Where to cruise in May

May opens the Alaska season and the main Europe season, while the Caribbean is still between the dry season and summer. Early-season Alaska sailings tend to be quieter, with cooler days.

Prime season in May

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  Bahamas

  Average in Nassau, Bahamas: high 86°F, low 72°F

  The quick escape: short cruises from Florida to Nassau, Freeport and the cruise lines' private islands.

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  Mediterranean

  Average in Barcelona, Spain: high 69°F, low 60°F

  Rome, Barcelona, the Riviera and the Adriatic: the most history you can see in one week at sea.

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  Hawaii

  Average in Honolulu, Hawaii: high 85°F, low 72°F

  Four islands in a week from Honolulu, or a long Pacific crossing from the West Coast.

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  Bermuda

  Average in Bermuda (L.F. Wade International Airport): high 76°F, low 68°F

  Pink-sand beaches and British island charm, two days' sail from the Northeast, with ships docked overnight.

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  Greek Isles

  Average in Mykonos, Greece: high 73°F, low 64°F

  Whitewashed villages, ancient ruins and Aegean blue, from Santorini and Mykonos to Rhodes and Crete.

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  Transatlantic

  Average in Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal: high 68°F, low 58°F

  A week or more at sea between North America and Europe, with island stops on many routes.

Shoulder season: fewer crowds, mixed weather

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  Caribbean

  Average in San Juan, Puerto Rico: high 87°F, low 76°F

  Warm water, short flights and the widest choice of ships and itineraries anywhere in cruising.

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  Alaska

  Average in Juneau, Alaska (downtown): high 57°F, low 43°F. Season opens; often one of the drier months

  Glaciers, fjords, wildlife and frontier towns on a summer-only season through the Inside Passage and Gulf of Alaska.

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  Mexican Riviera

  Average in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: high 85°F, low 71°F

  West Coast sunshine: Cabo, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan on easy round trips from Southern California.

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  Eastern Caribbean

  Average in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands: high 87°F, low 78°F

  Beach-hopping through the Virgin Islands, St. Maarten and Puerto Rico, with some of the calmest sailing in the region.

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  Western Caribbean

  Average in George Town, Grand Cayman: high 88°F, low 77°F

  Maya ruins, barrier reef snorkeling and jungle adventures in Mexico, Central America, Jamaica and Grand Cayman.

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  Southern Caribbean

  Average in Oranjestad, Aruba: high 90°F, low 80°F

  The far islands: Aruba, Curacao, Barbados and St. Lucia, with more port days and drier weather in the south.

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  Northern Europe & Baltic

  Average in Copenhagen, Denmark: high 60°F, low 46°F

  Scandinavian capitals, medieval old towns and long summer days around the Baltic and North Sea.

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  Norwegian Fjords

  Average in Bergen, Norway: high 59°F, low 44°F. Often among the drier months

  Sheer cliffs, waterfalls and tiny villages on some of the most scenic sailing in the world.

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  British Isles

  Average in Dublin, Ireland: high 60°F, low 48°F

  Castles, coastlines and pubs around England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland.

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  Panama Canal

  Average in Panama City, Panama: high 90°F, low 73°F

  A full day rising through the locks between two oceans, with Caribbean and Central American ports along the way.

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  Asia

  Average in Singapore: high 90°F, low 78°F

  Japan, Southeast Asia and beyond: big cities, temples and food, with the ship as your moving hotel.

Cruises run, but it is off-peak

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  Canada & New England

  Average in Halifax, Nova Scotia: high 58°F, low 42°F

  Lobster towns, lighthouses and fall foliage from Boston and New York to Nova Scotia and Quebec.

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  Australia & New Zealand

  Average in Sydney, Australia (Sydney Airport): high 69°F, low 54°F

  Sydney Harbour, Tasmania and New Zealand's fiords on a cruise timed for the southern summer.