted again…C’est la vie!

 

Strongly suggest you do get used to enjoying non term time holidays! Siege the moment, make it count!

[Tom and Ingrid]

9 hours ago, scrabble6 said:

We found it interesting that several of the restaurants we visited were closing for the season within a day or two of our visit.  There were still crowds but not overwhelming.

At our beautiful and tasty restaurant in Santorini (Oia), we were almost alone on the terrace eating our late lunch, and when we finished, the server brought us free desserts as they were closing for the season.  Delicious 😄 Lovely weather, few people, and none of the issues so many folks report when visiting during the busier months. 

[TeeRick]

We have done southern Med and Greek islands in October.  The best time of year to go!

[FreestyleNovice]

As said above. Lots of places in Greece close down after summer/early fall, be aware of that.