Best time of year (weather) to cruise Caribbean?

[lissaw16]

I just returned from a 4-night cruise on RC's Monarch of the Seas (2/23-2/27/09), first cruise for me and DH... Our itenerary was supposed to be Port Canaveral-Coco Cay-Nassau-At Sea-Port Canaveral. We missed Coco Cay on day 2 (high winds), tried again on day 4 (missed again, even higher winds), and overall the winds were so bad it was uncomfortable to be outdoors (although the temps were quite warm). We never sunbathed or swam the whole cruise (just one evening of hot tubbing while docked in Nassau).

 

Fluke? :confused: or did I totally pick the wrong time of year to go to the Caribbean? Is there a "better" time of year? I thought I was doing good, avoiding the spring break crowd, but maybe a few drunk college kids is a small price to pay for better weather?

 

Thoughts?

[I'm on holiday]

Technically, CoCo and Nassau are in the Bahamas, which is further north than the Caribbean island chain. I'm no gepgraphy major, but if you check out a map, you will see that they are on approximately the same lattitude as southeast Florida. I live in FL. It gets chilly here this time of year. We've had quite a few cold fronts come through recently, hence the weather on your cruise.

 

If you can do it, late April or May should be very nice, without being too bloody hot. Not to mention, you will still avoid the spring breakers. :)

[cruiseapril]

Hi- We have stopped in the Bahamas during April for the past four years. The weather has been quite good- only one poor weather day.

 

However, the private islands are missed sometimes and this can happen during any month. But your chances for good weather are better in April and May.

[nitnyleo]

December thru mid-March have the best weather (meaning, not as much rain . . . just a chance of a very short-lived shower (which, if you happen to be bakin' in the sun, can be quite refreshing)

 

But as the previous poster wrote, you didn't quite make it to the Caribbean. And, Bahamian weather is about the same as Miami's. You just need to go a little farther south to avoid those nasty Canadian cold fronts.

[rian90]

I live in Florida and usually February is beautiful, with weather in the mid-70s to 80s and sunny almost every day, little rain. However, this year has been very unusual. While we haven't gotten enough rain, we have had several cold fronts that cause cold temps, wind and clouds..and a wee bit of rain. I kind of like it because its different..and when you live where its mostly the same every day for months, it gets dull. :) But on a vacation, I would hate it.

 

My favorite times in Florida are February, (March, except for the crowds from Spring Break) and October, as long as you can avoid a hurricane. I imagine the Caribbean would be similar...but not sure. Summer is hot and it rains for at least an hour every day but you will get some sunshine most days as well.

[Houndmom]

The best weather we ever had on a cruise was the Western Caribbean in October. I don't know if that is normal, but the weather was perfect all week. :)

[lissaw16]

 

But as the previous poster wrote, you didn't quite make it to the Caribbean. And, Bahamian weather is about the same as Miami's. You just need to go a little farther south to avoid those nasty Canadian cold fronts.

 

 

Geez, sorry about the geography mistake. I guess I didn' t know it made that much difference.

 

I'm from northern Minnesota, and it was -7F when I drove to work Monday morning (after returning from Orlando on Sunday evening), so anything above freezing is a good trip in my book... however I was really disappointed with my cruise weather. I have never heard of such winds, and just wondered if the wind was "normal".

[rian90]

Wind is common on the sea but if there was a cold front going through, the winds would be much colder than normal. We live inland quite a ways and we have had an unusual amount of wind lately. I grew up in the midwest with those windy storms and great kite days and we just don't have those here in central Florida. But lately, I have been tempted to fly a kite!

 

So sorry you had bad weather!

[nitnyleo]

I live in Florida and usually February is beautiful, with weather in the mid-70s to 80s and sunny almost every day, little rain. My favorite times in Florida are February, (March, except for the crowds from Spring Break) and October, as long as you can avoid a hurricane.

Having lived in Miami, I can vouch for that.

 

No need to apologize, lissaw16. Wait 'til you have to demonstrate your travelling savvy when you have to distinguish between the Lesser Antilles and the Greater Antilles, the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands, the West Indies and East Indies; etc :D

 

A couple hundred miles does make all the difference. Canadian cold fronts almost always break up in Florida, because of that Hot Tub called the Caribbean.

 

I can't imagine living in Northern Minnesota . . . can't imagine -7F . . . try a southern Caribbean (Barbados, Grenada, Martinique, ABC islands . . . guaranteed great weather).

[Iluvmypuggle]

In the Bahamas last April, the water temperature was pretty chilly, but other than that, the weather was BEAUTIFUL.

[UK.Girl]

we returned from the caribbean a couple of weeks ago and the captain said they had been having very uncharacteristic weather since before christmas - we had quite a few very windy days and more rain than expected!

[cruisemates2]

We love to cruise in October and we have never had a problem with hurricanes, but, you never know. Usually the weather is nicer late Oct. and early to mid November. We ran into hurricane Mitch in November years ago and that wasn't fun. But, most of the time you are safe in November, and it is usually cooler.

 

Janet

[I'm on holiday]

Geez, sorry about the geography mistake. I guess I didn' t know it made that much difference.

 

 

 

No apology needed. We were simply pointing out that the windy, cooler weather was due recent cold fronts that hit Florida, and the Bahamas this time of year. :) As nitnyleo stated, a couple hundres miles further south does make a difference.

[motherchic]

Almost every Caribbean cruise we have sailed on ( I think 7 ) have been in Feb.

Perfect weather. Sunny, not windy. Just go a "little further"

Aruba, St. Thomas, Caymens, Antigua, Barbados, Panama Canal......

We are cruising in early August and I hope we didnt make a mistake with hurricanes ?!

[Dpeeps]

We have cruised the last 3 years during the kids spring break....which was usually the end of March or the beginning of April....and I will have to say that we have had the best weather all 3 years! The only time that we ran into any rain was during 1 time at "sail-away" and that lasted only about 10 minutes and it was over......we have been very lucky! :) and hoping for the same this year too!

[navybankerteacher]

Except for hurricane risk (which is actually pretty slight, as ships can change itineraries and avoid serious weather) September through November seems best for Bahamas -- (in winter the water is not really warm enough for great swmming) - The Caribbean (from St. Maarten on south is good in winter), but both are great in fall through early winter - with the great plus of not having spring break mobs or summer excessive heat.

[Eeyoregon]

I have sailed the Caribbean twice at the end of April and it was AWESOME!! Perfect weather!

[cb at sea]

We really prefer the spring--mid-April through May seems to work for us! Only once did we have extremely rough waters, and it's always been warm enough for tanning....on the "rough" trip, it was cloudy--no tan that time!

[flvol77]

I always answer this question with it depends on where you live - for us who live in south fl, April and May the water is still too cold for us in the Bahamas and in the Caribbean its still a little chilly, but the outside temps are great - If you are from up north then you will love late April early may and there are no more cold fronts sweeping through fl and the Bahamas so no missed ports usually.

 

Our favorite is in Sept. I know its the height of hurricane season but unless there is a hurricane somewhere close the winds are low, the water is like glass and the temps are hot, just the way we like it.

[islandhoppin]

I am thinking of booking a cruise on Carnival Inspiration on Sept.26th-Oct 1rst. Was hoping someone might be able to tell me how that ship is for one and if that time of the year is ok, weather wise. We have only been on two other cruises with carnival and they have been in jan and april Thanks for any info.....

Maryanne:)

[flvol77]

I am thinking of booking a cruise on Carnival Inspiration on Sept.26th-Oct 1rst. Was hoping someone might be able to tell me how that ship is for one and if that time of the year is ok, weather wise. We have only been on two other cruises with carnival and they have been in jan and april Thanks for any info.....

Maryanne:)

 

 

Just buy cruise insurance - It will be very warm - as in upper 80's to low 90's and the ocean water will be 85+

[cravingthis]

I have sailed the Caribbean twice at the end of April and it was AWESOME!! Perfect weather!

 

We booked our first ever cruise on Oasis for Feb 26th, however, the rates are much lower in April. I chose Feb to avoid spring break crowd and we don't like really hot weather, prefer mid to somewhat high 20's (sorry, I'm in Canada, so that's Celcius) - 78.8 F.

 

Is there much difference between Feb and April for the Eastern Caribbean? I checked the weather and it only changes by 1 or 2 degrees. Is April very hot?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Krazy Kruizers]

The best Caribbean weather we have had has been the end of November, February and March.

[packed&ready!]

We found the weather hotter last April than when we go in Jan- Feb. We were in S. Caribbean. Going again next December. I live in HOT climate, don't want to be uncomfortable on my vacation.