The perfect way to see Britain’s favourite winter-sun destination
This clutch of Atlantic outposts has long been the archetypal prize for Britons desperate to escape drab weather at home. Autumn is one of the best times to visit, with the seas still warm but the beaches lacking the summer crowds.
Arguably the closest destination to the UK offering an all-important guarantee of winter sunshine and mild temperatures, this Spanish archipelago of seven main islands lends itself to voyages that combine their distinctive flavours.
Tenerife is the undisputed leader of the pack and is generally accompanied in cruise itineraries by its larger sister isles of Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma. Meanwhile, the sleepier hideaways of La Gomera and El Hierro are more the preserve of smaller ships.
The classic itineraries
These can be split into those that sail from the UK and fly-cruises that mainly depart from Tenerife on round-trip voyages of the islands. However, you can also find departures from European ports such as Genoa, Barcelona and Lisbon if you’re looking to extend your holiday.
Cruises from the UK are also invariably longer – taking around two weeks or more – and offer a nice slow travel alternative for those that have the luxury of time. This allows for the ships to sail along the Iberian Peninsula, many stopping in Spain, Portugal or the island of Madeira enroute.
Allowing for one port call, it takes around five days to reach the Canaries. Ships then usually stop at four islands – of which Santa Cruz in Tenerife is nearly always one, closely followed by Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, Arrecife in Lanzarote and then Santa Cruz in La Palma or Puerto del Rosario in Fuerteventura.
Ships departing Tenerife sometimes spend the first night at the island to give guests who’ve just flown in a full day to explore. During the week, cruises generally visit four other islands, though some sailings may include just a couple of them combined with Madeira.
There are also options to convert fly-cruises into cruise-and-stays with one-week voyages twinned with hotel stays in Tenerife.
Off-beat options
The two relatively unknown Canary Islands of La Gomera and El Hierro are small enough to escape the attentions of larger ships.
Rugged and unspoilt, La Gomera is featured in sailings by midsize vessels from companies including Fred Olsen, Marella Cruises and Saga Cruises which call at its historic capital San Sebastian.
El Hierro, which is the least-known of the main isles and the most westerly, is a craggy hub of volcanic landscapes and sheer cliffs that is known for diving and hiking, and is offered by smaller boutique players.
The Canaries also feature as an add-on to some Mediterranean voyages, which on ex-UK sailings takes them up to journeys of 20 days or more. Their location off the coast of North Africa makes them a natural stopping-off point on transatlantic sailings and round-the-world cruises, breaking up the journey before or after the long schlep across the ocean.
Who to book with
The Canary Islands is one of those traditional cruising mainstays featured by nearly all the big names, whether in dedicated sailings or incorporated into longer cruises to other parts of the world.
Fred Olsen, Saga Cruises and Ambassador Cruise Line serve the archipelago from UK ports, while P&O Cruises feature the islands in sailings from Southampton and within their popular fly-cruises.
Most ex-UK departures are from the Hampshire port, though some leave from the likes of Portsmouth, Liverpool, Newcastle, Bristol and Tilbury.
Marella Cruises offers fly-cruises to the islands along with cruise-and-stay packages, while Cunard has Canary Island sailings from the UK. They also include the islands on selected longer voyages.
Some US lines that base ships at Southampton for the summer, such as Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises, include the Canary Islands as part of their sailing schedule.
Boutique companies featuring the Canaries range from upscale lines such as Seabourn and Silversea to premium-plus lines Oceania and Azamara, with many of their cruises calling at La Gomera.
El Hierro is visited by elegant tall ship operator Sea Cloud Cruises, which also stops at La Gomera, along with French-owned Ponant and Hurtigruten. A relative newcomer to the cruise market, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, which launched its superyacht Evrima last year, also calls at El Hierro en route to the Caribbean.
When to go
The Canary Islands’ subtropical climate makes it a year-round cruise destination, though temperatures are at their hottest during the summer months. Spring and autumn are regarded as prime times to visit, with September and October still hitting highs of 26-27C. In winter, the region comes into its own with mild temperatures and warm sunshine that make a stark contrast to the much colder weather in northern Europe. Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are prone to more windy conditions than their sister islands.
Expert tips
Be prepared
Sailings from and to the UK contain five or six sea days in the Atlantic Ocean and during winter months, conditions tend to be rougher. Larger, more modern ships with stabilisers can cope well. If you’re a nervous sailor, opt for a fly-cruise; if you’re not, remember your seasickness tablets.
Do your research
Do your research as the islands are quite different. Away from Tenerife’s touristy areas are wild lunar landscapes, traditional towns and villages and the volcanic slopes of Mount Teide. Gran Canaria is famous for its sand dunes, and golden beaches, as is Lanzarote, while La Palma’s capital Santa Cruz is packed with culture.
Get out and about
With its well-developed tourist infrastructure, Tenerife is the easiest island in terms of getting around. Head off on your own from where ships dock in the capital Santa Cruz, be that by hiring a car to explore the rugged hinterland; taking one of the regular shuttle buses from the port to the city centre; or joining a local tour.
Pack your hiking gear
Don’t forget your hiking boots if your cruise stops at La Gomera and El Hierro, which are known for their rugged trails. But there are decent hikes on Tenerife and Gran Canaria too, while La Palma is regarded as a quieter yet excellent spot for keen hikers.
Pick the right time
If you’re a party animal, aim for late February or early March when “Carnivale” season is in full swing across the islands. The most famous celebration is in Tenerife with Santa Cruz hosting some of the biggest and most extravagant parades and parties.
Five Canary Islands voyages to book now
Sail from Southampton
Avoid the onset of winter by slipping away on a 14-night Canaries round-trip sailing from Southampton with P&O Cruises. Departing on October 28, it stops at Madeira enroute to the islands where it calls at La Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote before returning via Cadiz and Lisbon. From £999pp (0344 338 8003)
Festive escape
Join Fred Olsen’s Canaries Christmas celebrations cruise, with Christmas Day and Boxing Day spent at sea on its ship Borealis en route to the islands. Guests can explore Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Tenerife and La Gomera before sailing to Madeira’s capital Funchal on December 31 and ringing in 2024 with the island’s famous New Year’s Eve firework celebrations. The round-trip sailing from Liverpool departs on December 22. From £2,299pp (0800 086 1180)
Canaries cruise-and-stay
Spend a week sailing through the Canaries on this round-trip voyage from Tenerife with Marella Cruises, visiting the golden dunes of Gran Canaria, the dramatic topography of La Gomera, the legendary rugged terrain of Lanzarote and the beaches of Fuerteventura, adding on a week’s hotel stay at the end in Tenerife. Tui’s cruise starts at £1,277pp including return flights from Bristol. Departs February 16, 2024 (020 3636 1862)
E-bike adventure
A sailing with Ponant promises to scratch beneath the surface of the contrasting islands with an e-bike tour of El Hierro and a chance to discover the whistling language of La Gomera. The round-trip voyage from Gran Canaria also calls at Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Tenerife and La Palma. The one-week sailing, departing April 26, 2024, costs from £3,520pp. Excludes flights (020 7660 4089)
Cape Verde and the Canaries
A voyage with Sea Cloud Cruises combines the archipelagos of the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, further south. Departing from Gran Canaria, square rigger Sea Cloud II calls at Tenerife and El Hierro before spending three days under sail to reach the Sao Vicente in the Cape Verde islands before calling at three other islands in the group and finishing in Santiago. The 10-night voyage, departing November 19, costs from £5,125pp. Excludes flights (0049 4030 959250)
