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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By the middle of April, many of the ships that have spent the winter cruising in the Caribbean reposition to be ready for the summer cruising season in Alaska.

The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, which is also known as the Jones Act, prohibits foreign-flagged ships from embarking and disembarking passengers in U.S. ports unless they call in another country on the way. Because it’s much less expensive to register ships in countries other than the U.S., nearly all cruise vessels these days are foreign flagged. So they can’t embark passengers in Seattle and disembark them in Alaska, unless they stop in Canada.

That’s why most Alaska cruises, and most Alaska repositioning cruises, begin or end in Vancouver. Which isn’t a bad thing. Vancouver is one of the most beautiful, vibrant cities in the world. And this year, it’s getting a facelift for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

One of the nice things about Alaska repositioning cruises is you can usually find one that suits your needs. They range in length from 3 to 20 days. And you can often disembark in more than one port. Because the shorter sailings are often sold at a very deep discount — fares as low as $99 per person aren’t unheard of — they’re also a good way for first-time cruisers to “test the waters.”

Holland America repositioning cruises to Alaska.

On April 18, 2010, Holland America’s Ryndam leaves Tampa on a 21-day voyage to Vancouver. She calls at Grand Cayman and Columbia before transiting the Panama Canal. After passing through the canal, she visits Costa Rica, four ports in Mexico, San Diego, and Victoria before arriving in Vancouver on May 9. With a two-level dining room, an exhibition kitchen with plasma TV monitors, and just 1,266 passengers, Ryndam is a lovely place to spend three weeks. Passengers can also embark in San Diego on May 5 for a four-night cruise.

Holland America fans who don’t have much time for vacation can board their Zaandam in San Diego on April 21, 2010. En route to Vancouver, she calls at Catalina Island, Astoria, Oregon, and Victoria, BC. During the days at sea, passengers can enjoy a pool with a retractable roof, a jogging track, tennis and volleyball courts, and the Ocean Spa. With fares starting at just $399 per person, it works out to less than $135 per couple, per day.

Ryndam’s sister ship, Statendam, sails from Fort Lauderdale on April 25, 2010 and calls at Aruba before entering and crossing the Panama Canal. After that, she visits Costa Rica, Guatemala, four ports in Mexico, and San Diego, before ending the voyage in Vancouver on May 16. A 26-foot splashing fountain in the three-story atrium greets passengers as they board. Those with less time can board in San Diego on May 12.

Cruisers who love days at sea can join Holland America’s Amsterdam in Los Angeles on April 29, spend three nights aboard and disembark in Vancouver on May 2nd. The 1,380-passenger Amsterdam is a sister ship to the Rotterdam.

On May 4, 2010, the 1,918-passenger Zuiderdam sails from San Diego to Vancouver. Passengers can disembark in Vancouver four days later. But those who want to see Alaska can remain aboard and cruise the Tracy Arm, and then visit Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, and Ketchikan before leaving the ship when it returns to Vancouver on May 15.

Princess Cruises repositioning cruises to Alaska.

Coral Princess is 1,974-passenger cruise ship with a demonstration kitchen, a ceramics lab, and a swimming pool with a retractable dome roof. She sails from Fort Lauderdale on April 21, 2010 and transits the Panama Canal, arriving in Vancouver on May 10. As an alternative, passengers can board in Los Angeles on May 6, call at Victoria, BC on May 9, and arrives in Vancouver the next day. This four-night getaway is a nice break for west coast cruisers, and with fares from $349, it’s very affordable.

The 2,600-passenger Golden Princess has four pools, nine whirlpools, an adults-only Sanctuary, 17 lounges, and more than 700 balcony staterooms. She sails from Los Angeles on May 9, overnights at Catalina Island, and visits San Francisco, and Victoria before ending in Vancouver on May 14.

Royal Caribbean repositioning cruises to Alaska.

Sailing from the opposite direction, Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas sails from Honolulu on April 27, 2010. She spends two full days in Maui and then visits Kona and Hilo on the Big Island before crossing the Pacific en route to Vancouver. Five days at sea give passengers plenty of time to enjoy the spa, fitness center, and rock climbing wall. Special deals for California residents start as low as $899.

On May 8, Radiance of the Seas sails up the west coast from San Diego to San Francisco. After a couple of days at sea, she visits Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Hubbard Glacier, and Sitka in Alaska, and then Nanaimo and Victoria in British Columbia. Passengers leave the vessel in Vancouver on May 21.

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