Once upon a time, an ocean voyage was “the only way to cross.†To-day, with other much quicker options for travel available, more and more travellers are nevertheless choosing the unique pleasures of an ocean crossing or leisurely one-way voyage from continent to continent by cruise ship instead.
This year, no fewer than 15 of CLIA’s 24 member lines will offer autumn transatlantic or Pacific ocean voyages on more than 50 ships ranging in size from intimately small to extra-large. Combining leisurely, pampered days at sea, the itineraries range from two days to more than two weeks and feature ports of call in Europe and the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, the Caribbean, Asia, the islands of the Pacific, in some cases even Iceland, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. While most conclude in U.S. or Caribbean ports, others find their way to South America, even Japan and China. Whatever the itinerary, they all recall a bygone elegant era of ocean liner travel and offer all the amenities and shipboard activities, including enrichment programmes and top-quality entertainment, found on shorter voyages.
For the most part, these voyages are “repositioning†cruises, as cruise companies move their fleets from summer seasons in Europe, Alaska and Canada to winter seasons in the Caribbean, Mexico and elsewhere. These unique voyages typically represent a terrific cruise value. The significant increase in the number of ships being moved around reflects the continued “globalization†of cruising, with travellers constantly seeking new experiences throughout the world and lines responding with new itineraries outside the ever-popular destinations closer to home.
Following is a summary of CLIA member lines’ autumnl repositioning cruises:
CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES
Passengers are welcomed aboard Carnival Freedom on October 28 for two days in Rome before sailing through the Mediterranean and across the Atlantic Ocean to Miami. After Rome, the 14-day voyage includes a visit to Livorno for travellers to explore Tuscany, Pisa, Lucca or Florence, and then, after a “Fun Day†at sea, a stop in Malaga, Spain, another day at sea, and a call on Funchal, in Madeira, before seven more “Fun Days†at sea and arrival in Miami. Carnival winds up its Alaska summer season by repositioning Carnival Spirit to the Hawaiian Islands. Departing from Vancouver on September 19, the 12-day crossing includes five “Fun Days†at sea and visits to Kona, Kauai, Hilo and Maui before arriving in Honolulu.
CELEBRITY CRUISES
Constellation will cross the Atlantic on a 12-night voyage departing England for Cape Liberty on September 15. Millennium crosses from Barcelona December 2 on a 14-night crossing to Fort Lauderdale; Century makes a 17-night crossing from Barcelona to Miami on December 3, and Galaxy travels from Barcelona to San Juan departing December 8, with stops in North Africa, the Canary Islands, Barbados, Antiqua, and St. Maarten. Celebrity’s Summit departs from Vancouver on September 14 on a 14-night “Ultimate Alaska†cruise to San Diego. Stops include the Ketchikan, Skagway, the Hubbard Glacier, Sitka, Victoria, Astoria, San Francisco and Catalina Island.
COSTA CRUISES
Five ships head west this autumn after a European summer, all departing from Savona, Italy. Costa Fortuna sails to the Dominican Republic on a 15-night journey departing November 2; Costa Victoria stops in Spain, Portugal and Cape Verde during a 18-night crossing to Brazil departing on November 25; Costa Magica includes Spain, Great Britain and Cape Verde in an 18-night sailing to Brazil starting on November 26; Costa Mediterranea leaves November 29 for a 16-night crossing to the Bahamas that features Spain, Morocco, Barbados and Antigua; and Costa Classica’s 17-night voyage to Brazil leaving December 3 includes stops in Spain and Portugal.
CRYSTAL CRUISES
Crystal Symphony features a film and theater festival during its 14-day “Viking Passage†transatlantic crossing fromEngland to New York. Departing August 31, the cruise features stops in Dublin and Belfast, Ireland; Reykjavik, Iceland; Nuuk, Greenland and Halifax, Nova Scotia. On November 9, Crystal Serenity leaves from Lisbon on a 10-day crossing that features Ponta Delgada in The Azores and Bermuda as well as “Big Band†music before arriving in Miami.
CUNARD LINE
Cunard Line has been offering transatlantic ocean liner service longer than any other existing cruise line – since the 1840’s to be precise – and to-day is the only company to feature regularly scheduled crossings. Cunard’s newest “queen,†RMS Queen Mary 2, sails between Southampton and New York on six- and seven-day cruises, occasionally making an eight-day voyage between Hamburg and New York, with a stop in Southampton as well. Devotees of transatlantic cruises might also keep an eye out for Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 which occasionally “crosses the pond†as well.
DISNEY CRUISE LINE
One of the newest entries in the repositioning/transatlantic market, Disney Cruise Line will bring Disney Magic home to Port Canaveral on August 18 after a summer of offering European cruises. Departing from Barcelona, the ship will call on Gibraltar and Cadiz in Spain before heading west for a stop in the Canary Islands. Before arriving in Florida after six days at sea, Magic will spend a day on Disney’s own island, Castaway Cay.
HOLLAND AMERICA LINE
Another of the cruise industry’s most venerable transatlantic companies, Holland America Line brings four ships home from Europe this fall with 15- to 21-day cruises. ms Veendam departs Copenhagen on August 22 for New York; ms Westerdam leaves from Rome on October 5 for Fort Lauderdale; ms Rotterdam sails from Lisbon for Rio de Janeiro on November 1; and ms Prinsendam journeys from Rome (Civitavecchia) to Fort Lauderdale on November 3. At the end of its Alaska season, Holland America moves five ships – Zaandam, Volendam, Zuiderdam, Oosterdam and Ryndam – south along the Pacific Coast, offering three- to five day trips departing from Vancouver between September 26 and October 7.
MSC CRUISES MSC
offers four fall transatlantic repositioning cruises this year. On November 5, MSC Opera departs from Italy on an 18-day crossing to Tunisia, Spain and Brazil. MSC Lirica leaves Italy November 17 for Spain, Morocco, Barbados, Grenada, Martinique, Puerto Rico and Florida. MSC Sinfonia’s November 19 crossing from Italy to Argentina features France, Spain, Portugal, Brazil and the Canary Islands. And MSC Armonia offers an 18-day crossing departing December 1 that includes Croatia, Tunisia, Spain and Morocco before arriving in Brazil.
NORWEGIAN COASTAL VOYAGE
MS Fram, NCV’s newest and most luxurious ship, will make one of the longest repositioning voyages in the industry, from Iceland to the Antarctic. The ship departs September 18 from Reykjavik and will spend 67days visiting 44 ports in 17 countries on four continents before arriving in Ushuaia, Argentina on November 23. Among the highlights: Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the Atlantic and Arctic oceans, the eastern U.S., the western Caribbean, Panama Canal, the west coast of South America, the fjords of Chile and the waters of the South Pole.
ORIENT LINES
Orient Lines’ Marco Polo returns to the Americas in grand style, with a 39-day “CruiseTour†departing November 5 that begins in Rome and concludes in Buenos Aires. Also sold in 31-day and 36-day segments, the voyage encompasses much of the Mediterranean Riviera, Palma de Majorca, Barcelona and Malaga, Spain; Casablanca and Agadir in Morocco; the Canary Islands; the Cape Verde islands; Rio de Janeiro and three other ports in Brazil (Fortaleza, Salvador de Bahia and Itajai), and Punta del Este and Montevideo in Uruguay.
PRINCESS CRUISES
Emerald Princess sails on a 17-day, 8-port cruise departing from Venice on October 8 to Fort Lauderdale. Sea Princess leaves London on October 13 for a 14-day crossing to Barbados. Royal Princess sets off from Rome November 28 for Fort Lauderdale on a 24-day cruise and Star Princess offers a 17-day, 9-port sailing between Rome and Fort Lauderdale embarking December 3. On the West Coast, Princess offers a series of two- to six-day “Coastal Sampler†voyages in Diamond Princess, Island Princess, Golden Princess and Coral Princess from Vancouver to San Francisco or Los Angeles between September 15 and September 24. Pacific Princess will make a nine-day cruise from Vancouver to Honolulu, departing September 12, and Sapphire Princess sails from Anchorage on September 15, arriving in Beijing 15 days later.
REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES
Roaming the world is Regent Seven Seas’ specialty and, after a summer season in Alaska, the company’s Seven Seas Mariner heads west across the North Pacific. Departing from Seward on September 12, the ship’s 13-night itinerary includes Kodiak, the Kamchatka Peninsula, Hakodate, Sendai and Yokohama before ending the cruise in Osaka. The voyage also features six glorious days at sea.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL
Jewel of the Seas leaves Southampton October 30 on a 12-night trip to Fort Lauderdale. Brilliance of the Seas sails December 2 for Miami from Barcelona. Splendour of the Seas heads southwest from Lisbon on December 4, arriving in Santos, Brazil 14-nights later. Voyager of the Seas heads west from Barcelona on December 8 on a 15-night voyage to Galveston. Heading south from Alaska in September are Radiance of The Seas, on a 14-night cruise departing from Vancouver September 14 to Los Angeles; Vision of The Seas – nine nights from Vancouver to Los Angeles departing September 21; and Serenade of The Seas, sailing from Vancouver on September 22 on a 13-night voyage to San Diego.
SEABOURN CRUISE LINE
As part of their year-long global wanderings, two Seabourn vessels cross the Atlantic this fall enroute to winter cruising grounds. On September 18, Seabourn Pride departs from Dover, England for an 11-day sailing to Gloucester, Massachusetts. In addition to being at sea for seven days, the ship makes calls on St. John’s, Newfoundland; Halifax, Nova Scotia and Bar Harbor, Maine. On November 7, Seabourn Legend sets sail from Lisbon, Portugal on a 14-day crossing to Fort Lauderdale. Madeira and the Canary Islands are visited before nine days at sea.
SEADREAM YACHT CLUB
SeaDream puts the emphasis on “ocean crossing†on two fall repositioning itineraries this year. SeaDream II leaves from the Canary Islands on November 3 on a 12-day sailing to Miami with ten days on the Atlantic. On November 17, SeaDream I sets sail from Lisbon enroute to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Other than a call in Madeira, this 11-day voyage features nine days at sea.
SILVERSEA CRUISES
On October 2, Silver Shadow slips out of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands for a 15-day transatlantic repositioning to Bridgetown, Barbados. In addition to eight full days at sea, the itinerary includes two other ports in the Canaries – Tenerife and Arrecife – as well as Dakar, Senegal; Porto Grande in the Cape Verde Islands and the Caribbean islands of Grenada and Bequia. Travellers wishing a little longer voyage are able to join the ship in Lisbon on September 23 for the nine-day crossing to the Canary Islands, with stops in Spain, Morocco and Madeira on the way.
The Cruise People, Ltd. on 1-800-268-6523 has information on all these sailings.