At a glance
- June offers long days, warm weather and reliable sunshine in many cruising regions
- It’s the sweet spot before the peak season crowds of July and August hit popular cruising destinations
- It’s one of the best months to spot wildlife in several popular destinations, from Scottish islands to eastern Indonesia
- You’ll find options to suit a wide selection of budgets in June, from under £700 to over £10,500
Why trust us?
World of Cruising, along with our sister publication, Cruise Trade News, has one of the UK’s most experienced teams of cruise journalists and contributors. Our experts have racked up hundreds of nights at sea and sailed with most cruise lines. Most weeks, one of our writers will be at sea or on a river. Here, that expertise informs our list of the five best cruise destinations to help you make the most of one of the best months for setting sail.
Is June a good time for a cruise?
Yes, absolutely. In fact, it’s in the running to be the very best month to cruise. That’s thanks to the favourable weather conditions you get in a wide range of destinations. Rather than having a handful of good options, you’re positively spoiled for choice, from the midnight sun in northern islands to the golden warmth of the Mediterranean.
Depending on where you go, you can make the most of sun-dappled waters, late spring festivals, wildflowers in bloom and markets bursting with fresh produce.
It’s also one of the few months that works for both families and child-free travellers. Early in June, those sailing without little ones in tow can take advantage of fewer crowds and slightly lower fares before school breaks up. At the end of the month, once term ends, parents get their chance to grab the kids and make a getaway, by ship, of course.
Best no-fly cruise in June: Scottish Islands
Why here, why now: If you’re looking for a summer escape without the fuss of flights, consider a Scottish island cruise. They depart directly from a range of British ports, such as Southampton, Liverpool, Newcastle and Rosyth.
On your voyage, expect blue-green waters, Neolithic landmarks, world-class whisky distilleries and close encounters with wildlife. On Skye, you might hike to the Old Man of Storr or wild swim in crystalline Fairy Pools (if you can bear the cold). On Mull, June is the start of harbour seal pupping season and an excellent time to spot basking sharks. In the Outer Hebrides, you’ll find fields of wildflowers, as well as white sand beaches sloping into turquoise seas.
Plus, this far north, you’ll enjoy extraordinarily long days in June. In Shetland, it never gets fully dark around the solstice. Instead, the sun barely dips beneath the horizon before it begins to rise again. This creates the simmer dim: the Shetland phrase for the luminous twilight that lingers through the midsummer.
Weather: If you dread summer heatwaves, this is the perfect antidote for you. While June is one of the warmest and driest months in Scotland, that doesn’t mean you should expect 30C heat. Instead, anticipate daytime temperatures in the mid-teens. You’ll likely want to pack a light jacket for nippy evenings and a just-in-case umbrella.
Top stops: Inner Hebrides (Mull, Skye and Islay), Outer Hebrides (Lewis and Harris), Orkney, Shetland and the Clyde Islands (Arran and Bute).
Who to sail with:Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has good-value sailings from ports across the UK, with particularly appealing offers for solo travellers. For a luxury experience, Hebridean Island Cruises is a top choice. The boutique ship Hebridean Princess was famously chartered by Queen Elizabeth II.
Price: Fred. Olsen’s fares begin at around £1,000 for seven nights. Hebridean Island Cruises start at around £3,400 per person for a week-long voyage.
Best for a good value June cruise: The Iberian Peninsula
Why here, why now: If you’re after a late spring or early summer getaway, a cruise to Spain and Portugal is a strong pick. Like the Scottish islands, you can sail directly from the UK, which means skipping airport queues and cramped plane seats. Better still, you can find some excellent value fares if you book early.
What you’ll find on your voyage is southern Europe at its sun-kissed best. Days ashore might mean wandering bougainvillea-draped lanes, climbing the ramparts of an age-old fortress, or sipping a port and tonic over ice in a tree-shaded square.
Plus, you’re likely to find that in June, the crowds are more manageable than in July and August. That’s not to say you should expect empty streets or beaches (you’ll be sorely disappointed if you do), but the summer influx peaks later in the season.
Weather: June usually brings warm, sunny days. Expect temperatures in the mid-20s, though heatwaves are happening more frequently. That said, coastal breezes typically provide some relief, even on sweltering days.
Top stops:Barcelona, La Coruna, Vigo, Alicante, Santander, Valencia, Cadiz, Gijon and Bilbao in Spain; Lisbon and Leixoes (for Porto) in Portugal. Note that the Iberian Peninsula is often paired with France, Italy or Morocco.
Who to sail with: P&O offers plenty of no-fly options directly from Southampton, with great amenities for kids on board. Cunard, known for its traditional approach to cruising and comfortable, cultured journeys, offers a range of fly and no-fly itineraries.
Price: With P&O, expect to pay around £1,000 for a 10-day no-fly cruise to Spain and Portugal, or under £750 for a week-long sailing to Spain and France. With Cunard, book far enough in advance and you can find week-long no-fly cruises to Spain for under £700.
Best for a river cruise in June: Danube
Why now, why here? A river cruise is a great way to experience June in Central and Eastern Europe. Along your journey, you can enjoy long, warm days immersed in nature, as well as ones exploring some of the continent’s most historic cities.
You might spend a day hiking the storybook hills of Bavaria, another drifting through the verdant vineyards of Austria’s Wachau Valley, a crisp glass of Riesling in hand. The next could mean a lazy afternoon in a beer garden in Bratislava, or a muscle-melting soak in the fresco-lined thermal baths of Budapest.
Note that June does signal the beginning of high season, and while that comes with advantages, like open-air cultural events and festivals, it also means more crowds. Consider sailing early in the month to see the sights before visitor numbers peak.
Or alternatively, choose an itinerary that focuses on less-visited ports along the Danube. Think Belgrade, with its Brutalist architecture and bohemian edge, or Osijek in Croatia and the surrounding Baranja wine region.
Weather: The Danube is 1,770 miles long, flowing through 10 countries and a variety of climates. That said, by June, you can typically expect warm days with average highs in the low to mid-20s. However, heatwaves are becoming more frequent, so 30C heat is by no means out of the question.
Top stops:Regensburg and Passau in Germany; Melk, Linz, Krems, Dürnstein and Vienna in Austria; Bratislava in Slovakia; Budapest in Hungary; Vidin in Bulgaria; Belgrade in Serbia; and Osijek in Croatia.
Who to sail with:Viking is a luxurious adults-only option, with itineraries covering both marquee ports and lesser-sailed ones. A-ROSA, meanwhile, is a great choice for those travelling with little ones in tow. Many of its ships come complete with family cabins and swimming pools.
Price: Fares for an eight-day Viking cruise on the Danube start at around £2,500 at the time of writing. A-ROSA fares come in at under £900 for a week-long voyage.
Best for a bucket-list adventure in June: The South of France & Monaco
Why here, why now: The South of France has plenty to recommend it in June. Provence’s iconic lavender fields begin to bloom, and along the coast, you’ll find cinematic beaches and hidden coves. You can spend your time ashore swimming in azure waters, wandering famous flower markets or watching yachts drift past as you sip rosé or pastis.
Beyond the meandering cobbled streets, botanical gardens and painterly olive groves, there are also plenty of festivals that draw visitors. Fête de la Musique and Les Voiles d’Antibes are among the most well-known, along with the Monaco Grand Prix. From 2026 onwards, the Formula 1 race will be held in early June.
Several ultra-luxury cruise lines dedicate itineraries specifically to the high-octane event, though beware, they come with the price tag you might expect from such a bucket-list-worthy experience.
Weather: Expect a classic Mediterranean June, with minimal rainfall, lots of sunshine and temperatures in the mid to high 20s. Typically, the fiercest heat comes later in the summer, though due to shifting climate patterns, you can’t rule out the possibility of a June heatwave.
Top stops:Marseille, Sanary-sur-Mer, Villefranche-sur-Mer (Nice), La Seyne-sur-Mer (Toulon), Cannes, St Tropez, Monte Carlo and Cassis. Note that the South of France is also combined with ports like Calvi and Bastia in Corsica, as well as Italian destinations like Portofino.
Who to sail with: Azamara offers sailings focused on the French Riviera, including itineraries specifically designed for those attending the Grand Prix. Explora Journeys similarly has a range of Grand Prix-themed cruises of varying lengths. The Explora I will dock directly at Port Hercule in Monaco for the race.
Price: The price for an Azamara five-night cruise designed to showcase the best of the Grand Prix begins at around £1,600, if you book far enough in advance. With Explora Journeys, fares begin at around £10,500 for five nights, at the time of writing.
Best for a wildlife cruise in June: eastern Indonesia
Why here, why now: Dreaming of a tropical paradise teeming with flora and fauna? Take an expedition cruise hopping between the savannah and rainforest-capped karst islands of eastern Indonesia, which form part of the Coral Triangle.
April to September is dry season in this part of Indonesia, bringing favourable weather conditions, clear skies and calm seas. June offers exceptionally good underwater visibility around Komodo, often reaching up to 30 metres. That makes it excellent for scuba divers and snorkellers in search of marine life.
For example, it’s a good time to see manta rays, which perform acrobatic underwater displays. In parts of the region, it’s also peak season for whale sharks, gentle giants known for their dappled patterns. If you’re very lucky, you may even have the rare privilege of witnessing critically endangered hawksbill turtles in their natural habitat.
For many, however, the real standout is the UNESCO-listed Komodo National Park, home to the eponymous lizards. Growing more than three metres long, they’re often described as ‘living fossils’. June is an ideal time to visit as it comes before the dragons’ mating season, which starts in July; during this period, they’re often harder to spot.
Weather: While climate varies by island, temperatures typically sit in the high 20s or low 30s. Water temperatures are also warm, ideal for swimming and diving. There’s relatively little rain and plenty of sunshine.
Top stops: Indonesia has more than 17,500 islands, so itineraries vary. Popular stops include Komodo National Park (29 islands), Maumere on Flores, the Barat Daya Islands, Triton Bay in West Papua, Moyo Island and Tanjung Benoa in Bali.
Who to sail with:Ponant offers naturalist guides and onboard diving instructors for certified guests, leading underwater excursions to see marine life. Aqua Expeditions is another top choice. Its small ships often have a near 1:1 guest-to-crew ratio and take guests to biodiverse habitats.
Price: Ponant fares in June start from about £6,700 for 13 nights; Aqua Expeditions from around £7,600 for seven nights.
Looking for some more inspo for your June cruise?
When is the best time to take a Danube cruise?
What are the best Mediterranean cruises?
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