Caribbean Cruise overall temps just too high to enjoy?

[mickeysgal]

51 minutes ago, George C said:

89 would be considered cool in Dallas we been at a hundred give or take a degree . Caribbean is pretty warm year round, wouldn’t stop me from cruising. I rather do Caribbean than Europe in summer.

We were in Rome last year in late August and I swore never, ever again in the summer. It was brutal. Heart pounding, need Gatorade brutal.  That’s another reason I’m asking this question. I don’t want a repeat of that. 

[Dancing Shoes]

I forgot how humidity affects me.  Last April 2023 we went to the Caribbean.  I remember walking in Key West and said this is awful.  We kept ducking in shops to cool off.  We got to Cozumel and walked downtown to the Mexican restaurant and if was again, really hot.

 

I like it and don't.  Now when I am on a beach under an umbrella at Grand Caymen, that is another story.  In the shade, with the ocean nearby.  I hear ya.......

 

[sanger727]

10 hours ago, mickeysgal said:

We were in Rome last year in late August and I swore never, ever again in the summer. It was brutal. Heart pounding, need Gatorade brutal.  That’s another reason I’m asking this question. I don’t want a repeat of that. 

 

Rome is also a city where most of your tours will be walking around cities.  On caribbean cruises we mostly do water excursions; boat rides, snorkeling, beaches, etc.  Yeah, you may want some shade if you are laying out on a beach, but there's usually a breeze near the ocean. 

 

This really depends on what you want to do. If you want to spend hours each day walking and sightseeing, then it may be too hot.  But in October it's just as likely to be windy and stormy.

[George C]

13 hours ago, mickeysgal said:

We were in Rome last year in late August and I swore never, ever again in the summer. It was brutal. Heart pounding, need Gatorade brutal.  That’s another reason I’m asking this question. I don’t want a repeat of that. 

I thought my wife was going to pass out a few years ago while in the Vatican and this was September and she is on very good shape. The fact that churches don’t allow shorts and require shoulders covered made everything worse.

[TeeRick]

20 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

Maybe.  I sailed a late September into early October Canada/NE cruise and lo and behold, here comes a hurricane the day of sailing.  Two ports missed, schedules changes to add overnights to other ports.  It was my bucket list cruise so very disappointing to miss the ports, although an overnight in Quebec was a nice add. And as worried as I was about the seas, we followed the hurricane path up the coast and the seas were some of the most calm ever!  So I guess moral of the story is go a little later in October if you can.

Yes NE USA and eastern Canada will get a hurricane tracking that way every so often but the cold Atlantic in that region downgrades them quickly.  I would be the least worried about a hurricane disrupting there but it could happen as you can attest.  We went mid-October a few years ago on Summit.  Excellent cruise.

[Honolulu Blue]

On 6/27/2024 at 8:32 AM, mickeysgal said:

Its been years since we went on a Caribbean cruise.  I know the temp will be hot but was it so hot that you said never again? We are debating cancelling a booked cruise...I just don't want it unbearable such that we don't enjoy anything.  We are booked for an October southern Caribbean.  Avg temp 89.  Is it heart pounding heat and sun such that you can't/didn't truly enjoy it?

I'll go through the other comments later, but let me record my experiences and opinions...

 

I've been on cruises in June and September.  The ships were fine.  I'm sure I spent the vast majority of my time onboard.  The temps in port were tolerable, at least where I went.  It helped to get out early for excursions and/or self-exploration and get back before the worst of the heat arrived.

 

I tend to shy away from the Caribbean in the summer and early fall, but the heat is only a minor part of it.

 

The Western Caribbean ports in October will generally have highs in the mid-80s to the low 90s with heat indexes roughly 5-10 degrees higher.  It sounds like a typical Atlanta summer day (at least it was like that when I visited there in July some years ago), so if you can handle that, you can handle the Caribbean.  The question is whether you would want to.  That I can't answer for you.

 

Oh, I had a land visit to Sint Maarten about 8 years ago and one to Cancun about 3 years ago. The temps in Cancun were all right, but I stayed inside most of the time (my choice).  I noticed it being hotter in Sint Maarten, but I was out and about more then.

 

Enjoy your cruise or whatever travel plans you decide to make.