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Winter is a great time to plan a cruise for Thanksgiving with no cooking, only eating, a Christmas family cruise spectacular, or just to get away to somewhere warm and sunny while the weather is rainy, cold, and snowy back home. There are cruise destinations all over the world for whatever season you choose, even winter.
Many destinations are temperate year ‘round and a perfect choice anytime such as the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and Mexico, to name a few. Other destinations that are perfect in winter but are farther down the list in summer include Costa Rica, Asia, South America, and Antarctica – believe it or not!
Choices, Choices
Certain destinations cost less during the fall and winter months for various reasons; for example, Caribbean cruises are value priced from September to January, in the fall due to hurricane season and winter due to a greater chance of rough seas that time of the year.
Certain ports of call are more likely to be changed due to weather conditions during these months but if you do not mind an itinerary change, this may be ideal for you. The Caribbean enjoys mild temperatures all year; however, in the winter the water may be a bit too cool for water activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving so be aware of this if you plan to participate in these types of excursions.
One exception during this time with regard to pricing is holidays since these tend to be more popular due to school vacations; therefore, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Easter are premium times. You will pay more; however, there are usually special celebrations during this time as well, so it may be worth the upgraded price in light of this fact.
In the Company of Adults
Another reason to travel in winter, and also to avoid school holidays, is for adults who prefer to avoid peak times when families with children will be aboard and aim for times that may include mostly adult travelers. Another plus to traveling in winter is fewer passengers overall, meaning fewer wait times to go ashore and less crowded activities. Avoiding school holidays also means fewer college students on break on board.
In addition to a less crowded vessel, you will also experience fewer tourists at the popular ports of call meaning, less fighting the traveling hoards and more time to take in the sights. The beaches, however, will be sunny even if the waters are a bit cooler and you can enjoy more elbow room and places to stretch out your towel.
Who’s Best?
It is hard to rank the cruise lines from best to worst or least because part of your choice depends on your preferences. For example, if you are looking for luxury, to be treated like royalty where all the crew greets you by name right from the time you board and are ready to fulfill your every want and need, try Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Crystal Cruises, or Viking Ocean Cruises. Each has its own special draw from high crew to passenger ratios to the ability of a smaller vessel to visit some less-traveled ports.
Cruise lines with vessels that cater to families include Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Lines, and, of course, Disney Cruise Line.
Disney is the epitome of family travel with dozens of kid-centric activities, lavish onboard productions, and nightly musicals with beloved Disney characters. Carnival offers ships with huge aqua parks, pool-side movies on a massive screen, and more age groups than any other cruise line, meaning the 15 and older crowd is separate from the 12 to 14 group, which is separated from the 2 to 11 group so everyone has the time of their life every night!
Parking
Of course, every great trip begins in the parking lot and no one offers more safe cost effective parking port of Miami parking than Safe Cruise Parking with on-site security, gated lots, and surveillance cameras for a price that is half of what you will pay for parking at port Miami Florida with a free shuttle to and from a lot that is only five minutes away. It’s one thing you will not have to worry about on your vacation; when you return, relaxed and happy, your car will be ready and waiting just like you left it. Bon Voyage!
