Cruises in September 2027: where to go and what to expect

Where to cruise in September 2027

Best this month: Bermuda, Mediterranean and Europe, Greece. Each region below links to its full guide, with the lines that sail there and the ports they leave from. Ratings follow the “best time to go” advice in our destination guides.

Best this month

• BermudaStill hot with warm water and fewer children, at the peak of hurricane season.
  From $482 per personChecked October 2026
• Mediterranean and EuropeWarmest sea, thinner crowds and often lower fares.
  From $373 per personChecked October 2026
• GreeceWarm sea, thinner crowds, often lower fares.
  From $783 per personChecked October 2026

Also in season

• Canada and New EnglandFoliage season starts late in the month; busier and pricier.
  From $769 per personChecked October 2026
• HawaiiRound trips from the mainland start again.
  From $868 per personChecked October 2026

Possible, with trade-offs

• AlaskaLowest fares and fall colors, with cooler, wetter days; some tours stop.
  From $613 per personChecked October 2026
• The CaribbeanPeak of hurricane season and usually the lowest fares. Southern Caribbean is the safer bet.
  From $254 per personChecked October 2026
• MexicoPeak hurricane risk; lowest fares.
  From $292 per personChecked October 2026
• Northern Europe, Iceland and NorwayLast sailings, lower fares, first chance of northern lights.
  From $558 per personChecked October 2026
• Panama CanalFall repositioning: good value, but Panama's wet season.
  From $2,239 per personChecked October 2026

Holidays and school breaks

Labor Day is Monday, September 6, 2027, and the weekend before it is the last busy one of the summer. After it, schools are back across the US and family demand drops on most routes. That is why September is one of the months our adults-only cruise guide recommends on any line, and why fares are usually lower than in July and August.

Mediterranean cruise in September

September and October are our pick for the Mediterranean in our Mediterranean cruise guide and our Europe cruise guide. The sea is at its warmest after the summer, crowds thin once the European school holidays end, and fares usually drop from their July and August peak. The whole season is still running, so the choice of ships and routes is as wide as in midsummer.

Greece is at its best for the same reasons, and September is our pick there for couples. One cost to know about: Greece’s per-person cruise fee at Santorini and Mykonos is at its highest rate from June to September and falls in October.

In the north, September is the end of the season. Northern Europe has its last sailings at lower fares, with cooler days and the first chance of northern lights on late routes.

Alaska cruise in September: weather and what to pack

September is the last month of the main season in Alaska, and the cheapest along with May. The weather is the trade. Travel Alaska, the state tourism office, gives Juneau an average range of 44 to 55°F for the month, says rainy days continue, particularly in Juneau, and puts daylight at around 12 hours. It is also when fall color arrives. Some excursions stop running as the season winds down, so check that the tours you want are still offered on your dates.

Is September a good time to cruise Alaska? Yes, if price and quiet ports matter more to you than warm days. Nights are dark again, so the last sailings have a small chance of northern lights, though cloud often gets in the way.

What to wear on an Alaskan cruise in September is a colder, wetter version of the summer list:

• a waterproof jacket with a hood, and waterproof shoes
• a fleece or other warm mid-layer, plus a thin base layer for the glacier day
• a warm hat and gloves
• binoculars
• one smart outfit if your line has dressy evenings

Layers work better than one heavy coat. Our best cruise lines for Alaska ranking covers which line to pick, and most round trips leave from Seattle or Vancouver.

Hurricane season: the Caribbean, Bermuda and Mexico

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and NOAA’s National Hurricane Center puts its peak at September 10, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October. That makes September the riskiest month for a Caribbean cruise, and usually the cheapest. Lines steer ships around storms, so the usual cost is a swapped port or an extra sea day, not a canceled trip. The Southern Caribbean is the safer bet. Buy travel insurance and don’t book a same-day flight home.

Bermuda is still hot: Go To Bermuda gives a September average of 85°F, with the water around 83°F. Fewer children are aboard after Labor Day, which is why we rate it a best month. It sits inside the same hurricane season, so a Bermuda trip can become a trip to somewhere else. Early September is our pick, and Norwegian Pearl’s 7-day trips from Philadelphia end in early September 2027.

Mexico is the month’s weak spot. The Eastern Pacific season runs from May 15 to November 30, and NOAA says most of its storms occur between late June and early October, so both coasts are exposed. Most Mexican Riviera ships are still in Alaska and return in October.

Late September: fall foliage, Hawaii and repositioning cruises

The fall color season on a Canada and New England cruise starts late in the month. Late September gives a good chance of color with slightly milder weather than October, and these are among the busiest and most expensive weeks of the season. Early September sailings from Boston and New York are warmer and cheaper, without the color.

As Alaska ends, ships move. Round trips to Hawaii from California start again in September, and one-way repositioning cruises appear at low per-night fares, including the first fall Panama Canal crossings.

Disney Cruise Line starts its Halloween on the High Seas sailings in September 2027. Disney Wish arrives in New York in late September for 4- to 7-night trips to Bermuda and to Canada and New England, after its first summer in Europe. Our Disney 2027 guide has the full list.

Sample September 2027 sailings

Sample sailings departing in September 2027. From-prices per person, checked October 2026.

Departs	Line and ship	Nights	Itinerary	From	Link
Sep 1, 2027	AmaWaterways, AmaCerto	7	7 Night Europe’S Rivers & Castles (from Nuremberg Germany)	$4,479	Check price
Sep 1, 2027	AmaWaterways, AmaReina	7	7 Night Melodies Of The Danube (from Budapest Hungary)	$4,579	Check price
Sep 1, 2027	AmaWaterways, AmaSonata	7	7 Night Romantic Danube (Modified) (from Vilshofen Germany)	$4,829	Check price
Sep 1, 2027	Avalon Waterways, Avalon Alegria	7	7 Night Vida Portugal: Vineyards & Villages Along The Douro (from Porto Portugal)	$5,301	Check price
Sep 1, 2027	Avalon Waterways, Avalon Imagery II	7	7 Night Danube Dreams (Westbound) (from Budapest Hungary)	$4,476	Check price
Sep 1, 2027	Avalon Waterways, Avalon Impression	5	5 Night Danube Symphony (Westbound) (from Budapest Hungary)	$3,329	Check price
Sep 1, 2027	Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Sunshine	9	10 Day Greek Isles Turkey & Italy (from Civitavecchia (Rome) Italy)	$827	Check price
Sep 1, 2027	Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Eclipse	9	9 Night France, Spain & Portugal Cruise (from Amsterdam The Netherlands)	$2,023	Check price
Sep 1, 2027	costa, Costa Serena	7	7 Night Eastern Mediterranean Cruise (from Piraeus (Athens) Greece)	$1,345	Check price
Sep 1, 2027	Disney Cruise Line, Disney Fantasy	4	4 Night Bahamas Cruise (from Port Canaveral Florida)	$1,140	Check price
Sep 1, 2027	Holland America Line, Zaandam	7	7 Night Alaska Cruise (from Vancouver British Columbia)	$1,014	Check price
Sep 1, 2027	MSC Cruises, MSC Fantasia	7	7 Night Mediterranean - Western Cruise (from Cannes France)	$1,328	Check price

September cruise FAQ

Is September a good time to cruise?

It’s one of the best months for value, especially in the Mediterranean, Greece and Bermuda, and for low Alaska fares. It’s the weakest month for the Caribbean and Mexico because of hurricane season.

What are the best cruises to take in September?

A Mediterranean or Greek Isles cruise, for warm sea and thinner crowds, and Bermuda in the first half of the month. Late in the month, Canada and New England sailings catch the start of fall color.

Is September a good time to cruise Alaska?

For price and quiet ports, yes. Fares are among the lowest of the season, but Juneau averages 44 to 55°F, rain is common and daylight is down to about 12 hours.

What should I pack for an Alaska cruise in September?

A waterproof jacket with a hood, waterproof shoes, a fleece, a base layer, a warm hat and gloves, and binoculars.

Is September a good time for a Caribbean cruise?

Fares are low, but it’s the peak of hurricane season. The Southern Caribbean is the safer choice, and travel insurance is a must.

Are cruises cheaper in September?

Usually, on most routes. Schools are back after Labor Day, so family demand drops, and hurricane season pushes Caribbean fares down further. The exception is the fall foliage weeks in Canada and New England at the end of the month.

Other months: August, October. See every month on our cruises by month page.