Cruise ships that have spent the summer in Europe will start to head back to the United States in August. With fares as much as 65% off, now is a great time to book your trip.

The weather is still pleasant in Europe, many of these cruises include interesting ports in Europe and visits in Iceland, Greenland, and the Martime provinces of Canada along the way. So a repositioning cruise would be a lovely way to end the summer.

Holland America’s Eurodam sails from Amsterdam on August 19, then spends a day at sea before overnight in South Queensferry. This is the port for Edinburgh, Scotland, and Eurodam overnights so passengers will have the opportunity to attend the 59th annual Edinburgh Military Tatoo. Hundreds of pipers, drummers, and members of the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland perform. It’s a thrilling spectacle you’ll never forget.

Newfoundland

After South Queensferry, Eurodam calls at Kirkwall, Scotland, and Torshavn, Denmark before spending a day at sea en route to Reykjavik, Iceland. Passengers will be able to learn more about the Eyjafjallajokull volcano during their visit. After two more days at sea, Eurodam arrives in Qaqortoq, Greenland, where passengers can tour the Norse ruins of Halsey.

The ship spends the next five days in Canada, calling at ports in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Passengers arrive 19 days later in New York City on September 6. Big discounts are currently available on this sailing.

Travelers with more time can board Eurodam in Amsterdam on August 8 and visit Stockholm, Tallinn, St. Petersburg — where the ship overnights — Helsinki, and Copenhagen in addition to the ports described above. Passengers can choose from several evening activities in Saint Petersburg. The 29-night voyage offers a huge number of ports for a repositioning cruise.

Launched in 2008, Eurodam has the Culinary Arts Center sponsored by Food and Wine magazine, several excellent alternative restaurants, a large spa, and the largest gymnasium in the HAP fleet.

On August 22, Crown Princess sails roundtrip from Southampton and does a 13-night British Isles itinerary visiting Guernsey, Cork and Dublin, Irleand, Liverpool, Belfast in Northern Ireland, and Glasgow, Invergordon, and South Queensferry in Scotland. She calls at Le Havre before returning to Southampton on September 3. Those with less time can board Crown Princess then.

Edinburgh Castle at night

We did this cruise two years ago and really enjoyed Guersney and Liverpool, which was nothing like what we expected. When a strike prevented us from calling at Le Havre, we went to Dover instead, and spend a delightful day in Canterbury.

After leaving Southampton, passengers will visit Falmouth — the gateway to Cornwall — Dublin and Belfast, before sailing to Reykjavik. After leaving Iceland, she has two days at sea before arriving in Greenland, then two more days at sea before visiting St. John’s, Newfoundland. Passengers disembark in New York on September 17.

You can find more transatlantic repositioning cruises here.

Newfoundland Image Flickr: jurek d.
Edinburgh Castle at night Image Flickr: http2007

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Those who’ve had the good fortune to cruise aboard one of the Yachts of Seabourn know that their service, food, and accommodations are absolutely top of the line.

With amenities like Hermes and l’Occitane toiletries, all-suite staterooms, and menus created by celebrity chef Charlie Palmer, everything is a cut above.  And innovative events like outdoor barbecues, Caviar in the Surf, and Shopping with the Chef provide passengers with unique experiences that enrich their travels.

The no-tipping policy and open bar provide added value.  And being aboard with so few other passengers means the first-rate staff will know you, and your preferences, right away.

Seabourn is currently offering transatlantic repositioning cruises aboard Seabourn Spirit and Seabourn Legend at prices that are up to 70% off.

Here are the details:

On March 19, 2010, Seabourn Sprit leaves from Fort Lauderdale and spends a leisurely ten days crossing the Atlantic.  She calls at Funchal, Madeira before arriving in Lisbon on March 30.  Passengers may disembark her there.  Fares for this voyage were starting at just $2,799 per person.

With so many days at sea, cruisers have plenty of opportunities to relax, unwind, and enjoy the spa and fitness facilities.

Those with more time can stay aboard and visit Malaga, Valencia, Barcelona, Menorca, Sicily, Malta, Grythion, Argostoli, Corfu, and Dubrovnik before arriving in Venice on April 17.

Seabourn Legend sails from Fort Lauderdale on April 8, 2010, also bound for Lisbon.  She calls at Funchal along the way.  Passengers who disembark in Lisbon can take advantage of fares as low as $3,199 per person.

If you’d like to see more of the Mediterranean, you can stay aboard and visit Portimao, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Malaga, Cartagena, Alicante, Palma de Mallorca, and Barcelona before disembarking in Monte Carlo on May 2.

At these rates, both these Seabourn repositioning cruises provide excellent value for money.

Find more transatlantic repositioning cruises here.

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Smallish by Princess standards, Dawn Princess is one of the line’s Sun-class ships.  With a Champagne and caviar bar, an adults-only Sanctuary spa, a wrap-around, teak promenade deck with steamer chairs, and an LED Movies under the Stars screen, it’s very popular with passengers.

Dawn Princess will spend 2010 sailing roundtrips from Melbourne or Sydney to ports in Australia and New Zealand.  There’s only one repositioning cruise available in 2010.  She leaves Sydney on November 7, spends a day at sea, and then calls at Tasmania before arriving in Melbourne.

Repositioning cruises on Diamond Princess.

Day at sea

The 2,670-passenger Diamond Princess has some interesting features, including a balcony off the Skywalker Lounge that’s great for watching the ship’s trail, a show lounge with 42 high-tech video screens, an Internet café with 29 computers, and golf simulators that let you play some of the most renowned courses in the world.

Dawn Princess spends the winter in Australia and Asia and the summer in Alaska.   Because you can embark and disembark Diamond Princess in several ports in Asia and the South Pacific, you can make your own Asia/South Pacific repositioning cruise from February through March and then again from October through December.

On April 30, 2010 Diamond Princess leaves Asia for Alaska.  She sails from Beijing and calls at Dalian and Qingdao in China, Pusan in South Korea, and Vladivostok, Russia.  After many days at sea, she arrives in Whittier Alaska.  From there, she cruises past Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay National Park before visiting Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan, Alaska.  Passengers disembark in Vancouver.

She returns from Alaska to Asia on September 1, 2010, operating the same itinerary in reverse.

On December 5, Diamond Princess leaves Bangkok and calls at Vietnam, Singapore and Padang Bay on the way to Australia, where she visits Darwin, Port Douglas and Airlie Beach before arriving in Sydney.  Travelers with more time can stay aboard and disembark in Auckland 9 days later.

Repositioning cruises on Golden Princess.

One of Princess’s Grand Class ships, the Golden Princess has more than 700 balcony staterooms.  Grown ups will enjoy the adults-only Sanctuary, three show rooms, the Lotus Spa, fitness center, and nine whirlpools.  While kids of all ages will find spaces just for them.  In addition to the main dining rooms, passengers can have dinner at Sabatinis or the Painted Dessert restaurant.  One of Grand Princess’s most enjoyable features is the 300-square-foot LED screen out by the pool.  It’s great for watching movies and sporting events.

Golden Princess repositions for the Alaska season in early May.  She sails on May 9, 2010 from Los Angeles, overnights at Catalina Island, and visits San Francisco and Victoria, British Columbia before disembarking passengers in Vancouver.

On September 26, 2010, she heads south for the winter, sailing from Vancouver and arriving in Los Angeles after two days at sea.  It’s a relaxing, affordable getaway for those who just want to enjoy the ship’s amenities.

Repositioning cruises on Grand Princess.

The first of the Grand Class ships, Grand Princess created quite a stir when she was launched in 1998.  At that time, she was the biggest cruise ship in the world.  We were lucky enough to tour her in Barcelona that year.

She was very impressive.  And she’s still impressive today.  Despite her size, there are plenty of nooks and crannies that feel positively cozy.  And her distinctive profile is easy to spot when she’s in port.  In fact, the Europeans dubbed her “the shopping cart.”

Grand Princess repositions to Europe for the summer season in early April.  She sails from Fort Lauderdale on April 9, 2010 and spends two days at sea before arriving in Bermuda.  Passengers will spend a day there before spending six days crossing the Atlantic.  Next, she calls at Glasgow, Dublin, Cork, Cornwall, and Le Havre, before disembarking passengers in London.  Those who wish can stay aboard and visit Seville, Sardinia, Rome, Florence, Cannes, Barcelona, and Gibraltar before returning to London 13 days later.

When the summer season ends in Europe, she returns to the U.S.  She sails from London on September 25, 2010 and visits Bergen, Norway, the Shetland Islands, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Nova Scotia before arriving in Fort Lauderdale.  This voyage includes ten days at sea, so there’s plenty of time to relax and unwind.

Find more Princess repositioning cruises here.

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