| When is the best time to take a cruise vacation? | | | | seasonal for cruise lines. You can cruise to Alaska |
| Actually, it's anytime. No matter the time of year | | | | and Europe's Baltic region only between May and |
| -- spring, summer, fall or winter -- there are cruise | | | | September; to Bermuda between May and |
| vacations for every taste and budget. Of course | | | | October; through the Panama Canal between |
| cruise lines, like most businesses, set their pricing | | | | September and April; to Canada and New England |
| by supply and demand, so the season you choose | | | | during September and October (the peak season |
| will affect the cost of your cruise vacation. For | | | | for the region's spectacular fall foliage); and to |
| example, if you book a cruise during the busiest | | | | Asia and Oceania during the winter months. Some |
| vacation seasons, which are usually over the | | | | of the best times of the year to take an Alaska |
| holidays an during early spring and summer, the | | | | cruise are during the 'shoulder months' of May and |
| price will be higher than at other times of year. | | | | September. If you do cruise during these months, |
| Conversely, if you book during the slower cruise | | | | it is advisable to pack extra warm clothing, as the |
| periods, i.e. in fall, late spring and after popular | | | | temperatures can fall into the 40s at night and on |
| holidays, the price will usually be lower. Year-round | | | | cooler mornings; high temperatures are generally |
| destinations The Caribbean islands, Hawaii and | | | | in the 50s. Value season During the spring and fall, |
| French Polynesia (Tahiti) are blessed with a warm, | | | | cruise lines move their ships from one seasonal |
| tropical climate all year long, so it's almost always | | | | port to another in a strategic fleet movement |
| a good time to visit these destinations. There are | | | | that's called 'repositioning.' Of course, those ships |
| some seasonal considerations, however. For | | | | don't move around empty; instead, they embark |
| example, Tahiti and Hawaii have a rainy season | | | | on a 'repositioning cruise' - a unique, one-way |
| that typically extends from November through | | | | itinerary that is available only once a year. In |
| March; that's probably not the best time to visit, | | | | spring, the most common repositioning itineraries |
| especially if you are thinking of trekking through | | | | are from the Caribbean to Europe and from the |
| the rain forests! Similarly, some travelers may | | | | Caribbean to Alaska; in fall, these itineraries are |
| wish to avoid the Caribbean during hurricane | | | | reversed. Repositioning cruises are long and |
| season, especially during the most active period, | | | | sometimes leisurely. For example, repositioning |
| from late August to early October. Does this | | | | cruises to Alaska commonly include popular stops |
| mean you shouldn't cruise during September? Not | | | | on the cruise line's eastern, western, and southern |
| really. Some of the best cruise rates are offered | | | | Caribbean itineraries and stops along the Mexican |
| during this period. And one of the benefits of | | | | Riviera, as well as a transit of the Panama Canal. |
| traveling by cruise ship during this season is that | | | | Repositioning cruises can offer good value. They |
| the storms are constantly monitored and | | | | may cost less per day than other sailings on the |
| alternative courses are charted away from the | | | | same ship. This is partly because longer cruises do |
| inclement weather. When a hurricane begins to | | | | not suit everyone's schedule and partly because |
| blow, cruise ships simply transit to calmer waters. | | | | these cruises sail during the shoulder seasons, |
| Europe's Mediterranean region used to be a | | | | when fewer people travel and demand is |
| seasonal cruise destination, but that changed with | | | | correspondingly lower. In the end, the best time |
| the advent of newer cruise ships that offer such | | | | to cruise is when you are ready to go. Consider all |
| season-lengthening amenities as retractable domes | | | | the factors, plan ahead and plan well, then enjoy |
| and solariums that allow guests to use the pool | | | | your cruise vacation, whatever the season. |
| and enjoy the sun all year round. The Mexican | | | | Anita Dunham-Potter is a Pittsburgh-based travel |
| Riviera is now a year-round cruising destination, | | | | journalist specializing in cruise travel. Anita is a |
| too, though you might want to rethink cruising to | | | | weekly travel columnist for and Tripso, and she is |
| the Baja region during the summer months, when | | | | a contributor to Fodor's "Complete Guide to |
| desert temperatures reach into the 100s! | | | | Caribbean Cruises 2007". |
| Seasonal destinations Other destinations are | | | | |