Best weather month for Asia cruise please??????

hi experienced cruisers in the Asian region.

Wishing to do a cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore through China and Vietnam.

Please can anyone recommend best cruising weather to avoid the typhoon season.

Kind regards bob.

Rainy season is July to early November. But weather has become unpredictable in recent years.

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We did the Singapore-Shanghai in March cruise and had amazing weather. I wish RCI was offering this option again.

People typically like to go in the spring for the cherry blossoms and in the fall to see the autumn foliage. Weather can vary depending on what part of Japan you are visiting as well. So, research online for cherry blossom, rainy season, typhoon season and fall color forecast for the REGION(S) of Japan you plan to visit to determine the optimal time.

People typically like to go in the spring for the cherry blossoms and in the fall to see the autumn foliage. Weather can vary depending on what part of Japan you are visiting as well. So, research online for cherry blossom, rainy season, typhoon season and fall color forecast for the REGION(S) of Japan you plan to visit to determine the optimal time.

I assumed the OP wasn't talking about Japan :confused:

I assumed the OP wasn't talking about Japan :confused:

Sorry, I am often in Japan mode, so I went there by default. If you want to spend time in NE Asia at the end of the cruise the advice is still basically the same. The desirable times and concerns are similar. For China, you definitely want to avoid peak holiday seasons such as the Lunar New Year and the first week of October when basically everyone in China is on vacation and on the move resulting in huge crowds, delays, etc.

For China typhoon season is at the time of the Moon Festival (middle end Sept but also typhoon early Oct)

We finished a cruise in 2015 in HK for Lunar New Year and it was wonderful, parades, light shows and everything decorated.

That part of the world is subject to monsoon so avoid northern Asia in winter from December to march. Typhoon season is from July to October. Typhoon affects hongkong and northern Vietnam only.

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Actually hurricanes, cyclones, monsoons and typhoons are all essentially the same weather phenomenon. They just go by different names based on geographic area. Typhoons affect not only Hong Kong and Vietnam but also China, Taiwan, Japan and The Philippines.

We were on a Tauck tour land vacation in Japan last September- and it rained constantly. We were on a Seabourn cruise from HK to Singapore in late January to mid February- wonderful weather. We ended up in Singapore for Chinese New Year- it was very interesting and fun- but essentially everything closed down for the Holiday

We spent three recent winters in SE Asia. Malaysia to Vietnam. Jan/Feb/March had good weather. Ferries were fine, seas calm any time we were on them. Weather was perfect each time, but got warmer towards the end of March.

hi experienced cruisers in the Asian region.

Wishing to do a cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore through China and Vietnam.

Please can anyone recommend best cruising weather to avoid the typhoon season.

 

Kind regards bob.

Usually China or Hong Kong to Singapore cruises are in Oct/Nov by RC, Ovation of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas. Mariner of the Seas will homeport back in the US next year.

For China typhoon season is at the time of the Moon Festival (middle end Sept but also typhoon early Oct)

We finished a cruise in 2015 in HK for Lunar New Year and it was wonderful, parades, light shows and everything decorated.

That part of the world is subject to monsoon so avoid northern Asia in winter from December to march. Typhoon season is from July to October. Typhoon affects hongkong and northern Vietnam only.

 

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Weather can be very variable nowadays (and to some extent, it always was, but patterns do seem to be changing now).

We were in Hong Kong earlier this week (mid June), and abruptly changed our return flight one day early, after returning to our hotel from dinner and finding a note under our door titled, "TYPHOON ALERT INFORMATION". That was a new one!

The path trajectory was showing a dead hit heading towards Hong Kong.

At one point, they were predicted the scale would be upped to a Category 8 (although the scale seemed to run 1, 3, 8 [4 subcategories], 9, and 10).

Several websites seemed to show that our original flight (the following day) had some disruptions.

Ours, the day early, was just fine, although the sky was mighty ominous.

(We live in hurricane territory, so this wasn't looking like a huge storm, from the weather pattern. However, we worried that IF it was bad, flights might not be able to land, and then everything would get stacked up, possible for a couple of days, and we were ready to go home. We had to cancel our final tour anyway, due to the heavy rain.

But "typhoons" certainly hadn't been in our minds when we scheduled this trip that started in Japan, in May...)

The climate between Singapore and Hong Kong is hot and humid. Singapore is near the equator and always hot. Typhoons aren't a problem in Singapore.

As for China and Japan, I recommend September. Perfect month for travel on a cruise or land trip.

The climate between Singapore and Hong Kong is hot and humid. Singapore is near the equator and always hot. Typhoons aren't a problem in Singapore.

 

As for China and Japan, I recommend September. Perfect month for travel on a cruise or land trip.

By the way, 4774Papa, thank you again for your reviews that included Japan.

Not only was it helpful, but it definitely got us "in the spirit" long before serious planning began.

... and then we read it all again shortly before we left home.

:)

I have not look at the latest sailing schedule for different lines & ships, but generally - those sailing out of HKG would not turn north for China/Taiwan & south again for Vietnam & Singapore ... unless it's an extended itinerary and/or repo. Shorter ones are typically one-way, northbound or southbound - between HKG and SIN, with Vietnam ports in-between.

Best time to visit, IMO, these sub-tropical and tropical places is from November to March, outside the "normal" typhoon (hurricane) season - dry & less likely to run into rain/showers & downpours ... with lower humidity (under 85 or 90% as a routine) - HKG can be experience "cold" days with wind chills, dropping to as low as 5 to 10 deg. C that locals considered bitter cold as typical homes aren't insulated nor have heating systems.

Avoid early October as that's China major annual national holiday and the wealthier middle & working class take extended breaks ... and vacations, including bundled & guided cruises. Ditto for Christmas, New Year and the Lunar New Year as prices will always be higher with oversea visitors looking to cruise & do land stays, driving up lodging and airfares.

For those from the Americas and Euro, a 3-season jacket & parka w. zip-out fleece/liner is more than enough to cope with their "chilly" winter. We're in HKG & VN in September & October and the high humidity and 30 degree C temperature aren't good for walking tours, thankfully - shops & indoor malls have AC on full blast. Between April & October, an umbrella or rain gear (packable) one is a must.

VN and SIN are basically short sleeve weather just about year-round, maybe a light jacket for the cooler evening - amazing what you can pack into a 22" rollerboard, as a smart traveler.

We just booked eight weeks Jan-March. Flying into Singapore and plan on Malaysia, Thailand, and home through Philipines.

We may try for a last minute cruise from Singapore. Weather should be perfect. We each travel with a 20" roller carry on.

We spent a month (November) in SE Asia a few years back on the Costa Victoria. Quite a bit of rain. Singapore was problematic: have you ever tried to fetch a cab in a downpour? An Australian businessman took pity of us and gave us a lift to the ship.

I wanted to pay my respects in Da Nang to a French scholar, Bernard Fall, who stepped onto a landmine and was killed during the American Indochina war. Because I also wanted to visit Hoi An, I left in a tropical downpour. It became sunny later.

Thailand was overcast with occasional rain. The ship overnight at Laem Chabang. We took a 20-minute cab ride to Pattaya, checked into a hotel and then went back the next day.

We just booked a HAL Westerdam SE Asia itinerary departing HK Nov. 12, 2018. See, November. Why? Number one, I am not a weatherman; number two, I wanted to see Sihanoukville and revisit Sanya, in China, and this itinerary allows it; I like HAL, particularly its unlimited laundry package.

This time we will go in Bangkok (where we have been before). I have selected in my mind the hotel we will stay at, the Shanghai in Chinatown. We'll ride ferries, etc. In that heat, we cannot saunter everywhere.

We just booked eight weeks Jan-March. Flying into Singapore and plan on Malaysia, Thailand, and home through Philipines.

 

We may try for a last minute cruise from Singapore. Weather should be perfect. We each travel with a 20" roller carry on.

There is a good deal for short trip on the Mariner of the Seas on the 19th Mar :)

We spent a month (November) in SE Asia a few years back on the Costa Victoria. Quite a bit of rain. Singapore was problematic: have you ever tried to fetch a cab in a downpour? An Australian businessman took pity of us and gave us a lift to the ship.

 

I wanted to pay my respects in Da Nang to a French scholar, Bernard Fall, who stepped onto a landmine and was killed during the American Indochina war. Because I also wanted to visit Hoi An, I left in a tropical downpour. It became sunny later.

 

Thailand was overcast with occasional rain. The ship overnight at Laem Chabang. We took a 20-minute cab ride to Pattaya, checked into a hotel and then went back the next day.

 

We just booked a HAL Westerdam SE Asia itinerary departing HK Nov. 12, 2018. See, November. Why? Number one, I am not a weatherman; number two, I wanted to see Sihanoukville and revisit Sanya, in China, and this itinerary allows it; I like HAL, particularly its unlimited laundry package.

 

This time we will go in Bangkok (where we have been before). I have selected in my mind the hotel we will stay at, the Shanghai in Chinatown. We'll ride ferries, etc. In that heat, we cannot saunter everywhere.

Every MRT Station there will be a Taxi stand and almost all Shopping Complexes too. Most Taxi do not stop along the roads unless you are in the residential area. :)

We used Uber in Singapore and it was fantastic (well, we used MRT more often, but for a couple of occasions, Uber was a better option - we took a taxi from the airport to the hotel and the driver went to the wrong hotel - what a pain to get him to the right place, even though we showed him the address & map when we got in the cab.....Fun at 2am ;-)

hi experienced cruisers in the Asian region.

Wishing to do a cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore through China and Vietnam.

Please can anyone recommend best cruising weather to avoid the typhoon season.

 

Kind regards bob.

Hows about March/April.

There are enough photographs in this review to convince anyone of the weather at that time of year...

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2017/04/07/europa-2-asian-island-explorer/

Why have I even booked a HAL SEAsia cruise for November, 2018, when I can travel all over with Solent Richard in opulence I cannot afford. A great travelogue!

Why have I even booked a HAL SEAsia cruise for November, 2018, when I can travel all over with Solent Richard in opulence I cannot afford. A great travelogue!

You brought a smile to my face this morning Barante.

Thank you.

:'):')

Just to repeat and correct another poster Sept we were stuck in Guilin China in edge of typhoon that shut down HK. We had to wait till next day when airports reopened.