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 $329 per personChecked October 2026
• Mediterranean and EuropeWarmest sea, thinner crowds and often lower fares.
  From $504 per personChecked October 2026
• GreeceWarm sea, thinner crowds, often lower fares.
  From $504 per personChecked October 2026

Also in season

• Canada and New EnglandFoliage season starts late in the month; busier and pricier.
  From $451 per personChecked October 2026
• HawaiiRound trips from the mainland start again.
  From $706 per personChecked October 2026

Possible, with trade-offs

• AlaskaLowest fares and fall colors, with cooler, wetter days; some tours stop.
  From $543 per personChecked October 2026
• The CaribbeanPeak of hurricane season and usually the lowest fares. Southern Caribbean is the safer bet.
  From $1,079 per personChecked October 2026
• MexicoPeak hurricane risk; lowest fares.
  Fares change daily; check current prices
• Northern Europe, Iceland and NorwayLast sailings, lower fares, first chance of northern lights.
  Fares change daily; check current prices
• Panama CanalFall repositioning: good value, but Panama's wet season.
  From $829 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 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

September cruise FAQ

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