Eastbound or Westbound TA. Which do you prefer?

[Chelly]

I am taking my first Transatlantic cruise this October. It's on the Oosterdam. I know I will love it and will want to book another TA next year. However, I'm wondering the pros and cons of Springtime Eastbounds and Fall Westbounds. Which do you prefer and why? Thanks!!

[ilovhywd]

Because we GAIN an hour each day during the crossing - giving you 25 hours a day to be on a wonderful HAL ship.

 

When we crossed eastbound once, by the time we finished dinner, saw the show, went to the casino, went to sleep, and LOST an hour each night, it was time to get up again!

 

Also, on the westbound, when we get back to Ft. Lauderdale, we are already on eastern time so there is no jet lag. This is helpful when we have to go back to work the next day!

 

Ilene

[leoandhugh]

For reasons stated above, we much prefer westbound - not only the 25hour days but the fact that the long flight over to Europe is at the beginning, giving you plenty of time to rest up and get over the jet lag. And even though we live on the west coast it is only a 5-6 hour flight home from the debarkation port on the east coast. Even non-stop LAX to LHR is about 11 hours or more. The westbound are more restful - at least for us they are:)

[user8]

We've traveled both directions on the Rotterdam. Each had its own advantages. As previously pointed out, there was no real jet lag on the western crossing. But the itinery for the eastern crossing was much better. It was over the north Atlantic and we had stops in Greenland, Iceland, Scotland and Norway, while the western crossing was over the southern Alantic and we didn't have any stops after the Canary Islands.

If I had my choice to only do one of them, I would choose the Northern, east bound crossing as there was much more to see. If you can get a west bound crossing over the Northern route, you would have the best of both.

[ilovhywd]

The Eurodam did a fabulous westbound North Atlantic crossing in August 2008 from Copenhagen to NY highlighting Norway, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland (scenic cruising), Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Perhaps they will repeat this itinerary or something similar. User8 has a good point about there being no ports after the Canary Islands (unless you find one that stops in the Azores or Bermuda.)

[Druke I]

I also prefer westbound - the 25 hour days are easier on my body clock than the 23 hour days eastbound.

[mountainmare]

We just went on our first TA the east bound on the Oosterdam. While it was annoying to "spring forward" every couple days (and to add insult to injury we hit the Europe daylight savings time) we had a wonderful aft balcony and had full afternoon sun and beautiful sunsets to watch.

[RuthC]

Westbound.

I've done one westbound, and three round trips (all on the northerly route). I have another westbound scheduled for this fall (southerly route).

No question about it---westbound is soooo much easier on the old bod. There are choices every year to take the southerly (late fall) or northerly (very late summer/early fall) route. If you want to do it in the summer, take the second half of The Voyage of the Vikings on the northerly route.

[bobpatj]

We've taken one eastbound and three westbound. Definitely westbound is best! :)

[Pettifogger]

I like eastbound for a reason that has nothing to do with the cruise itself; I'd rather make the long flight westbound than east bound.