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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Princess Cruises has five ships that spend the summer season in the Mediterranean and then return in the fall to the Southern Hemisphere. So, they have several transatlantic repositioning cruises to choose from.

A sister ship of the Caribbean Princess, Crown Princess is one of Princess’s newest ships. With more than 900 balcony staterooms, it’s a great ship for those who love being at sea. There’s a Sabatini’s Italian restaurant and Crown Grill in addition to the main dining rooms, and a Lotus Spa for relaxing. The atrium lobby is like a piazza with a sidewalk café and wine bar.

Crown Princess

She sails from London on September 3, 2010 and calls at Cornwall in England, Belfast and Dublin in Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland before disembarking passengers in New York on September 17. With seven port calls and seven days at sea, this voyage has a nice balance of activity and relaxation.

Grand Princess launched in 1998 as the first Princess Grand Class ship. For such a large ship — she carries 2,600 passengers — she’s surprisingly intimate with lots of cozy places. The adults-only Sanctuary is a good place to unwind and there’s a nine-hole putting course where you can work on your short game.

On Saturday, September 25, Grand Princess sails from London and visits Bergen in Norway, the Shetland Islands, Denmark, two ports in Iceland, and Nova Scotia before docking in Fort Lauderdale on October 11. With ten days at sea, this is a great choice for cruisers who want to enjoy the ship’s amenities and life at sea.

Ruby Princess is the same class as the Crown Princess, so she has the same dramatic, atrium lobby where passengers gather to enjoy a glass of wine or watch the performers. There are more than 900 balcony cabins to choose from, and several alternative restaurants.

Passengers embark Ruby Princess in Venice on October 8 and overnight onboard. She sails the next day and visits Naples, Rome, Cannes, and Barcelona. After three days at sea, she calls at Ponta Delgada, Portugal and then spends five days at sea en route to Fort Lauderdale. Passengers disembark there on October 24.

Grand Princess

Travelers with a little more time (16 nights) and a taste for the exotic should consider a repositioning cruise on the Star Princess this fall. The ship has three dining rooms, three showrooms, two alternative restaurants, and a full-service spa. With four pools, nine whirlpools, and a golf simulator, there’s plenty to do on sea days, and Movies Under the Stars are a fun evening activity.

Star Princess sails from Rome on Saturday, December 4 and calls at Florence, Cannes, Barcelona, and Casablanca and Agadir in Morocco. After five days at sea, she arrives at Recife in Brazil. After two more sea days, she arrives in Rio de Janeiro, where passengers overnight onboard the ship. They disembark in Rio on Monday, December 20.

Carrying just 64 passengers, Pacific Princess is one of the smallest ships in the Princess fleet. She is one of the R Class ships that Princess acquired from the now defunct Renaissance Cruises. And she’s a real gem to sail on. The food and service are a cut above, and the smaller scale contributes to on-board camaraderie.

Pacific Princess leaves Rome on Sunday, December 5th and visits Florence, Monte Carlo, and Barcelona. She calls at rarely visited Ceuta, which is a Spanish Territory, and then continues on to Casablanca. After visiting Ponta Delgada, Portugal, she spends four days at sea before arriving in Hamilton, Bermuda. She spends another two days at sea before disembarking passengers in Fort Lauderdale on December 22.

Find more Princess repositioning cruises here.

Crown Princess Image Flickr: MoToMo
Grand Princess Image Flickr: P/\UL

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Royal Caribbean is known for big, glamorous cruise ships that offer everything passengers need to stay happy and entertained.  They raised the bar in 1999 when they introduced the first Voyager-class vessel.  And by the time the fourth ship in the series, Navigator of the Seas, was launched in 2002, they had perfected the concept.

The hub of activity on Navigator is the four-story Royal Promenade, which is lined with shops, cafes, and bars.  One night of each voyage, there’s a Mardi Gras-style parade here shortly after midnight which is a real cruise highlight.  But this indoor mall is hopping 24 hours a day.

The Promenade

With terrific childrens’ programs and services that provide parents with some quality-time alone, Navigator is one of the best cruise ships for families.

Dining aboard Navigator of the Seas.

The three-story main dining room on Navigator is one of the most spectacular at sea.  Although it’s actually three rooms rolled into one, the multi-level affect is really striking.  Royal Caribbean still has two fixed-time dinner seatings, but a new program called My Family Time Dining gets the kids fed in 45 minutes and then escorted to Adventure Ocean for evening activities.

Parents are free to enjoy a leisurely dinner while the kids are entertained with others the same age.

Don’t rule out the dining room at lunch.  Tell them you’re in a hurry, and you’ll be served two menu items in under 30 minutes.  Since your lunch is prepared to order, it’s usually very good.

There are several other alternatives to the dining room.  Johnny Rocket’s has burgers, fries, and shakes available for a modest surcharge.  You can dine in or take out.

Portofino Italian restaurant serves five-course Northern Italian dinners in intimate surrounding.  And Chops Grille has steaks and chops, baked potatoes and other sides, and indulgent desserts. There’s a charge of around $25 per person to dine in either of these restaurants.

The Windjammer buffet is open for lunch and dinner, and the Jade buffet next to Windjammer has Thai, Chinese, and Japanese dishes.  The pizzeria and poolside grill are also open until late afternoon. And Ben & Jerry’s ice cream offers more than a dozen flavors.  If you prefer not to pay extra, there’s a free Sprinkle’s frozen yogurt dispenser next door.

When you’re thirsty, the Vintage Wine Bar, the Champagne Bar, Two Poets British-style pub, and Boleros Latin bar are popular spots.

Room service is free until midnight and $3.95 after that.  A variety of sandwiches and snacks are available around the clock.

Other activities aboard Navigator of the Seas.

Whether you’re active or just looking for a deck chair, there’s no shortage of things to do on Navigator.  If you’re daring, climb the rock wall and find yourself 175 feet above the sea.  Or for something more tame, try in-line skating, miniature golf, or a pick-up game of basketball or volleyball on the full-size court.

If you’re traveling with children, they’ll be well looked after whatever their ages.  At 22,000-square-feet, the Adventure Ocean is huge and has two clubs just for teens – the Living Room and the Fuel Dance Club.  And there are separate programs for kids in all age groups.

For adults, the Solarium is an appealing haven with an indoor pool, two Jacuzzis, and plenty of chaises for relaxing. The Spa has 14 massage and treatment rooms, a steam room, and a dry flotation room.

Entertainment on board is professional and varied.  The shows at Studio B – the Ice Skating rink – are a highlight.  There’s no charge, but seating is limited, so get tickets as soon as they’re offered.

Broadway-style reviews are performed in the 1,350-seat Metropolis Theater.  And there are musical acts in many of the dozen bars.

Navigator of the seas

Accommodations aboard Navigator of the Seas.

Most of Navigator’s cabins are outside, but some of the inside stateroom have views of the Promenade.  This is a great choice for the claustrophobic.

All cabins have a mini fridge, a safe, and a small sitting area.  But the 707 balcony staterooms are worth the splurge.

Families can choose from a 328-square-foot Family Oceanview cabin which has a second bedroom with bunk beds or a 512-square-foot Royal Family Suite that sleeps up to eight.

There are two Navigator of the Seas repositioning cruises in 2010.  On April 10, 2010, she sails from Miami and then spends eight days crossing the Atlantic.  She arrives at Tenerife, and then has two days at sea before calling at Barcelona, Nice, and Florence.  Passengers disembark in Rome on Saturday, April 24.

On Saturday, October 23, she sails from Rome and calls at Toulon, Barcelona, Cartagena, Malaga, and Tenerife before crossing the Atlantic.  She arrives in Fort Lauderdale, on Saturday, November 6.

Find more Royal Caribbean repositioning cruises here.

Read about Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas here.

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