The trip
Overview
Off the coast of Africa, on the same latitude as the Sahara, the Canary Islands run a spring-like climate straight through the European winter — which is why ships base there from autumn to Easter. This seven-night round-trip from Las Palmas island-hops through an archipelago where every call is genuinely different: volcanic Lanzarote, dune-backed Fuerteventura, Tenerife under Mount Teide, and a run out to Funchal in Madeira, the garden island that belongs to Portugal.
It suits UAE residents in a specific way. Our own winter is the good season at home, so this is not about escaping weather — it is about a European holiday that stays warm, at a time when Med sailings have packed up. The flying is straightforward via Madrid or a European hub, and because the ship sails at night and the islands are close, sea time is short and port days are long.
Which islands appear, and in which order, depends on the sailing we quote — Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife are the anchor ports, and the routing we confirm will always match your departure.
Highlights
- ✦Reliable warm winter weather in the year-round Atlantic archipelago
- ✦Possible calls at Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Funchal in Madeira
- ✦Timanfaya's volcanic landscapes and Teide, Spain's highest peak
- ✦Long port days — the islands are close, so the ship hops at night
- ✦A winter-season route that runs when the Mediterranean has stopped
Who it suits
- ●Cruisers who want Europe in the months the Med goes quiet
- ●Families using the December or spring school breaks
- ●Walkers and landscape people — these are volcanic islands, not just beaches
Why this journey works
- ✓The Canaries hold 20-24°C days right through the northern winter
- ✓Night-time hops between close islands mean long, unhurried port days
- ✓A completely different island character every morning keeps the week varied
Day by day
Day 1
Las Palmas — join the ship
Fly from Dubai via Madrid or another European hub into Gran Canaria. Boarding runs through the afternoon; if you land early there is time for the old town of Vegueta and a first café con leche in a plaza before sail-away. A pre-cruise night in Las Palmas takes the pressure off tight connections — we usually recommend it.
Days 2–7
The islands, one per day
A typical week gives you Santa Cruz de Tenerife with an excursion up towards Teide's lunar national park, Arrecife for Lanzarote's Timanfaya volcanic fields and César Manrique's architecture, a beach or dune day on Fuerteventura, and the highlight for many — Funchal in Madeira, with its levada walks, the Monte cable car and toboggan runs, and two sea days spread across the crossings there and back. Ports and order vary by sailing; we confirm the exact routing with your quote.
Day 8
Back to Las Palmas and home
Disembark after breakfast and fly home via your European hub, landing in Dubai late evening or the next morning. Or stay on: a three-night Gran Canaria resort extension is an easy add.
Possible ports of call
Route inspiration — cruise line, ship and the exact island rotation are confirmed at quote stage against the actual sailing.
When to go
The Canaries season runs roughly October to April, exactly opposite our Mediterranean routes — December to February is peak, with festive sailings selling out first. Expect low-to-mid twenties by day and cooler evenings; northern islands like Madeira are greener and catch more cloud, the eastern islands are drier and sunnier. The odd Atlantic front passes through in winter, so a flexible deck-day attitude helps.
Planning around seasons, regions and style? Read the full Spain destination guide →
What’s included
- ✓Return flights from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Gran Canaria via a European hub
- ✓Cruise fare for the selected sailing and cabin category
- ✓Transfers between airport and the cruise terminal
- ✓Port charges and taxes for the quoted sailing
- ✓PCT travel consultant support before and during travel
Not included
- —Shore excursions
- —Drinks packages unless quoted
- —Gratuities where the cruise line charges them
- —Travel insurance
- —Schengen visa where required
Ways to extend it
- +Add three resort nights on Gran Canaria or Tenerife after the cruise
- +Extend to a longer sailing that continues to Barcelona or Lisbon
- +Upgrade to a balcony — the island approaches are worth watching
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