Cheapest Months To Go On A Caribbean Cruise
If you are looking to get the lowest cost for a Caribbean cruise, late August through early November see some of the lowest prices of the year.
Cruises in this time period have two things in common: it is the peak of hurricane season and it is also when most families are unable to vacation due to the school calendar. The combined effect is lower demand for cruises, and thus, lower prices.
You can also find bargains during other times of the year when school is typically in session, such as mid-January to mid-February, mid-April through the end of May, and the first two weeks of December.
While we recommend cruising to the Caribbean in the winter months, dont expect to find the cheapest fares around the holidays. Cruises around Christmas and New Years will, unsurprisingly, come with higher prices. That being said, the holidays can be a fun time to set sail with special dining menus, decor, and events throughout the ship.
There are always exceptions, but the key to finding the best price on a Caribbean cruise is to try to go when most others cannot cruise. Avoiding religious holidays and the school vacation calendar is a good start.
The Best Time To Go On A Cruise To The Bahamas For Weather
If you want to avoid rain and increase your chances of cloudless skies and sunny days, head to the Bahamas during its driest season in late winter and early spring. The rainiest months are May and June.
Hurricane season for the Bahamas and the Caribbean lasts from June to November, with peak hurricane season being from August to October. Fortunately, the Bahamas is rarely affected by hurricanes, but planning a cruise there during hurricane season always presents a small risk that your travel plans may be interrupted by an impending storm.
If you do plan a cruise to the Bahamas during hurricane season, your vacation will likely go just fine as planned, but its wise to look into getting travel insurance that covers cruise delays or cancellations due to hurricanes.
What To Pack For A Bahamas Cruise In October
With added humidity, it is likely to feel like it is in the 90s or low-100s. Summer attire will be your daily staplesshorts, tanks, and swimwear. Since it will be exceedingly warm, packing more than 2 swimsuits is suggested. It is always a good idea to pack at least one pair of casual pants and one super lightweight cover-upa long sleeved shirt or pashmina will do.
Dont forget to pack excursion-specific attire and attire for the dining room dress code. Feel free to repeat your dining attire. Make sure you have an outfit that can be worn to the semi-formal onboard activities. For example, if you want to go to the art exhibit or English Tea time, a sundress would be okbut not your swimsuit and shorts.
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Sun And Fun: Water Sports
Nassau offers a multitude of activities focused around the archipelagos beautiful blue waters and magnificent natural environment. Just about every conceivable water sport is available to Nassau visitors via cruise ship excursion. This includes sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing and encounters with sea lions, dolphins, stingrays and pigs .
Other cruise ship tours feature glass-bottom and jet boat excursions, catamaran sailings paired with reef snorkeling, deep-sea fishing and exclusive beach days with private cabanas.
While the luxurious Baha Mar resort on Nassaus Cable Beach does not offer day passes, savvy and sybaritic cruisers will reserve a room for the day for access to the propertys premium facilities and amenities, including a private beach and beach club, motorized and nonmotorized watersports, a series of pools with shaded lounge chairs, cabanas and waterfall features. You can use 20,000 World of Hyatt points to book a day at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. Or, spend 10,000 points plus $140. You can start earning points for your next vacation with the World of Hyatt Credit Card.
You can also look for a resort offering day passes.
Balmoral Island, Pearl Island and Sandy Toes also offer private-island experiences near Nassau.
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Best Time To Cruise Alaska: June
Alaska has a short cruise season that lasts from late April through October. June through August is Alaska’s high season, when weather is warmest and summer vacation season is in full swing. However, crowds and high fares are the norm at this time of year and rain is likely, especially in August.
If you’re after peak wildlife viewing in Alaska, though, high season is the best time to cruise the state. Bears, whales, salmon and caribou are far more abundant June through August than at other times of year. There are also numerous festivals in the port towns during the summer. You’ll want to book well in advance for an Alaska cruise between June and August, as itineraries tend to sell out quickly.
May and September can also be great times to cruise Alaska if you’d like to save a little money. Whale watching is good in both months, as gray and humpback whales migrate to and from the state. Other wildlife will also start to emerge from their winter slumbers in May or be in the middle of mating season in September.
If you’re choosing between May and September, note that May is the driest month of the Alaska cruise season, so you’re less likely to be rained out of your flightseeing tour, glacier walk or other shore excursions.
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Taking A Cruise In July
Pros: Like June, youll find warm and sunny days filling July. And with the kids out of classes, youll have the opportunity to sail without missing school, making it an ideal time to cruise if you are traveling with kids. And while it is warm in the Caribbean, regular afternoon pop-up showers can help cool things off during the heat of the afternoon. This also represents the height of the Alaskan cruise season, offering the most options of the year.
Cons: The biggest negative will sailing in July is weather. On sunny days, it can get downright hot in many Caribbean ports. If you arent used to the heat and humidity, it can be draining. As well, you should start to look out for hurricanes and tropical storms during July especially if traveling later in the month. While cruise ships will usually avoid any storms, they can be unpredictable and cause changes to your itinerary.
Taking A Cruise In October
Pros: If youre not wanting to deal with heat, then October is a great time to visit the Caribbean. While the humidity is always a factor, October see the start of a cooling trend in the weather. As well, while hurricanes can occur in October, the season is largely over so you dont have to worry about them disrupting your trip as much. Finally, cruise prices also fall during this time of year, meaning you can book a solid deal without spending a bundle.
Cons: It shouldnt be a surprise that April and October are two months that we consider great times to sail. Like April, the biggest con is that it can be difficult for people with kids to travel without taking their children out of school for a few days. Apart from that, the month sees good weather and cheaper fares, and its before the harsh winter hits many places in the U.S. and Canada, disrupting air travel to the port.
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Cons Of Traveling To Bahamas In August
As the humidity increases, the likelihood of rain increases. However, it probably will not rain all day, and it is unlikely you will have multiple days of rain. The official hurricane season in the Bahamas is June thru November, but hurricanes are infrequent. The mainland has far more hurricanes than the Bahamas.
The Best Time To Go On A Cruise To The Bahamas For Budget Travelers
When deciding on the best time to go on a cruise to the Bahamas, budget travelers should keep in mind the islands peak travel times. Unsurprisingly, spring break, summer, and holidays tend to see more of a price hike since they coincide with school holidays and when families are looking to travel.
Even taking those peak travel times into consideration, the Bahamas is generally an affordable cruise vacation thanks to its easy access from Floridian embarkation ports of call. Because of that you might find the Bahamas is still an affordable cruise vacation for you even if you are only able to travel during those peak times when school is out of session.
Another benefit of cruising to the Bahamas for budget travelers is that you can find shorter cruises that sail there. If a 7-night cruise isnt quite in your vacation budget this year, or you dont have enough days off to do a longer cruise, youre in luck Celebrity Cruises offers shorter cruises to the Bahamas that are two to four nights in length.
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The Weather In The Bahamas
The dry season spans from November to June, while the wet season starts in July and ends in December. When traveling during the wet season, expect to see an increase in rainfall but still plenty of beach days. The ocean water tends to be warmer at this time, which makes it a great time for snorkeling.
Though this Caribbean territory does not experience winter, months like January tend to be cooler than most with lows of 63°F at night. Highs in January are typically around 79°F during the day.
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Are There Hurricanes In The Bahamas
The official hurricane season in the Bahamas is June thru November, but hurricanes are infrequent. In fact, the mainland has far more hurricanes than the Bahamas.
Crowds will be greatly reduced during the off-season and excursions much easier to book. In fact, you may find that you are able to access the best prices on hotel, cruises, excursions, and all travel packages during the off-season.
Off-Season Perks
- DISCOUNT TOURS & ACTIVITIES some package-tour fares are as much as 20% lower, and individual excursion fares may be reduced from 5% to 10%.
- NO CROWDS no busy beaches or packed pools, you may even enjoy the beach to yourself
- OFF- SEASON SALES resort boutiques often feature summer sales to keep afloat during slower months
- SEE MORE WITH LESS gift yourself a bonus activity from the off season savings
- MEETING LOCALS traveling off-season is a better way to meet the locals and experience the island life as they do
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If You Love Hot Weather The Best Month Is
If sunshine and toasty temperatures are all-important for a Bahamian cruise, go ahead and take the plunge. In that case, the best month is August, when average high temperatures are 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Ships and ports may be crowded, but everyone will be in a holiday mood and enjoying the clear water and white sandy beaches of Nassau and Freeport. Note the wettest month of the year in the Bahamas is June, and hurricane season runs from June through November.
References
Major Events In The Bahamas
Now that youre well versed with Bahamian weather, now comes the fun part. Bahamians love to share their very mixed culture, and for this reason, there are a wide range of activities happening in the islands throughout the year. Here are some of the most popular events which may help you decide on the best time to visit:
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The Busy Season In The Bahamas
From December to May, the average daytime temperatures in the Bahamas are between the high 70s and low 80s, but keep in mind, the humidity can make it feel like it is much warmer. The busy season is June thru September, which is due to both the warm weather and to the Bahamas being an ideal vacation location for family and kids on summer break.
Expect tourist attractions to be bustling during the busy season. It is also important to book your excursions well ahead of time, because they fill up quickly. However, if you are traveling by cruise, this is less of a concern, because the cruise has secured their bookings with local excursion companies and attractions.
Events December- May
Chart Showing Cheapest Cruise Weeks
Even though this chart is a few years old, not much has really changed in terms of when the cheapest time to cruise throughout the year will be. This chart is from Cruise Market Watch and highlights the average cost of a Royal Caribbean cruise for an inside cabin throughout the year.
Use this chart more as a visual than a concrete unit of measurement for the specific costs of cruising during these times. Again, this graph was made in 2012 but general rules of pricing during the weeks of the year are still valid today.
Notice the price spikes during Decembers busy holiday season, followed by the sharp decrease in pricing early in to January. This chart is a great way to see the cheapest cruise months at a glance.
Leading into Spring there are some price increases for cruise vacations as people get ready for spring break. These prices, however, are still lower than the dramatic increase during the peek cruise season of June and July.
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The Best Time To Cruise To The Bahamas
When is the absolute best time to cruise to the Bahamas? The short answer is that any time you can make it happen is the best time.
The long answer depends on what matters most to you. Are you going to play in the water? Are you averse to the risks of schedule changes or cancellations? Are you cruising to the Bahamas because it’s cheap? Do you want a party atmosphere or peace and quiet? The answers to these questions will determine the best month or season for your Bahamas cruise.
Taking weather, price and crowds into consideration, Im going with November as the best time to cruise to the Bahamas. Heres how I came to that conclusion, though you might decide another month is the best time for you to sail away to the islands.
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Hurricanes And Rainy Season
But summer is the rainy season, and it’s hurricane season.
The average rains from June through October are three to four times the rain in the winter months. Nassau averages 6.5 inches of rain in September, but only 1.6 inches in December.
The good news is that while the summer rains are more frequent, they often show up in the afternoons and don’t linger long. There is still plenty of daily sun, but you wont want to leave towels drying on the lifelines after lunch. But summer can be hot and muggy as the rain storms come and go, though there are breezes much of the other times.
The winter months are cooler, but they’re also much drier and free of hurricane risk.
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What Are Popular Activities In The Bahamas
Visitors to The Bahamas can spend a day getting in the water, taking a tour by ATV or doing a little duty-free shopping.
Interacting with the abundant marine life is a popular activity for families in The Bahamas the Blue Lagoon Dolphin Encounter in Nassau is one of the few dolphin experiences certified by the Humane Society for animal welfare standards. For a more offbeat animal encounter, look into a swimming with pigs excursion, mainly accessible from private islands Great Stirrup Cay and CocoCay.
Pirates left their mark on The Bahamas, and guided tours and museums go into the history of the golden age of piracy, including notable local legends like Blackbeard and Calico Jack.
For as much as there is to do, many guests also spend the day at a resort or on the beach.
What To Pack For A Bahamas Cruise In March
With the added humidity, you may never feel a chill. Pack the staples mentioned above, but also pack at least one pair of casual pants for the cooler evening or morning hours. Just in case, pack a lightweight jacket and one pair of enclosed shoes for excursions. Mostly, you will be in your beach attireshorts, tank, t-shirt, sandals/flip-flops.
Dont forget to pack excursion-specific attire and attire for the dining room dress code. Feel free to repeat your dining attire. Make sure you have an outfit that can be worn to the semi-formal onboard activities. For example, if you want to go to the art exhibit or English Tea time, a sundress would be okbut not your swimsuit and shorts.
The beauty of the Bahamas in Maybesides, of course, the blue waters and soothing sandsis the consistency of the weather. Now, mind you, its not spectacular all the time, but the odds are in your favor that youll have warmth and sun. And that makes it truly a terrific destinationparticularly if youre from a part of the country where the summers are short and the winters seem to last forever.
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Resources For Gulf Stream Passages
There are many excellent resources for Gulf Stream conditions, position and forecasts. The stream can be spotted with Sea Surface Temperatures in satellite photos, and you’ll see your own SST sensor spike when you enter it.
A few samples include:
Commercial routing and other Gulf Stream forecasts are available from several sources for a fee.
William has been sailing and owning boats for over twenty years. Since 2012 he’s been cruising the world with his wife and living aboard full time.
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Hi, I’m Shawn, and when I was 2 years old, I was sailing on the English Channel during a proper storm . Since then I’ve enjoyed sailing very much – and I’ve never been afraid of the water again.
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