Summer vs Winter Caribbean Cruise

[CP89]

We are comparing an early January cruise to a mid-May cruise (have to book far in advance due to work) and aren't sure about weather.

 

Is the Caribbean warm in January? As in, warm enough to wear shorts, or make swimming enjoyable. We are from a cold weather city, but would be so disappointed to go on vacation and have to wear our sweatshirts all week or be unable to use the pools.

 

Answers have seemed to vary greatly on travel websites, so I was hoping to ask those who have experienced it. Itinerary would be Ft Lauderdale, Key West, Grand Cayman & Cozumel. If it will be too chilly, we will probably wait til May...but that seems SO far away... :)

 

Thanks!

[cb at sea]

Depends if you are truly IN the Caribbean! The Bahamas and Bermuda are NOT in the Caribbean, and can be chilly in Jan, when there is a far-reaching cold front, like this year!

 

Your ports should be pretty nice, with the exception of Ft. Laud (if it's really cold!) and maybe, KW....

The other ports, it will be quite warm to hot.

 

In May, it will be HOT in all of your ports! Could be quite humid, too.

[serene56]

I agree- avoid bahamas and you will be good.

 

We have always cruised in January/February for low fares and getting away from the cold to go someplace warm is a plus

[wineforhealth]

Summer Cruises can be very warm and to hot to sit in the sun, but then the water can also be in the low 80's

 

Have fun on your cruise

[leaveitallbehind]

Depends if you are truly IN the Caribbean! The Bahamas and Bermuda are NOT in the Caribbean, and can be chilly in Jan, when there is a far-reaching cold front, like this year!

 

Your ports should be pretty nice, with the exception of Ft. Laud (if it's really cold!) and maybe, KW....

The other ports, it will be quite warm to hot.

 

In May, it will be HOT in all of your ports! Could be quite humid, too.

 

Bermuda's primary season is also April to October - there are no cruises going to Bermuda in January, so that is an invalid comparison.

 

Ft. Lauderdale and the Bahamas are also very pleasant for the most part that time of year. Certainly weather can run the gambit, but last year, as example, we were in Port Canaveral and the Bahamas on a cruise over Christmas and it was 76 in FL and 80 in the Bahamas.

 

With many winter Caribbean cruises under our belt I can say from experience that the weather is typically quite nice and usually very hot.

Edited February 2, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[cruiserking]

January through April is the nicest time to visit the ports you have listed. Around this time temps are in the mid 70's to 80's. During the summer it would be unbearable with extremely warm temperatures in the high 90's.

 

The prices come down in the summer because it is so hot and uncomfortable the cruise lines try to entice passengers with cheaper fares. Go in the winter and escape the cold.

 

Jonathan

Edited February 2, 2014 by cruiserking

[beachbum53]

When we first started cruising, we mostly cruised in February, to coincide with our anniversary. It was great to get away from the winter weather for a week and go somewhere warm, but it really sucked to come back home knowing we still had at least 8 to 10 weeks of winter weather to get through. Ugh! Then, two years ago, we decided to switch to going in May. Best decision we've ever made! First, we don't have to worry about changing from winter wear to summer wear once we get to Florida (or the reverse coming home), and second, the first two or three weeks of May are an off-peak period, so cruise prices tend to be lower. The weather for a Caribbean cruise at that time is perfect, with highs in the mid to upper 80's. For us, it's a win-win situation. Take it from someone who's been there and done that, both Eastern and Western itineraries, it's not too hot, and the humidity is still low at that time. Early to mid May is the perfect time to go.;)

[lifes-a-beach]

this reminds me of the question, "when is the best time to go fishing?" answer: when you have time to go fishing.

[MiamiSpartan]

Actually, prices go UP in the summer due to parents travelling with kids...summer break and all...

We took an 8 day Carnival breeze trip the end of June last year, and the following week, the price jumped almost $400 per person...

 

 

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[luddite]

Hmmmmm.....

Lessee now.......

It is cold outside. There is cold ick on the ground. Wait? What? I can get onto a ship that will go someplace warm? And there won't be a lot of tricycle motors or testosterone-fueled twenty-somethings trying to impress skirts with how fast they can chug a Coor's Light?

 

Or, .... the other option.

 

This is an easy decision.

[kimlovesfl]

I live in Orlando, and I just got off a cruise on Thursday, so let me give you the pluses and minuses of either month.

 

Both Jan and May are slower times, but May is really slow, at least here in Orlando. If you go early Jan, or the weekend after MLK holiday (like we did), you should avoid most of the crowds. However, the weather, especially in Florida, can be unpredictable in January. When we left Orlando Saturday morning, it was about 45, very cold for us. FLL was lovely, in the upper 70s, and Key West the next day was 80-82, but they did have a cold snap a week earlier, when the temp reached only the 60s. Cozumel was in the 80s and humid, much like Florida in late spring, and our sea days were perfect, 80s, sunny, just gorgeous. We came back to 60s and rain in FLL, and not even 50, dark, dreary, and raining, home in Orlando. Today, it is sunny and 80. This is also the dry season, and you are less likely to catch rain.

 

In May, because it is between school holidays, prices should be low and crowds small, but I can guarantee you it will be hot and humid. Summer in Florida comes early, like in late April, and the humidity starts rising in May. Although June 1 officially starts hurricane season, you have a decent chance of afternoon thunderstorms in May as well. I don't imagine the Caribbean, at least Cozumel and ports close, will be much different.

 

We found a great deal for late January, the weather was beautiful, the ship didn't feel crowded, and there were a lot of folks from New York and the midwest on board. Can't speak for May, but for sure, the weather will be hot and humid.

[navybankerteacher]

Coming from a cold weather city, it makes much more sense to cruise in January. Fort Lauderdale could be chilly, Key West might be - but certainly not cold. Cozumel and Grand Cayman should be great for swimming, sunning, etc.

[just4steven]

Hi, just got off the Legend last week out of Tampa. Tampa was not up to normal temp standards of course, but much better than the negative degree temps where we came from.

 

The cruise itself hit grand cayman, cozumel, belize, then roatan. When we woke up early the first morning, somewhere around cuba, we really noticed a huge difference! Right around where the gulf meets the caribbean sea. The pool temps were fine and heavily used, plus lots of sun.

 

Oddly enough the water temps in grand cayman were the warmest, even more so than roatan and many others commented on that as well. Seeing how we went during the "mega freeze storm" up north, I would say January would be just fine :cool:

 

Here is a neat site that shows the areas real time water temps (and other info) http://www.eldoradocountyweather.com/buoy/West%20Caribbean/buoy-xhtml.php

 

When we went just last week, again with all the -20 temps around, the buoy between cozumel and grand cayman was 81.7 and the one south of that was 80.2. You should be just about perfect with January :)

[trish1c]

Most of the time the Caribbean will be beach weather . . . no sweatshirts required but Mother Nature has been a bit bonkers lately. It SNOWED in Florida last week & Atlanta was shut down. In January 2010 I doubt it got above 70F for our whole western Caribbean cruise. We still had bun but it wasn't our dream beach vacation. The following week temps were more seasonal.

[kcwingwalker]

Have cruised in July and it was really too hot. Prefer cruising anytime from October to April.

[CP89]

Thanks to everyone for the opinions and advice! :D I really appreciate it!

[NicoletteBory]

Bumping this post. I am booked for Jan 25, 2015 and I starting to worry about the weather. I'll be leaving miami port, jamica, grand cayman and Mexico.

 

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[cruisead]

We cruise often during that time and the temps have almost always been in the mid-80's.

[Krissica]

For years we have always cruised in December and have always experienced amazing weather. Definitely shorts/tank top type of weather without being unbearably hot in the high 90s. Plus the added bonus of leaving the snow one day and being on the beach the next day is one of the many reasons we love to escape in the winter.

[dolita22]

Bumping this post. I am booked for Jan 25, 2015 and I starting to worry about the weather. I'll be leaving miami port, jamica, grand cayman and Mexico.

 

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We cruised that week last year to the Eastern Caribbean and it was in the 80s! Sailed in early February of this year...same weather. We're sailing the same itinerary as you next January, but a week earlier, and expect similar weather to what we've had the last couple years. Florida may be cooler, but the ports should be nice and warm!

 

Have a fun cruise!

[Roz]

It's guaranteed to be hot in the Southern Caribbean during the winter.

 

Hottest place I've been was Cartegena, Columbia at the end of Nov./beginning of Dec.

 

Roz