Where to cruise in May

• 81°F avg high

  Bahamas

  May is a sweet spot: warm water, light winds, little rain and no school crowds until Memorial Day weekend. Humidity starts to creep up by late in the month. It’s a good time to try a private island’s premium beach club or cabana, since availability is easier than during spring break and summer.

• 71°F avg high

  Bermuda

  May is one of the best months: warm, mostly dry days in the mid-70s °F, blooming oleander and hibiscus, and no hurricane risk to speak of. Bermuda Day, a public holiday at the end of the month, brings a parade in Hamilton and is traditionally the first day locals swim. The sea is still brisk earlier in the month.

• 74°F avg high

  Hawaii

  May is one of the best months: dry, sunny, warm without summer’s humidity, and before families arrive. May 1 is Lei Day, celebrated with flower garlands and music across the islands. Fewer foreign-flagged ships call while most are in Alaska, so this is mainly a Pride of America month, often with better fares.

• 68°F avg high

  Pacific Coastal

  Northbound repositioning continues through early May, and Victoria and Astoria are fresh and green. California’s coast sees ‘May Gray’, a marine layer that keeps mornings overcast before sunny afternoons. Seas are generally calmer than in winter, and short sailings make easy long-weekend escapes.

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  Galápagos Islands

  May is a transition month, with warm water and less rain. Blue-footed boobies begin courtship on North Seymour and Española, and waved albatrosses lay eggs. Seas start to get a little livelier toward the end of the month, and demand is lower than in summer.

• 72°F avg high

  Mediterranean

  One of the strongest months on the whole sea: long days, highs in the 70s °F (21–26°C), gardens in bloom and lines at the Vatican and the Acropolis that are long but not yet punishing. Western Med and Adriatic itineraries shine. The Greek islands are pleasant for walking, though the water won’t feel properly warm until June.

• 64°F avg high

  Western Europe

  The best month for spring repositioning voyages. Days are long, Lisbon and Porto reach the low 70s °F (22°C), apple orchards bloom in Normandy and the Biscay swells usually settle down. Popular sights such as Bruges and Mont-Saint-Michel are busy but far calmer than in midsummer.

• 73°F avg high

  Japan

  Golden Week crowds fade after May 5, leaving fresh green maples, azaleas and wisteria in temple gardens and highs in the low-to-mid 70s °F (22–24°C). Hokkaido’s cherry blossoms bloom early in the month, and Kyoto’s Aoi Matsuri parades courtiers in Heian-era costume on May 15. Okinawa’s rainy season starts mid-month.

• 76°F avg high

  Tahiti & the South Pacific

  The dry season arrives: lower humidity, highs around 84°F (29°C) and steady trade winds that keep things comfortable. Snorkeling visibility is excellent, and French Polynesia fares are often lower than in July and August. One of the best months to sail.

• 70°F avg high

  Transatlantic

  May brings the final spring repositioning voyages and steady Queen Mary 2 crossings, with milder air and lengthening daylight on deck. In iceberg season, liners follow a more southerly track to stay well clear of ice drifting off Newfoundland. Arriving in Southampton, Lisbon or Barcelona in May means pleasant weather and fewer crowds than in summer.

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  Danube River

  Lilacs and chestnut trees bloom in Vienna and Budapest, white asparagus is on every menu in Bavaria and Austria, and highs approach 70°F (20–22°C). Days are long and the countryside is at its greenest. Heavy spring rain occasionally raises the river, but conditions are usually ideal.

• 62°F avg high

  Rhine River

  Vineyards turn green, white asparagus appears on menus and highs reach the upper 60s °F (19–21°C). The Rhine in Flames fireworks season opens near Bonn early in the month. Holidays around Ascension and Pentecost bring German day-trippers to riverside towns.

• 61°F avg high

  Seine River

  Wisteria drapes Giverny’s Japanese bridge and irises line the paths, making this a favorite month for garden lovers. Rouen honors Joan of Arc around May 30 with medieval-themed festivities. Days are long and highs reach the upper 60s °F (19–20°C).

• 69°F avg high

  Douro River

  The vines flower, the valley is lush and highs in the mid-70s °F (23–24°C) make quinta walks and tastings a pleasure. Days are long and rain becomes rarer. One of the best months for photography, before summer haze sets in.

• 82°F avg high

  Mississippi River

  Memphis in May brings music events and the famous World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, and the Upper Mississippi season opens as the weather warms in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Humidity builds in the South, but evenings on deck are still pleasant. High water can linger into early summer.

• 61°F avg high

  Columbia & Snake Rivers

  May is one of the best months: the hills of eastern Washington are briefly emerald green, waterfalls still flow strongly and temperatures sit in the 60s and 70s °F. Vineyards leaf out in the Columbia Valley, and the Palouse wheat fields look like rolling velvet. It all comes before the summer heat and any wildfire smoke.

• Caribbean83°F / 81°F · 2.4 in rain

  May is a value month on every route. It’s hot but not yet stormy, schools are still in session, and ships feel noticeably roomier before Memorial Day. The wild card is sargassum, a floating seaweed that can pile up on some Mexican and east-facing beaches from late spring through summer; it varies enormously from year to year and from one beach to the next.

• Alaska54°F / 45°F · 5.1 in rain

  May is often the driest month in Southeast Alaska and one of the best values, with snowcapped peaks, fewer passengers and daylight stretching past 17 hours by month’s end. Black bears graze on new shoreline grass, humpbacks return to Juneau’s waters, and the White Pass railway climbs through lingering snow. Pack warm layers for chilly mornings.

• Mexican Riviera & Baja86°F / 71°F · 0.8 in rain

  May is hot and dry, with clear skies and warming water ideal for snorkeling at Santa María Bay near Cabo or Los Arcos off Puerto Vallarta. Crowds thin and fares soften as some ships head north for the Alaska season. The eastern Pacific hurricane season begins mid-month, though early storms rarely affect cruise ports this soon.

• Panama Canal & Central America87°F / 80°F · 7.1 in rain

  The rainy season begins in Panama and Costa Rica, bringing lush green landscapes and short, heavy afternoon showers. The final westbound repositioning cruises run early in the month. Lake levels start recovering after the dry season, which matters in drought years when the canal limits transits.

• Canary Islands & Atlantic Isles70°F / 63°F · 0.8 in rain

  Shoulder season, with fewer ships but excellent weather: highs in the low-to-mid 70s °F (23–24°C), clear skies and long evenings. The Azores begin their main season, still fresh and showery but green. Fares on the remaining Canary sailings drop once Northern European schools are back in session after Easter.

• Northern Europe55°F / 44°F · 2.9 in rain

  The full summer season opens. Norway’s waterfalls surge with snowmelt, Baltic capitals warm into the 60s °F (16–19°C) and British and Irish gardens burst into bloom. With fewer families aboard and the days lengthening every week, May is a smart value month, though evenings on deck can still be chilly.

• World cruises73°F / 64°F · 3.8 in rain

  Most world cruises finish in April or May, crossing the Atlantic back to Florida, New York or Southampton after a final stretch through the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands or West Africa. Farewell galas and slideshows mark the end of the voyage, and spring weather greets ships returning to their home ports.

• Alaska opens

  Early-season Alaska sailings start in late April and May. Snow still dusts the mountains and wildlife is active.

• Norway's long days

  Daylight stretches toward the midnight sun by late May in the far north.

• River cruise high season

  May is a favorite on the Danube and Rhine, before summer heat and the risk of low water later in the year.

Ports in regions that are in a good or best month in May, 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 Bayonne (Cape Liberty)
• 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 Francisco
• Cruises from San Juan
• Cruises from Seattle
• Cruises from Seward (Anchorage)
• Cruises from Tampa
• Cruises from Vancouver
• Cruises from Whittier (Anchorage)
• Cruises from Amsterdam
• Cruises from Athens
• Cruises from Barcelona
• Cruises from Copenhagen
• Cruises from Dover
• Cruises from Hamburg
• Cruises from Istanbul
• Cruises from Kiel
• Cruises from Lisbon
• Cruises from Papeete (Tahiti)
• Cruises from Rome
• Cruises from Southampton (London)
• Cruises from Tokyo (Yokohama)