Several years ago, we did a cruise over the Thanksgiving holiday. It wasn’t a repositioning cruise – we just sailed down the coast of Mexico. But it was festive and fun.

No one got stuck making the beds or doing the dishes. Everyone had their own personal space and could spend the day as they pleased. And we even ate leftover turkey on Friday – though there were plenty of other choices.

To be honest, snorkeling and kayaking off the Baja coast was one of the most memorable Thanksgiving holidays we’ve ever had. Not traditional – but in some ways, better. So if you’re looking for a different way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, a repositioning cruise might be just the thing.

Windstar Wind Spirit

Depending on the ship you choose, there will probably be a big-screen TV showing all the big games. There are plenty of pies to choose from. And you can just relax and enjoy the good life.

Thanksgiving repositioning cruises from Spain and Portugal.

Carrying 700 passengers, Oceania’s Regatta is a really nice size cruise ship. It’s big enough to have all the amenities, including a Canyon Ranch SpaClub, six restaurants, and lots of fitness facilities. But small enough to be manageable. After a few days – especially on a repositioning cruise – many of the staff will know you by name.

Oceania sails from Barcelona on November 13, 2010 and calls at Tangier and Funchal before crossing the Atlantic. After five says at sea, she arrives in Hamilton, Bermuda and overnights there. Passengers spend Thanksgiving at sea, which gives them plenty of time to dress up for dinner and enjoy a leisurely turkey dinner and after-dinner show. Passengers disembark in Miami on November 27.

Wind Spirit is one of the smaller Windstar computer-assisted sailing vessels. Her 148 passengers enjoy a country club casual ambience where the most exciting activity is spotting dolphins riding the bow waves. Those who enjoy plenty of time at sea can board her in Lisbon on November 20 for a two-week cruise to St. Maarten, in the Netherlands Antilles. There are no port calls along the way – just lots of rest, relaxation, and good food.

Barcelona

Seabourn’s 208-passenger Legend offers its guest a true luxury experience with complimentary beverages, cuisine by celebrated chef Charlie Palmer, and all-suite accommodations. She sails from Malaga, Spain on November 20 and calls at Funchall, Madeira two days later. After nine days at sea, she arrives in Fort Lauderdale on December 3.

Thanksgiving repositioning cruises from Rome.

Cruisers who have more time and want to visit some European ports before crossing the Atlantic can board Seabourn Legend in Rome on November 13. Passengers will spend the extra week exploring Florence or Pisa, Barcelona, Valencia, and Palma de Mallorca before arriving in Malaga.

The 694-passenger Azamara Journey is another mid-size ship with big-ship amenities and small-ship service. In fact, the crew-to-guest ratio is one of the highest in the industry. Cruisers who want to experience all Azamara has to offer can board Journey in Rome on November 15 and call at Cartagena, Gibraltar, and Tenerife in the Canary Islands. After a week at sea, she arrive in Nassau, and then disembarks passengers the next day, November 29, in Miami.

Find more transatlantic repositioning cruises here.

Windstar Wind Spirit Image Flickr:  ed and eddie
Barcelona Image Flickr: papalars

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With lots of long, luxurious days at sea and plenty of nights out on deck bathed in the moonlight, repositioning cruises can be very romantic. With so few distractions, couples can really unwind, reconnect and enjoy themselves.

Cruise ships today have plenty of amenities to further the process – from couples massages to tables for two under the stars. So if you’re looking for a romantic getaway for two, a repositioning cruise may be just what the doctor ordered.

Wind Star

Two of the most romantic ships at sea are Sea Dream I and Sea Dream II from Sea Dream Yacht Club. With Balinese beds, lots of ways to dine alone, and just 108 fellow passengers, you’ll feel like you’re on your own personal yacht. In October, Sea Dream I sails from Malaga, Spain to San Juan Puerto Rico. In April, she sails from San Juan to Southampton.

Sea Dream II also offers two repositioning cruises. She sails from Lisbon to San Juan in November and Barbados to Malaga in April. Couples should plan to spend a few nights in Barbados before boarding the ship.

Windstar has three cruise ships that combine the efficiency of motor sailing with the romance of sailing. Wind Spirit and Wind Star each carry 148 passengers and Wind Surf carries 312. The water sports platform at the ship’s stern makes it easy to explore the undersea world, and the hammocks in the rigging were made for two.

Wind Surf and Wind Spirit sail from Lisbon in November. Wind Surf passengers leave the ship in Barbados. Wind Spirit passengers disembark in St. Maarten. Wind Surf and Wind Star return to Lisbon from the Caribbean in April.

Larger cruise ships that are still great for romance.

The most luxurious of the medium-sized ship cruise lines, Crystal has suites with private verandahs and Jacuzzi tubs, fine dining restaurants from Nobu Matsuhisa and Piero Selvaggio, and a world-class spa with lots of treatments for couples.

Crystal Serenity

Crystal Serenity repositions from Lisbon to Miami in December, and calls in Ponta Delgada and Turks & Caicos on the way. For those who prefer the Pacific, she sails from Los Angeles to Papeete, Tahiti in January. Passengers on this repositioning cruise overnight aboard the ship in Honolulu and call at Moorea before arriving in Papeete. There are few places more romantic than Tahiti, and cruisers arrive in the island rested and with no jet lag.

Oceania Cruises launched several years ago with three 700-passenger ships that had been built by Renaissance Cruises. Their three ships offer cruisers dining overseen by Jacques Pepin, Canyon Ranch SpaClub facilities, and even private, pool-side cabanas for two.

Oceania Regatta sails from Barcelona to Miami in November. Passengers enjoy an overnight call in Hamilton, Bermuda en route. In December, Oceania Insignia leaves Barcelona bound for Rio. She visits Recife and Salvador in Brazil before arriving in beautiful, sultry Rio de Janeiro. Oceania Marina sails from Barcelona to Miami in January and returns in March. That same month, Insignia sails from Buenos Aires to Barcelona.

Wind Star Image Flickr: HBarrison
Crystal Serenity Image Flickr: 3DSumoWrestler

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Holland America Line (HAL) offers travelers a traditional cruise experience with up-to-the-minute amenities and activities. Cruisers who enjoy life at sea, a good enrichment program with special emphasis on the culinary arts, and a more subdued ambience will enjoy a Holland America cruise.

The big excitement at HAL his year is the July 2010 launch of Nieuw Amsterdam, the fourth HAL ship to bear that name. A sister ship of the Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam has décor that pays tribute to the city of New York. From a chandelier that echoes the Manhattan skyline to a yellow cab in the teen area, the design comes together quite successfully. The city is also celebrated in the multimillion dollar fine art and photography collection displayed throughout the ship.

Nieuw Amsterdam

The Pinnacle Grill steak house and the Tamarind Asian restaurant offer diners more variety, and passengers willing to pay $89 per person can enjoy a seven-course dinner with wine pairings at the Master Chef’s Table. A casual Italian trattoria in the Lido called Canaletto that serves pastas and antipasti is another option.

New with this ship are staterooms with direct access to the spa, and some with floor-to-ceiling windows. All but inside cabins have tubs.

Other amenities that were a hit when Eurodam was launch have returned, including the private cabanas near the pool area.

Eurodam sails in the Mediterranean until October 18, which she leaves from Barcelona for the start of her repositioning cruise to America. She calls at Monte Carlo, Livorno, Rome, Valencia, Cartagena, Almeria, Portimao, and Lisbon before crossing the Atlantic. After eight days at sea, she arrives in the Bahamas on November 6 and disembarks passengers in Fort Lauderdale on November 7.

This is an excellent repositioning cruise on several levels. First of all, there are ten Mediterranean ports at the beginning of the voyage – more than most repositioning cruises include. And the ship will be new enough to still be shiny and bright, but any early service glitches will likely have been worked out by then.

October transatlantic repositioning cruise on Noordam and Westerdam.

Funchal

The 1,918-passenger Noordam was launched in 2006. She’s slightly smaller than Nieuw Amsterdam, but she offers many of the same amenities. The two-level Vista Dining Room has sweeping views of the ocean, and the innovative Culinary Arts Center has cooking demonstrations and wine-tasting classes on some days at sea.

Noordam sails from Rome on October 18 and has port calls at Livorno, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Cartagena, Malaga, Cadiz, and Funchal in Madeira. She arrives in Fort Lauderdale on November 3 after a week at sea.

Westerdam, which launched in 2004, is one of the roomiest ships in the HAL fleet. She carries 1,916 passengers in a space that often carries many more. She sails from Rome on October 25 and also calls at Livorno for Florence, Monaco, and four ports in Spain. She overnights in Funchal on November 3, so passengers have the opportunity to experience Madeira nightlife. She arrives in Fort Lauderdale a week later on November 12.

Find other Holland America repositioning cruises here.

Nieuw Amsterdam Image Flickr: Mike Knell
Funchal Image Flickr: Jean & Nathalie

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