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Autumn is one of our favourite times to set sail. The summer crowds have thinned, the light turns golden over Europe’s great cities, and there is a real sense of the seasons changing as you step ashore. Whether you are planning ahead for next year or looking for one of…
Read MoreAutumn is one of our favourite times to set sail. The summer crowds have thinned, the light turns golden over Europe’s great cities, and there is a real sense of the seasons changing as you step ashore. Whether you are planning ahead for next year or looking for one of the best autumn holiday destinations to book now, our Cruise Experts have picked five destinations that come into their own once September arrives.
There’s a lot to love about cruising outside the summer peak. Ports feel calmer, queues at the big landmarks grow shorter, and many destinations put on seasonal festivals, from wine harvests to Halloween parades, that you simply will not find in July. Milder daytime temperatures also make walking tours and shore excursions far more comfortable, particularly in destinations like Rome that can feel overwhelming in high summer. If you are weighing up when to book your next cruise, autumn offers a wonderful balance of good weather, fewer crowds and a seasonal atmosphere.
Autumn is the season Stockholm’s cafe culture was made for, with the city’s famous ‘fika’ tradition of coffee and cinnamon buns feeling especially cosy as the temperatures start to dip. Spread across 14 islands, Stockholm’s parks and waterways take on rich shades of amber and gold, and with over one-third of the city given over to parks and nature reserves, there is no shortage of places to enjoy them on a crisp afternoon.
By early October, the crowds of high summer have moved on, leaving more room to explore the cobbled lanes of Gamla Stan or the open-air Skansen museum at your own pace. Wrap up warm, find a cafe with candlelight and sheepskin throws, and settle in for an afternoon of people-watching in one of Northern Europe’s most elegant capitals.
Rome in autumn trades the summer’s heat and crowds for something altogether more comfortable, and this is often the moment locals return to the city too. Long queues at the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and St. Peter’s Basilica ease off considerably, giving guests the chance to properly take in the Eternal City rather than rush between landmarks.
Autumn is also when Rome’s sagre food festivals get underway, with local piazzas hosting tastings of fresh pasta, truffles, chestnuts and regional wines. It is a wonderful time to wander between the Spanish Steps and the Pantheon, stopping for an espresso or a plate of pasta al tartufo along the way, before returning to your
ship as the evening light catches the city’s rooftops.
Bruges was practically designed for autumn, its medieval market squares and stepped gables looking their best under low golden light. As the season sets in, canal-side cafes bring out the blankets and heaters, and there is nothing quite like warming up with a Belgian waffle or a rich hot chocolate after a stroll along the cobbled streets.
The city’s canals take on a particular charm once the evening illuminations switch on, and with fewer visitors than in peak summer, you will find far more breathing room to admire the Gothic architecture of the Markt and Burg squares. Bruges also makes a wonderful, easy addition to a short European cruise from the UK, making it a popular choice for guests who want a taste of the continent without flying.
Paris rarely needs an excuse to be visited, but autumn brings a softness to the city that suits its grand boulevards and gardens. The Tuileries and the Gardens of Versailles take on a golden tinge as the leaves turn, and October brings Nuit Blanche, an annual night of free access to galleries and museums across the city.
There’s also a distinctly cosy side to Paris in autumn, best enjoyed with a hot chocolate at one of the city’s historic cafes before wandering the halls of the Louvre, where queues are noticeably shorter than in summer. For guests sailing along the Seine, the riverbanks between the city and the Normandy coast are especially lovely to take in as the countryside turns to shades of copper and rust.
Few cities do autumn quite like New York. Central Park’s lake reflects a canopy of scarlet, amber and gold, and the crisp air makes long walks through the city’s neighbourhoods an absolute pleasure after the heat and humidity of summer.
Late October also brings the Village Halloween Parade, one of the largest Halloween celebrations in the world, with hundreds of puppets, live bands and elaborately costumed participants filling the streets of Greenwich Village. For cruisers, New York is also the starting point for autumn transatlantic crossings, offering a memorable way to begin or end a longer voyage while the city puts on its best seasonal display.
Alongside these destination highlights, autumn is also a fantastic time to plan a no-fly cruise straight from home. With so many itineraries departing UK ports throughout September, October and November, this is a season that offers something for almost every kind of cruiser.
Southampton remains the UK’s busiest cruise port, and autumn sees a wide variety of sailings depart from its quayside, from short European getaways to longer voyages further afield. Guests choosing to cruise from Southampton in autumn benefit from a straightforward journey to the port and the reassurance of a no-fly departure, with lines including P&O Cruises, Cunard and Fred. Olsen Cruises are all sailing from here throughout the season.
If you are looking for a lower-commitment introduction to cruising, or simply fancy a long weekend away, a short European cruise this autumn is well worth considering. These shorter sailings, often three to five nights, are a lovely way to sample destinations like Bruges, Amsterdam or the Channel Islands without committing to a longer holiday, and many depart from UK ports throughout the season.
Autumn is also considered one of the best times of year for river cruises in the autumn. Along the Rhine, the Danube and the Seine, riverside towns take on warm autumnal colours and many regions celebrate their wine harvest with local festivals, making it a particularly atmospheric time to sail. River cruise ships also tend to be smaller and more intimate, so autumn’s quieter ports feel even more special from the water.
Temperatures across much of the Mediterranean and Northern Europe remain mild well into October, typically ranging from the mid-teens to low 20s degrees Celsius. Pack layers, as mornings and evenings can feel noticeably cooler than midday.
Sailing outside the summer school holidays often means a quieter ship and a calmer atmosphere in port, so many guests find autumn offers excellent value for what is included, particularly on longer itineraries.
P&O Cruises, Cunard, Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises, Fred. Olsen Cruises and Ambassador Cruise Line all offer no-fly sailings from UK ports throughout September, October and November. Your Cruise Expert can talk you through which line and itinerary suits you best.
Whether you are drawn to the golden parks of Stockholm, the quieter piazzas of Rome or a no-fly getaway from Southampton this October, our Cruise Experts are on hand to help you find the right autumn cruise. If you need help booking a cruise, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
