April marks the beginning of spring, with the natural world coming to life and bursting with color. For cruising, this is also an excellent month to reposition your cruise as ships shift to summer sailings. In this article I shared Best cruise destinations in April.
April cruise destinations
April is the month to reposition your cruise ship, opening up a wide variety of destinations to explore. It’s the end of the winter cruise season and the beginning of summer. A repositioning cruise starts in one port and ends in another. Depending on the ship’s heading, a repositioning cruise can be an epic journey, such as Southampton to Asia, or it can be booked for a shorter leg, such as Southampton to Rome.
I particularly like repositioning cruises for a number of reasons:
- Repositioning cruises can have a variety of cruise destinations
- There is usually a good balance between port days and sea days
- Relocating cruise ships is valuable as they visit ports during shoulder seasons
- You can cruise on a new ship as it relocates from the shipyard port to its first home port
Some cruise destinations are especially special in April because of their natural beauty or special events.
Kyoto, Japan
April is cherry blossom season, a festival that the Japanese have celebrated for centuries. Forecasters track the cherry blossom season every year, so it varies slightly from year to year. During April, the weather is usually sunny and mild, with average temperatures of 17°C. Many cruise lines offer cruises during cherry blossom season, such as Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Princess Cruises. The closest port to Kyoto is Kobe.
Japan is one of the best cruise destinations in April because of the cherry blossoms in bloom and the perfect opportunity to reposition your cruise. As cruise ships move from winter to summer deployments, a good option is a transpacific cruise from Japan to Alaska.
Touring the Norwegian Fjords in April
The Norwegian fjords offer breathtaking scenery and are a must-see on any cruise. Cruises take you up close to the fjords with their spectacular waterfalls and majestic glaciers, and stop at ports like Bergen to explore the town and its brightly colored wooden houses. All major cruise lines offer Norwegian fjord itineraries of varying lengths and ports of call. Many Norwegian Fjord cruises depart from Southampton, so this is advantageous for UK cruises looking for no-fly options.
Cruise to the Galapagos Islands
Cruises to the Galapagos Islands tend to be smaller, adventure cruise Such as Celebrity Adventures. Expedition cruises may be more expensive than mainstream cruises, but they are one of the best cruise destinations in April to see legendary giant tortoises, baby sea lions and sea turtles. If you want to see these creatures in their natural habitat, it’s worth planning a Galapagos cruise several years in advance, as they are extremely popular.
See the tulips in Amsterdam
Spring is the best time to see the tulips in bloom in Amsterdam, and you can book a cruise to coincide with its arrival in 2022 flower expostarting in April. The Flower Expo is an international horticultural event held every ten years. Not only are there tulips, there are 150 acres of themed exhibits to explore.
Amsterdam is also one of the best cruise destinations in April, as national celebrations take place on April 27 to mark the King’s birthday. The Koningsdag is one of the largest street parties in the world, celebrating the Bastille Day with markets, parties, street entertainment and canals filled with boats. If you happen to be in port heading to Koningsdag, don’t forget to bring some orange clothing.
Rome in April
Rome was founded on April 21, and special events are held every year to celebrate its birthday. You can expect reenactments and Romans in traditional costumes.
Another reason to sail to Rome around April 21st is the special event that takes place at the Pantheon at noon.
The Pantheon has the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world and has stood in Rome for thousands of years. The domed roof has a hole in the center called the “eye.” At noon on April 21, the sun was in a perfect position framed by an eye patch.
If your cruise starts or ends in Rome, you should also consider booking your Rome ferry tickets Roman Forum light showwhich runs from April to October. Each evening light show brings the ancient ruins to life with audio tours and projections of the ruins.
Final Thoughts on the Best Cruise Destinations for April
It is recommended to visit these cruise destinations in April to coincide with specific events, whether natural or man-made. It could be witnessing the beautiful cherry blossom season in Japan or a birthday celebration in Rome.
Repositioning cruises are a potential option in April, offering great value as well as unusual itineraries. Choosing to visit a port during the off-season can also avoid the large crowds that occur during the peak season.
If you have any cruise destinations you recommend visiting in April, I’d love to read about them in the comments below.
