42 cruise regions
Where to cruise, and when
From a long weekend in the Bahamas to the fjords of Norway, an Antarctic expedition or a Danube Christmas-market cruise: pick a region for the best months, typical itineraries, ports of call and where cruises depart.
At a glance
The best time to cruise each region
Caribbean, Bahamas & Bermuda
Caribbean cruises
Year-round; driest and busiest December to April. Hurricane season June 1 to November 30, most active August to October. · 4 to 7 nights; 8 to 12 nights for most Southern Caribbean routes from Florida
Eastern Caribbean cruises
Year-round; best December to April. This route is the most exposed to Atlantic hurricanes, especially August to October. · 7 nights from Florida or San Juan; 8 to 12 nights from the Northeast
Western Caribbean cruises
Year-round; driest December to April. Rainy season and hurricane risk June to November, peaking August to October. · 4 to 5 nights for short trips; 7 nights for the classic route
Southern Caribbean cruises
Year-round; best December to April. The ABC islands stay a good bet even in hurricane season (June 1 to November 30). · 7 nights from San Juan; 8 to 14 nights from Florida
Bahamas cruises
Year-round; warmest dry weather March to May. Cooler water December to February; hurricane season June 1 to November 30. · 2 to 5 nights from Florida; 5 to 7 nights from the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast
Bermuda cruises
Mainly April to early November; best May and June, with warm seas into October. Few or no sailings December to February. · 5 to 7 nights, including two or three days docked in Bermuda
Alaska, Hawaii, Canada & the US
Alaska cruises
Late April to early October; warmest and busiest June to August. · 7 nights; 10 to 14 days with a Denali land tour
Hawaii cruises
Year-round; humpback whales December to April. Best weather-and-value months April to May and September to October. · 7 nights inter-island from Honolulu; 14 to 17 nights from the West Coast
Canada & New England cruises
May to October; fall foliage late September to mid-October, warmest July and August. · 5 to 7 nights round trip; 10 to 14 nights one way to Quebec City or Montreal
Pacific Coastal cruises
Mainly April to May and September to October; some California coast sailings in winter. · 2 to 5 nights one way; 7 nights for California coast round trips
Mexico, Central & South America
Mexican Riviera & Baja cruises
Year-round; best November to April. Whale watching December to March; Pacific hurricane season mid-May to November 30. · 3 to 5 nights for Baja; 7 nights for the Mexican Riviera
Panama Canal cruises
Mainly October to April; driest mid-December to April. Few sailings in summer. · 10 to 11 nights for a partial transit; 14 to 18 nights for a full transit
South America cruises
Roughly November to March; Patagonia best December to February. · 14 nights for Cape Horn; 10 to 30 nights for Brazil, the Amazon and longer voyages
Galápagos cruises
Year-round; warm, calm season December to May, cool garúa season June to November. · 4 to 7 nights aboard; 9 to 11 days including mainland Ecuador
Europe & the Mediterranean
Mediterranean cruises
April to October; MSC and Costa run some Western Med routes year-round · 7 to 12 nights; 3- to 5-night samplers and 14-night voyages also run
Western Mediterranean cruises
April to early November; MSC and Costa sail year-round · 7 nights is standard; 10–12 nights adds southern Spain, Sicily or Malta
Eastern Mediterranean & Adriatic cruises
April to October, best May–June and September; a few sailings into early November · 7 to 12 nights; Venice-area to Athens one-way routes are common
Greek Isles cruises
April to early November; best late May–June and September · 3 to 7 nights from Piraeus; 7 to 12 nights on wider Eastern Med routes
Canary Islands & Atlantic Isles cruises
Year-round; peak October to April for winter sun; the Azores mainly May to October · 7 nights from the islands; 12–14 nights from Southampton; stops on transatlantic crossings
Western Europe cruises
April to October; repositioning voyages cluster in April–May and September–October · 7 to 14 nights, often one-way between the Mediterranean and Northern Europe
Northern Europe cruises
May to September for most lines; Norway’s coast year-round, with northern lights voyages in winter · 7 nights for Norway; 9–14 for the Baltic and British Isles; 12–16 with Iceland
Norwegian fjords cruises
May to September for fjord cruises; coastal voyages and northern lights sailings year-round · 7 nights for the southern fjords; 12–14 nights to the North Cape; 12-day coastal round trips
Baltic Sea cruises
May to September; peak in June, July and August · 9 to 12 nights; 7-night versions from Kiel, Copenhagen or Stockholm
British Isles cruises
May to September; a few sailings in April and October · 10 to 14 nights round trip; 7-night Scotland or Ireland sailings also run
Asia, Australia & the Pacific
Southeast & East Asia cruises
November to April for most routes; Singapore-based ships sail year-round · 7 to 14 nights; 3- to 5-night Singapore getaways; 16 nights or more on longer voyages
Japan cruises
Late March to May and September to November are peak; limited sailings in summer and winter · 7 to 14 nights, usually round trip from Tokyo (Yokohama), Kobe or Osaka
Australia & New Zealand cruises
October to April; December to March best for New Zealand; some ships year-round from Sydney and Brisbane · 10 to 14 nights between Sydney and Auckland; 3- to 10-night coastal cruises from Australia
Tahiti & South Pacific cruises
Year-round in French Polynesia; May to October is best; cruises from Australia year-round · 7 to 14 nights from Papeete; 7 to 12 nights from Australia; 15–18 nights from Los Angeles
Dubai & Arabian Gulf cruises
Roughly November to March; no regular sailings in the summer heat · 7 nights round trip from Dubai or Abu Dhabi; longer repositioning voyages in spring and fall
Africa & Indian Ocean cruises
November to April for most routes; the Indian Ocean islands also suit expedition voyages from May to November · 10 to 18 nights; world-cruise segments and voyages of 20 nights or more are common
Polar & expedition
Iceland, Greenland & Arctic cruises
Late May to September; Greenland and Svalbard mainly June to August · 7–10 nights around Iceland; 12–16 nights from Europe; 10–14-night Arctic expeditions
Antarctica cruises
Late October or November to March; penguin chicks December to February, whales peak February to March. · 10 to 12 nights from Ushuaia; 18 to 23 nights with the Falklands and South Georgia
Ocean crossings & world cruises
Transatlantic cruises
Repositioning March to May and October to December; Queen Mary 2 crossings for much of the year. · 7 nights on Queen Mary 2; 12 to 16 nights for repositioning voyages
World cruises
Most depart January and return April or May; segments available throughout. · 100 to 180 days; segments of 14 to 45 days
River cruises
Danube River cruises
Late March to December; Christmas market cruises from late November · 7 nights Passau–Budapest; 10–15 nights for the lower Danube or Amsterdam–Budapest
Rhine River cruises
Late March to December; tulip cruises in spring, Christmas markets from late November · 7 nights Amsterdam–Basel; 9–12 nights with the Moselle or the Main
Seine River cruises
March to November; a few holiday sailings in December · 7 nights round trip from Paris; 5-night and 10-night variations
Douro River cruises
March to November; grape harvest in September and early October · 7 nights round trip from Porto; 10–12 days with Lisbon or Madrid
Nile River cruises
October to April is best; sailings run year-round, with extreme heat from May to September · 3 to 4 nights Luxor–Aswan within 9- to 12-day tours; 7-night and Lake Nasser cruises also run
Mekong River cruises
Year-round on some lines; best weather November to February · 7 nights on the river within 12- to 16-day Cambodia and Vietnam tours
Mississippi River cruises
Lower Mississippi most of the year; Upper Mississippi roughly May to October. Best weather in spring and fall. · 7 to 9 nights; about 15 nights for the full river
Columbia & Snake River cruises
Roughly March or April to November; best May, September and October. · 7 to 8 nights between Portland and Clarkston