Best temperatures in Mediterranean are in the spring and fall. Greece, Turkey, the Rivieras, and southern Italy and Spain are especially hot in the summer, with temperatures approaching 90 degrees away from the ocean.

Cruises usually run to northern Europe only from late May to early September, with the late summer providing the best weather (70s or higher). Particularly interesting season is Mid-June to early July because of the midnight sun, which only disappears for 3-4 hours each night.

Late summer and early fall are the sunniest months for cruising in Great Britain and Ireland. Here temperatures are generally much cooler (only in the low- to mid-60s) than on the European continent.

River cruise ships operate on the great rivers of Europe from early spring through November and again for the German Christmas markets in early December. The best weather is in summer, but the fall colors are spectacular and the temperatures are moderate. "Tulip" cruises take place in the Netherlands from March through mid-May, with April the best month for tulip-enthusiasts.

Ships often visit Madeira and the Canary Islands as part of Caribbean/Mediterranean repositioning cruises in the spring and fall. The islands boast of good weather and moderate temperatures year-round. Portuguese and French ports of call are popular in the late spring and early fall when ships are repositioning between the Mediterranean and northern Europe. Moderate temperatures hold during these times and it may be rainy in the spring.