Temperatures may have dipped in the UK, but plenty of winter-sun hotspots await on a cruise holiday.
Parts of the Mediterranean, as well as further afield in the Caribbean and Australia, offer plenty of warmth in the coming months. Most cruise lines run itineraries between late October and March, visiting top destinations such as the Bahamas, Tenerife, Dubai and Sydney.
You could escape the British rain during an October half-term sailing, visit Christmas markets on a river cruise or even celebrate the festive season and New Year at sea.
Sailing in winter has some benefits. Cruise ships can be quieter in October and November, the shoulder season, as the busy summer holiday period ends.
Options range from luxury cruises to family-friendly, all-inclusive ocean and river sailings.
Here are some of the best cruise deals for winter sun in 2026 and 2027.
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The best winter sun cruises
Marella Cruises: Mediterranean Medley
Palma – Livorno – Villefranche – Toulon – Barcelona – Valencia – Palma
There is still time to book a sunshine cruise for the upcoming October half term with Marella Cruises.
This family-friendly cruise offers an action-packed week sailing across the Med, visiting a different city each day across Spain, Italy and France.
Starting in Palma, Mallorca, head to Livorno, an ideal port for accessing Florence and Pisa, before visiting the Côte d’Azur in Toulon and stopping in Barcelona and Valencia.
Aboard Marella Explorer, choose from 10 restaurants and 10 bars. Unique features include its high-end restaurant and entertainment venue, The Lounge, with its distinctive pink piano.
Guests can enjoy the indoor cinema, a sports and family deck, and an onboard Champneys Spa.
Departs 24 October 2026. From £1,186pp.
P&O Cruises: Canary Islands and Madeira
Tenerife – Madeira – Fuerteventura – La Palma – Tenerife – Gran Canaria – Lanzarote – Tenerife
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Start the new year in the Canary Islands' warmer climes this January. Begin your trip in Tenerife aboard Azura with P&O Cruises for a fortnight in the sunny Canary Islands.
Read more: Best cruise deals for 2026
Marvel at varied landscapes across the itinerary, from Lanzarote's volcanic views to Madeira's mountains and La Palma’s historic plazas.
On board, enjoy Azura’s open-air SeaScreen cinema or stay active at its four pools, tennis, and basketball courts.
The ship, which can fit 3,100 passengers, also has nine restaurants, including wine expert Olly Smith’s The Glass House and The Waterside, as well as the Indian-inspired Sindhu and Epicurean speciality dining venues.
Departs 8 January 2027. From £999pp, return flights and transfers included
Oceania Cruises: Outback Byways
Sydney – Brisbane – Airlie Beach – Townsville – Cairns – Sydney
Head down under for the Australian summer with Oceania Cruises.
Departing from Sydney aboard Oceania Riviera, this 12-night voyage includes a visit to Airlie Beach, where you can access the Great Barrier Reef, and an overnight stop in Cairns to meet the local koalas.
On board, you can dine at four included speciality restaurants: the Polo Grill steakhouse, Italian Toscana, Jacques French bistro, and pan-Asian Red Ginger.
Departs 3 December 2026. From £2,060pp.
TUI: Legends of the Nile
Luxor – Edfu - Kom Ombo – Aswan – Luxor
B in the heat and history of Egypt during a Nile river cruise.
On TUI’s newest river cruise ship in the region, TUI Bahareya, onboard Egyptologists will explain the legends of the Nile while you sail.
After a couple of days exploring Luxor, the cruise departs and includes two shore experiences at the Kom Ombo Temple and the Temple of Horus in Edfu.
All onboard food and drinks are included, and you can watch the scenery float by from the top deck pool and bar.
Departs 19 January 2027 From £1,268pp, flights included.
Read more: The best Marella ships and Tui cruise deals
MSC Cruises: Caribbean
Miami – Puerto Plata – San Juan – Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve – Miami
Enjoy one of the newest ships in the MSC Cruises’ fleet, MSC World America, in the sunny Caribbean. Departing from Miami, you can relax on Puerto Plata's beaches or explore its ancient city walls, then sip local coffee or rum in San Juan’s old town.
MSC World America also has a comedy club, a ropes course, and a Cliffhanger swing that hangs over the side of the ship.
The seven-night itinerary includes a trip to MSC Cruises’ private Ocean Cay island in the Bahamas, where you can take part in watersports or just top up your tan before heading home.
Departs 31 October 2026. From £339.
Royal Caribbean: Southern Caribbean & Perfect Day
Fort Lauderdale – Willemstad – Oranjestad – Perfect Day CocoCay – Fort Lauderdale
This eight-night Caribbean cruise sails with Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Legend of the Seas.
This voyage includes a stop on the brand’s private Caribbean island for the ‘Perfect Day at CocoCay’ experience
Read more: The best Royal Caribbean ships and cruises
Other destinations include Willemstad, Curaçao, where you can explore colonial-era fortresses and try the island’s signature spirit, Blue Curaçao.
On board, Legend of the Seas offers giant waterparks and slides, plus 28 restaurants, more than 20 bars, and a relaxed Central Park deck with greenery and shaded areas for a break from the sun.
Departs 14 November 2026. From £1,113pp.
VIVA Cruises: Christmas Markets Spree
Düsseldorf – Bonn – Mainz – Coblenz – Düsseldorf
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A river cruise is an ideal way to explore Christmas markets across Europe.
You can visit a different city each day, often stepping right off the ship and into the centre of the action.
Some of the best Christmas markets can be found along the Rhine in Germany, with rows of lights and festive stalls and cabins offering hot chocolate, mulled wine, candied almonds and bratwurst.
Spend a few days sampling Germany’s markets on VIVA One. Sailing the Rhine from Dusseldorf, the ship stops each day in Bonn, Mainz and Coblenz.
Back on board, you can enjoy the Christmas lights from the indoor observation and lounge area, or escape the cold in the heated whirlpool on the sundeck.
Departs 18 December 2026. From £775pp.
Read now: The best Christmas market cruises to book now
Celestyal: Mediterranean Splendour
Lisbon– Tangier – Valencia – Palma – Sete – Barcelona
Celestyal, known for its Greece-focused cruises, is debuting around the western Med this winter.
Aboard the mid-sized Celestyal Discovery, which caters for around 1,300 guests, you can start this seven-night winter sun cruise by sampling pastéis de nata in Lisbon, then head to the exotic markets of Tangier, Morocco, and enjoy sunny stops in Valencia and Palma. There is also a stop in the small French harbour town of Sète, known as the Venice of Languedoc,
Departs 12 December 2026. From £449pp.
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Disney Destiny: Very Merrytime Cruise
Fort Lauderdale - Lookout Cay - Castaway Cay - Fort Lauderdale
Spend the festive season aboard Disney’s newest cruise ship, Disney Destiny.
You won’t have to worry about Christmas dinner or the cold as you sail around the Bahamas and visit Disney’s private island.
You'll have chances to meet Mickey and the gang in their Christmas outfits, as well as try web-shooting sessions with Spider-Man. You can also see the Hercules stage show and enjoy an immersive Lion King-themed dinner.
The ship is hero- and villain-themed and perfect for Marvel fans, with a Doctor Strange-inspired bar and a large Black Panther statue in the Grand Hall.
Departs 23 December 2026. From £1,521pp.
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