With 17 ships, 350 ports, and more than 120 different itineraries, Princess Cruises has something for everyone.  Over the years, the line has introduced many innovations, and today, they’re one of the most respected names in cruising.

Meals, on-board entertainment, and shore excursions are all well run.  And all but the most demanding travelers will likely enjoy their time onboard a Princess cruise.

Because Princess has so many ship and sails to virtually every corner of the world, they offer more repositioning cruises than any other cruise line.  From a one-day voyage from Vancouver to Seattle to a 37-day sailing from Sydney to Beijing, Princess has repositioning cruises of every length.

Repositioning cruises on Caribbean Princess.

Beautiful sea day

The largest ship in Princess’s fleet, the Caribbean Princess carries 3,100 passengers.  Nearly 900 of her staterooms have balconies, and there’s an entire deck devoted to mini suites.  The Lotus Spa is one Princess’s best, and there’s an adults-only Sanctuary. Active travelers will enjoy the sport court, fitness center and golf amenities.  There are also several venues for kids of all ages.  So the Caribbean Princess is an especially good choice for families.

On May 2, 2010, she sails from San Juan, Puerto Rico, bound for New York.  The 8-day sailing calls at St. Thomas, Antigua, and Bermuda, and has three sea days.  On October 23, 2010, she returns from New York to San Juan, calling at Bermuda, St. Lucia, Antigua, and St. Thomas en route.

Repositioning cruises on Coral Princess.

Coral Princess has some cool features you won’t find on other ships, including a demonstration kitchen, and a ceramics lab.  One of the three swimming pools has a retractable dome roof, and in addition to the main dining rooms, there are two alternative restaurants – Sabatini’s and the Bayou Café and Steakhouse for New Orleans-influenced dishes.   There’s a cigar bar and a Rat Pack-style martini and piano bar.

She leaves Fort Lauderdale on April 21, 2010 as she repositions for the Alaska season.  She calls at Aruba and Catagena before transiting the Panama Canal.  Then visits Costa Rica, Huatulco, Acapulco, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  She cruises up the U.S Pacific coast, calling at Los Angeles and Victoria, British Columbia, and disembarks passengers in Vancouver 20 days later.

Travelers looking for a short, domestic getaway can board Coral Princess in Los Angeles on May 6, 2010 and disembark in Vancouver five days later.   Victoria is the only port call on this itinerary.

At the end of the Alaska season, Coral Princess sails from Vancouver on September 18, 2010, doing the Fort Lauderdale-to-Vancouver itinerary in reverse.  Passengers who don’t have time for the whole cruise can disembark in Los Angeles instead.

Repositioning cruises on Crown Princess.

One of the newest ships in the Princess fleet, Crown Princess is a sister ship to the Caribbean Princess.  But there are a few differences.  The atrium lobby on Crown Princess, which was designed to resemble an Italian piazza, has a “sidewalk” café.  And there’s a sport court on top of the Skywalker Disco.

Cruisers who love days at sea will enjoy sailing aboard Crown Princess when she repositions from the Caribbean to Europe.  Passengers board in Fort Lauderdale on May 1, 2010 and then have eight sea days before arriving in Gibraltar.  They’ll also visit Alicante and Barcelona, Spain, Marseilles, France, and Livorno, Italy before disembarking in Civitavecchia (Rome) on May 15.

Or passengers can stay onboard and go all the way to Venice, visiting Monte Carlo, Livorno, Naples, Santorini, Kusadasi, Mykonos, Athens, Katakolon, and Corfu on the way.

Crown Princess then heads for London to spend the warm summer months in Northern Europe.  Passengers can board the ship in Venice and do the above itinerary in reverse.  Or join in Rome and call at Livorno, Genoa, Cannes, Barcelona, Gibraltar, Lisbon, Dublin, Glagow, Le Havre, and Zeebrugge before arriving in London.

At the end of the European season, Crown Princess returns to the United States leaving London on September 3, 2010.  Passengers will visit Cornwall, Dublin, Belfast, Reykjavik, Greenland, and St. John’s, Newfoundland before arrive in New York.

Lovers of fall foliage will enjoy being aboard as Crown Princess relocates to the Caribbean.  Passengers board on October 17, 2010 and overnight in Quebec City, then sail to Ville Saguenay, Hailfax, Bar Harbor, Boston, Newport, New York, Norfolk, and Charleston before disembarking in Fort Lauderdale.

Find more Princess repositioning cruises here.

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Most of the repositioning cruises during March leave from South American, cross the Atlantic, and then disembark passengers in a Mediterranean port.  They range in length from around 14 to 30+ days.  And because the trans-Atlantic segment of the voyage can take up to a week, they’re very relaxing.

You may not familiar with Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, but they’re very popular with British travelers.  Their ships are older — they were originally built for the now-defunct Royal Viking Line — but they’ve been thoughtfully updated.  With 435 cabins, their Black Watch is a nice size — big enough to have all the amenities, but small enough not to overwhelm the ports it visits.

Passengers embark Black Watch in Lima, Peru and overnight before setting sail on the afternoon of March 5.  She calls at Guayaquil, Ecuador before transiting the Panama Canal, then visits Columbia, Barbados, and Funchal, Portugal before disembarking passengers in London on March 26.  With more than 14 days with no port calls, passengers will have plenty of time to enjoy the large fitness center and spa.

Seabourn repositioning cruises.

Seabourn is another first-rate cruise line whose passengers want for nothing.  Complimentary wines and spirits, afternoon tea, and menus created by celebrity chef Charlie Palmer set the tone.  And the water sports platform at the stern makes it easy to get into and out of the briny.   Each of Seabourn Spirit’s staterooms are suites tricked out with marble baths, balconies, DVD players, and walk-in closets.

Seabourn Spirit embarks passengers in Manaus, Brazil on March 3.  Guests overnight on board and depart Manaus the next day.  The Spirit calls at several ports in Brazil, including Parintins, Alter de Chao, and the Curua Una River before cruising the Breves Narrows.  After a day at sea, she calls at Devil’s Island, French Guiana, before visiting Barbados, Tortola, and Turks & Caicos.  She arrives in Fort Lauderdale on March 19.

Lucky travelers with lots of time can continue on from there and cross the Atlantic.  Or they can board Seabourn Spirit in Fort Lauderdale and disembark in Venice on April 17.  They’ll spend ten days crossing the Atlantic before arriving in Funchal, Portugal.  The voyage includes four ports in Spain, Sicily, Malta, Greece, and Croatia.

MSC Cruises repositioning cruises.

MSC Cruises is another line that’s more familiar to Europeans than Americans.  In fact, you’ll hear many languages other than English spoken on board.  With 11 ships, they’re one of the fastest growing cruise lines in Europe.

The MSC Magnifica is a brand new ship with state-of-the-art technology and amenities.  The spa has treatment rooms, a Turkish bath, sauna, and fitness center.  And the retractable dome over the swimming pool means you never have to lose a pool day due to rain.  In preparation for it’s Mediterranean cruises, Magnifica is sailing from Hamburg, Germany to Venice, Italy on March 7.  The 14-day cruise calls at ports in Holland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Croatia before arriving in Venice on March 19.  As repositioning cruises go, this one has plenty of port calls, and it’s a nice itinerary.  Plus, it’s always fun to sail aboard a shiny, new vessel.

MSC’s 2,069-passenger Lirica is smaller than the other MSC vessels.  There’s an English pub for British passengers and the Beverly Hills Bar for Americans.  But the design is understated and European.  She sails from Rio de Janeiro on March 12 and arrives in Genoa, Italy on March 29.  In addition to the usual ports in Brazil, Cape Verde, the Canary Islands, and Portugal, Lirica also calls at Tangier, Morocco and Alicante, Spain.

The MSC Musica, has several unexpected amenities including a Zen garden, sushi bar, a three-tiered waterfall, a wine bar, and a cigar club.  And there are plenty of sports areas that make it easy to keep fit.  She was christened in 2006 by Sophia Loren.  Her repositioning cruise from South America to Europe sails from Sao Paolo on March 17, and her itinerary is similar to the Lirica’s until the final week, when she calls at Malaga, Spain, Tunis, Tunisia, and Dubrovnik, Croatia before arriving in Venice on April 4.

Originally built for Festival Cruises, the MSC Armonia entered service in 2001. She was redone when MSC purchased her in 2004.  Cabins are on the small side, so upgrade to a suite if you can afford it.   With 2,200 passengers, she’s less grand than many of the MSC ships.   Her South America/Europe repositioning cruise leaves Buenos Aires on March 29, sails the eastern coast of Brazil, calling at Rio, Salvador, and Recife, calls at the usual ports in Portugal and Spain, before visiting Tunis and Kotor in Montenegro.  The cruise ends in Venice on April 19.

Costa Cruises repositioning cruises.

As part of the Carnival Cruise Lines family, Costa doesn’t necessarily cater to American passengers, but it certainly makes sure they feel at home.   Their flagship, Costa Concordia, has one of the most impressive spas at sea with 20,500 square feet of treatment rooms, pools, and a fitness center.  What’s more, the Samsara Suites adjoin the spa and have their own restaurant.  The 3,000 passengers can choose from five restaurants and 13 bars.  And two of the four swimming pools have retractable glass roofs.  If you get bored, you can take a spin in the Formula One race car simulator.  On March 10, Concordia sails from Sao Paulo, Brazil for Savona, Italy.  En route, she calls at Rio de Janeiro and three other Brazilian ports, the Canary Islands, Portugal, Spain, and France.

Costa’s Victoria has a seven-story atrium lobby, a modern spa, five restaurants, a fitness center, jogging track, and sport court.  There’s a large, indoor pool in the spa, and plenty of teak deck chairs.   Victoria leaves Buenos Aires on March 20 and visits Uruguay, and Brazil before arriving in the Canary Islands.  She calls at ports in Madeira, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Croatia before arriving in Venice on April 17.  If you have the time, this repositioning cruise includes lots of interesting ports, including Gythion and Argostoli, Greece.

Launched in 2003, Costa Fortuna was built in Genoa and it’s one of the most Italian ships afloat.  Public areas and restaurants were inspired by Italian cruise liners from the golden age and are named for famous Italians.  Dinner in the main dining room can be a 3+ hour affair.   And their a la carte restaurant, Club Grand Conte 1927, serves grilled Tuscan steaks and chops.   Fortuna sails from Fort Lauderdale on March 28.  She visits five ports in the Caribbean before crossing the Atlantic.  And then calls at Funcal and Malaga before arriving in Savona on April 14.  Because she sails from Fort Lauderdale, this repositioning cruise has more affordable airfare than some.

Royal Caribbean repositioning cruise.

One of Royal Caribbean’s Vision Class ships, Splendour of the Seas provides its 1,800 passengers with plenty of distractions, including an 18-hole miniature golf course, a solarium with retractable glass roof, and a fitness center.  There’s a Champagne Bar in the seven-story Centrum, and the ship-top Viking Crown Lounge is a great spot at sunset.  Splendour sails from Sao Paolo on March 20 on a voyage to Barcelona, Spain.  The 15-day sailing has nine sea days and fewer port calls than many South America to Europe repositioning cruises.  It’s best suited to American travelers.

Windstar repositioning cruise.

Windstar is one of our favorite cruise lines.  The sleek, computer-assisted sailing vessels provide an inviting home away from home for world travelers who like the casual, country-club atmosphere.  Carrying 312 passenger, Windsurf is the largest ship in the Windstar fleet.  The only drawback is that none of the staterooms have balconies.  But the platform at the back of the ship — and all the free water sports equipment — makes it really easy to enjoy the water.  Open-seating dining and an inventive menu from Joachim Splichal make meals a special event.  There’s not much in the way of nightlife, but most passengers don’t seem to mind.  Suites are worth the added expense.

Those who love the open ocean will enjoy the Windsurf repositioning cruise from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean.  There are no ports of call between Barbados and Lisbon.  Just 13 days at sea.   She sets sail on March 21.  Because of the lack of ports, this sailing is an especially good bargain.

Oceania repositioning cruise.

Built for the now defunct Renaissance Cruise, Oceania Cruises’s Regatta is an intimate 684-passenger vessel.   Due to it’s smaller size, you’ll never feel rushed or crowded.  Open-seating dining is a popular feature, as is the menu created by Jacques Pepin.   In fact, Oceania serves some of the best food at sea.  And there’s no additional charge for the alternative restaurants, as there is on other cruise lines.  Service is exceptional for the price.   Regatta sails from Miami on March 21 and spends eight days at sea before arriving in Funchal.  She also visits Casablanca and Malaga before ending in Barcelona on April 4.

Regent Seven Seas repositioning cruise.

Regent was formed when Radisson merged with Seven Seas in 1994 and rebranded as Regent in 2006.  Today, the line is one of the best and most all-inclusive at sea.  With complimentary beverages throughout the voyage and an interesting on-board educational program, Regent serves up whatever its passengers require.   Their Mariner was the first all-suite, all-balcony ship, and the cabins are quite spacious.  Their four restaurants all offer open seating and serve French, Asian, steak, and Mediterranean cuisine.  And with just 700 passengers, public spaces are rarely overwhelmed.  Their Canyon Ranch SpaClub is a great way to while away the time.

Mariner departs Fort Lauderdale on March 22 bound for Bermuda, and arrives at Funchal on April 1.  Passengers can disembark there or continue on to Monte Carlo, Monaco, calling at Cadiz and Malaga, Spain and Marseilles, France en route.

Read more about trans-Atlantic repositioning cruises here.  Or find February 2010 cruises here.

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Repositioning cruises typically offer some of the best cruise bargains you can find.  But if you can travel without a lot of advance planning, you’ll find even better deals.  Right now, some cruise lines are discounting their February repositioning cruises 50% or more.

Most of the ships sailing in South America don’t reposition to Europe until March.  So February repositioning cruises are one-of-a-kind voyages in which a cruise line moves a single ship from one part of the world to another.

A couple of these cruises visit exotic ports you’re not likely to visit any other way.  And there are lots of relaxing days at sea for unwinding and relaxing.

Silversea repositioning cruise from South Africa to the Canary Islands.

Silversea has some of the most inviting ships at sea.  And with a Relais & Chateaux restaurant, a luxurious spa, and staterooms with marble baths, their Silver Wind is no exception.  In fact, thanks to their butler service you may feel like you’re aboard your own private yacht.  Other luxurious touches include Champagne in your stateroom on arrival, which is replenished throughout the voyage — and caviar available through room service.

All 148 cabins are suites with sitting areas and walk-in closets, and 80% of them have teak balconies.   Grand Suites have two bedrooms, two living rooms, and Jacuzzi tubs.   And early- and late-check in are available for an added charge.

On February 12, Silver Wind sails from Cape Town, South Africa bound for Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.  The 19-day voyage calls at some very unusual places, including Namibia, Bom Bom Island, Gambia, Senegal, and the Cape Verde Islands.  With ten days at sea, you’ll have plenty of time for spa treatments and enjoying life at sea.

Star Clipper repositioning cruise.

If you haven’t heard of Star Clipper, they’re a nice cross between conventional cruising and bare-boat cruising.  Their 4-masted ships actually sail, so if you love the sound of the wind in the sheets, you’ll feel right at home.  With nearly 20,000 square feet of deck space, two swimming pools, and a library with a fireplace, guests aboard the Star Flyer aren’t exactly roughing it.  But the onboard ambience is more casual than on most ships.

You can fulfill your dream of sailing across the South Pacific in comfort if you board Star Flyer in Papeete on Valentine’s Day.  You’ll call at Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine, and Rangiroa in the Society Islands before sailing for Hiva Oa and Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas.  Then, it’s 18 days at sea before arriving in Cocos Island, Costa Rica.  Passengers disembark in Panama City on March 20.

Crystal Cruises repositioning cruise.

For traditional, six-star luxury, Crystal Cruises is rarely outdone.  From the Frette linens and robes to the Riedel crystal wine glasses to the spa that’s frequently voted World’s Best at sea, all amenities are top tier.  Room service is available 24 hours a day, and the menus were developed by star chefs Piero Selvaggio and Nobuyuki Matsuhisa.

During your days at sea, you can learn a foreign language, a musical instrument, or a new software program at the Creative Learning Institute.  Golfers will appreciate the driving range, putting green, and resident pro.  And tennis players will enjoy the top-deck paddle tennis court.

If you want to visit Australia and don’t like to fly, Crystal Symphony’s February 28 repositioning cruise is the perfect solution.  You’ll sail from Los Angeles, spend five days at sea before calling at Hilo, Lahaina, and Honolulu, Hawaii.  After another ten relaxing sea days, you’ll arrive relaxed and refreshed in Sydney on March 18.

Read more about repositioning cruises here.  And find March 2010 repositioning cruises here.

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