Cruising in the month of May

[SarahMcCroskey]

We are cruising May 11th to the Bahamas next year. I checked online, is says the average temp is 85-90. However, family and friends keep telling me that it will be muggy hot, and we will not like it. Can anyone who has been there verify any of this for me? Also, how busy are the ships in May? We are on the Majesty of the Seas.

[Coralc]

It is the east coast. It will probably be muggy & hot, about like it has been in the bay area lately, with tropical moisture coming up from Mexico.

 

Are they telling you that because it is the weather...or because it is the Bahamas? Are you going to Key West too? Key West is fun. The Bahamas is okay, there are interesting things to see. :D:):D

 

Go and enjoy. You can't do anything about the weather.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Coralc

[Ourusualbeach]

The ships almost always sail full so really not that much difference as to how busy no matter when you sail.

[Life is Good Cruising]

Haven't been there in May, can't comment on weather.

 

The Carnival Senasation will be the only ship in port with you in Nassau. You'll be the only ship in your other 2 ports.

 

Majesty Of The Seas Depart: 04:30 PM 05/11/2015 Miami, Florida

 

Majesty Of The Seas 08:00 AM - 11:59 PM 05/12/2015 Nassau, Bahamas Carnival Sensation 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

 

Majesty Of The Seas 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM 05/13/2015 CocoCay, Bahamas

 

Majesty Of The Seas 10:00 AM - 06:00 PM 05/14/2015 Key West, Florida

 

Majesty Of The Seas Arrive: 07:00 AM 05/15/2015 Miami, Florida

[SarahMcCroskey]

Interesting, thats good to know, thank you! Do cruises cancel if they do not sell enough tickets?

[Ourusualbeach]

Interesting, thats good to know, thank you! Do cruises cancel if they do not sell enough tickets?

 

The cruise will never cancel.

 

RCI will just lower the price more and more so that they sell all the cabins. It will sail full.

[gerif]

Interesting, thats good to know, thank you! Do cruises cancel if they do not sell enough tickets?

 

No.

[Siora7777]

The weather will fine. Probably a breezy 80-95. You'll be close to the water so it will be amazing.

[CT Sean]

Weather will obviously be variable, but the last two years we've done Caribbean cruises the last week of April and the first week of May, as well as a land based Keys vacation and all three years it really could have been a little warmer (in my opinion of course). Temps were probably around 80 with a breeze and the water (as in the pools or ocean) was still a little cool to be in with air temps only around 80. I would have very much preferred 85-90 - I want it to feel tropical when I go to the tropics (I realize the Keys and Nassau is technically not the tropics)

Edited July 30, 2014 by CT Sean

[aftop]

I was on the Enchantment 4 day cruise in May 14. Day 2 was supposed to be Coco Cay but seas were forecast to be too rough for tenders so day 2 became the at sea day. In Nassau on day 3 weather was nice and sunny, not too hot. Day 4 in Cocoa Cay was hit or miss. Sunny and then cloudy with occasional tender service interruptions.

[TravelerThom]

The ships almost always sail full so really not that much difference as to how busy no matter when you sail.

I will slightly disagree. As you stated in your next post they will keep lowering the price until all of the cabins are sold (I spend the winter in FL and all three of the RCI cruises I have been on thus far in 2014 were booked after final payment when they were unloading excess inventory at low prices:D). However when school is out there are usually a lot more kids as 3rd and 4th passengers, and passenger loads can get above 115% occupancy (100% occupancy is every lower berth sold, and extra berths are on top of that). I tend to cruise when school is in session since 1) there is usually less demand, therefore lower prices, 2) there usually are fewer total passengers and 3) there are usually fewer unsupervised kids. For me win-win-win:)

 

Thom

[orville99]

We are cruising May 11th to the Bahamas next year. I checked online, is says the average temp is 85-90. However, family and friends keep telling me that it will be muggy hot, and we will not like it. Can anyone who has been there verify any of this for me? Also, how busy are the ships in May? We are on the Majesty of the Seas.

 

Depending on where you are coming from, 85 may be hot to you, but it is rarely "muggy" in the islands at that time of year. There is always a sea breeze, and the humidity usually is in the 70-80% range. We sail mid-May every year, and have never felt uncomfortable (weather-wise) in the Bahamas.

[cruisegirl1]

We are cruising May 11th to the Bahamas next year. I checked online, is says the average temp is 85-90. However, family and friends keep telling me that it will be muggy hot, and we will not like it. Can anyone who has been there verify any of this for me? Also, how busy are the ships in May? We are on the Majesty of the Seas.

 

Pretty hard to forecast temperatures 10 months out. Anywhere in the Caribbean will be hot in the summer. The good news is that the ocean is nice and warm too.

 

If you don't like heat, then you may want to look at another cruise itinerary, or cruise the Bahamas in the dead of winter.

 

Ships will sail full (every cabin booked). The beginning of May will have far fewer children than the end of May and into the summer months.

 

 

Enjoy

M

Edited July 30, 2014 by cruisegirl1

[cruisegirl1]

Interesting, thats good to know, thank you! Do cruises cancel if they do not sell enough tickets?

 

Never seen it in my 30 yeas of cruising. RCCL will do whatever they need to do to sell cabins. Some cruises have ridiculously low process just prior to sail date to fill the ship. An empty cabin brings in no revenue to RCCL.

 

 

enjoy

M

[kcr526]

We've cruised in May and the weather was great. I get really cranky in the heat, so I was nervous about it, but I shouldn't have been! It wasn't too much hotter than I was used to, and there was a constant breeze. No worries!

[Paulette3028]

I was on the Enchantment 4 day cruise in May 14. Day 2 was supposed to be Coco Cay but seas were forecast to be too rough for tenders so day 2 became the at sea day. In Nassau on day 3 weather was nice and sunny, not too hot. Day 4 in Cocoa Cay was hit or miss. Sunny and then cloudy with occasional tender service interruptions.

 

Two scheduled CocoCay days????????? I don't remember ever hearing/reading an itinerary like that.

[Clarea]

Two scheduled CocoCay days????????? I don't remember ever hearing/reading an itinerary like that.

Not scheduled, but fairly common on the 4 day itinerary out of PC to try to make Coco Cay on day 4 if they miss it on day 2.

[Paulette3028]

We are cruising May 11th to the Bahamas next year. I checked online, is says the average temp is 85-90. However, family and friends keep telling me that it will be muggy hot, and we will not like it. Can anyone who has been there verify any of this for me? Also, how busy are the ships in May? We are on the Majesty of the Seas.

 

I live in S. Florida year round. You are not cruising in the rainy season, nor in the cooler months of the year.....in May it is starting to heat up, but it hasn't come close to the top end of temperatures. You are going to be surrounded by water on a cruise ship, with all that water and some heat, it can be a little humid, but also breezy.

 

To me, the perfect time of year is April, May and June....it is warm enough for swimming and yet not too hot.

 

We have cruised Majesty 10 times, she is always sailing full. It doesn't have all the WOW factor of the newer ships, but you will have a fun filled time on her; great crew every time we have sailed on her.

 

We are trying to plan our 11th cruise on her for Thanksgiving weekend -- depending upon work commitments. For instance in November, it can be a little cool, sometimes a little too cool for my DH to be in the pool on board or in the water on CocoCay. That is the difference between May and November sailing for US. For me the water temp and air temp is usually just fine.

[Paulette3028]

Not scheduled, but fairly common on the 4 day itinerary out of PC to try to make Coco Cay on day 4 if they miss it on day 2.

 

So they totally skipped a port that was on the itinerary to accomplish that.

[Clarea]

So they totally skipped a port that was on the itinerary to accomplish that.

No port was skipped. The 4 day itinerary out of Port Canaveral only has stops at Coco Cay and Nassau. Normally day 4 is a sea day, but they can use it to get to Coco Cay if it's missed on day 2.

[proudpatriot07]

We've cruised 5 times and 3 of those were in May. It's our favorite month to cruise because it's not super hot yet, the kids are still in school, and it's not hurricane season. We've always found great prices at that time of year, too.

 

Our ship almost missed Coco Cay, but we made it (about an hour late, but oh well). I'm not sure if that happens more or less at certain times of year, but it's good to know that they try to make it on the last sea day if they have to miss it.

[trev71]

Ive cruised twice in May and its muggy and hot but its not unbearable

[Big_G]

We've cruised more in May than any other month and we rarely noticed the difference. It's never been oppressive.

[Paulette3028]

No port was skipped. The 4 day itinerary out of Port Canaveral only has stops at Coco Cay and Nassau. Normally day 4 is a sea day, but they can use it to get to Coco Cay if it's missed on day 2.

 

I enjoy 'at sea days' more and more the longer that I cruise, but on a 4 day cruise, I would not want an 'at sea day' on my itinerary.

 

Since I live in S. Florida, I have no reason to drive to Port Canaveral to get on a ship.

[cjdixon4]

We are cruising May 11th to the Bahamas next year. I checked online, is says the average temp is 85-90. However, family and friends keep telling me that it will be muggy hot, and we will not like it. Can anyone who has been there verify any of this for me? Also, how busy are the ships in May? We are on the Majesty of the Seas.

 

SarahMcCroskey-

Hubby and I sailed on Enchantment last May 2013. Yes, it's hot in the Bahamas. Will it be too hot for you? HOT is relative. It's unbearable for some, for others...it's the Bahamas and that kind of weather is expected. If you are super sun-sensitive, stay away from excessive exposure to the rays...use lots of sunscreen and you'll be fine.

 

As far as the busyness of the ports...our Enchantment ship was docked at exactly the same time as Majesty was, along with Carnival Imagination and an NCL ship. The crowds are tolerable, and when you've had enough just head back to the ship. Don't allow your friends/family to discourage you. Formulate your own opinions, and enjoy your cruise!

Edited July 30, 2014 by cjdixon4