Who's cruised in January/February?

[Dcanoli]

We are booked on the January 30, 2005 Wonder cruise.

My husband is adamantly against going on this cruise because of the cold weather, but we just had to cancel our September 26 cruise due to Hurricane Jeanne, and I really want us to go before the "high" is gone!



I am reading a lot of different things. On the web, it shows average temps of 70-80 in the Bahamas, and some people have posted that is really, really cold, and tonight, I've just read three posts from January cruisers who say 80 degrees in the Bahamas is like 100 degrees up north USA.

If you've cruise in January and/or February, please let me know what you think! Thanks! Deb

 

[mark & sandra]

We cruised last Jan. 17th. We happened to catch a cold spell. Port Canaveral was about 60ish the day we left. We were told that it was well below the norm. We found Grand Cayman and Cozumel to be fine. Temps were in the mid 70s to low 80s. Castaway Cay was too cool in the morning, but by noon it was warm enough to enjoy the beach and get a tan. I will say that the water was on the cold side, because my kids wouldn't swim at all and they will swim at Disney World even on the coldest of nights. (but Castaway Cay is ocean water and not a pool)...Mark

 

[Dcanoli]

That is exactly what my husband is afraid of. He loves the beach and especially the ocean.

Castaway Cay is the big reason we didn't go on the Hurricane cruise this weekend. We want our kids to experience the whole deal.

I know what you mean about kids swimming in cold water. We've got two boys that will swim in just about anything....so, you're saying that CC was fine as the day went on EXCEPT for the water?

I really wanted to see the Hidden Mickey and submarine, but I suppose that will be out in January!

Thanks for the advice! I'm looking forward to hearing others thoughts too!

 

[aprilgail2]

I cruised on the Big Red Boat many years ago in Jan and honestly I wouldn't do it again...it was way to cool for my liking, it was to cool to swim that was for sure....I am sure it s fine for some people but I like water that is in the high 80's!

 

[WheresGoofy]

I have cruised twice during those months and found it to be a great escape from the colder temperatures we were having. The first cruise was in January and I left the ice for the warmth.

 

[Dcanoli]

So, I see this is going to be an either "try it for yourself and decide" cruise or a "give it up" cruise!

Every single opinion is different! (Except for the cool water part!) And, it's not the ship pools I'm worried about--it's the ocean water that my husband loves!

If Daddy ain't happy...the family don't cruise!

 

[BELLE16127]

My DH and I cruised in Jan 2000 and the weather was good (much better than Pennsylvania) I thought the water at Castaway wasa bit cold for me but overall it was still a great trip. I have cruised twice durring hurricane season and I am heading for my third hurricane voyage on October 16th. Even through the wonder and worry about that time of year I would still pick it.....

 

[Dcanoli]

Okay, Belle, so it was "a bit cold." What exactly does that mean? Were people actually swimming in it?

 

[BELLE16127]

Okay, Dcanoli...people were swimming YES but I do believe I said a bit cold for me. Some people enjoy cooler water I don't. They told us the water temp was in the 60's....I won't get in my pool at home until the water is in the high 70's. I will make sure that next time I reply to a post here I take into consideration that there are some people who need exact information to make a decision.

And as I look back at what everyone else posted they also used words like too cool for me and cooler. You should just do what you want to do if your not ready to read what people type and take from it what you can get, now that is just my opinion but since your post was directed at me I figure I can tell you what I think

 

[smilingmouse]

Originally posted by Dcanoli
We are booked on the January 30, 2005 Wonder cruise.

My husband is adamantly against going on this cruise because of the cold weather, but we just had to cancel our September 26 cruise due to Hurricane Jeanne, and I really want us to go before the "high" is gone!



I am reading a lot of different things. On the web, it shows average temps of 70-80 in the Bahamas, and some people have posted that is really, really cold, and tonight, I've just read three posts from January cruisers who say 80 degrees in the Bahamas is like 100 degrees up north USA.

If you've cruise in January and/or February, please let me know what you think! Thanks! Deb

Unfortunately, I can't help you with your question, but I did want to say We are also on the 1/30 cruise!!!! We can't wait!!! I'm sure we'll have a great time

 

[Miss Eeyore]

We cruised Feb. 2003, and it was lovely and warm....none of the stifling heat like later in the year.

Marilee.....who is in negotiations getting quotes for the special 2006 sailings

 

[jdm]

We cruised in Feb of 2001. It was beautiful, my kids did swim at CC (and everywhere else). We are doing another Wonder trip in Feb. 2004
Jenn

 

[roscodog]

We cruised mid-January a couple of years ago on the 7-day Western itinerary. That year, Orlando hit a cold front and it was in the low 40's. The weather at Key West was great and it was warm in Cozumel although the water was pretty cool during the dolphin encounter. We hit a storm on the way to Castaway Cay and could not dock there so we missed that much to our dissapointment. It was pretty rough ride back to Port Canaveral . I heard that the weather was nice the week before and after our trip. We still had a great time.
We will be sailing again late January 2005.

 

[Scotfan]

We cruised Princess Feb 03 and have photos of us enjoying their beach resort, even my DM who will Not go in the water unless it is very warm. I dont think Princess Cay is that far from Castaway Cay correct me if I am wrong. We are doing the Wonder this Feb and will be hitting the beach. We are from Scotland so maybe that makes a difference. It rarely gets warmer than 75 here.

 

[mickeyfanmom]

You just never know. We went to WDW near the middle of December a few years ago, and took personalized Christmas sweatshirts from the Disney store for an extended (16 people) family picture. Well we wore those sweatshirts for about two minutes because it was in the high 80's (which was a total fluke according to all of the FL natives and CM's) even at night.

We talked to some people coming back from the DC and they said it had been unseasonably (and uncomfortably) warm at all of their ports.

Another time we went during the same time of the year and they were having an unusual cold snap and we had to buy everyone Goofy sweatshirts (would have preferred Mickey but they were all sold out since it was so cold!) one night for the entire family to watch Illuminations.

So you just never know.



PS- We are cruising in January too and plan to make the most of it no matter the temp.- I checked the Caribbean websites and it says that the temps are in high 70's low 80's and water temp in 70's so that seems good for us- we are originally from the great white north of Michigan!

 

[TheWog]

We cruised January 10 this year for the 7 day eastern magic. It was great. Temps were in the 80's each day with high 70's at CC. Water was great and we swam at every port and each day on the ship. The CC water wasn't what we would consider chilly. Althought the ocean maxes out around 70ish on the coast of Maine here so that's our gauge. It was definitely swimming temperatures and there were a lot of people in the water. We found it to be great. The temps didn't fell like 100's here during the summer, but it was very warm and nice all week. Only wore pants to dinner and I personally didn't need a sweatshirt at night, although DW did when on deck. DS6 swam so much each day and loved it. The only day it was cool was leaving Port Canaveral. It was in the 50's but we had just come from 12 below zero weather so it was a heat wave for us and I had on my shorts and shortsleeves. Other than that it was great. I am going again this January (RCI though) and are planning the western DCL for Jan 06. You will have a great trip. Good luck.

 

[tkd lisa]

The OP is asking about a Wonder cruise. That means she's not going nearly as far south as a Magic cruise. Keep in mind that many of these responses were from people who went on either the Eastern or the Western, which is one reason for the big variety of answers. And also, weather does vary quite a bit at that time of year.

We took a 4 day Wonder trip Jan 18, 2003. That area was having a bit of a cold snap. The temp in Port Canaveral when we left was in the low 70s. My kids did get in the Mickey pool, but they had goosebumps. The temp in the Bahamas was in the mid to high 70s during the day, with lots of sunshine, but a pretty good wind blowing. I was okay in my suit on a lounger, but I wasn't getting wet in those temps! Again, the kids swam a bit, but were cold when they got out of the water. Castaway Cay day was about 75 degrees. DD waded, but said the ocean was just too cold to swim. Again, I was okay on the beach in a suit, but wouldn't get wet. I really have no idea what the water temperature was, but since my DD wouldn't swim, it had to be pretty darned cold. When we got back to Port Canaveral, they had one of the coldest days on record. Temp the morning after we got back was 28 degrees!!!!!

So yes, if warm enough weather to swim in the ocean is important to you, I wouldn't take a Wonder cruise in January. That's a decision I made for our family. We are taking the 10 day Magic cruise this Christmas, and if it's too cold to swim at CC, that's okay, since we'll have had 9 days of Caribbean swimming before we get there. Enjoy, and good luck with your decision.

 

[madoug]

We sail 1/02/05 Wonder and I really want my kids to have a chance to snorkle. I bought them shorty wet suits at Sam's/Costco for $20-$25.

 

[feiste]

We sailed on the 2/21 eastern this year. Beautiful weather the whole time until the morning we arrived at Castaway Cay. It was an extremely windy day. Very few people went in the water. If the sun had been shining and the wind died down, my husband and children probably would have been in the water most of the day.

 

[Dcanoli]

You guys have been great! I love these boards, and before I go any further...Belle, if you read this...it was never my intention to attack you. I apologize if you took my words the wrong way...when reading what someone posts, it is impossible to know the inflection implied.

I was joking (i.e., teasing) with you...asking you what you meant by "too cool." I didn't mean in any way to step on your toes...I completely understoond what you meant and only wanted to know if there were people swimming in the ocean at CC. My apologies to you again.

Now....to everyone else. Thank you for your very candid and honest answers. I think that swimming in the ocean, when on a beach holiday, is a minimal part of the trip. Speaking personally, for my family, we do not spend a large amount of time in the ocean water. It's not a pool--it's the ocean for goodness sakes! You can't really SWIM in it, now can you? LOL...

I would have liked to have snorkled for Mickey and the lost submarine, but if that's the only thing I can't do, I'll be fine. (It's my husband who won't be fine!

If anyone is cruising on the 1/30/05 cruise, I have started a thread under Cruise Meets.

Thanks again for all the great answers! Please keep them coming!