Cruising to Caribbean in the summer

[Shamrock73]

Have always cruised in Feb or April. Is July heat bearable?

[Husky61]

Depends on the person.

[fishywood]

...and on where you are sailing to. The Caribbean Sea proper is relatively temperate year-round, though the sun will certainly be beating down stronger mid-summer. If you are only going as far as the Atlantic ports (Bahamas, Grand Turk, most cruise lines' private islands) the weather is pretty much the same as in Florida: 95%+ humidity and when it rains (everyday) you will feel like you are bathing in a big vat of soup. And the Gulf of Mexico (where most cruises misnamed as 'Western Caribbean' call) is absolutely brutal mid-summer; only the hardiest of souls will tolerate any outdoor activity beyond parking under a beach umbrella with drink runners at your beck and call. I sailed a Grand Cayman/Ocho Rios/Cozumel cruise in June and even though I have lived my whole life in the Florida heat there is no way I could have managed visiting any ruins/waterfalls/rainforests et al. 

[KmomChicago]

My family politely declined anything in the Caribbean in summer due to the heat, which my daughter and husband both find miserable. We've been fine in March but doing New England/Canada out of New Jersey instead next August for this very reason.  My very first cruise in the mid 1980's I did the Bahamas in June and can still remember that it was quite hot and yes, Mexico gets very hot as well.

 

Will also consider Alaska for a future summer cruise, though it's typically more expensive and complicated logistics for us than the east coast.

[Bookish Angel]

We won't do any part of the Caribbean, Florida, etc. in the summer as the heat, humidity, bugs, rain and crowds are not something we choose to tolerate.

 

I was born and raised on Florida's Gulf Coast and live elsewhere because Florida's long summers are miserable for me. Florida winters are wonderful so we might become snowbirds someday.