pros and cons repositioning

[esimon]

Thinking about a repositioning cruise -- any thoughts please

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Thinking about a repositioning cruise -- any thoughts please

 

Do you have any particular itinerary in mind? It would help me to address your question.

[catl331]

We've done two transAtlantic and one trans-Panama Canal. Pretty much like any other cruise except only one long flight. :)

[SilvertoGold]

Short, no; long, yes.

To us just a regular cruise.

 

What exactly do you want to know?

[1ANGELCAT]

Trans-Atlantic ? East Coast to West Coast ?

I'm doing my fourth Trans Atlantic in 21 days [emoji3]. I love the sea days and the chance to totally relax.

The pricing on my Westy crossing is a great deal. Starting guarantee for an inside is $499.00 per person for 14 days.

 

 

 

 

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[Sequim88]

We've done two. Both transatlantics with lots of sea days. Random thoughts:

• High value - low cost per day
  
• Longer cruises but still 14-15 days for the price of 7
  
• Often cross several time zones so changing time every day or so - gaining hours going westward, losing to the east
  
• We like sea days - going east you get them up front then port-port-port-port - west you can relax after all the port stops
  
• Low pressure to do things - less guilt about sleeping in on sea days
  
• There's no place like mid-ocean and taking picture of TV channel that shows position - "you are here"!
  
• You get to know every nook and cranny of the ship ;)
  
• You also get to know the crew/staff pretty well
  
• They do usually involve a messy (and not cheap) one-way flight there or home
  
• From Europe to US cheap flight can be had from non-major airports
  - for example we did cheap short flight London to Dublin and changed to Aer Lingus flight that was less than a cross-USA flight would have been
  
• Due to length and possible pre/post cruise touristing packing can be a challenge
  
• Figure 3 formal/Gala evenings
  
• Length of cruise gives chance to try more specialty restaurants and some twice
  
• Most have very active Roll Calls - far more so than say a weekly Alaska cruise on June 11. ;p
  
• They often stop at ports off the beaten path that are not available on any other itinerary
  

[Gr8daze]

I've done TA and TP and I like them because they were long cruises that were a very good value. You get a lot of bang for the buck in that regard. And the ports are always decent - at least to my expectations.

 

On the downside, 3 sea days in a row is about my limit. So depending on the itinerary you might have more than that in a row. My TP had 5 sea days in a row at the end of the cruise and I was about stir crazy the last day or two.

 

Anyway, more pluses than minuses to me. I recommend them.

[rkacruiser]

More details about what you are considering would be helpful.

 

Repositioning cruises have the advantage of more days at sea which ought to provide a more diverse entertainment schedule than shorter cruises, i.e. lectures from "experts", more individual entertainers, etc.

 

Usually, they are priced very attractively as well.

[RuthC]

I love the trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific repositioning cruises (especially west-bound), as they have many sea days during which I can relax, and participate in shipboard activities. The lecture series are usually very informative, and there are several on any one cruise.

I would not be interested in a short repositioning cruise that's just a coastal. No point in packing if I'm not going to be gone a while.

[sammiedawg]

We've never done a TA, even for a cheap price. I don't relish six, seven straight days at sea. Some of these cruise itineraries on paper include stopping at the Azores but weather cancelations happen all the time.

Anyone with health problems or medical fragility should be very cautious booking anything transoceanic. You could be a week away from land based medical care. I don't think a ship medical center is the place to be when you have a medical crisis. Choose cruises that make landfall at least every couple of days.

[OlsSalt]

Pros - long sea days

Cons -long sea days

 

Depends how you like to spend your time. We love re-poisitoning cruises ourselves because we loved the long sea days. Filled with interesting lectures on many topics, discussion groups, special events. It became a lovely routine for us. Others might not like this feature at all.

 

On the flip side, intensive port-port-port cruises can be exhausting. So each person has their own "Goldilocks" opinion about what is just right for them.

 

PS: they still make the beds, replace the towels, clean the cabins and serve you good food three times a day and in between with no cooking or dishes afterwards, whether on long sea days or in port - so that wonderful part of a cruise remains the same, TA or not. Vacation.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done a couple of Transatlantic repositioning cruises -- they have a lot of sea days.

We have done quite a few repositioning cruises that go through the Panama Canal -- lots of different itineraries -- many were very port intensive.

[kazu]

Do you have any particular itinerary in mind? It would help me to address your question.

 

I agree - there are other repositioning cruises besides TA's.

 

I love TA's and continue on. I wouldn't want to do the San Diego to Vancouver/Seattle but I am not sure if that is consdiered repositioning or not? I think it is since they are changing to Alaska?

[esimon]

thanks so much -- great info

[richwmn]

I agree - there are other repositioning cruises besides TA's.

 

I love TA's and continue on. I wouldn't want to do the San Diego to Vancouver/Seattle but I am not sure if that is consdiered repositioning or not? I think it is since they are changing to Alaska?

San Diego to Seattle would not be allowed. However, Vancouver to FLL, Montreal to FLL and the reverses are all repositioning. I have done Vancouver to FLL, and FLL to Montreal and both are nice cruises with a good mixture of sea days and ports. I am about to do the Montreal to FLL leg, and would do FLL to Vancouver without hesitation.

[kazu]

San Diego to Seattle would not be allowed. However, Vancouver to FLL, Montreal to FLL and the reverses are all repositioning. I have done Vancouver to FLL, and FLL to Montreal and both are nice cruises with a good mixture of sea days and ports. I am about to do the Montreal to FLL leg, and would do FLL to Vancouver without hesitation.

 

 

Ok then, the San Diego to Vancouver segment and there is another one for Vanouver to San Diego ;)

 

Sorry if I mucked it up - was just thinking about our last 4 days from San Diego a few years ago and forgot it was broken up.

[ger_77]

We just booked our 3rd trans-Atlantic cruise; our first was taken because I wanted to do something different to celebrate my retirement. Second one we combined with a land vacation in Spain, and for this one we will do a back to back Mediterranean cruise (very port intensive), followed by the t-A. We love sea days and find ourselves totally relaxed by the time we disembark the ship in Florida. The 7 or 8 days at sea gives us an opportunity to do as much or as little as we want, enjoy speakers and entertainers, and be pampered by having our meals cooked, drinks mixed, and beds turned down at night. It's a good life. :ship:

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

They are priced good

[EDLOS]

Pros - long sea days

Cons -long sea days

 

Depends how you like to spend your time. We love re-poisitoning cruises ourselves because we loved the long sea days. Filled with interesting lectures on many topics, discussion groups, special events. It became a lovely routine for us. Others might not like this feature at all.

 

On the flip side, intensive port-port-port cruises can be exhausting. So each person has their own "Goldilocks" opinion about what is just right for them.

 

PS: they still make the beds, replace the towels, clean the cabins and serve you good food three times a day and in between with no cooking or dishes afterwards, whether on long sea days or in port - so that wonderful part of a cruise remains the same, TA or not. Vacation.

 

Did the Atlantic TA on Eurodam this past November, had heard much about Lectures and Programs, Bridge Instruction, thought I would take up Bridge Etc. Etc. on the crossing,

Sadly, one 30 minute lecture in the morning and sometimes one in the afternoon and the speakers were pathetic obviously uncharged cruisers. some food recipes presentations if you were interested.. Most exciting event TRIVIA , Yea ! No Adagio, No Lincoln Center quartet, No Piano Bar, Billboard piano's duet told us they met one week before sailing and played the same set of tunes night after night. I am a HAL confirmed cruiser, but that was seven days of brutal boredom. Thank goodness for my KINDLE and good weather and decent food and drink !

[OlsSalt]

Did the Atlantic TA on Eurodam this past November, had heard much about Lectures and Programs, Bridge Instruction, thought I would take up Bridge Etc. Etc. on the crossing,

Sadly, one 30 minute lecture in the morning and sometimes one in the afternoon and the speakers were pathetic obviously uncharged cruisers. some food recipes presentations if you were interested.. Most exciting event TRIVIA , Yea ! No Adagio, No Lincoln Center quartet, No Piano Bar, Billboard piano's duet told us they met one week before sailing and played the same set of tunes night after night. I am a HAL confirmed cruiser, but that was seven days of brutal boredom. Thank goodness for my KINDLE and good weather and decent food and drink !

 

How terrible - I hope this is a one-off experience for unknown reasons. Not good at all. It will be interesting to hear from other ships is this is now the "new Hal". (Ouch) We did take a TA a few years ago and it was excellent - lots of ports around the Mediterranean, then on to Madiera and after 7 sea days finally HMC and FLL.

 

Three solid lectures a day. All not only fascinating but current events information in one of them that I have used for several years afterwards. One was on the Columbian exchange - pre-and post 1492 and the other on the Worlds Fairs and sea going topics. Loved them.

 

Then we did another "re-positioning" from Canada New England to San Diego, but it was more port intensive so it did not have the strong lecture series. But in your case on the Eurodam TA and the demise of the ship libraries, that would have been an awful disappointment to not have the expected extra enrichment offerings. I am sorry this happened to you. Good warning.

[OCruisers]

TA Repositioning :confused:

Has anyone gone over for the sailing prior to the repositioning sailing and then stayed on the ship for the repositioning sailing?

[xlxo]

I seek out repo's on the West Coast...

• Fall repos appear to be cheaper than Spring repo's
  
• inside and oceanview cabins can be cheaper than flying or me driving the coast!
  
• 2 or 3 days may not be enough time for the full cruise experience
  
• sometimes sections of the ship can be under maintenance during repo's
  
• sometimes there are staff changes and some inexperience as it's not their typical routine
  
• the waters are less protected, so the ride can be rougher
  
• it may be harder to stay on schedule due to the rougher waters.
  

[MMDown Under]

I love repositioning TA and TP cruises. However, it depends on the ports of call and five consecutive sea days is my limit. If you enjoy warm weather, the southern TA had warmer sunny weather than the northern TA.

 

In addition, you need to confirm what lectures/entertainment will be provided.

[kazu]

TA Repositioning :confused:

Has anyone gone over for the sailing prior to the repositioning sailing and then stayed on the ship for the repositioning sailing?

 

Absolutely, we have done fall TA's where we got on the cruise before and then had a relaxing cruise back.

 

We have also done the Panama & Hawaii Tahiti where many got off in San Diego and many boarded for the next segment of San Diego to Vancouver and we stayed on and got off in Vancouver.

 

I prefer the first example (TA's) .

 

They are usually available as Collectors' Cruises and usually cheaper than doing a B2B.

 

 

What would you like to know?

Edited March 10, 2017 by kazu

[sapper1]

TA Repositioning :confused:

Has anyone gone over for the sailing prior to the repositioning sailing and then stayed on the ship for the repositioning sailing?

Yes, we have done it both ways. We did the Baltic on the Eurodam and then stayed aboard for the Transatlantic to New York. We jumped ship in Halifax because it was more convenient ( a four hour drive home) but the TA included stops in Scotland, Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland, the Gaspé in Quebec and Halifax. It was our first extended cruise and we were totally hooked.

 

We also did a TA on the NA from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona which included several stops in Spain---and then stayed aboard for the Barcelona to Venice segment.

 

We totally hate transatlantic flights so taking a cruise with only one of them involved is huge. We absolutely love sea days and are quite good at amusing ourselves.

 

In a few weeks we are taking our fourth Panama repo from Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver---staying aboard after a Caribbean cruise to do so. In the case of the Panama repo we just enjoy a warm weather cruise for the sake of the cruise with the thrill of the canal crossing thrown in.

 

Because of the hassle and inconvenience of flying anywhere from our neck of the woods, we have embraced long cruises with a passion. It's just not worth it for a short seven day cruise. By the time you unwind the cruise is over. As previously mentioned by another poster, repo cruises are a great value.