Port or starboard side for a world cruise?

[f1jon]

On our Princess cruise last week, we were offered the January 2025, 101 day Los Angeles to Ft Lauderdale world cruise at 75% off. We always thought it would be great to do but because of the cost we assumed that we would never get to do it.

 

My wife and I enjoy spending time on our balcony looking for wildlife in the water but neither one of us wants to be in the sun while doing so. We'd like to have a cabin on the side that will get the morning sun, as we spend the most time on the balcony in the afternoon shade. Here are the four segments as booked:

 

1. LA to Sydney

2. Sydney to Cape Town

3. Cape Town to Greece islands then Rome

4. Rome to Ft Lauderdale

 

Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

[2ndsailing]

1 hour ago, f1jon said:

On our Princess cruise last week, we were offered the January 2025, 101 day Los Angeles to Ft Lauderdale world cruise at 75% off. We always thought it would be great to do but because of the cost we assumed that we would never get to do it.

 

My wife and I enjoy spending time on our balcony looking for wildlife in the water but neither one of us wants to be in the sun while doing so. We'd like to have a cabin on the side that will get the morning sun, as we spend the most time on the balcony in the afternoon shade. Here are the four segments as booked:

 

1. LA to Sydney

2. Sydney to Cape Town

3. Cape Town to Greece islands then Rome

4. Rome to Ft Lauderdale

 

Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

We did a world cruise in 2024 on Azamara Onward.  We were on the port side.  The only time we had "hot afternoon sun" was when we were in Asia but it doesn't appear that you're going there.  Temperatures in Asia were around 40c most days.  It was nice to sit on the balcony after dinner and watch the sun set too.

I'm sure you'll have a fabulous time.  We certainly did.

[Mich3554]

We were on the port side for FLL to London.  I thought I would prefer the other side, but found it really didn’t matter.  

[CaribNomad]

9 hours ago, f1jon said:

On our Princess cruise last week, we were offered the January 2025, 101 day Los Angeles to Ft Lauderdale world cruise at 75% off. We always thought it would be great to do but because of the cost we assumed that we would never get to do it.

 

My wife and I enjoy spending time on our balcony looking for wildlife in the water but neither one of us wants to be in the sun while doing so. We'd like to have a cabin on the side that will get the morning sun, as we spend the most time on the balcony in the afternoon shade. Here are the four segments as booked:

 

1. LA to Sydney

2. Sydney to Cape Town

3. Cape Town to Greece islands then Rome

4. Rome to Ft Lauderdale

 

Any thoughts would be much appreciated!

 

congratulations to you. what a deal! did you get itby visiting the future cruise centre on board, or is this because of your princess circle loyalty status?

[f1jon]

14 minutes ago, CaribNomad said:

 

congratulations to you. what a deal! did you get itby visiting the future cruise centre on board, or is this because of your princess circle loyalty status?

We just attended a presentation about the 2025 and 2026 world cruises. Then later made an appointment with the presenter to get more details.

[CaribNomad]

2 minutes ago, f1jon said:

We just attended a presentation about the 2025 and 2026 world cruises. Then later made an appointment with the presenter to get more details.

 

really great to know. thanks and have a wonderful time!

[The Other Tom]

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

LA to Sydney is more or less south, so port gets morning sun

Sydney to Cape Town is more or less west sailing, so it doesn't matter which side you're on.

Cape Town to Greece islands then Rome is more or less north, so starboard gets morning sun

Rome to Ft Lauderdale is more or less south, so port gets morning sun

 

[Heidi13]

12 hours ago, The Other Tom said:

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

LA to Sydney is more or less south, so port gets morning sun

Sydney to Cape Town is more or less west sailing, so it doesn't matter which side you're on.

Cape Town to Greece islands then Rome is more or less north, so starboard gets morning sun

Rome to Ft Lauderdale is more or less south, so port gets morning sun

 

 

When determining which side of a ship has the sun on a World Cruise you have to consider more than the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. The itinerary, whether steaming Rhumb Line or Great Circle courses and the ship's Latitude compared to the sun's declination are also factors.

 

Segment 1 - L/A to Sydney

Upon departure the vessel is bound for Hawaii, so steaming West. In these situations you compare the ship's Latitude with the sun's declination. Since the sun is in the Southern Hemisphere in January, the port side will have all the sun.

 

From Hawaii to New Zealand the courses are predominantly SSW'y, so again the port side will have morning sun.

 

From NZ to Sydney, the courses are NW'ly and with the sun's declination less than the ship's Latitude, the sun will be Stbd side

 

Segment 2 - Sydney to Cape Town

Mostly W'ly courses and with the sun approaching the Equinox, the stbd side will have sun all day.

 

Segment 3 - Cape Town to Rome

Atlantic courses are NW then NE, with E'Ly courses in the Meddy. Heading N'bd the Stbd side will get AM sun and in the Meddy the stbd side will get sun most of the day, as the ship is now North of the sun.

 

Segment 4 - Rome to Ft Lauderdale

On departure Rome it is mostly W'ly courses through the Meddy, so port side gets sun most of the day. Heading down the African Coast to the Canary Islands is mostly S'ly courses, so port side gets AM sun. Heading across the Atlantic it is W'ly courses and with the ship north of the sun, the port side has sun most of the day.

 

[f1jon]

Thank you all!

This website has also been helpful: https://www.suncalc.org/#/30.7526,-32.642,3/2021.04.12/11:59/2/1

[Jim Avery]

In three world cruises I have to say it doesn't matter much.  Even though the main track is westerly you end up sailing North, South, East, and West.  Half the time you are docked facing the sun, the other half facing shade.  As most world cruises seem to "follow the sun" we look forward to shade as much or more than sun.  More importantly, imho, is cabin location as to motion.  Midships on a lower deck is a much better ride than at the bow or stern on an upper deck.  Surprisingly, Viking puts their priciest cabins fore and aft and on upper decks.  Go figure.  

[Mich3554]

On 9/4/2024 at 6:17 PM, Jim Avery said:

In three world cruises I have to say it doesn't matter much.  Even though the main track is westerly you end up sailing North, South, East, and West.  Half the time you are docked facing the sun, the other half facing shade.  As most world cruises seem to "follow the sun" we look forward to shade as much or more than sun.  More importantly, imho, is cabin location as to motion.  Midships on a lower deck is a much better ride than at the bow or stern on an upper deck.  Surprisingly, Viking puts their priciest cabins fore and aft and on upper decks.  Go figure.  

I agree.  We were on the port side on our WC, starboard side for 2 50+ day cruises.  It really didn’t matter to us

[The Other Tom]

On 9/4/2024 at 1:17 PM, Jim Avery said:

Midships on a lower deck is a much better ride than at the bow or stern on an upper deck.  Surprisingly, Viking puts their priciest cabins fore and aft and on upper decks.  

There's a saying, "The more you pay, the more you sway".