What is the appeal of repositioning cruises?

[Scott Cyn]

I've seen folks talk about the transatlantic and other repositioning cruises and I don't see the appeal. Of course I like the time onboard, but I also very much like the port calls. With a transatlantic, there are a few port calls, but its mostly just point it east (or west) and put it on "cruise control" (to coin a phrase). What am I missing?

 

Scott

[MBMiner]

Not all repositioning cruises are the same. Many of them have as many port calls as a normal cruise. I just returned from the San Diego-Alaska-Vancouver repositioning cruise, 14 days, and it was wonderful with nine port calls and the Hubbard Glacier. On the other hand, some of the transatlantics have limited port calls and appeal to those who like many sea days. Also, the transatlantic appeals to me much more than nine hours squeezed in a coach seat crossing the Atlantic!

[Ma Bell]

The people who like these cruises like sea days or traveling at the beginning or end of a season when there are fewer families aboard. The rates for these cruises are usually very good as well.

[dkjretired]

Its funny how people think differently. I would have desire to be on a ship for four or five days crossing the Atlantic. I like my at sea days but not that many. A repositioning cruise with some ports and a couple of at sea days is just like any other cruise except in some cases you only have to fly a long distance one way.

[tuggers]

What are you missing? IMO a whole lot of fun! Sea days give you time to relax and get to know people, try something new like trivia or dictionary, interact with the crew and learn about their cultures or just pull up a chair and read a book with one eye on the sea! I love it. My TA has 6 ports and 8 sea days. I may be in heaven!!

[GottaLuvCruising]

I don't care if I ever visit another port-of-call. I enjoy them and usually get off the ship in each port. And sometimes I even pick a cruise for its ports-of-call.

 

But the highlight of my cruise...no, the highlight of my LIFE, is being on a ship at sea. All the cares of the world just disappear when I'm at sea. I can't even explain how much I love it.

 

That's the appeal of repositioning cruises to me. Of course, I would choose the ones that spend the majority, if not all, of the time at sea. Ah...relaxing on my balcony, reading a good book, napping to the sight, sound, smell of the ocean....

[cgehrke]

I agree with the other posters -- the time at sea is wonderfully relaxing and a way to explore the ship and enjoy things on board that you cannot do while visiting ports every day. We went on the Millenium mediterranean/transatlantic cruise in November 2000, and very much enjoyed Italy, France, Spain, but the days back to New York were heavenly. on other more port-filled cruises never had a chance to do much alternate dining or shipboard activities or relaxing and using the spa facilities and the pool more.

the added bonus was no flying back to New York and a cheaper price which allowed us to stay in a suite. (The flight to Italy was the worst I had ever had, so the sailing back was a blessing.) We would definitely do it again and again.

[Mike2131]

I've seen folks talk about the transatlantic and other repositioning cruises and I don't see the appeal. Of course I like the time onboard, but I also very much like the port calls. With a transatlantic, there are a few port calls, but its mostly just point it east (or west) and put it on "cruise control" (to coin a phrase). What am I missing?

 

Scott

 

Hi Scott:

As the other posters have noted, many repos have a nice balance of ports and sea days. The November 10th sailing of the Constellation is a repo from NJ to San Juan with port calls in Charleston, Nassau, st. Thomas, and St. Martin. Mix that with 4 sea days and it is a nice cruise that was very attractively priced.

Value is the other major appeal of repositioning cruises. Pricing is usually terrific.

[IggleDoer]

Ofteh the repo cruises hit ports that cruise ships ordinarily don't go to.

[jezzdogg]

We are doing the TA in Sept. We get LaHavre, Brussels, Amsterdam, Cork, another stop and also St. John, the best we get off in our own backyard of New Jersey and air was onkly 186 one way to London. Price was great also and we have meet some of the greatest people on our roll call

[dkjretired]

Its funny how people think differently. I would have desire to be on a ship for four or five days crossing the Atlantic. I like my at sea days but not that many. A repositioning cruise with some ports and a couple of at sea days is just like any other cruise except in some cases you only have to fly a long distance one way.

 

I meant to type I would have no desire to be on a ship for four or five days crossing the Atlantic. Sorry for the mistake.

[VibeGuy]

I *love* repositionings - I did an 18 night with just three ports (day 4, day 13 and 16) and was in hog heaven. No ringing phones for two and half weeks was sheer heaven. Get up late and have a few baked goods, work out, have a long soak and a shower, have a leisurely lunch in the dining room with a glass of wine, read, enjoy the sun, have a steam and a sauna, enjoy pre-dinner cocktails and music, a long leisurely dinner, a show, a stroll on deck, a cigar...lather, rinse, repeat. It's fantastic. It is absolutely the most relaxed environment I can be in, because ther'es not a single demand on my time that I didn't impose on myself, and that's my idea of ultimate relaxation.

 

Eric

[Druke I]

Scott

 

I think you are missing the point. Not all repositionings are straight shots with no ports, as others have pointed out.

 

Two interesting ones we took: Mar 98, Royal Princess, Buenos Aires Argentina to Barcelona Spain, with port calls in Montevideo, Recife Brazil, Dakar Senegal, Casablanca Morocco, & Gibraltar, 19 nights.

 

Sep 00, Sky Princess, San Francisco to Sydney Australia, with port calls in Honolulu, Majuro, Saipan, Guam, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, 27 nights.

 

There are some very interesting repos out there, you just have to look.

[kitty9]

For me, it's a been there done that thing, especially when talking about Caribbean cruising, or even the Med, for that matter. I've been to just about every island in the Caribbean, and cruised in the Med 5 times, so for me, the ship is the destination. I've now done 5 trans-Atlantic/Pacific cruises and I love the sea days. I love the activities on the ship, I love sleeping in each morning and staying up for all hours at night taking in all the ship has to offer. When you're on a great cruise line like Celebrity, having no ports, and having the ship be the destination, is great.

[dmk]

I love Repositioning Cruises for all the reasons that have been mentioned. But there is another plus: "$". They are usually priced much lower than other cruises. So there is great value for the money.

[Water Logger]

I just got back from a repositioning cruiise from L.A. to Vancouver and I loved it! It's also a great way to find out if you like a different cruise line. I loved going on an itinerary that isn't offered all the time.

 

Ally :)

[Karynanne]

I love Repositioning Cruises for all the reasons that have been mentioned. But there is another plus: "$". They are usually priced much lower than other cruises. So there is great value for the money.

 

 

I totally agree with DMK...not only are the itineraries different, but the rates are substantially lower. I also am with those who just love their sea days....pure bliss!

 

Karyn

[Scott Cyn]

Wow, I'm glad I asked. I can see that you folks are quite passionate about your repos. And it appears that you have good reason to be. Thanks to everybody for sharing their thoughts. I believe I might just have to look into this little secret goody.

 

Scott

[hermang]

I think some of our Masonic Lodge brothers will be on that cruise if it on the Connie

they are looking forward to it - they have cruised before but not on Celebrity.

[Mike2131]

I think some of our Masonic Lodge brothers will be on that cruise if it on the Connie

they are looking forward to it - they have cruised before but not on Celebrity.

 

Tell them welcome aboard for us and, if they have not done so, they need to sign up for the Cruise Critic party and join our Roll Call. We have over 40 people signed up so far.

[MortgageChick]

Price and length on the cruise. All ships have to repo some time and we have always found great pricing on repo cruises, especially if you can wait until close to sailing.

[RomantiCanadian]

Hi there, we were just on a 16-night transatlantic from Galveston to Rome (May 7 - 23, then we spent 5 days in Rome) - in fact I was looking to see if anyone's started a review of it when I saw your post. We didn't know anything about repositioning cruises - we just browsed all the options for cruises in May. But when we saw that we could go on a great cruise line, AND cross the atlantic (conjuring up images of the ocean liners of the past), AND stop in some great ports (Key West, Nassau, the Azores, Madeira, Gibraltar, Monaco), AND end up in Rome - for the same price as many of the 7-10 night cruises around the same old caribbean islands on the more 'mass appeal' cruise lines....well we couldn't pass it up. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 

The days at sea were great - very relaxing as others have mentioned. There were lots of activities offered, but we actually participated in very few (well we did attend an art auction and won a painting!) - we found that between the shows, swimming, sunning, reading, eating, walking, talking and being with each other, the time passed quickly. Maybe it depends on how positive (or romantic?) you & your travel partner are. ;) I loved the ports, and probably wouldn't choose a cruise without interesting ones - but it was also very nice to have the sea days in between, rather than getting up at 7am every day for a new port.

 

The fact that the transatlantics attract fewer people with kids is also a factor - we enjoy having the pool to ourselves and not having lots of kids around (of course some people act like children but you just have to ignore them!) ;) It would have been nice if there were a few more young couples, but I guess the transatlantics attract an older crowd, which is fine - we met some really nice people but were there to spend time together rather than socialize a lot anyway.

 

Lastly, I was worried that the weather during the 5 crossing days would be rough, but I was amazed at how pleasant it was. There was only one windy day that was too cool to swim, and I actually found myself wishing for some bigger waves just for fun! Maybe we had an exceptionally smooth crossing, but I loved the gentle swells and would have been happy even if we'd encountered a storm or two. You don't have to have a big suite with a balcony to enjoy the sea days either - we were thinking of upgrading but found ourselves quite content with our lower-deck cabin with a window big enough for "wave tv" as we called it.

 

I guess I'll save more comments if I find that May 7 Galaxy review posting....but I hope this helps! :)

[tlmlb]

Point to Point repo cruises allow for time before and time after to see your embarkation and debarkation points. Wonderful aspect if you ask me.

[SusieV]

How can you find out when there will be repo cruises?

[Mike2131]

How can you find out when there will be repo cruises?

 

There are several ways to find repo cruises:

 

1) If you know which lines and cruise areas you are interested in, go to their websites and do a search by date or ship. Looking at the cruise calendars or e-brochures will show you itineraries.

 

2) Look at the hard cover brochures, although sometimes a repo might not show as such. There might just be a gap in dates (less common now).

 

3) Use your TA to do the heavy lifting.

 

The most common types of repos and associated dates are:

 

1) Caribbean or U.S. to/from Europe - Eastbound in April/early May. Westbound in October/November.

 

2) Caribbean to/from Alaska - To Alaska in late April/very early May. From Alaska in September. These might show as Coastal repo cruises usually following the final Panama Canal cruise or last Alaska sailing. They usually range in length from 2 to 6 days between California and Vancouver or Seattle.

 

3) West Coast to Asia or Australia. Dates will vary.

 

4) Segments of world cruises are one-off cruises that would qualify as repos.

 

5) Special one-way cruises would also qualify as repos and are shown in the brochures.