For residents of California and Washington State, a repositioning cruise along the west coast from Vancouver to Los Angeles or San Diego can be an inexpensive and exciting vacation with very few hassles. Southern Californians simply fly one-way to Vancouver and then drive or take ground transportation from the disembarkation port to their home. Washingtonians transfer to Vancouver and then fly back from Southern California.

One-way airfare is around $150, per person, and transfers are usually available through the cruise lines.

Parliament Building Victoria B.C.

For less than $500 per person, you can enjoy the cruise experience and all that goes with it – beautiful views of the coast, dining out each evening, dancing, seeing a Broadway-style show, and testing your luck in the casino.

Celebrity Millennium is a striking ship with a 25,000-square-foot spa, a demonstration kitchen, wine cellar for private dining, and a digital music library. For those who want a nice long cruise with several port visits, Millenium has a ten-night voyage that leaves from Vancouver on September 17 and calls at Nanaimo and Victoria on Vancouver Island before arriving in Seattle. After a day at sea, she arrives in San Francisco and overnights there, sailing at 8PM on Thursday, September 23. This gives passengers the opportunity to have dinner in San Francisco. The next day, she calls in Monterey, then spends a day at sea before spending a day at Catalina Island. Passengers leave the ship in San Diego on September 27.

Princess has two west coast repositioning cruises this September. The 1,900-passenger Coral Princess sails from Vancouver on Saturday, September 18 and spends two days at sea before arriving in Los Angeles on Tuesday, September 21. During the time at sea, cruisers can play mini-golf or use the sport court, enjoy entertainment in the three showrooms, get a treatment in the spa, or just enjoy some time by the pool. Sabatini’s and Bayou Café and Steakhouse provide alternatives to the main dining room.

Golden Princess leaves Vancouver the next Sunday, September 26 and does the same itinerary, arriving in Los Angeles on Wednesday, September 29. This 2,600-passenger vessel, a sister ship to Grand Princess, has a central piazza with a coffee house and wine bar, the Crown Grill Steakhouse, and an adults-only Sanctuary for relaxing.

Golden Gate Bridge

With a bowling alley, ten restaurants, a dozen bars, rock-climbing wall, and sports bar with games by day and cool lounging beds in the evenings, Norwegian Pearl has more than you can likely do in just five days. She sails from Vancouver on September 19 for Astoria, Oregon. Passengers can explore Astoria or visit the nearby Oregon beach towns. After a day at sea, she calls at San Francisco, and then spends another day at sea en route to Los Angeles, where she docks on September 24.

Cruisers who want a little more time to enjoy NCL’s Freestyle Dining and amenities can board Norwegian Star in Vancouver on October 2 for a 6-night cruise that visits Victoria, Astoria, and San Francisco. Norwegian Star was 14 lounges and bars, a two-level Mandara spa, 24-hour fitness center, and driving range.

Read about West Coast cruises on Holland America here.

Parliament Building Victoria B.C. image Flickr: WriterGal39
Golden Gate Bridge image Flickr: chadh

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Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has been in business for more than 40 years, and during that time, they have been pioneers in cruising. In 1979, they introduced the first mega cruise ship, the 1,944-passenger SS Norway. And the rest, as they say, is history.

NCL’s most game-changing innovation was the introduction of “Freestyle Cruising,” a new approach that let passengers choose where, when, and with whom they dined. The concept caught on, and in 2001, NCL launched the Norwegian Star, the first of its cruise ships to be purpose-built for the new style of cruising.

Nine years later, Norwegian Star still seems new. And passengers love the tremendous variety they find onboard. With more than a dozen restaurants, you can try some place new every night of your cruise. And with lots of adjoining cabins, kids programs and facilities, it’s a terrific ship for families.

Norwegian Star

Dining aboard Norwegian Star.

Since dining is such a big part of cruising, let’s start with that. For many people, the best thing about being on vacation is not having a schedule. Freestyle dining gives you the flexibility to eat when you want to. So you can stay ashore, take another soak in the spa, or watch the sunset from your balcony without having to rush off to dinner.

You will have to plan ahead to dine in some of the specialty restaurants since they require reservations. But since you can set the time yourself, it’s not much of an inconvenience. If you don’t have reservations, electronic displays show the capacity and wait time in the restaurants.

Vegetarian selections are always available, and a healthy menu created in part by Cooking Light magazine is an option for those who don’t want to do too much damage.

Most of the specialty restaurants have a modest surcharge, usually between $15 and $25 per person.

At the Ginza Asian Restaurant you can order Thai, Japanese, or Chinese dishes, or have your food prepared before you in the 10-seat Teppanyaki Room. There’s also a sushi bar where you can indulge in impeccably fresh sashimi and a variety of sakes.

Head to Le Bistro for classic French cuisine, enjoy a perfectly cooked porterhouse at Cagney’s Steakhouse, or savor an intimate dinner for two in the SoHo Room, which serves Pacific Rim specialties.

For something more casual, grab a burger or hot dog from Topsiders Grill by the Oasis Pool, choose from a wide selection cold and hot dishes at the Market Café buffet, find Tex-Mex goodies at Endless Summer, or enjoy your favorite Italian dish at La Cucina.

Wherever you eat, try to save some room for the late-night Chocoholic Buffet.

If you get a craving for Buffalo wings, a salad, or even a stir fry at 2AM, try Blue Lagoon – they’re open 24 hours a day. And if you don’t want to leave your cabin, room service is also available.

And of course, eating in the main dining rooms – Aqua and Versailles – is also an option.

Other activities aboard Norwegian Star.

Entertainment aboard the Star is polished and professional with several attractive venues. The Second City improvisational group is always a passenger favorite. If they offer a workshop during your cruise, sign up. They’re a lot of fun.

Norwegian Star’s Atrium Lobby

The huge, two-level Mandara Spa offers a wide assortment of treatments and massages, as well as a 40-foot indoor lap pool surrounded by lounge chairs. There’s a whirlpool, steam room, hydrotherapy pool, sauna, and solarium. There’s a small charge to use some of these facilities.

Those who want to stay in shape can work out in the 24-hour fitness centers or use the jogging track, sport court, or driving range.

If you brought a WiFi-enable laptop, there are hot spots in public areas. If not, you can rent a laptop or WiFi card. Or use one of the terminals in Internet Center. You’ll need a converter to plug your laptop into the outlet in your cabin.

Norwegian Star accommodations.

The Star has some of the most spectacular suites available on any cruise ship. The 5,700-square foot, 3-bedroom Garden Villas have their own private terrace with hot tub, and come with a butler. All the suites have beautiful ocean views.

Basic cabins have a small sitting area, a bathroom with shower, a small refrigerator, tea/coffee maker, Internet connection, and a hair dryer. Most have a third or even fourth berth. And many staterooms, in a variety of categories, connect. So if you’re traveling with family, ask what’s available.

Norwegian Star has two repositioning cruises in 2010. She sails from Los Angeles to Vancouver on May 1 and returns on October 2, 2010.

Read more about NCL repositioning cruises here.

Read our review of NCL Pride of America here.

Norwegian Star Image Flickr: Tom Mascardo 1
Norwegian Star’s Atrium Lobby Image Flickr: zionorbi

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If you live on the west coast, a repositioning cruises from Southern California to Vancouver may be just thing after a long, wet winter. For a few hundred dollar apiece, you can enjoy a mini-vacation with good food, beautiful scenery, and smiling staff ready to answer to your every whim.

You can drive to San Pedro or San Diego, cruise for three, four, or seven nights and then fly back from Vancouver to Los Angeles. At press time, one-way fares were around $150.

So why not celebrate the start of spring with a little getaway.

NCL west coat repositioning cruises.

Norwegian Star

The 2,376-passenger Norwegian Pearl sails from Los Angeles on Saturday, April 24, 2010. Passengers on this cruise can eat in a different restaurant every night of their cruise. There’s a steakhouse, an Italian restaurant, a tapas bar, an Asian restaurant, and more. With a dozen bars and lounges, there are also plenty of places to wet your whistle, including Maltings which has the largest beer and single-malt Scotch menu at sea. Norwegian Pearl was the first cruise ship to have a bowling alley, and it has a rock-climbing wall and thalassotherapy pool. In the evening, comedy shows by the Second City improv group are hysterical.

After a day at sea, you’ll arrive in San Francisco, where you can explore Fisherman’s wharf, visit Chinatown, or tour Sausalito or Sonoma. After another day at sea, you’ll spend a day each in Astoria, Victoria, and Nanaimo, where you can take a trip on a 1929 steam train, or visit a grove of 800-year old Douglas fires. The cruise ends in Vancouver on Saturday, May 1. With four port calls, there’s lots to see and do on this voyage. Fares start at $599.

Victoria, BC

Similar to Norwegian Pearl, the 2,240-passenger Norwegian Star sails from Los Angeles on Saturday, May 1, 2010. With 12 restaurants and as many bars, there’s plenty of variety at meal time. And the 24-hour fitness center helps burn off the calories. This itinerary is perfect for those who also want to see some of the spectacular scenery of Alaska, because after three days at sea, she calls at Juneau and Ketchikan, and cruises the Inside Passage before arriving in Vancouver on May 8. Passengers can take a helicopter flight onto a glacier, take a whale-watching cruise, go fishing, enjoy a salmon bake, or take a wildlife-spotting excursion. Fares start at $599.

Princess Cruises west coast repositioning cruises.

Princess has three cruises to choose from. The 1,970-passenger Coral Princess is one of the line’s roomiest vessels. Ninety percent of her cabins are ocean view, and most of those have balconies. In addition to the main dining rooms, there’s Sabatini’s Italian restaurant and the Bayou Café steakhouse. The huge, poolside LCD screen is a passenger favorite. She sails from Los Angeles on Thursday, May 6, 2010, and calls at Victoria after two days at sea. Passengers leave the ship in Vancouver on Monday, May 10. Fares start at $399.

Golden Princess

The 2,006-passenger Golden Princess sails from Los Angeles on Sunday, May 9, 2010. With three showrooms and Movies Under the Stars out on deck, there’s plenty to do at night. And with four pools and nine whirlpools, you can soak up the sun on the day at sea. Golden Princess arrives in Catalina Island the first morning and overnights there, sailing at one the next afternoon. You can tour the island, go for a kayaking or rafting trip, play a round of golf, snorkel, SCUBA dive, or go for a glass-bottom boat ride. That evening, you can have dinner ashore, or pop into town for a night cap. The next day, you’ll arrive in San Francisco. You’ll have a full day there and in Victoria before arriving in Vancouver on Friday, May 14. Fares start at $449.

A sister ship to Coral Princess, the 1,970-passenger Island Princess sails from Los Angeles on Friday May 14, 2010 and arrives in Vancouver on Monday, May 17. There are no port calls, so this itinerary is a great choice for cruisers who love life at sea. Enjoy the shows at night, sleep in in the morning, and then have a relaxing day at the spa, pool, or art auction. Fares start at $349.

Find more west coast repositioning cruises here.

Norwegian Star Image Flickr: Tom Mascardo 1
Victoria BC Image Flickr: Dustin and Jenae
Golden Princess Image Flickr: anthony_goto

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