March vs. Early April

[katmu]

I currently have a deposit on a Princess 7 night cruise from Barcelona to Rome for early April 2025.  I’m 2nd guessing how busy the sites will be even in early April.  I was also considering a similar itinerary on Princess that leaves a month earlier from Barcelona to Rome.  Both cruises stop in Gibraltar and Genoa.  The March cruise stops in Corsica (Ajaccio) and Livorno while the April cruise stops in Marseille and La Spezia.  I prefer Marseille to Corsica but Livorno to La Spezia.  The April ship would be the new Sun Princess so it has more options for affordable staterooms as a solo vs. the Majestic Princess in March.  I’ve also looked at a few on NCL.  I also really like HAL and Azamara but they don’t seem to have a lot of Mediterranean cruises that early in the season.   

 

I feel like I might be worried about nothing.  My last couple of trips to Europe have been between December and March, so I’m trying to figure out how much busier early April will be.  Other than Viking and MSC, I’m not finding a lot of lines that have Med cruises in the off-season?

[katmu]

I maybe need to stop looking but since this is really a milestone birthday trip that was cancelled due to Covid, I guess I could go in 2024 as long as it’s early or later in the year.  I already have a multi-generational family cruise to Alaska booked for late May.  It’s been a goal to do a solo trip to Europe so I really want to make this trip happen.

 

in 2024, Princess does have some earlier 10 day sailings that would actually cost less than what I’m paying for the 7 night and should work with my work schedule.

 

Option 1:

Feb 28 - Rome (Civitavecchia), Naples, Santorini, Kusadasi, Turkey (for Ephesus), Athens (Piraeus), Sicily (Messina), Mallorca (Palma), Barcelona, Spain

 

Also available on Mar 9 in reverse from Barcelona to Rome with the same ports;

 

Option 2:

Mar 29 - Rome (Civitavecchia), Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Genoa, Marseille (Provence), Barcelona, Mallorca (Palma), Cartagena ,Gibraltar, Rome (Civitavecchia)

[cruisemom42]

The earliest I have cruised the Med has been early April (started the first week); I've also sailed later in April. Both times the weather was wonderful, including seas so calm in some places they looked like glass. There were noticeably fewer tourists than peak season. 

 

You have to balance the desire to experience the ports with fewer tourists with the possibility that the weather COULD be a bit less desirable, and you'll have fewer hours of sunlight per day.

Both of those negatives are more likely in the northerly Med ports (e.g., Venice, or ports in France).

 

With that said, I personally wouldn't hesitate to cruise in March if there was an itinerary I really liked. On the other hand, I don't think the difference in the number of tourists between March and April would be enough to make me change my mind if there was an April itinerary I liked. 

 

Of all the itineraries you mention, the Feb 28th one to me has the best "taster" itinerary for a first cruise, IMO. You don't get France (which in Feb is likely to be chilly and wet anyway), but you do get to visit many of what I consider the first tier ports: Rome, Athens, Naples, Barcelona. Plus Ephesus (fantastic Roman and Greek ruins), the chance to visit a charming town (Taormina, from Messina) in Sicily, and the iconic Greek island, Santorini, when it is very unlikely to be overrun with tourists (as it is from May through October).

 

This cruise also has no port for Florence but Florence is also one of those ports likely to be cool and rainy in March -- plus, given the distance from even the closest port (minimum 90 minute drive), it really is hard to make a meaningful visit there without a very long day or an overnight in port.

 

[cruisemom42]

5 hours ago, katmu said:

Other than Viking and MSC, I’m not finding a lot of lines that have Med cruises in the off-season?

 

In the past, it hasn't been fashionable to have winter cruising in the Med, but interest seems to be increasing. I got an email a few days ago letting me know that Celebrity is leaving one of its ships in the Med (Infinity) next winter.

[katmu]

I like visiting in the shoulder or off seasons as the weather in Europe even if it may not be beach weather is still much better than our weather at home in Minnesota in February, March or even April.  One of the benefits of being a Minnesotan, is that most anywhere I travel for 6 months out of the year is likely to have better weather than at home.😂

 

If I went with the Feb. 28th 10 day I was thinking of actually flying into Florence the weekend before for a couple of days and then taking the train to Rome since I still haven’t made it to Florence.  I have a few places I want to revisit in Rome but a couple of days should do it for this trip, although I always find new places to add to my list.  Ephesus is very high on my list and I liked the idea of visiting during a cooler time of year.  Athens I ideally would like to have more than a day but this could be a teaser as I think my next cruise would be an Eastern itinerary.  I could probably spend 2 full days in Naples, Pompeii and Herculaneum too.  I adore Mary Beard and have watched her documentaries on Pompeii so many times.

[cruisemom42]

7 minutes ago, katmu said:

I like visiting in the shoulder or off seasons as the weather in Europe even if it may not be beach weather is still much better than our weather at home in Minnesota in February, March or even April.  One of the benefits of being a Minnesotan, is that most anywhere I travel for 6 months out of the year is likely to have better weather than at home.😂

 

If I went with the Feb. 28th 10 day I was thinking of actually flying into Florence the weekend before for a couple of days and then taking the train to Rome since I still haven’t made it to Florence.  I have a few places I want to revisit in Rome but a couple of days should do it for this trip, although I always find new places to add to my list.  Ephesus is very high on my list and I liked the idea of visiting during a cooler time of year.  Athens I ideally would like to have more than a day but this could be a teaser as I think my next cruise would be an Eastern itinerary.  I could probably spend 2 full days in Naples, Pompeii and Herculaneum too.  I adore Mary Beard and have watched her documentaries on Pompeii so many times.

 

Excellent idea about adding a few days upfront to do Florence. 

 

Rome is my "off season" place, I usually end up spending a week there in late November or early December; it's a quiet time of year there and because there are so many great museums, I can easily occupy myself with them on rainy days....

 

I took DS to Florence and Venice a few years ago in late November. Florence had significantly fewer tourists, but I was surprised at how crowded Venice was, even at that time of year.