Best time to cruise · Shoulder season
Mediterranean cruises in December
A quiet, festive month. Barcelona, Rome and Valletta put up Christmas lights and nativity scenes, and holiday-week sailings fill with European families. Weather is cool and changeable, so treat it as a city-and-culture cruise rather than a beach trip. Departures outside the Christmas and New Year weeks are often the best value of the year.
- Shoulder season
- Avg high 58°F
- 9 hrs daylight
Photo: Zysko serhii, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Mediterranean in December: Shoulder season
A quiet, festive month. Barcelona, Rome and Valletta put up Christmas lights and nativity scenes, and holiday-week sailings fill with European families. Weather is cool and changeable, so treat it as a city-and-culture cruise rather than a beach trip. Departures outside the Christmas and New Year weeks are often the best value of the year.
Across Mediterranean cruise ports, December brings average highs around 58°F (15°C) and lows near 50°F, with about 3.2 inches of rain over the month and roughly 9 hours of daylight.
- Verdict
- Shoulder season
- Season
- April to October; MSC and Costa run some Western Med routes year-round
- Average high / low
- 58°F / 50°F
- Rainfall (month)
- 3.2 in
- Daylight
- About 9 hours
- Typical cruise length
- 7 to 12 nights; 3- to 5-night samplers and 14-night voyages also run
What to pack: layers you can add and remove: long pants, a warm fleece or sweater, a waterproof jacket and closed walking shoes.
How December compares with the rest of the year
- Jan: Shoulder season
- Feb: Shoulder season
- Mar: Shoulder season
- Apr: Good time to go
- May: Best time to go
- Jun: Best time to go
- Jul: Good time to go
- Aug: Good time to go
- Sep: Best time to go
- Oct: Good time to go
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Shoulder season
- No regular sailings
- Shoulder season
- Good time to go
- Best time to go
Mediterranean weather in December
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F (°C) | 5513 | 5714 | 6015 | 6518 | 7222 | 8127 | 8730 | 8731 | 8127 | 7323 | 6518 | 5815 |
| Low °F (°C) | 478 | 489 | 5010 | 5412 | 6116 | 7021 | 7524 | 7524 | 7021 | 6317 | 5613 | 5010 |
| Rain in (mm) | 3.383 | 2.768 | 2.667 | 1.845 | 2.051 | 1.435 | 0.922 | 1.230 | 2.153 | 2.769 | 3.795 | 3.281 |
| Daylight (hrs) | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
December weather port by port
| Port | Avg high | Avg low | Rain | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | 62°F | 46°F | 1.3 in | 9 h |
| Rome | 58°F | 51°F | 3.3 in | 9 h |
| Athens | 60°F | 50°F | 3.0 in | 10 h |
| Santorini | 62°F | 59°F | 3.2 in | 10 h |
| Naples | 59°F | 46°F | 2.1 in | 9 h |
| Livorno (for Florence & Pisa) | 58°F | 54°F | 2.6 in | 9 h |
| Venice | 49°F | 42°F | 2.9 in | 9 h |
| Dubrovnik | 57°F | 52°F | 6.3 in | 9 h |
| Mykonos | 61°F | 58°F | 3.7 in | 10 h |
| Kuşadası (for Ephesus) | 60°F | 43°F | 4.3 in | 10 h |
| Villefranche-sur-Mer (for Nice) | 58°F | 54°F | 2.7 in | 9 h |
| Istanbul | 53°F | 45°F | 3.0 in | 9 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 December
- Caribbean in December
- Eastern Caribbean in December
- Western Caribbean in December
- Southern Caribbean in December
- Mexican Riviera & Baja in December
- Panama Canal & Central America in December
- South America in December
- Galápagos Islands in December
- Canary Islands & Atlantic Isles in December
- Antarctica in December
See every destination for December, with a port weather map →
Mediterranean in December: FAQs
Is December a good time to cruise Mediterranean?
It can be, as a shoulder-season month. A quiet, festive month. Barcelona, Rome and Valletta put up Christmas lights and nativity scenes, and holiday-week sailings fill with European families. Weather is cool and changeable, so treat it as a city-and-culture cruise rather than a beach trip. Departures outside the Christmas and New Year weeks are often the best value of the year.
What is the weather like on a Mediterranean cruise in December?
Across Mediterranean cruise ports, December brings average highs around 58°F (15°C) and lows near 50°F, with about 3.2 inches of rain over the month and roughly 9 hours of daylight. Conditions vary from port to port and day to day.
What should I pack for a Mediterranean cruise in December?
Pack layers you can add and remove: long pants, a warm fleece or sweater, a waterproof jacket and closed walking shoes. Check your cruise line's dress code for evenings.
When is the best time to cruise Mediterranean?
April to October; MSC and Costa run some Western Med routes year-round. The best months are usually May, June, September.
Where else can I cruise in December?
December is also a top month for Caribbean, Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, Southern Caribbean, Mexican Riviera & Baja.
Updated November 2026 by the BookMyDreamCruise editorial team. How we research and fact-check.
Sources: NASA POWER climate data.