Best time to go on a cruise
The best person to ask about when to travel to each cruise destination is, quite simply, the skipper. Because these cruises are all about what you are going to see when you wake up in the morning, as opposed to what the breakfast buffet is going to be like. Therefore, the dates of travel are usually linked to wildlife sightings or the best sailing weather. In Antarctica, November to March is not only the best to go, it is the only time. For Arctic cruises, it’s July and August. If you want to see porpoises, basking sharks and whales in Scotland, the summer months are also best. The Galapagos have animal magic going throughout the year.
When to go on a small ship cruise
When not to go on a small ship cruise
What cruise destination to avoid, and when
Southern Croatia cruise in comfort
Cruise Croatia's beautiful islands on a small cruise ship
From
£731 to £946
8 days
ex flights
Split to Dubrovnik luxury cruise, Croatia
Cruise Split to Dubrovnik in luxury via Croatia's islands
From
£1319 to £2609
8 days
ex flights
Turquoise Coast luxury gulet cruise, Turkey
Luxury gulet cruise along Turkey's southern coast,Bodrum to Gocek
From
£1189 to £1625
8 days
ex flights
Highlights of Spitsbergen holiday
6 night cruise through the heart of the Arctic
From
£4950 to £6925
7 days
ex flights
Scotland private charter sailing holidays
Private Charter a small ship around the Scottish Islands
From
£7500 to £15000
7 days
ex flights
Luxury small ship cruise in Croatia
Luxury small ship cruise through Croatia's Islands
From
£1505 to £2025
8 days
ex flights
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Small ship cruising or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
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The small ship cruise calendar
Lara Paxton at our partners The Small Ship Cruise Collection:
“Our small ship cruises only happen when the weather is going to be OK. So, for example, we do small cruises around Cuba, but they only go December until April. They don’t want to be there during the hurricane season; that would not be a fun cruise.”
“Our small ship cruises only happen when the weather is going to be OK. So, for example, we do small cruises around Cuba, but they only go December until April. They don’t want to be there during the hurricane season; that would not be a fun cruise.”
Charlotte Caffrey, co-founder at our friends Aqua-Firma, advises on when to go on a small cruise holiday to Svalbard in the Arctic: “The seasons are very different. In June, there’s a lot of snow and ice, so you’re able only to visit parts of Spitsbergen. As the season goes on, you get a melting of the ice so you can do a circumnavigation. It’s a longer trip and you’re getting very different aspects of the Arctic. By September, there’s no longer 24-hour daylight; you’ll get more evening time. The birdlife stays from around June into early September – there’s a lot of food around and the breeding activity is really high. So you have to think: what do I want to see? How long do I want to be there? Which parts do I want to explore?”
Colette Dubois is the co-owner at our Scottish cruise specialists St. Hilda Sea Adventures:
“The best time to see birds and other wildlife in Scotland, where we take our guests, is June. The autumn is also a lovely time but you will see fewer birds. For the weather often June is the best month too. People worry about midges in Scotland, but we absolutely never have midges on the boat because there is always a breeze.”
“The best time to see birds and other wildlife in Scotland, where we take our guests, is June. The autumn is also a lovely time but you will see fewer birds. For the weather often June is the best month too. People worry about midges in Scotland, but we absolutely never have midges on the boat because there is always a breeze.”
Our nature pick
It’s not all ice and polar bears in Kamchatka. You’ll see brown bears feasting on salmon in a landscape dotted with delicate summer wildflowers along Eastern Siberia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in July. If you cruise along the peninsula’s coast in September, the landscape will be painted in vivid autumnal reds and oranges.
More Small ship cruising articles
Welcome to our comprehensive guide to choosing the right trip on the water for you.
Coming in all shapes and sizes without ever entering floating hotel territory, there's a boat for everyone.
It might be a family-sized yacht, a schooner designed to tuck into fjords full of orcas, or a 200-passenger icebreaker.
From low carbon credentials to accessibility – what to ponder when booking a cruise.
Famous places like the Galapagos or Egypt, and then there's Svalbard in the Arctic.
For wildlife safaris, art workshops and family adventures among Hebridean islands...
Forget karaoke, the evening entertainment is more likely to be an eco lecture.
For some of the most iconic creatures on earth - find out how to see polar bears, penguin colonies and whales.
Expect to spend most of your time on deck, in the water, or exploring islands when you're cruising along under sail.
Go gliding down the Nile on a felucca, to a groundnut boats in the Gambia, or try exploring Kerala.
Discover the best bits of the Algarve and Andalucía, and get a little taste of Morocco too on this continent-hopping tour.
Who says cruises aren’t for kids? We've got trips where families can share the fun.
We discuss your options as a solo traveller when you're planning to come aboard.
Our experts partners explain how to pack, coping with sea sickness, and whether or not you should bring the kids.
Giant cruise ships get a lot of negative attention, and we believe it's well-earned. We really don’t need a bigger boat.
Cruise ships cause overtourism in some of the world’s most popular destinations
All our guides in one place from the Maldives to Scotland, Arctic cruising and more.
