I was reading an article in The Thrillist about repositioning cruises: What Are Repositioning Cruises? - Thrillist
It seems like a good way to save a few bucks, but having never been a cruise can you tell me if it is worth it? What are the plusses and minuses?
With a repositioning cruise, you can expect that you’ll be spending more days at sea than on a regular cruise. If you like days at sea for relaxing, or doing shipboard activities, or catching up on your novel writing, that’s fine. If you get seasick, or you are more interested in visiting ports of call, you’ll want to consider the number of days at sea. Some repositioning cruises will take you to ports that aren’t on that line’s normal itinerary. For example, Easter Island might be included in that part of the world.
We did a repositioning cruise that started in the Baltic and went to a good number of ports. It then was going to cross the Atlantic, stopping in Halifax and ending at Liberty, New Jersey. We paid a small fee and disembarked in Iceland, spent a few days there, and then flew home. This really had more to do with my lovely wife’s work schedule. As retirees, we would have stayed on the ship and entertained ourselves during the Atlantic crossing.
A few years ago we took a fall repositioning cruise from Vancouver to San Diego. It was the seasonal shift from Alaska to Mexico cruises. It was a short cruise, about four days, and stopped only once, in Victoria. What I remember most vividly was that the water was very turbulent off the coast of Oregon. I’ve been on many cruises, and that was the rockiest I’ve ever experienced.
My husband and I have been on 3 or 4 transatlantic repositioning cruises. We love them! (Although we are leery now of Covid.) They’re totally relaxing plus you visit a few ports on either end of the trip. All the usual activities and shows are available as always. He and I both love to read a lot and we just find a quiet place to grab a drink and read. (The larger ships seem to have more out-of-the-way nooks where you can find a quiet spot.) Food, drink, fresh air, a place to read – what else do you need?
p.s. – Another advantage is that you won’t have jet lag when you arrive at your destination, because the change has been gradual throughout the trip. So if you’re going to Europe and intend to stay there a while longer, that’s a plus.
Huh. I had never actually heard of a repositioning cruise before. I have to say, it put an amusing (and just a little bit ghoulish) picture in my head, because I had only ever heard the word “repositioning” before on an old episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent as something that you might have to do to a body during the cremation process to make sure that it all gets good and burned up.
I’m planning one one later this year: Southampton; Vigo, Spain; Lisbon; two Canary Islands; lots of sea days; Bermuda, New Jersey.
It is associated with boardgamegeek, so I will have stuff to do on sea days.
I was signed up for one that went to Japan, but that was 2020 so it got cancelled.
Brian