It’s that time of year when the ships that have spent the summer sailing in the Mediterranean are starting to make their way back to the U.S. and Canada. There are some excellent deals out there with some cruises selling for 70% off brochure prices.

NCL repositioning cruises fall 2011.

Fans of Norwegian Cruise Lines can board the recently refurbished Norwegian Sun in Copenhagen on September 11 and spend more than two weeks visiting ports in Northern Europe and the Atlantic. With calls at Berlin, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Zeebrugge, Lisbon, and Ponta Delgada, there’s plenty to see before the six-day crossing to Port Canaveral.

Norwegian Sun docked in Lisbon, Spain

Those with less time, can board the ship the second time she calls at Copenhagen, on September 20. Passengers leave the ship in Port Canaveral on October 5, 2011.

Royal Caribbean repositioning cruises.

Royal Caribbean has eight ships offering transatlantic repositioning cruises this fall. Jewell of the Seas sails from Harwich on September 3, and calls at Le Havre, Cherbourg, Cobh, Dublin, and Reykjavik before arriving at St. John’s, Newfoundland on September 14. Passengers disembark in Boston on September 17.

Mariner of the Seas leaves Rome on October 26 and arrives in Galveston on November 11 after calling at ports in Spain, Portugal, and the Bahamas. Liberty of the Seas visits ports in Spain and the Canary Islands on her voyage from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale. She sails on October 29.

Voyager of the Seas sails from Barcelona on October 30 and arrives in New Orleans on November 12. With only three port calls, this is a great choice for cruisers who love days at sea. Grandeur of the Seas sails that same day and visits several Caribbean ports before arriving in Colon, Panama on November 13.

Navigator of the Seas leaves Rome on November 6 and Adventure of the Seas leaves Malaga the following day. Navigator visits ports in Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal, while Adventurer makes stops in the Canary Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Princess repositioning cruises.

Emerald Princess

Princess only has two ships crossing the Atlantic this fall: Emerald Princess and Grand Princess. The first sails from Copenhagen on September 11 and visits Norway, the British Isles, Iceland, Greenland, and Nova Scotia before arriving in Fort Lauderdale on September 29.

Grand Princess leaves Southampton on November 4 and calls at Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, and Bermuda before disembarking passengers in Fort Lauderdale on November 19.

Norwegian Sun Docked in Lisbon, Spain Image Flickr: Sean and Lauren
Emerald Princess Image Flickr: Bruce Tuten

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It’s almost spring and that means that many of the cruise ships in the Caribbean and South America will sail to Europe for the summer cruising season. These repositioning cruises offer many relaxing days at sea, a chance to unwind and catch up on the latest novels, and leisurely fine dining.

They’re also good cruise deals, with fares well below voyages that call at lots of ports.

Princess Cruises has three ships offering transatlantic cruises this spring. The first sails from Fort Lauderdale on April 27, aboard Emerald Princess. With nearly 900 balcony staterooms, the 2,080-passenger Emerald Princess is a great choice for those who want to enjoy the endless ocean views.

Cobh, Ireland

After two days at sea, she arrives at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Bermuda for the day. Passengers can spend the next five days at sea enjoying the amenities of the ship, and attending lectures, special meals, and evening entertainment.

On May 6, Emerald Princess arrives in Cobh, Ireland, the port city for Cork. She calls at Falmouth, Le Havre – for Paris – Rotterdam, London, and Oslo before disembarking passengers in Copenhagen on May 13.

Passengers who wish to see Northern Europe can stay aboard and visit Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Berlin, and Aarhus, before returning to Oslo and then leaving the ship in Copenhagen on May 24. After the crossing, they’ll be well rested for their sightseeing excursions.

Repositioning cruises on Star Princess.

The 2,600-passenger Star Princess manages to offer the amenities of a bigger ship in a more manageable space.

Tenerife, Canary Islands

She sails from Fort Lauderdale on May 3 and heads for Tenerife in the Canary Islands. She arrives after a full week at sea. After a day exploring beautiful Tenerife, she sails for Gibraltar, arriving on May 13. From there, she calls at Alicante and Barcelona in Spain, Marseille, and Florence. Cruisers leave Star Princess on May 18 in Rome.

This voyage offers ports that are very diverse in nature. It packs a lot of travel experiences into a brief span of time.

Repositioning cruises on Grand Princess.

We’ve sailed on the 2,600-passenger Grand Princess several times and have always enjoyed being aboard. The ship seems much more intimate than her passenger capacity would suggest.

The Movies Under the Stars out by the pool are always enjoyable.

On May 5, Grand Princess leaves Fort Lauderdale bound for Ponta Delgada, Portugal. The crossing takes a week.

After leaving Portugal, passengers will enjoy a cruise through the British Isles, visiting Cork, Dublin, Glasgow, Holyhead, Falmouth, and Le Havre, before leaving the ship in Southampton on May 21.

Passengers who would like see more of Europe can remain on board and call at St. Peter Port on the isle of Guernsey; Brest, France; Lisbon, Portugal; and Vigo, Spain before disembarking in Southampton on May 28.

Read more about Princess repositioning cruises.

Cobh, Ireland Image Flickr: Shaun Merritt
Tenerife, Canary Islands Image Flickr: SanShoot

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Anyone who loves the sea has dreamed about sailing around the world – or at least a part of it. With nothing but the sea and sky in every direction, the sound of the wind in the sails, and plenty of stars at night, it’s a romantic vision few will ever realize. Because the logistics of doing it yourself are pretty daunting. And frankly, it’s dangerous.

But you don’t have to do it on your own, and you don’t have to forego all the creature comforts either. A transatlantic repositioning cruise on one of Star Clippers’ three tall ships offers you the best of both worlds – the romance and adventure of days gone by and the amenities of a modern cruise ship.

Royal Clipper in Barbados

Star Clippers lets passengers spend their days enjoying life at sea. You can join the Captain on the bridge, assist with sailing the vessel, or just relax by the pool. Life aboard ship is casual and relaxed, and on beach days, passengers can enjoy the water directly from the marina at the ship’s stern. A nice selection of water sports equipment is available.

Royal Clipper, a five-masted vessel modeled after the tall ships built around the turn of the century, has 42 sails and 21,000 square feet of teak decking. She’s the flagship of the line and the largest passenger sailing vessel in the world. Her 227 passengers enjoy staterooms with air conditioning, private bathrooms, telephone, and television. All but six of the cabins are outside.

Special harnesses let guests climb the mast to a crow’s nest for unbelievable views and photos. And there’s a small fitness center, spa, pool, sauna, library, and plenty of space out on deck for enjoying the fresh air. Dress is casual — even in the multi-deck dining room, and there are several bars where you can have a before or after-dinner drink.

Royal Clipper sails from Rome to Barbados on October 15, 2011, calling at 11 ports in Corsica, Spain, Morocco, Portugal, and the Canary Islands en route. The voyage takes 28 days, but passengers with less time can join the ship in Lisbon on October 27 and call at Morocco and Tenerife before crossing the Atlantic.

Star Flyer and Star Clipper are four-masted vessels with a capacity of 170 passengers. Teak decks, brass fittings, and mahogany rails give these ships an old-world feel. There’s even a fireplace in the Edwardian-style library. Private bathrooms in the staterooms have marble accents.

Tenerife, a popular port on repositioning cruises

Star Flyer leaves St. Maarten on April 2, 2011 and visits the Azores, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, and St. Tropez before arriving in Monte Carlo on April 30. Passengers can also disembark Star Flyer in Lisbon on April 20.

On April 9, 2011, Star Clipper sails from St. Maarten bound for Athens. In addition to the Azores, Portugal, Morocco, and Spain, she also calls at Tunisia, Italy, Malta, and Greece. The 35-night cruise arrives in Athens on May 14, 2011 but passengers looking for a shorter cruise can leave the ship in Lisbon on April 27.

At the end of the Mediterranean season, Star Flyer sails from Cannes on October 8, 2011. The 29-night voyage arrives in Barbados on November 6. A 22-night cruise that leaves from Malaga on October 15 is also available.

Star Clipper leaves Athens on October 8, 2011 and arrives in St. Maarten 35 nights later, on November 12. Passengers boarding in Malaga on October 22 enjoy a 21-night cruise. Those who board in Las Palmas on October 29, sail for two weeks.

Royal Clipper returns to Barbados from Rome on October 15, 2011. The 28-night voyage includes multiple calls in Casablanca and Safi, Morocco. Travelers joining the cruise in Lisbon on October 27, arrive in Barbados 16 nights later.

Find more transatlantic repositioning cruises here.

Royal Clipper in Barbados Image Flickr: gailf548
Tenerife, a popular port on repositioning cruises Image Flickr: ReservasdeCoches.com

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