Best Time to Sail the Mediterranean

[loveourcottage]

WE are planning a Mediterranean cruise for Oct. 1, 2010 leaving from Barcelona, traveling to Nice,France, Florence Italy, Rome, Turkey and Greece...how is the weather that time of year..is it windy...still deciding if it is worth a balcony..

Thanks for all your help..this board is awesome

 

Tricia

[boulders]

There were some nasty sailings weather-wise in Med this past October. If you do a search for Brilliance of the Seas or Brilliance of the Seas vets, you'll find them. Ports missed, arrival back in port was a day late, very rough seas etc.

[Happy ks]

You don't really know until it's history...if October is a good month. We cruised the Med in October of 2008 and the weather could not have been more perfect. Our balcony was used constantly.

[loveourcottage]

So when is the best time to do the Mediterranean

[Falcons07]

So when is the best time to do the Mediterranean

 

 

We researched and decided on a late Sept. cruise. We are on the RCCL Brilliance out of Barcelona Sept 24....it has the same itinerary you are looking at...

[ger_77]

We've been to the Mediterranean 3 times, first in June, last two in October. Both months were great weather-wise, although June was certainly a lot warmer (read: hotter). October is a little cooler(we were still able to wear capris and sandals), but it also has less tourists than summer months. We had 1 day of rain, and didn't encounter major winds on any of the cruises. Bring a lightweight rain jacket and you'll be fine.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[jocap]

There were some nasty sailings weather-wise in Med this past October. If you do a search for Brilliance of the Seas or Brilliance of the Seas vets, you'll find them. Ports missed, arrival back in port was a day late, very rough seas etc.

Yes, we had a rough time this Oct on P&O's Ventura- a stable, new ship of the Princess Grand class.

After the autumn equinox, the Northern parts of Europe, with the water staying warm, are subject to the cooling of the land, and shorter nights. This can create turbulence. Our captain explained that in this case, it was a mistral wind sweeping down the gap de Lyons, which is almost the whole of France, and creating strong surges in the northern med. We experienced it going N. from Barcelona to Monte, then again crossing from Civi thru' the straits between Corsica and Sardinia. I sat on the balcony at 2am to watch the thunderstorms during this last part, accompanied by a migrating fieldfare from Russia, who hitched a lift to Spain.

For me, it made the cruise!- jocap.

[PROCRUISE]

WE are planning a Mediterranean cruise for Oct. 1, 2010 leaving from Barcelona, traveling to Nice,France, Florence Italy, Rome, Turkey and Greece...how is the weather that time of year..is it windy...still deciding if it is worth a balcony..

Thanks for all your help..this board is awesome

 

Tricia

 

We were in the Western Mediterranean in mid September and had 12 days of sunshine. We were in the Eastern Mediterranean in early October and had 1.5 hrs of rain in Istanbul out of 12 days of sunshine. September through mid October is usually a great time to cruise the Mediterranean. We had a balcony on both cruises and used them a lot.

[ger_77]

There were some nasty sailings weather-wise in Med this past October. If you do a search for Brilliance of the Seas or Brilliance of the Seas vets, you'll find them. Ports missed, arrival back in port was a day late, very rough seas etc.

 

We were in the Eastern Mediterranean the first two weeks of October this year and had some of the smoothest waters we've ever cruised on. We had a slow drizzle of rain in Varna, Bulgaria, but the remaining 13 days were sunshine and clear skies. We wouldn't hesitate to go back in October again.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[Happy ks]

So when is the best time to do the Mediterranean

 

 

Any time except summer, especially August.

[tartanexile81]

We live in England so it's easier fro us to get to the Med and we would def avoid cruising there in October. The weather may still be quite mild but there is much more likelihood of rain. Would def prefer to go in June or September. Having said that, we're on Ruby Princess next year cruising round the Greek Islands and Italy at end of July/ beginning of August!! Fantastic itinerary but think it's going to be very hot and VERY busy!

[grapejuice]

I would only ever contemplate sailing the Med in late Sept, early October.

Sailed Greece through to Spain stopping off at Sicily on the way. Absolutely the best weather and calm, calm seas and still very hot,hot,hot.

The best thing about it is you avoid the huge Med summer crowds when you have twenty million other ships al docked at the same spot.

This year sailed early October, weather not so good as last year, only one night of high seas, from Malta to Livorno and although the sky was clear and the stars sparkling up above it was a bit of a rough crossing.

Not many people in the breakfast room the next morning(so I hear). It settled down around 10am the next morning and the most beautiful day was had by all although everyone looked a little seedy.

Not me though the sun was out and it was time for the champagne to start flowing, and once the brass band started up it was time for partying!!!

So I should probably keep my mouth shut and advise everyone to cruise in July /August. Yeah great idea

[styxfire]

Could someone please expand on the weather in the Mediterranean? Our family would like to go, but have a 3-week blackout: can't go the last wk of Sept or first half of Oct.

 

We are from FL and are accustomed to heat. We desperately want to avoid rain on the cruise. So can someone please tell me when the most reliably-sunny time of year is in the Mediterranean is?

 

We don't want cold. We don't want rain. Crossing our fingers...

Edited May 17, 2014 by styxfire

[cruisemom42]

Could someone please expand on the weather in the Mediterranean? Our family would like to go, but have a 3-week blackout: can't go the last wk of Sept or first half of Oct.

 

We are from FL and are accustomed to heat. We desperately want to avoid rain on the cruise. So can someone please tell me when the most reliably-sunny time of year is in the Mediterranean is?

 

We don't want cold. We don't want rain. Crossing our fingers...

 

Seeing as you've pulled up a thread from 2009.... :D

 

Several weather websites can provide you with historical data on average temperature and rainfall for any ports you're considering. Try wunderground.com, for one.

 

No one can absolutely predict the weather. It SHOULD be very warm throughout the summer months with generally low amounts of rainfall. However, keep in mind that while you may be used to hot weather, are you used to being out in it for hours while walking and standing in areas with little shade.....and in areas (like city streets or rocky ruins) that seem to concentrate the heat further?

 

Also keep in mind that with tourism in the Mediterranean so popular, you will find most sites to be wall-to-wall people throughout the summer months. I've read several accounts recently of how unpleasant it is trying to enjoy places like the Sistine chapel or the Accademia in Florence when it is seething with fellow tourists.

[pris993]

WE are planning a Mediterranean cruise for Oct. 1, 2010 leaving from Barcelona, traveling to Nice,France, Florence Italy, Rome, Turkey and Greece...how is the weather that time of year..is it windy...still deciding if it is worth a balcony..

Thanks for all your help..this board is awesome

 

Tricia

 

October is a wonderful time. We are leaving on October 4th from Rome going to Greece - Turkey - Israel.... this is about our 6 or 7th cruise in the area, always go either in October or late spring, mostly in October.

 

These cruises are very port intensive... I would recommend a balcony... if you can afford it, is nice to come back after tours and sit there and relax. We usually only spend a 1/2 day in port... because we are seniors and have learned a long time ago not to over do it.

 

Less wind in October, compared to spring time generally. We just returned from a TA from Florida to Barcelona. No much wind on this past trip but sometimes in the spring it is windy.

 

Have a great cruise.

[pris993]

Could someone please expand on the weather in the Mediterranean? Our family would like to go, but have a 3-week blackout: can't go the last wk of Sept or first half of Oct.

 

We are from FL and are accustomed to heat. We desperately want to avoid rain on the cruise. So can someone please tell me when the most reliably-sunny time of year is in the Mediterranean is?

 

We don't want cold. We don't want rain. Crossing our fingers...

 

Late October is a transition season. Have not experienced any significant rain in Mediterranean in late October when we have travelled. But the further north you go, i.e., Paris for example, can get cold late October. Then again it can be very nice, very unpredicatable.

[griffy116]

We did this route in June last year and it was smooth and lots of sunshine..as in hot, but we're from Atlanta and we're accustomed to lots of heat and humidity. Everywhere but Turkey was cooler than we normally experience during the summer so we were fine. Turkey, however, was VERY hot.

[jocap]

I've just read a post of mine on here from 2009, and I stand by it....the autumn equinox is around Sept 21st, when the nights are longer and daylight shorter....the land begins to cool, and storms can be created. Rain is very possible- but the further south you go, the hotter it will be. I've holidayed in the Med in the 3rd week in October for many years (half term week for schools), and weather is unpredictable the further north you go. We've had wet days around the Barcelona region, but less so round the Malaga one; south Greece can be very pleasant at that time, and southern Turkey. And- you might be lucky and have fine weather all the time! ;)