When YOU travel, your name ends up on a list that is prepared for me at the beginning of every month, and if you travelled this past October, you were part of a list that was the longest one EVER for our little agency. Apparently October is the new peak season amongst our clients.
Our clients may be slightly ahead of the curve on this trend. This is because many of you are retired, or semi-retired, or at least have a high degree of control over your own schedule. Use this to your advantage, but you might want to KEEP QUIET about QUIET SEASON:
WHAT Exactly is QUIET SEASON?
- The exact dates vary by destination, but it’s often the winter months.
- PEAK season for Europe, Canada, and Japan is now May through September (yes… the “September Secret” is out – the busiest month of the year for river cruises in Europe).
WHY Travel in Quiet Season
- Way fewer people to compete with on shore. This means shorter line-ups.
- It will usually cost you less.
- It’s easier for restaurant reservations, museum tickets, and hotel availability.
- You can support local, small businesses when they need it most.
The Trade-Offs for Travelling in QUIET SEASON:
- You’ll need to wear a jacket, pack in layers, probably bring rain gear.
- It’s more difficult to travel with kids or grandkids
- There are fewer flight options.
- Fewer daylight hours in winter, and this is MORE pronounced at higher latitudes (like Europe, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand).
- Some shoppes or attractions may have reduced hours or be closed.
WHEN is QUIET SEASON for Destinations our Clients Visit Most:
- EUROPE: October through March. You’re not going to Europe for a beach holiday anyway, so the cooler temperatures aren’t a problem. Do remember the daylight hours are short in winter. Rhine & Danube cruises are now available year round.
- CANADA: Our clients go to Vancouver, the Canadian Rockies, or Quebec. If you can cope with rain, Vancouver is relatively warm in winter, and there are occasional cruises to Hawaii. OR-if you want a unique winter escape, visit the Ice Hotel near Quebec City.
- AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND: March through October is the austral winter. Aussies and Kiwis are BIG cruisers, so there are ships there year-round if you want to beat crowds.
- JAPAN: October – March. People go for Cherry Blossoms in spring but that’s the busiest time to visit. If you like winter getaways, go North, and visit Mt. Fuji during ski season.
Life is full of trade-offs, and travelling in non-peak season is one of them. Experienced travellers have found Quiet Season… and all indications are that October 2026 will exceed October 2025 for the month with our most clients travelling ever. Experienced travellers want to enjoy “being there”, as opposed to just saying “I was there”.
The PODCAST: Dream-Travel-Share UNPACKED
In this episode of UNPACKED, we talk about why more experienced travelers are choosing to travel outside traditional peak season—and why the old idea of “shoulder season” may not mean what it used to.
In Case You Missed It:
QUIET SEASON MEDITERRANEAN. Several cruise lines leave ships in the Mediterranean year-round, and that creates a great opportunity to explore the sites without having to compete with quite so many others:
https://pamperedcruiser.com/quiet-season-mediterranean/
AIR COMPARE: In June, Bob and I found ourselves flying on American, Air Canada, Delta, and United all within a few weeks of each other, and we were even on a Boeing 737-MAX for each leg. How often do you get a direct comparison like this?!?
https://pamperedcruiser.com/which-north-american-airline-is-best/
SEACLOUD: If you’ve been seemingly everywhere, or you like to be the first to experience something new, then look at what SEACLOUD is doing. It very well could be your next bucket list trip!
https://pamperedcruiser.com/sea-cloud-a-river-cruise-lovers-dream-on-the-ocean/
Featured YOUTUBE Video:
Silversea’s SILVER NOVA Ship Tour. We were on board a few months ago, and Laurie Bohn from Silversea walked Bob around this innovative vessel:
Remember to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel while you’re there. It really helps us, and we can produce more content for you!
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Today’s Travel Opportunities
YACHTING Experiences with WINDSTAR in the QUIET SEASON
With a maximum 320 guest, WINDSTAR is a casual experience with a great culinary experience.
MEDITERRANEAN in the WINTER: Venice to Barcelona departing January 30 for 15-days
- Start with an overnight stay in Venice on board the ship, and then sail to Zadar, Dubrovnik (overnight), Messina, Naples, Rome, Livorno (overnight), Genoa, Nice (overnight), and finish with an overnight stay on the ship in Barcelona.
- Fares from $5686
HOLLAND TULIPS round-trip Amsterdam departing April 22 for 7-nights
There’s lots of Tulip cruises on riverboats, but it’s off-season for Ocean Yachts in the Netherlands – except for WINDSTAR:
- Start in Amsterdam and visit Harlingen, Oudeschild, Bruges, Antwerp, and cruise the Scheldt River.
- Fares from $5479
RIVER CRUISING with TAUCK
Quiet season for river cruises in Europe is March, April & November. Here are some ideas from TAUCK – the most inclusive of the river cruise lines in Europe:
PORTUGAL & SPAIN on the Douro River for one-week:
- Visit Porto, Douro valley, Peso da Regua, Pinhao, Vega de Terron, Mateus Palace, Guimaraes.
- See the vineyards and estate wineries, traverse the locks, take in spectacular scenery, visit castle ruins, see paleolithic art, and enjoy architectural treasures.
- 2027: Depart April – May or July – November from $5990
- Optional extensions to Madrid and/or Lisbon.
THE BLUE DANUBE from Budapest to Prague for 12-days
- Start in Budapest for 2 nights (with extensive sight-seeing in both Buda and Pest), Bratislava, Vienna for 2-nights (with a private visit to a palace), Durnstein (where you’ll visit castles and wineries), Wachau Valley, Linz (for side trips to Salzburg or Cesky Krumlov), and Engelhartszell. Disembark in Vilshofen, and visit Regensburg on your way to Prague for 2-nights where you’ll have a private dinner at Lobkowicz Palace, and get a private tour of the Baroque Library at Strahov Monastery.
- Depart April through October from $7290
VIKING OCEAN QUIET SEASON
Viking leaves two ships in the Mediterranean year-round, providing LOTS of options for those that want to explore Southern Europe in the QUIET SEASON. Here are two examples:
PORTUGAL & SPAIN: Lisbon to Barcelona departing for 8-days
- Visit Lisbon (overnight), Seville, Tangier, Granada, Cartagena, and Mallorca.
- Depart February 3, 10 or 12 in a veranda room from $3999 with air from $999
- Pre/post extensions available to Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, or Basque Country
SPAIN, ITALY & NORTHERN AFRICA round-trip Barcelona for 16-days
- Visit Marseille, Corsica, Rome, Malta (overnight), Tunis, Algiers, Casablanca, Seville, Granada.
- Depart January 13 or 24 in a veranda room from $8499 with air from $799
- Pre/post extensions available to Madrid, Barcelona or Basque Country
Viking also has RIVER CRUISES on the Rhine and Danube in January and February.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC REMOTE EXPLORATIONS
With NATGEO it’s always quiet season. They put far fewer people on vessel than other cruise lines, and they go to remote places.
WHALE WATCHING in Baja California round-trip from Loreto for 8-days
- Experience the best of the Sea of Cortez. Get up close encounters with gray whales; do zodiac tours in search of dolphins, sea lions and whales; go snorkeling to see the sea life; go for a walk in Espiritu Santo Archipelago NP; go bird watching for Blue-Footed Boobies and other species.
- Departures January through March from $6450
COSTA RICA & PANAMA CANAL: San Jose to Panama City for 8-days
- Start in San José and visit the Osa Conservation Area, Golfo Dulce, Coiba National Park, Gulf of Panama Islets, Gatún Lake, and finish in Colón
- Departures November 2026 through April 2027 from $6485
CRYSTAL Small Ship Luxury
Crystal has the highest space per guest on their ships in the industry, so regardless of when you go, it will feel like QUIET SEASON on board their ships.
Cruise with VANESSA WILLIAMS: Fort Lauderdale to Cartagena depart November 23 for 9-nights
- Start in Fort Lauderdale and visit Paradise Island, Samana, San Juan, Jost Van Dyke, Oranjestad and finish in Cartagena.
- Fares from $4200
- OR stay on board for 19-days, and disembark in Costa Rica from $9520
- $1000 Air Credit available.
San Diego to Vancouver departing January 8 for 139 nights
- Circumnavigate the Pacific: Start in San Diego and visit the Mexican Riviera, Central America, the Pacific Coast of South America, the South Pacific and Polynesian Islands, New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Alaska, and finish in Vancouver.
- Fares from $76,200
COLLETTE — Premium Guided Land Journeys
If you travel outside of the summer months in most of the US, it will be much quieter. Here are two examples:
Northern CALIFORNIA and Yosemite for 8-days
- Visit Monterey, Carmel, Modesto (for Yosemite), Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, Napa Valley, San Francisco.
- 2026: Departures in October from $3799
- 2027: Departures April through October from $3799
NORTHERN LIGHTS in Alaska for 7-days
Visit the 49th State BEFORE the cruise ships get there, and catch the Northern Lights too!
- Visit Anchorage, Prince William Sound, Talkeetna, and travel the railroad to Fairbanks
- March departures from $4699.
Recently booked a Viking Cruise?
Viking makes it really easy to book direct, either online, by phone, or on board. Our clients worry that if they book on-line, that they’re cutting us out, but if you let us know after you’ve booked, then we can still help you with your reservation (even if you booked ON BOARD).
We’ll check over your reservation to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal, and we will also add some onboard credits that are not available on direct bookings.
We can add at least $100 per person onboard credit to any direct Viking reservation made in the last 60 days.
There is never a situation where you’ll get a better deal by booking directly with Viking (or any other cruise line).
If you recently booked a Viking Cruise, please let us know as soon as possible.
If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
