Cruising in December

Q: We are planning a cruise departing Barcelona and cruising along the French and Italian Rivieras, up to Venice and one or two Greek islands. Our problem is that business commitments rule out any other time of year except December 2011. What is the weather like in the area at that time of the year? - Molly

A: As you will know, winter is not the best time to cruise. However, December appears to be a fair time to cruise if you are going to go in winter as it is considered milder than January and February and it remains relatively dry. Temperatures will vary according to your port. For instance, the average temperature highs and lows in Barcelona during this month are 13 and 6 degrees. On the other hand, many of the Greek islands are very quiet, with hotels and other tourist spots closed. On board, you should not feel the cold, even though it may be cool in the evenings. If you are going for sightseeing rather than swimming and tanning, you should be fine. The benefits of cruising at this time (besides the lower fares) is that tourist attractions will be less crowded and the locals more friendly. (24/10/10)