Top winter cruises to the Caribbean & Atlantic islands with Marella

Sophie Chichester

Sophie Chichester

Let's be honest: winter can be darn dreary in the UK, even after the intense heatwaves of the summer months, and much like a L'Oréal lady, you're worth more than that.

TUI's fifth cruise ship - Marella Voyager
TUI's fifth cruise ship - Marella Voyager © TUI UK & Ireland

Grey and grim doesn't need to be the order of the (painfully short) day; treat yourself to a voyage south with Marella Cruises* instead. Choose from a wealth of winter sun cruises to the Canary Islands and Caribbean to (dis)solve all your blues.

We've rounded up a selection of fab itineraries to spark inspiration, whether you're travelling with the children (or don't want to see a single child), you fancy being away for Christmas or just want to escape the darkness of northern Europe.

These itineraries run throughout the winter, so if you don't see a date that suits you, there may be another cruise that works.

A flavour of the southern Caribbean

This Caribbean itinerary is not only aboard Marella's newest ship, but it's also a splendid salty, spicy sample of island sailing, ticking off so many exotic ports you only get one day off in which to take a sea-air breather and make inroads into Marella's all-inclusive smorgasbord.

From buzzy Barbados, Marella Voyager heads north to St Lucia, where the UNESCO-listed Pitons rise over a coastline of beaches and rainforest (enjoy the former by lying on, or snorkelling beside, them and the latter by ziplining through and above), before continuing to French-Caribbean Guadeloupe.

Hike in the greenery of Guadeloupe National Park
Hike in the greenery of Guadeloupe National Park © Paul - Adobe Stock Image

Here, highlights include Guadeloupe National Park (complete with a resident active volcano) and the Jacques Cousteau Underwater Reserve, where glass-bottom boat trips pull back the veil on reefs, shipwrecks and colourful marine life.

When we say spicy, we mean spicy: Grenada is known as the 'Spice Island' (think ginger, almond, nutmeg and vanilla and more), so this is the place to restock your rack.

Elsewhere, Grand Etang National Park (look out for monkeys), Annandale Falls and Grand Anse Beach are among the island's big hitters.

Dive into colonial history and architecture in Tobago and give the same treatment to Pigeon Point's white sand-fringed azure waters before following in the bootsteps of Pirates of the Caribbean's Johnny Depp in the bays of St Vincent.

Climate in Castries, St Lucia in December

  • Usually 29°C maximum daytime temperature in Castries in December29
    29°C max daytime temperature
  • 8 hours of sunshine per day
  • Usually 18 days with some rainfall in Castries in December18
    18 days with some rainfall
  • 149 mm monthly rainfall in Castries in December149
    149 mm monthly rainfall

The above guide shows the climate in Castries. Find out more about conditions across the region in our complete guide to the climate in the Caribbean.

Classic Canary Islands & Madeira

  • Itinerary: Island Explorer*
  • Holiday type: family-friendly
  • Ship: Marella Explorer*
  • Duration: 7 nights
  • Sailing from: Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
  • Date: 7 December 2026

This is a strong first-timer's Canaries' itinerary because it ticks the biggies off and shows just how different these Atlantic islands can be.

Tenerife features Spain's highest peak, Mount Teide, rising above the volcanic landscapes of Teide National Park, while La Palma boasts steep green mountains, pine forests, volcanic coastline and the multi-hued balconies of Santa Cruz de La Palma.

Then there's Madeira, cast out into the Atlantic Ocean north of the Canaries. Capital Funchal is stamped with cobbled streets and flower-filled gardens plus a covered market and 16th-century Sé Cathedral.

To experience more of a thrill, take a cable car above Funchal to Monte, a lush hilltop neighbourhood known for its tropical gardens, while the famous wicker toboggans offer an exhilarating route back down.

Funchal's famous toboggan ride
Funchal's famous toboggan ride © Victor Maschek - Shutterstock.com

Back in the Canaries, Lanzarote delivers an intriguing landscape of lava fields, rust-red craters and the volcanic scenery of Timanfaya National Park (there's even a restaurant (El Diablo) which cooks meat using geothermal heat).

Yes, you'll feel like you've landed on Mars; no, it doesn't have to be a mission. Puerto del Carmen is Lanzarote's most popular beach resort and the perfect spot for you to pack in some sand-lazing before you fly home to the, gulp, cold.

Climate in Arrecife, Lanzarote in December

  • Usually 21°C maximum daytime temperature in Arrecife in December21
    21°C max daytime temperature
  • 6 hours of sunshine per day
  • Usually 4 days with some rainfall in Arrecife in December4
    4 days with some rainfall
  • 27 mm monthly rainfall in Arrecife in December27
    27 mm monthly rainfall

The above guide shows the climate in Arrecife. Find out more about conditions in our complete guide to the climate in the Canary Islands.

The Canaries beyond the big-name islands

This itinerary adds two islands that show a different side to the Canaries. Fuerteventura is famous for long pale-sand beaches and Atlantic watersports, but head inland, and the scenery switches to volcanic hills, desert-like plains and traditional villages.

Marella's 4x4 excursion travels through the island's otherworldly interior towards Mount Tindaya, El Cotillo and the dunes of Corralejo Natural Park for Star Wars-esque kicks.

Hike the great expanse of the Parque Natural de Corralejo
Hike the great expanse of the Parque Natural de Corralejo © Daliu - Adobe Stock Image

Just like the child-free peace you'll enjoy onboard this Marella cruise, you can relish the quiet of diminutive La Gomera, with its steep valleys, mountain ridges and misty forests.

Take an excursion through the mountainous interior to viewpoints overlooking formations such as towering Los Roques de Agando, with a demonstration of El Silbo, the island's traditional whistling language, also on the itinerary. Just don't try whistling out back on the ship; it's mighty bad luck according to sailor lore.

Climate in Puerto del Rosario, Fuerteventura in December

  • Usually 20°C maximum daytime temperature in Puerto del Rosario in December20
    20°C max daytime temperature
  • 6 hours of sunshine per day
  • Usually 3 days with some rainfall in Puerto del Rosario in December3
    3 days with some rainfall
  • 18 mm monthly rainfall in Puerto del Rosario in December18
    18 mm monthly rainfall

The above guide shows the climate in Puerto del Rosario. Find out more about conditions in our complete guide to the climate in the Canary Islands.

Christmas in the ABC islands

If Christmas dinner after a day on a Caribbean beach sounds preferable to another "you-will-enjoy-it" walk in the drizzle, this Yuletide sailing from La Romana heads for the southern 'ABC' Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Eggnog out, piña coladas in.

Bonaire is considered one of the best dive and snorkelling destinations in the world, with the port of Kralendijk a jumping-off point for watery wonders, glass-bottom boat trips and excursions into an interior inhabited by iguanas, wild donkeys and pink flamingos. Beats watching the king's speech, right?

Aruba’s iconic beach-dwelling pink flamingos
Aruba’s iconic beach-dwelling pink flamingos © Natalia Barsukova - Adobe Stock Image

Curaçao plates up parrotfish, moray eels and green sea turtles on snorkelling sojourns away from the picturesque, colourful waterfront of Willemstad, while Aruba offers another helping of sea and sand plus the rugged landscapes of Arikok National Park.

For more adventure, descend beneath the waves in the Atlantis submarine on an excursion or swap the sea for an off-road 4x4 adventure.

Back onboard, Marella's Christmas programme includes festive decorations, mince pies, Christmas Eve carols, a Christmas Day service and a special gala dinner, so sailing somewhere tropical doesn't mean abandoning the festivities entirely, although washing up and tidying is firmly ditched.

Climate in Willemstad, Curaçao in December

  • Usually 29°C maximum daytime temperature in Willemstad in December29
    29°C max daytime temperature
  • 8 hours of sunshine per day
  • Usually 16 days with some rainfall in Willemstad in December16
    16 days with some rainfall
  • 96 mm monthly rainfall in Willemstad in December96
    96 mm monthly rainfall

The above guide shows the climate in Willemstad. Find out more about conditions in our complete guide to the climate in the Caribbean.

New Year under the Madeira fireworks

Telling your pals you're setting sail on a sunny end to 2026 and getting your New Year off to a banging start (literally; there are fireworks) is a sure, well, fire way to induce envy.

Madeira’s renowned New Year’s Eve fireworks, Funchal
Madeira’s renowned New Year’s Eve fireworks, Funchal © Jmanuelg - Shutterstock.com

This New Year voyage benefits from an extended call in Funchal, putting passengers in Madeira for the turn of the year. Expect New Year's Eve fireworks island-side alongside a blue-themed New Year's Eve party onboard.

Cruises are nothing if not hugely sociable, so we're sure you'll be celebrating with your newfound friends well into the night; Marella's all-inclusive drinks are perfect for giving you the courage to join the dance floor, we find.

Once the festivities are over, the cruise continues to Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria before returning to Tenerife; so if your New Year's resolution was to relax more and build on that tan, you're in luck!

Climate in Funchal, Madeira in December

  • Usually 16°C maximum daytime temperature in Funchal in December16
    16°C max daytime temperature
  • 5 hours of sunshine per day
  • Usually 12 days with some rainfall in Funchal in December12
    12 days with some rainfall
  • 108 mm monthly rainfall in Funchal in December108
    108 mm monthly rainfall

The above guide shows the climate in Funchal. Find out more about conditions across the archipelago in our complete guide to the climate in Madeira.

Adults-only Caribbean island-hopping

Cocktails and Coconuts does exactly what it says on the (coconut cream) tin, and there won't be a pesky kid in sight. This adults-only sailing strings together Antigua, St Maarten, the British Virgin Islands, St Kitts, Guadeloupe and Barbados for full switching off, welcoming-the-New-Year-in rum-soaked-style mode.

Philipsburg in St Maarten is where you can feel the oft-photographed, scalp-skimming, plane-spotting experience at Maho Beach or enjoy a more old-fashioned time immersing yourself in the island's Dutch colonial history.

For something more active, Marella excursions range from helmet diving beneath the Caribbean to hiking the coastal trail between Guana Bay and Geneve Bay, while catamaran and powerboat trips take you out along the coast for snorkelling and beach-hopping.

Low flying aircraft at Maho Beach, St Maarten
Low flying aircraft at Maho Beach, St Maarten © Wangkun Jia - Shutterstock.com

Erstwhile sugar colony St Kitts is another sweet standout, with luscious mountain scenery, beaches ranging from golden to volcanic black sand and the UNESCO-listed Brimstone Hill Fortress; great if you like preserved fortifications, less great for its African slave labour origins.

The markets in the port of Basseterre are a good place to seek out local flavours such as goat water (a rich stew; nicer than it sounds), saltfish and Johnny cakes (small pieces of fried dough; nothing to do with prophylactics), while the island's historic Scenic Railway provides another chuffing good way to explore. Hello 2027!

Climate in St Kitts in January

  • Usually 28°C maximum daytime temperature in St Kitts in January28
    28°C max daytime temperature
  • 8 hours of sunshine per day
  • Usually 17 days with some rainfall in St Kitts in January17
    17 days with some rainfall
  • 79 mm monthly rainfall in St Kitts in January79
    79 mm monthly rainfall

The above guide shows the climate in St Kitts. Find out more about conditions in our complete guide to the climate in the Caribbean.

Puerto Rico & the Virgin Islands

  • Itinerary: Tropical Isles*
  • Holiday type: family-friendly
  • Ship: Marella Discovery*
  • Duration: 7 nights
  • Sailing from: La Romana, Dominican Republic
  • Date: 23 February 2027

It's no less port-packed on this round-trip from La Romana, mixing like rum-punch, Dominican Republic beaches with history-hewn Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

San Juan is blessed with a colourful old quarter toting cafés and pretty plazas as well as, whodda-thunk-it, the biggest mall in the Caribbean, while centuries-old Castillo San Felipe del Morro guards the headland. Foodies should seek out local mofongo, made from fried green plantains.

Old Quarter, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Old Quarter, San Juan, Puerto Rico © Ryan Tishken - Adobe Stock Image

Frederiksted on St Croix is where you want to be hitting the sands, with Frederiksted Beach the handiest for cruise passengers coming from the pier.

No need to worry about pirates: historic Fort Frederik has been warding off buccaneers since the 1700s (it's a museum now if you fancy a culture break from your sun-worshipping).

Over on Isla Catalina in the Dominican Republic, you can try your flippers at snorkelling on an excursion or feel the wind in your hair on ATV adventures and an off-road monster truck.

Other day trips include a visit to Altos de Chavón, a replica 16th-century village and visiting a cigar factory, if you've got the, erm, puff.

Climate in San Juan, Puerto Rico in February

  • Usually 27°C maximum daytime temperature in San Juan in February27
    27°C max daytime temperature
  • 8 hours of sunshine per day
  • Usually 15 days with some rainfall in San Juan in February15
    15 days with some rainfall
  • 82 mm monthly rainfall in San Juan in February82
    82 mm monthly rainfall

The above guide shows the climate in San Juan. Find out more about conditions in our complete guide to the climate in the Caribbean.

Ready to cruise into winter? Don't miss the latest online offers from Marella Cruises, with itineraries across the Caribbean, Canaries and Atlantic islands.

Marella Cruises: All inclusive sailings to the Med, Canaries & Caribbean
Sophie Chichester

Sophie Chichester

Posted in: Caribbean Cruises Europe & the Mediterranean Winter sun

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