Best time of year for first Med cruise?

[firstcruiserDB]

Hello! I apologize if this question is here a ton, but I've tried to search and cannot find a thing!

 

I just retired from a long teaching career on Friday, and I'm ready to start planning my adventures!! Hubby and I have been on many cruises to the Caribbean and Bermuda, but we are ready to broaden our horizons!

 

We have a Panama Canal cruise planned this year, but we want our next cruise to be bigger and better! Please tell me, in your opinion, when is the best time of year to travel to the Med? There are so many European cruises that we want to do, and we just need to know when is the best time to see this part of our world.

 

So......what do you think? When should we plan our first Med. cruise? Summer? Fall? Winter? Springtime?

 

Thanks so much for your help!

[MustBCruzn]

I love cruising Europe in either May or Sept/Oct. I've found the weather typically great and less crowds. Have a wonderful time!

[mrsgoggins]

Last year DH and I sailed the Med in August/September for 18 days with Celebrity and then I did a 7 night RCL cruise with a friend from Venice in November. The former was mostly temperatures of 90 degrees plus and often crowded ports, whereas the latter had wonderful temperatures for sightseeing (70s) and fewer people in ports. Bliss!

 

All of the Celebrity ships have headed away from the Med by November I think, but that would be my preferred time after my, admittedly limited, experience. However, based on that, I would opt for the beginning or the end of the season if possible.

 

I should add that we still enjoyed the Celebrity cruises very much, despite the heat :).

[gennadi]

I agree that late spring and autumn are the best seasons to cruise the Med. The weather is not too hot and there are less crowds at the popular attractions.

[Gracie115]

Our first Med trip was in mid-September and the weather was perfect. No longer in the 90's, no rain, the crowds are down from the mid-summer highs..... great time to go...

 

If not then I also agree with early-mid May for similar reasons, we've been twice in mid-May and weather a bit more unpredictable than mid-September but still good....

[Poconolady]

We have been in late April/ May, July and twice in early and mid Nov. I would do it again anytime- except July. The heat and crowds during the summer was enough to put us off Europe during that period for ever.

[cynbar]

We went in May and thought that was perfect. Ours was the 10 day on Reflection which was round trip Rome, we spent 3 days pre cruise in Rome. Weather was perfect for sightseeing, not too hot yet or as crowded as you'd get mid-summer. Prices are lower in the spring, and you won't see as many kids. Plus, we love that springtime ambiance of everything coming into bloom.

[zoncom]

I like to cruise TA over or back to avoid one long flight then do another cruise. This Spring was perfect. But it can be rainy late April. Mid Sept-mid Oct lovely. Avoid July and August when Europe vacations.

[chemmo]

Totally agree with others avoid July/August if possible. Winter also is out in the Med. Most resorts do have a closed season (end of October until April/May). June and September would be my recommendations.

 

Just a couple of ideas as you look for your itinerary.

 

Try to start and finish at different ports (Barcelona to Venice or Venice to Rome....). Then you can add two city breaks to your vacation. In these cities look on trip advisor for central, local hotels with atmosphere rather than the usual 'chains'.

 

Look at possibly doing 2x7 day cruises as well as 10/12/14 night ones....you can sometimes really spot something special!

 

Remember you cannot do everything on one trip so pace yourself (for example, we spent two weeks in Crete on a land holiday and could happily have done two more). See your cruise as getting a flavour of the Mediterranean...find time to sit and watch with a local liquor of you will miss the real Europe.

 

When choosing your itinerary look for places often best visited by ship (Santorini, Valletta in Malta....).

 

We are lucky being a short flight from Europe...over the years we have land stayed and cruised most of it. The history, culture, cuisine and ambiance make it so special.

 

Sincere best wishes on your retirement from teaching, I retired less than two years ago after 34 years! It is so nice looking at itineraries thinking 'what do we want to do' after years of clicking the school vacation dates and seeing what is available!

[Karynanne]

We too take Transatlantics (eastbound and westbound) and combine it with a Med. cruise, either before or after. April and October. Usually great weather and less crowds.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Second all the recommendations for fall or spring. And pair it with a TA so you only have to fly one way. Did the Med last fall and then came back on a TA. It was wonderful to relax after the port-intensive Med cruise. And we had 25-hour days.

 

[cruising teacher]

Congratulations on your retirement! I retired 12 years go from teaching third grade and we went on a Mediterranean cruise in September. In Genoa Italy I remember staring up at a statue of Christopher Columbus and thinking I am never teaching that again😏 I really recommend going in September or October. Nice weather and less crowds. Your retirement isn't real until all the children and your fellow teachers have gone back to school🎉

Wishing you lots of cruises that can be taken during the school year!

[Cruisercl]

We went on a Med cruise at the end of April/beginning of May. We found the weather to be mostly very comfortable with maybe one day of rain in Pisa.

 

However, we found some of the sightseeing sites were extremely crowded with kids on school trips. We were told it is very common because it is the end of the school year and so the field trips take place then. The Vatican was horribly crowded and so the time there was spent battling teenagers and all that comes with it and yes we were on a guided tour; it was quite irreverent. I was disappointed to say the least.

 

It was recommended to us that the Fall is a much better time to go so next time we will visit in the Fall when the weather is still nice.

 

Just sharing our experience. :)

 

Safe cruising all!!!

Edited June 5, 2016 by Cruisercl
typo

[Bobal]

I would go in September or, failing that, June. The sea has warmed up nicely in September but it's not as hot as the summer and the crowds have died down. The weather is generally more settled in September. We've done many cruises in the Med and occasionally had some rainy weather in May whereas we've never had bad weather in September.

[realnice46]

Hello! I apologize if this question is here a ton, but I've tried to search and cannot find a thing!

 

I just retired from a long teaching career on Friday, and I'm ready to start planning my adventures!! Hubby and I have been on many cruises to the Caribbean and Bermuda, but we are ready to broaden our horizons!

 

We have a Panama Canal cruise planned this year, but we want our next cruise to be bigger and better! Please tell me, in your opinion, when is the best time of year to travel to the Med? There are so many European cruises that we want to do, and we just need to know when is the best time to see this part of our world.

 

So......what do you think? When should we plan our first Med. cruise? Summer? Fall? Winter? Springtime?

 

Thanks so much for your help!

 

I agree with most of the posts, May or September best to avoid summer heat and crowds, august being worst for heat , humitity and Europeans vacation in August

[TLCOhio]

Hello! I apologize if this question is here a ton, but I've tried to search and cannot find a thing! I just retired from a long teaching career on Friday, and I'm ready to start planning my adventures!! Hubby and I have been on many cruises to the Caribbean and Bermuda, but we are ready to broaden our horizons! We have a Panama Canal cruise planned this year, but we want our next cruise to be bigger and better! Please tell me, in your opinion, when is the best time of year to travel to the Med? There are so many European cruises that we want to do, and we just need to know when is the best time to see this part of our world. So......what do you think? When should we plan our first Med. cruise? Summer? Fall? Winter? Springtime?

 

Congrats on your retirement and the exciting planning for the future. We have done through a combination of land and/or cruises, twenty two different countries in Europe. Lots of fun, interesting options, especially the media for great scenic sights, historic sites, fun shopping, etc., etc. Our two Med cruises have been in mid June. That worked super well. Nice weather, not too hot. For many in Europe, school is still in session for parts of June, helping avoid a little of crowds that grow larger in July and August.

 

Below you will see details on a Celebrity cruise from the wonderful base of Barcelona for many key highlights in the Med, including for Italy, Venice, etc. Below are some some visuals. Our first cruise in 2006 was from Athens to Istanbul, allowing time before and after in the two great, historic cities, plus seeing the Greek Isles and Turkish Coast. Also, super spectacular.

 

BIG PROBLEM/CHALLENGE??: One cruise in the Med cannot do it call. Sorry!! There are too many excellent options in the Med. Yes, the Med will be very port-intensive. Let us know any added questions.

 

Assuming you are from North America, the excellent opportunity with the teaching retirement is the ability to explore and see Australia and New Zealand. See full details below for why that is great place to visit and stage an "adventure". Keep up the good researching and planning.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 145,014 views for this posting.

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 213,449 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Don’t miss, if possible, the sail-in and/or sail-out for Venice. This was our view from the top of the ship as we approached the historic center of Venice. On a beautiful day, as we enjoyed, this is so spectacular!!!:

 

 

 

In Dubrovnik, we started with a local cab driver who gave us a “panoramic tour”, including crossing this unique bridge near the main cruise ship docking area. Then we drove up and up through narrow twisting roads to the high point overlooking Dubrovnik and near the cable car high station. From this point, we could also see part of Bosnia and and Montenegro. The “super star” view was down below with this angle of the harbor and walled city. Beautiful!!!:

 

 

 

This is the dramatic front view of St. Peter’s and the Square with the beautiful sky over this historic setting on June 10, 2011, during our visit and doing the Scavi tour under the Vatican in Rome. This dramatic Cathedral is the world's largest!:

 

 

 

It was a big “WOW” for our first visit to Pisa. This tower is much taller than I expected. They just completed a major cleaning of it a few weeks earlier in the spring, making things perfect, except for that little foundation problem with one tower. Also impressive here are the Pisa Baptistry and Duomo (main) church. Pisa has a couple of major universities here. There is another church here that also also a learning (and shorter) tower. We drove by that site. Two leaning towers in Pisa! How many knew that?:

 

 

 

Overlooking Positano along the Amalfi Coast, this is the view as we dined, family-style for lunch, at La Tagliata during our private tour for our small group through RomeInLimo. The views here were super and the sun came out in strong force as we enjoyed our three-course lunch with local wine and drinks. Their website is http://www.latagliata.com.:

 

 

 

Here’s a sampling of the narrow, flowered street in Mykonos in the Greek Isles with its many shops. The streets were made so narrow in order to fend off pirate attackers. It is an island with lots of history and legend dating back thousands of years, including connections to ancient Greek mythology. Ionians settled on Mykonos in the early part of the 11th century BC. As Delos developed as a sacred center, Mykonos was under the influences of the different people, including Phoenicians, Macedonians and Athenians. With the rise of Alexander the Great, the fate of Mykonos became a commercial center for agriculture and maritime trade. Mykonos flourished with enormous wealth during Roman occupation during the reign of Augustus Caesar. During the Middle Ages, Mykonos fell under the Venetians and later were victimized by the Saracens and latter the Turks. Starting in the 1950’s, its unique architecture, seclusion and hospitality have made it a haven for the rich and famous.:

 

[villauk]

We went on a Med cruise at the end of April/beginning of May. We found the weather to be mostly very comfortable with maybe one day of rain in Pisa.

 

However, we found some of the sightseeing sites were extremely crowded with kids on school trips. We were told it is very common because it is the end of the school year and so the field trips take place then. The Vatican was horribly crowded and so the time there was spent battling teenagers and all that comes with it and yes we were on a guided tour; it was quite irreverent. I was disappointed to say the least.

 

It was recommended to us that the Fall is a much better time to go so next time we will visit in the Fall when the weather is still nice.

 

Just sharing our experience. :)

 

Safe cruising all!!!

 

Correct about the school trips, my DS is off to mainland Europe in the next few weeks ;). April/May/June are very popular months for field trips. He can't wait :D.

 

If we could go in September, I would - weather is not as intense and neither are the crowds. Unfortunately, we have to stick to the school holidays :(. We have cruised at the end of October and the weather was good, but some of the attractions were starting to close down for the end of the season ;).

[Flamencacha]

I love cruising Europe in either May or Sept/Oct. I've found the weather typically great and less crowds. Have a wonderful time!

 

 

 

I agree, I went in October, short of Rainy Rome the weather was perfect. May is a good time also, better rates. Enjoy your retirement.

 

 

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[4774Papa]

We have been in the Med on cruises four times in March and May for Western Med and July and September for Eastern Med. March was ok, but it was a bit chilly in morning while in Barcelona. Our cruise went to Canary Island and Morocco, where the weather was great.

 

May was good as was September (it was still in the 80s), however July was hot. I am from Georgia and used to heat and humidity, but I don't recommend July in the Med. You wear your clothes one day and you perspire so much you cannot wear them again, so be prepared for lots of laundry.

[TroubleT]

We did TA/Med cruise in April. We did the Med cruise in May. We did the Med cruise in June. We did the Med cruise at the end of August/beginning of September. We did the Med cruise at the beginning of October. And we did the Med/TA in November. My vote is for October. The weather was perfect: not hot/not cold. Other months are unpredictable. It can be very cold and rainy in April and November and steaming hot in June-August.

[sparkins_mob]

I agree with many others and vote for May - we did an Eastern Med cruise in 2014 it was warm (hot in Athens!Q) but not grossly hot. Other people in our sailing remarked on how less crowded everything was - except for the Vatican. We ended up at the Vatican on the busiest day in 3 years according to our tour guide. Also watch out for the occasional strike around the beginning of May as I believe it is Labour Day in Italy.

 

We lucked out with the weather and only had one rainy day in the entire 15 days we were there.

[basil's mom]

We usually cruise the Med middle of September to middle of October. The weather is beautiful (not too hot and not cold or rainy). The ports aren't as crowded and there are not too many children or teenagers on the cruises.

[DYKWIA]

....Also watch out for the occasional strike around the beginning of May as I believe it is Labour Day in Italy.

 

...

 

It's not a strike, it's a public holiday, as the first of May (or sometimes first Mondayin May) is not just taken in Italy but most of Europe.

Edited June 6, 2016 by DYKWIA

[Pavovsky]

It's not a strike, it's a public holiday, as the first of May (or sometimes first Mondayin May) is not just taken in Italy but most of Europe.

 

 

 

In Ireland and UK it is the first Monday in May and everything is still open.

 

In the rest of the EU nearly everything shuts down but public transport does run albeit on a Sunday schedule.

 

 

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[_linda_]

I think you have your answer but I will also vote for mid May to mid June or mid September to mid October, both having more bearable temperatures and fewer crowds. On balance September is more reliable weather-wise than May.

 

 

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