The Best Time To Take A Cruise

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