When is the Caribbean’s dry season?
The dry season in the Caribbean is generally from mid-December to mid-April. Little rain falls in these months and if it does, it tends to be short, sharp showers in the late afternoon. Temperatures are constant, ranging from the low 20s to around 30C. Not surprisingly, this is the most popular time to visit, especially over Christmas and New Year, so plan well ahead to get the best deals.
Main photo: a cruise ship calls at Kralendijk, capital of Bonaire (Getty Images)
When is the Caribbean’s rainy season?
Low season, or rainy season, is in June, July and August. Average highs are around 30C by now, with increased humidity. June tends to be wetter than July and August. The islands are quieter in these months and prices drop. Cruises continue to operate; remember, this is still the tropics and even if you get more rain than in high-season months, the weather will be balmy. As such, these months can be a good time of year to visit the Caribbean islands — and as July and August are school holidays, there are bargains to be had for family cruises.
What about shoulder season?
Spring — late April and most of May — is regarded as shoulder season, with competitive pricing. Be aware, though, that April is spring break for American university students and cruises out of Florida’s ports, in particular, can be packed with partying students.
Late November and early to mid-December are also shoulder season and can be a fantastic time to travel. Americans tend to celebrate Thanksgiving, their biggest annual holiday, at home with family, so cruises falling over the fourth Thursday in November can be a real bargain. Early December, too, is perfect for avoiding the darkest nights of the British winter and working on a pre-Christmas tan.
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When is hurricane season in the Caribbean?
Official hurricane season is from June 1 to November 30, with September and October the most likely months for hurricanes to develop. Hurricanes are not, however, a reason to dismiss a Caribbean cruise in these months. The Caribbean is a vast region and some areas tend to be far less prone to hurricanes than others. Barbados and St Lucia, for example, which are a long way east, or the southern islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, or Trinidad and Tobago, which tend to be out of the hurricane belt. It’s rare for cruise ships to be caught in hurricanes as they simply move out of the path of the storm. The most likely inconvenience for cruisers is missing ports or having itineraries modified to dodge storms.
When are the best festivals in the Caribbean?
There’s a year-round party spirit in the Caribbean but if your cruise coincides with a festival, all the better. The Bahamas celebrates Junkanoo, celebrating the emancipation of enslaved people, between Christmas and New Year, while the Junkanoo Summer Festival falls every Saturday in July, with colourful cultural performances. In Barbados, Crop Over, celebrating the sugar cane harvest, extends from May to August, with parties, concerts, dancing and arts and crafts festivals. Visit Grenada during the first week of June and you could join the annual Chocolate Festival. Antigua, meanwhile, dedicates the second half of April to the Classic Regatta, when graceful classic yachts gather in English Harbour for a week of racing and celebration, followed by Antigua Sailing Week, for the region’s most competitive races against the background of a festival atmosphere.
Call at tiny Nevis during the first week of July and you’ll come across a gathering of celebrity chefs, here for the annual Mango Festival. Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, is regarded as second in the world only to the festivities in Rio de Janeiro. Finally, Semana Santa, the week before Easter, is the biggest annual holiday in the Dominican Republic, with parades in every town.
When is the cheapest time to cruise the Caribbean?
Low season — May to September — is a cheaper time to travel to the Caribbean. Outside peak season, there’s still plenty of choice and this is a good time to look out for bargains like cabin upgrades or free, all-inclusive drinks packages. There are other ways to save money on a Caribbean cruise, too. “Repositioning cruises” are long sea voyages as ships move from one sailing area to the next. As the seasons change in April and October/November, ships move between Europe and the Caribbean, selling these sea passages at competitive prices. Sailing east, you’ll often enjoy a few days exploring Caribbean islands before crossing the Atlantic. Westbound crossings, in November, can be a good time to add on a few nights in a hotel before flying home.
Our favourite all-inclusive hotels in the Caribbean
When is the best time for beaches in the Caribbean?
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The Caribbean is blessed with gorgeous beaches that are wonderful year-round. Beaches will be more crowded in peak season, of course. In the rainy season, visibility might not be so good for snorkelling off the beach, so look at snorkel excursions that take you out on a boat over one of the many reefs. If you’re really into beach days, check out cruise lines that have private islands, all of which have absolutely pristine beaches with space for everybody as well as facilities like cabanas, beach barbecues and watersports.
What months should you not go on a Caribbean cruise?
You can expect the highest level of rainfall in the Caribbean between the months of May and November. September and October are peak hurricane seasons, so there’s a higher chance of disruption and some ports of call may be cancelled or changed.
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