They quick answer to this question is - your family can enjoy a Caribbean Cruise Anytime!
Family Caribbean Cruises operate on a year round schedule. But seriously, let me help you break it down the answers here a bit more for you so you can make the best decisions and be an informed consumer.
High Season in the Caribbean is generally from December through April.
This is the dry season and what we travel agents call "wave season". That's the time of year when most families here in the states want to "wave" goodbye to cold weather and get themselves someplace tropical.
The travel industry is totally based on supply and demand. Because this is the most popular time of year when everyone wants to visit the Caribbean, this is when you can expect to pay higher prices.
If you look especially at family vacations....normally families need/want to travel when their kids are out of school. This means the weeks of Thanksgiving, December holidays, Spring Break and Easter will demand the highest prices for family friendly ships.
If your family does intend to travel to the Caribbean during the winter months, remember some ports of call are warmer than others. For example, Bermuda sailings are usually not offered until later in the summer and you may need a sweatshirt in Mexico in January. You won't find any snow but temperatures can vary during winter months in the Caribbean.
Hurricane Season or "wet" season in the Caribbean runs from June 1 through November 20th.
Generally these are the warmer months for those of us who live in the states so the demand to visit someplace tropical isn't as high.
It's actually a great time of year for families to travel because most schools are off for summer vacation.
Hearing the word "hurricane" often freaks people out when in fact this is the time of year when you can find affordable pricing and great deals on family cruises.
Let's break down some of these myths about hurricane season in the Caribbean:
1. What Do They Mean By Wet Season?
In the Caribbean during summer wet season it usually does rain every day. It's hot in the Caribbean during the Summer. Usually a quick shower or downpour is welcomed relief to cool things off. Usually the sun pops right out and 15 minutes later you would never know it rained. So wet season doesn't mean 6 months of completely monsoon downpours. It is the reason these tropical islands are full of lush beautiful flowers.
2. When Is the Worst Part of Hurricane Season?
The worst part of the Caribbean hurricane season when there is the highest risk for a storm to strike usually happens between mid-August through September. This is the time when most kids are getting ready to go back to school. This is also the time of year when families will see the lowest prices on families cruises. If you have younger kids not yet in school or if you homeschool, this is when you can get amazing deals and really low prices. (See Travel Insurance Below).
2. The Caribbean is a Big Place
The area we call the "Caribbean" covers over a million Square miles. By comparison, it's about 1/3 the size of the United States. Because it's such a large geographical area, a storm in one area can mean perfect weather someplace else. You wouldn't tell a foreign friend not to visit the U.S. during the summer months because they may encounter a tornado, a hurricane or wildfire. Much would depend on exactly what areas they planned to visit.
3. Some Parts of the Caribbean Don't Get Hurricanes
Islands in the Southern Caribbean generally have a dryer, more desert like climate and rarely are affected by hurricanes. If the idea of a hurricane really freaks you out, then take your family on a Southern Caribbean itinerary and visit islands like St. Lucia, Barbados, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Bonaire, Curaçao and Aruba.
4. Cruise Ships Can Move
Cruise ships can easily move and change course according to weather forecasts. If there is a hurricane predicted, often cruise lines will issue a last minute itinerary change and simply visit a different island to insure smooth sailing for your entire trip. If your family has a vacation planned at a summer beach resort, whether in the Caribbean or in the U.S. and a storm is predicted then it normally means cancellation, evacuation or riding out the bad weather.
5. Travel Insurance
Travel insurance means your family can take advantage of great summer family cruise vacation deals with full peace of mind. Having a cancel for any reason travel insurance policy means just that. If there are any dark clouds predicted you can cancel or change your travel plans with complete peace of mind knowing your vacation investment and your family is protected.
Speak to one of our family cruise experts here at Vacationkids. We can help answer all of your cruise questions and more. Often, we have perks you won't have by booking direct and we can help make travel planning simple.
