Chilly but quiet – here’s why you should consider a winter cruise in the Med

• Cruise lines like Oceania Cruises are expanding their Europe seasons into the winter, offering Mediterranean cruises year round.
• Cruise lines like MSC, Celebrity, Viking and Silversea are already sailing year-round in the Med.
• Here’s why you should consider a winter cruise in the Mediterranean.

While Europe has always been a busy place, particularly in the summer months, over recent years we’ve seen this taken to a new level. Countries like France, Italy and Spanish have been posting record tourist numbers and this only seems to be on the rise.

Before even taking into account the chance of running into protests against cruise ships or against overtourism, many cruisers are already looking for ways to beat the crowds, simply to be able enjoy some of Europe’s greatest attractions with a bit more breathing room. Cost pressures have also been on the rise for Aussie families, and the more tourists that pile into a city, the more local tour agencies and vendors are able to pump up the prices. 

With this considered, many cruisers and travellers alike have been searching for different ways to visit Europe, particularly the busiest parts, such as the Mediterranean. 

What a lot of cruisers might not know is that many cruise lines actually run Mediterranean cruises all-year round, not just in the summer months, and some of the lines that don’t run year round at least still operate cruises in the shoulder months, often sailing from April to October. 

Which lines sail the Med in the winter?

Cruise lines appear to be catching onto this new demand for out-of-peak season cruising in the Mediterranean, with Oceania just releasing a range of new winter itineraries for the Mediterranean in 2027 and 2028.

They join cruise lines as Celebrity, MSC, Viking and Silversea who are already sailing year-round in the region, and either cruise lines such as Princess and Holland America have extended their season. Then even family cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line sail from April through to October, offering a chance to get right out of the peak sailing months. 

As far as itineraries go, they generally look about the same as summer itineraries. However, you often expect to see out-of-peak itineraries looking a couple of hundred dollars cheaper, and they generally won’t book out as quickly as peak season itineraries, leaving open the opportunity for a last minute cruise. 

Most importantly, as can be seen, there are plenty to options to pick from, and more and more cruise lines appear to be heading in the direction of lengthening their Mediterranean seasons.

What’s the weather like?

The reality is, a winter Mediterranean cruise will be an extremely different experience to a summer one. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, sailing in the summer months can create an overwhelming combination of heat, humidity and crowds, which doesn’t always make for the best travelling. 

However, while winter weather in the Mediterranean can be pleasant, it’s not exactly beach weather. You can expect about seven to 15 degrees celsius and rainfall is common.

This isn’t freezing weather and can be easily combatted with some warm weather clothing, but it’s not exactly the sun soaked holiday you’d get in July or August. 

Another thing to consider is that sea conditions can be slightly more rough over the winter months, however, missed ports aren’t as common as they are in Australia for example. 

Purely weather wise, you might find the best balance in shoulder months like April or October, where weather sits in the low to mid 20s and generally only mild showers. In these months you can dodge most of the crowds but still have weather good enough for a couple of beach days and mostly guaranteed sunshine for some days of exploring and admiring landscapes. 

The advantages of a winter Mediterranean cruise

• The best perk of sailing in the colder months is that you can experience Europe’s best attractions without the hordes of tourists around. You can step into famous churches, galleries and main squares and have the time and space to enjoy yourself and fully immerse yourself in the activity. 
• Costs come down plenty outside of the peak season. While local tours and vendors will cut prices, you’ll likely make the biggest gains in a cheaper cruise fare and flights, which can you leave with either extra spending money or something to put towards your next cruise.
• Europe in the winter is its own unique experience and you can combine your Mediterranean travels with other famous winter destinations in Europe, such as a white Christmas in London, the famous Christmas markets in Germany, a trip out to see the Northern Lights in Norway and plenty more. 
• You can forget about worrying about the heat. Trying to tick off five activities in a day becomes a lot more difficult when you suddenly have mid 30s weather and high humidity to contend with. For those who don’t love the heat, a winter cruise to the Mediterranean can solve this in an instant. If you’re not a fan of warm weather you also get the bonus of ditching a few weeks of Aussie summer.
• In the current climate, you’re a lot less likely to run into any troubles, such as protests, in the winter months. Furthermore, locals are likely to feel a little bit more cheery in the winter, with the main tourism season out of the year. 

So, is it worth a go?

The only real reason not to try a winter Mediterranean cruise is if beaches are your absolute number one attraction and reason for going to the Med in the first place. The reality is that you generally won’t find beach going weather, and you’d be better suited to a peak season or shoulder season cruise.

However, if the cuisine, culture, landscape and landmarks are what are pulling you towards the Mediterranean, then winter can be a whole new way to do things, and it’s definitely worth the experience.

At the very least, if the European winter and Aussie summer offers you a more convenient time to travel, don’t rule out or be turned off by the Med just because it’s winter. The ships are sailing year round for a reason and it’s because there’s never a bad time to cruise in the Mediterranean.