If the grey UK weather is already getting to you, the winter cruise calendar for 2026 and 2027 is packed with options — from half-term Mediterranean hops to Christmas on the Nile. Cruise expert Marc Shoffman has rounded up the stand-out sailings, and the range is wider than you might expect.
For something close to home, Marella has a Medley itinerary departing Palma on 24 October 2026 from £1,186pp, ticking off Livorno (gateway to Florence and Pisa), Villefranche, Toulon, Barcelona and Valencia in a week aboard Marella Explorer, with 10 restaurants and a Champneys spa. Celestyal, better known for Greece, debuts in the western Med on 12 December 2026 with a seven-nighter from Lisbon to Barcelona via Tangier and Sète — from just £449pp on the mid-sized Celestyal Discovery.
The Canary Islands remain a January staple. P&O's Azura sails from Tenerife on 8 January 2027 for a fortnight covering Madeira, Lanzarote's volcanic scenery and La Palma, with flights and transfers included from £999pp. The 3,100-passenger ship carries nine restaurants, including Olly Smith's The Glass House.
Fancy going further? Oceania Riviera departs Sydney on 3 December 2026 for a 12-night Australian summer run to the Great Barrier Reef via Airlie Beach, with an overnight in Cairns and four speciality restaurants included, from £2,060pp. In the Caribbean, MSC World America does seven nights from Miami from just £339 (31 October 2026 departure), with a stop at the line's private Ocean Cay marine reserve, while Royal Caribbean's new Legend of the Seas — think waterparks and 28 restaurants — sails the southern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale from £1,113pp in November 2026.
Prefer festive to beachy? Two river and holiday picks stand out. VIVA One cruises the Rhine's Christmas markets from Düsseldorf (Bonn, Mainz, Coblenz) departing 18 December 2026 from £775pp, complete with a heated sundeck whirlpool. On the Nile, TUI's new river ship Bahareya offers a week between Luxor and Aswan with Egyptologists on board and all food and drink included, from £1,268pp with flights, departing 19 January 2027.
Families with Disney fans should note the Very Merrytime sailing on the new Disney Destiny, leaving Fort Lauderdale on 23 December 2026 from £1,521pp — Mickey in festive wear, a Hercules stage show and a Lion King-themed dinner, with stops at the line's private Bahamian islands.
Why it matters: booking shoulder-season dates (October-November, January) tends to mean quieter ships and keener prices, and with fares starting as low as £339, winter sun by sea can undercut a land-based beach holiday. Book early for festive departures, which sell out fastest.
Story via The Independent Travel.
