I'm trying to book a cruise that visits at least 2 if not all three of: Rome, Venice and Athens. It looks as if May is a good month to cruise, but we may not have the time for the 12 day cruise I have in mind. How does October compare in weather, price and crowds? What are the best lines?

Best weather and fewer crowds in April/May and October/early November. For me, best means cooler temps.

"Best" is subjective. What are your tastes? budget? cruising alone/with kids/with signicant other? like to dress for dinner?

Suggest you go to cruisecritic and get familiar with the lines and ships first, then start shopping or posting specific questions.

Ocrober is the best because the weather is a tad cooler and the crowds are gone from tourist sites and most of the kids are off to school and holidays for Europeans is over..It's hard to say which line..look for the the ports your interested in and compare several ships..

I guess I should have asked - is October more expensive then May? Looking at the cruises as they are priced now it looks as if the answer is yes, however I'm aware that prices can change over time, and I haven't compared enough to know when's the best time to book. A year in advance? 6 Months? etc. I'll be traveling with my husband and probably no one else. My criteria would probably start with: lowest price for the number and types of ports of call, (For example the 12 day Norwegian Jade leaving either Venice or Istanbul seems perfect for my needs. But I don't really see it scheduled in October.

One of my best friends is doing the following Back to Back cruise in May. It sounds like the 14 nights would work perfect for you (if you can do 14 nights) since it includes Rome, Venice and Athens. What's nice about this B2B is it gives you 2 nights/3 days in Venice.

http://www.rssc.com/voyage/details.jsp?code=VOY080526

http://www.rssc.com/voyage/details.jsp?code=VOY080602

The Voyager is a WONDERFUL ship too, maximum 700 passengers, large standard cabins, all with balconies, separate showers and tubs, walk in closets and all inclusive (including liquor and tips).