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

No comments »

Repositioning cruises almost always offer good value for money. Because they are less popular than round-trip voyages and visit fewer ports, the cruise lines usually sell then for much less on a per-day basis. But if you know when to book, you might save even more — as much as 70% off the already-low brochure rate.

Cruise ships have fairly sophisticated inventory management systems. And when certain benchmark dates are reached, if too few passengers are booked, the price is reduced. An empty cabin doesn’t generate any revenue. So it’s worth it to reduce the price of the stateroom to attract a passenger who might gamble, drink, and dine in the specialty restaurants.

Many cruise ships offer repositioning cruises.

Several years ago, cruise lines offered their best deals in the form of early booking discounts. In return for having your deposit as much as a year in advance, cruise companies would give early birds a discount. Back in those days, marketing materials had to be created months in advance. And special offers were established according to a fixed schedule.

But today, cruise lines can market specific cruises online, which reduces the amount of lead time required for marketing campaigns. With a healthy list of email addresses, a cruise line can decide on Wednesday to discount a cruise on Thursday. And on Friday, savvy travelers who have given up their email addresses can get really impressive repositioning cruise deals.

If there’s one particular cruise line that you like, sign up for any email updates or e-newsletters that they offer. Registering with an online cruise agency is also a good idea. Vacationstogo, Travelzoo, and Shermans Travel all have hot deals.

A repositioning cruise gives you plenty of time to enjoy onboard amenities.

As a rule, the best deals are available 30 to 90 days before sailing. But in some cases, you may be able to get a bargain as much as six months before departure.

Be sure to take advantage of any shipboard credits that are offered. These are often worth up to $1,000 per stateroom and use can use them to offset the cost of almost any service available on board.

Although airfare isn’t often included with repositioning cruises — because two point-to-point fares are usually required — be sure to ask if any discounted airfares are available. This can end up saving you quite a bit.

Before you book, be sure to shop around. If there’s a cruise agency in your town, give them a call. If you live in a big city, check your local, Sunday newspaper. And visit the cruise line websites.

With any luck, you’ll be able to land a repositioning cruise for less than $100 per person, per day.

Many cruise ships offer repositioning cruises Image Flickr: Salicia
A repositioning cruise gives you plenty of time to enjoy onboard amenities Image Flickr: Tom Mascardo 3

No comments »

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

No comments »