Best time to cruise · No regular sailings
British Isles cruises in March
Cruise season hasn’t started, but Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Festival brings parades and music around March 17, and daffodils brighten parks and roadsides. If you’re tempted by a spring land trip to Ireland or Scotland, expect showers, chilly winds and highs near 50°F (10°C).
- No regular sailings
- Avg high 48°F
- 12 hrs daylight
Photo: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
British Isles in March: No regular sailings
Cruise season hasn’t started, but Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Festival brings parades and music around March 17, and daffodils brighten parks and roadsides. If you’re tempted by a spring land trip to Ireland or Scotland, expect showers, chilly winds and highs near 50°F (10°C).
Across British Isles cruise ports, March brings average highs around 48°F (9°C) and lows near 40°F, with about 3.5 inches of rain over the month and roughly 12 hours of daylight.
- Verdict
- No regular sailings
- Season
- May to September; a few sailings in April and October
- Average high / low
- 48°F / 40°F
- Rainfall (month)
- 3.5 in
- Daylight
- About 12 hours
- Typical cruise length
- 10 to 14 nights round trip; 7-night Scotland or Ireland sailings also run
How March compares with the rest of the year
- Jan: No regular sailings
- Feb: No regular sailings
- Mar: No regular sailings
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Good time to go
- Jun: Best time to go
- Jul: Best time to go
- Aug: Best time to go
- Sep: Good time to go
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: No regular sailings
- Dec: No regular sailings
- No regular sailings
- Shoulder season
- Good time to go
- Best time to go
British Isles weather in March
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F (°C) | 468 | 468 | 489 | 5111 | 5714 | 6116 | 6418 | 6418 | 6116 | 5613 | 5110 | 489 |
| Low °F (°C) | 404 | 404 | 405 | 426 | 478 | 5211 | 5513 | 5513 | 5312 | 4910 | 457 | 426 |
| Rain in (mm) | 4.1104 | 3.692 | 3.588 | 2.358 | 2.667 | 2.769 | 3.486 | 3.692 | 3.794 | 4.5114 | 4.3109 | 4.9125 |
| Daylight (hrs) | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
March weather port by port
| Port | Avg high | Avg low | Rain | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh (Leith & South Queensferry) | 47°F | 38°F | 2.6 in | 12 h |
| Dublin | 49°F | 40°F | 3.5 in | 12 h |
| Belfast | 48°F | 41°F | 3.5 in | 12 h |
| Greenock (for Glasgow) | 47°F | 39°F | 4.6 in | 12 h |
| Invergordon (for Inverness & Loch Ness) | 47°F | 36°F | 2.4 in | 12 h |
| Kirkwall, Orkney | 45°F | 41°F | 3.5 in | 12 h |
| Cobh (for Cork) | 50°F | 40°F | 4.2 in | 12 h |
| Liverpool | 49°F | 40°F | 3.3 in | 12 h |
| Portree, Isle of Skye | 46°F | 41°F | 5.1 in | 12 h |
| Lerwick, Shetland | 44°F | 42°F | 3.4 in | 12 h |
| St Peter Port, Guernsey | 50°F | 47°F | 2.9 in | 12 h |
| Southampton (London) | 51°F | 39°F | 2.8 in | 12 h |
Average daily highs and lows, 2015–2024, from NASA POWER, adjusted to sea level. Rain is the average monthly total.
Other great cruise destinations in March
British Isles in March: FAQs
Is March a good time to cruise British Isles?
Generally not: there are few or no regular sailings. Cruise season hasn’t started, but Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Festival brings parades and music around March 17, and daffodils brighten parks and roadsides. If you’re tempted by a spring land trip to Ireland or Scotland, expect showers, chilly winds and highs near 50°F (10°C).
What is the weather like on a British Isles cruise in March?
Across British Isles cruise ports, March brings average highs around 48°F (9°C) and lows near 40°F, with about 3.5 inches of rain over the month and roughly 12 hours of daylight. Conditions vary from port to port and day to day.
When is the best time to cruise British Isles?
May to September; a few sailings in April and October. The best months are usually June, July, August.
Where else can I cruise in March?
March is also a top month for Caribbean, Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, Southern Caribbean, Bahamas.
Updated November 2026 by the BookMyDreamCruise editorial team. How we research and fact-check.
Sources: NASA POWER climate data.