Considering a Trans Atlantic - Any Tips?

[dave_k58]

We have never cruised on HAL and are considering a TA on the Westerdam. I have heard great things about HAL but am a little concerned about 9 Sea Days. ANy ideas. PS - our other cruises have been Carnival and Royal.

[Scrapnana]

I love sea days so a TA is great for me. There are plenty of things to do and I have never been bored. Most cruise lines add activities for a TA.

 

On your other cruises, what do you do on sea days? Have you had trouble filling the time? Are there certain activities you enjoy doing onboard?

 

Westerdam is one of my favorite ships. Not too large, not too small and never feels crowded.

[RMLincoln]

Have done 3 Trans Atlantics and one Trans Pacific, but we like sea days!

 

What do you enjoy? There will be computer classes (Windows) and lecturers, probably two per day, different types of topics.

 

Plus lots of other types of activities, movies in the theater or borrow DVDs form the front desk (depends on your ship.... the newer ones have a ton of movies on the interactive TV systems), games, nice library (except for the newest ship) culinary classes and demos, all-day ship tour (with fees)... wine tastings, dance classes, mixology classes, and tons of spa and fitness center "recommendations" (read sales pitches but might be of interest).

 

Walking the Promenade deck or sitting out there watching the ocean (;) my favorite... I bring a book but usually just watching the sea... I figure I can read at home)

 

DH likes to bring classes from home on DVDs or downloaded to our laptop from the Great Courses because he doesn't get to enjoy time for these kinds of things at home.

 

Is weather and sea sickness your concern? There are ways to mitigate those by cabin location and other remedies....

 

Tell us more of your concerns and we will try to address them with better specifics. m--

Edited September 12, 2016 by RMLincoln

[dave_k58]

THanks for all the good replies. We both love sea days, and have never been all that disappointed when we had to miss a port because of weather, although that may be because we have been to the Caribbean so many times. I personally like to just roam around the ship, talk to people, make new friends etc. Wife likes to sit on the balcony and do cross-stitch and sewing type of stuff. Not big drinkers and not to big on casino stuff. We have never been sea sick, even sailing sometimes during hurricane season. PS i am 67 and wife is 60. We were perfectly happy on most of our Carnival cruises and RCL - but sometimes I think I have outgrown some of the " entertainment" on those ships.

[Adoptionmsw]

THanks for all the good replies. We both love sea days. Wife likes to sit on the balcony and do cross-stitch and sewing type of stuff. .

 

 

 

Every cruise we've taken that had numerous sea days had a craft group. We met in the Crows Nest and really got to know each other. It was a high point for me.

 

 

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[AtlantaCruiser72]

Transatlantics are some of my favorite cruises! I like ships like the Westerdam for a crossing mainly because of the covered pool area. Even if you are not a pool person, plenty are and it helps keep the other public venues from being overcowded if the weather is less than perfect. Holland offers more lectures and enrichment activities on their crossings than say would NCL, Carnival or Royal. The Westerdam also has a great thermal suite and hydrotherapy pool that is well priced (compared to other cruise lines).

 

Transatlantic cruises seem to get a broader assortment of evening entertainers - more instrumental and vocal performers mixed in with the typical Production shows, Magicians, Comedians etc.

 

A lot of the daytime activities really are dependent on whom the cruise director is and how well they program things, as well as whom the company procures for guest lecture series. For example - I did two Serenade of the Seas transatlantics 6 months apart. On the first one in the fall we had a vibrant, energetic, outgoing cruise director that programmed a large and varied offering of daytime and evening events and I never ran out of things to do. We also had 2 good guest lecturers on that crossing as well - one on Maritime history and travel, the other on Nutrition and homeopathic medicine (no sales pitches!). By contrast the cruise director in the Spring was a total DUD - no personality, very little extra programming beyond trivia and there was only one lecturer who did a series on classic car engines - yes engines - that's a limited appeal if ever I could find one.

 

I spend a lot of my day playing card games, rummikub, etc with my traveling companion (and anyone who wishes to join) or relaxing and reading, doing a smidge of trivia, going to lectures, chatting with new found acquaintances, etc. Rarely have I gotten bored and the time just seems to zip by and before I know it another cruise has come to an end .......

[navybankerteacher]

There are two distinctly different sorts of T/A's: eastbound and westbound. They are very different. Eastbounds are generally March to early May - when the Atlantic is still quite chilly; you have a number of 23 hour days due to time changes; you wind up with the trans-Atlantic flight home after the cruise. Westbounds are generally October to November when the Atlantic is still quite warm; you have a number of 25 hour days; you get the unpleasant flight over with first.

 

Beyond that, you should take advantage of a few days in Europe (probably Rome before or after), if you book a balcony, make it starboard if eastbound or port if westbound --- sunny every day - it makes a real difference.

 

You will generally find that the per day cost on a T/A is significantly less than on a Caribbean cruise.

[dave_k58]

Transatlantics are some of my favorite cruises! I like ships like the Westerdam for a crossing mainly because of the covered pool area. Even if you are not a pool person, plenty are and it helps keep the other public venues from being overcowded if the weather is less than perfect. Holland offers more lectures and enrichment activities on their crossings than say would NCL, Carnival or Royal. The Westerdam also has a great thermal suite and hydrotherapy pool that is well priced (compared to other cruise lines).

 

Transatlantic cruises seem to get a broader assortment of evening entertainers - more instrumental and vocal performers mixed in with the typical Production shows, Magicians, Comedians etc.

 

A lot of the daytime activities really are dependent on whom the cruise director is and how well they program things, as well as whom the company procures for guest lecture series. For example - I did two Serenade of the Seas transatlantics 6 months apart. On the first one in the fall we had a vibrant, energetic, outgoing cruise director that programmed a large and varied offering of daytime and evening events and I never ran out of things to do. We also had 2 good guest lecturers on that crossing as well - one on Maritime history and travel, the other on Nutrition and homeopathic medicine (no sales pitches!). By contrast the cruise director in the Spring was a total DUD - no personality, very little extra programming beyond trivia and there was only one lecturer who did a series on classic car engines - yes engines - that's a limited appeal if ever I could find one.

 

I spend a lot of my day playing card games, rummikub, etc with my traveling companion (and anyone who wishes to join) or relaxing and reading, doing a smidge of trivia, going to lectures, chatting with new found acquaintances, etc. Rarely have I gotten bored and the time just seems to zip by and before I know it another cruise has come to an end .......

 

THanks - great post!

[dave_k58]

There are two distinctly different sorts of T/A's: eastbound and westbound. They are very different. Eastbounds are generally March to early May - when the Atlantic is still quite chilly; you have a number of 23 hour days due to time changes; you wind up with the trans-Atlantic flight home after the cruise. Westbounds are generally October to November when the Atlantic is still quite warm; you have a number of 25 hour days; you get the unpleasant flight over with first.

 

Beyond that, you should take advantage of a few days in Europe (probably Rome before or after), if you book a balcony, make it starboard if eastbound or port if westbound --- sunny every day - it makes a real difference.

 

You will generally find that the per day cost on a T/A is significantly less than on a Caribbean cruise.

 

THanks very much! I never even considered the differences in an EB or WB TA. Also never considered the differences in balcony locations depending on the voyage. We will definitely book a few days in Rome if we decide on the EB. I have to go back and look now at the WB options.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

THanks very much! I never even considered the differences in an EB or WB TA. Also never considered the differences in balcony locations depending on the voyage. We will definitely book a few days in Rome if we decide on the EB. I have to go back and look now at the WB options.

 

I agree with Port for Westbound and Starboard for eastbound crossings.

 

Aft facing Balconies on decks 4 through 8 (categories VB/VC) on the Westerdam are a great option regardless of the direction - you have to choose carefully though as some are larger and offer more shelter than others :D I'm particularly fond of the Deck 5 aft balconies - quite deep and VERY sheltered, which is great if you get any rain. Also they have some extra interior space as well.

 

On the other hand I personally find the VA midship cabins on Deck 5 cabins on the Westerdam a poor choice - they have smaller balconies than other locations/decks and the lifeboats are directly below them and cause minor view issues.

 

With so many days at sea balcony cabin selection is VERY important on a Transatlantic cruise :D And I'm VERY choosy!!!!!!!