Where to cruise in March

• 81°F avg high

  Caribbean

  Spring break changes the mood more than the weather. Short sailings from Florida and Texas fill with college students and families in early to mid-March, while longer Southern Caribbean voyages stay calmer and more grown-up. Trade winds are still brisk, so open-water crossings in the east can feel lively, but rain is scarce everywhere. Easter lands in March in some years, adding another busy week.

• 76°F avg high

  Bahamas

  Spring break peaks in March, and short sailings from Miami and Port Canaveral fill with college students and families, so book early or choose a midweek departure for a calmer ship. The weather is about as good as it gets: warm, sunny, low humidity, and water climbing toward the upper 70s °F.

• 70°F avg high

  Hawaii

  March brings the Honolulu Festival and Prince Kūhiō Day on the 26th, along with the last strong weeks of whale season. Spring break lifts family demand mid-month. Winter rains taper off and north-shore surf calms, opening more snorkeling spots on Kauai and Maui.

• 82°F avg high

  Mexican Riviera & Baja

  March brings the last strong weeks of whale season, with humpback mothers and calves still in Banderas Bay, and warm, dry days in the low 80s °F. Spring break fills short Baja cruises with college students, so choose a 7-night sailing or a midweek departure for a calmer ship. Cabo’s marina and Medano Beach are at their liveliest.

• 87°F avg high

  Panama Canal & Central America

  March is dry, hot and sunny, and the last full month of high season. Spring repositioning begins as some ships transit westbound toward Alaska. Lenten processions in Antigua Guatemala, famous for carpets of colored sawdust and flowers laid across the cobblestones, take place most weekends, a highlight if your ship calls at Puerto Quetzal.

• 65°F avg high

  Canary Islands & Atlantic Isles

  Warm sun and longer days make March one of the best months for sightseeing. Madeira’s gardens start their spring bloom, and the first eastbound transatlantic crossings from Florida arrive late in the month, calling at Funchal or Tenerife on their way to the Mediterranean. Easter holidays can lift fares on island-based sailings.

• 83°F avg high

  Southeast & East Asia

  The last full month of peak season. Heat builds, with Bangkok reaching about 93°F (34°C), while northern Vietnam and Hong Kong warm up under damp, foggy spring skies that can hide Ha Long Bay’s islands. Seas are generally calm and itineraries run as planned.

• 57°F avg high

  Japan

  The first half is cool and pre-blossom, but cherry trees usually open in Kyushu, Tokyo and Kyoto in the last week or so, and the earliest blossom cruises depart. Spring break and the end of Japan’s fiscal year bring domestic crowds. Expect highs around 55–60°F (13–16°C) and strong demand for late-month sailings.

• 74°F avg high

  Australia & New Zealand

  Early autumn brings warm, stable weather and the start of the grape harvest in Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay. Seas are usually calmer than in spring, though the Tasman can turn stormy late in the month. Temperatures in New Zealand still reach around 70°F (21°C), and crowds are lighter than in summer.

• 85°F avg high

  Africa & the Indian Ocean

  World cruise traffic peaks around Cape Town and the Indian Ocean. India celebrates Holi, the festival of colors, usually in March, with clouds of powdered paint in the streets. Harvest festivals continue in the Winelands, and the water off the Maldives is still at its clearest, though cyclones linger as a risk farther south.

• 

  Nile River

  Temperatures climb into the mid-80s °F (29–30°C), still comfortable with early starts. The khamsin, a hot, dusty spring wind from the desert, occasionally blows in March and April. Easter and spring break bring more visitors to the major sites.

• 71°F avg high

  Mississippi River

  Spring arrives in the South, with azaleas, dogwoods and wisteria blooming in Natchez, St. Francisville and the gardens along the River Road. The Natchez Spring Pilgrimage opens antebellum homes for tours, and days are pleasant in the 60s and 70s °F. It’s one of the best months for Lower Mississippi cruises, and popular departures fill well ahead.

• South America71°F / 60°F · 3.4 in rain

  Autumn color begins in Patagonia’s southern beech forests by late March, and the weather becomes more changeable around Cape Horn. Crowds and fares ease. Grape harvest festivals take place in Argentina and Chile, and Amazon voyages run during the high-water season, when boats can reach flooded forests.

• Galápagos Islands

  March is often the hottest and rainiest month, with humid days around 85 °F and short but heavy showers. Seas are generally calm, and snorkeling water is at its warmest. Waved albatrosses begin to return to Española late in the month, and frigatebirds are courting on North Seymour.

• Antarctica63°F / 52°F · 2.2 in rain

  March is whale season, with humpbacks feeding in bays such as Wilhelmina Bay, and the first real sunsets and sunrises paint icebergs pink and orange. Penguin colonies empty as adults finish molting and head to sea. Storms become more frequent, the final voyages depart by late March, and fares are often the lowest of the season.

• Dubai & the Arabian Gulf85°F / 69°F · 0.8 in rain

  Warming into the low-to-mid 80s °F (27–30°C), with humidity creeping up late in the month. Eid al-Fitr, the celebration ending Ramadan, falls in early March in 2027, bringing holiday crowds and festive lights. It’s the last full month of the season before ships begin leaving.

• Transatlantic62°F / 54°F · 2.5 in rain

  Spring repositioning gets underway late in March, with the first eastbound ships leaving Florida for Barcelona, Rome and Southampton. Southern routes are mild, with Bermuda and the Azores in the 60s °F, though breezy sea days call for a jacket. Lines are keen to fill these one-way voyages, so per-night fares are among the lowest of the year.

• World cruises70°F / 61°F · 3.8 in rain

  Many world cruises reach Asia in March, calling at Bali, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong or Japan, where late-month calls may catch the first cherry blossoms. Southeast Asia is warm but not yet at the peak of its hot season. Segments from Sydney to Singapore or Hong Kong combine big cities with tropical islands.

• Mekong River87°F / 71°F · 1.7 in rain

  Heat builds into the mid-90s °F (34–35°C) and the landscape turns dusty. Low water may move embarkation downstream, so check where your ship starts. Angkor remains rewarding if you go at sunrise, and crowds begin to ease after the winter peak.

• Cherry blossoms in Japan

  Blossom timing varies by city and year, generally late March to early April around Tokyo and Kyoto. Spring Japan cruises book up early.

• Spring break

  US school spring breaks cluster from early March to mid-April. If you'd rather avoid crowds, look at longer sailings or dates outside the local school calendar.

• Last call for Antarctica

  Late-season expeditions often bring more whale sightings as the season winds down.

Ports in regions that are in a good or best month in March, ranked by average daily high (2015–2024).

Departure ports whose home region is in season. Each guide covers terminals, parking and getting there.

• Cruises from Baltimore
• Cruises from Fort Lauderdale
• Cruises from Galveston (Houston)
• Cruises from Honolulu
• Cruises from Jacksonville
• Cruises from Long Beach
• Cruises from Los Angeles
• Cruises from Miami
• Cruises from Mobile
• Cruises from New Orleans
• Cruises from Norfolk
• Cruises from Palm Beach
• Cruises from Port Canaveral (Orlando)
• Cruises from San Diego
• Cruises from San Juan
• Cruises from Tampa
• Cruises from Auckland
• Cruises from Buenos Aires
• Cruises from Cape Town
• Cruises from Dubai
• Cruises from Hong Kong
• Cruises from Santiago (San Antonio & Valparaíso)
• Cruises from Santos (São Paulo)
• Cruises from Singapore
• Cruises from Sydney
• Cruises from Tokyo (Yokohama)
• Cruises from Ushuaia