Advantages of Choosing a Repositioning Cruise

Have you ever come across the term repositioning cruise on several Cruise line sites and wonder what it means? Some ships are basically repositioned from one site to another. For example, they will switch a ship doing winter Caribbean cruises to summer Mediterranean cruises out of a port in Spain. This is a one time cruise from their winter home port of Miami to their summer home port of Barcelona. You can sail with the crew on a special adventure as a ship crosses the Atlantic to its new summer location.

Cruise ships reposition a limited number of times during the year, making repositioning cruises quite rare. It is indeed a great opportunity to experience the world through a cruise. These cruises also tend to be a great value.

Read more about repositioning cruises here.

What Is a Repositioning Cruise?

Cruise itineraries change with the seasons. Depending on local conditions and climate, many popular cruise destinations offer only a limited window for sailing at their most enjoyable. It wouldn't be best to cruise through the frozen waters of Alaska in deep winter.

So, the Alaskan cruise season generally runs from May through September when the weather is most pleasant. Therefore, in the off months, ships are allowed to operate in the other regions having favorable winter conditions: like the Mediterranean or Caribbean. During the Autumn, ships reposition to these warmer destinations at the end of the Alaskan cruise season. This is repeated in Spring a few weeks prior to the commencement of the summer cruise season.

Repositioning Cruises: Where Do They Go?

This means that during the cruise, the ship relocates to a new area for a new cruise season. Normally, these cruises are available for one or at the most two sailings a year, thus making them an exclusive cruise experience and hence largely customized. These cruises can be booked earlier as the inventory is limited.

A few well-known routes for repositioning cruises are:

• Transatlantic cruises from Florida to Europe, with stops at the Azores, Canary Islands, or Portugal en route.
• Panama Canal cruise that calls at ports in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, traversing through Panama Canal while the ship was sailing from California to Florida.
• Some cruise ships have executed long-haul expeditions from one city to another, from Singapore to Abu Dhabi or from Sydney to Tokyo, giving diversions to ports and cultural experiences for their passengers.
• A Pacific Coast Cruise is one where ships sail up and down the West Coast and Canada, stopping at the ports of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, and Seattle.
• A transpacific cruise takes place where the Pacific Ocean is crossed with repositioning between North America to Asia with potential stops in Hawaii, Japan, or French Polynesia.

Repositioning cruises offer unusual itineraries, long days at sea, and a string of varied destinations, all rolled into one cruise.

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Why Should You Consider a Repositioning Cruise?

Choosing a repositioning cruise comes with great deals and a variety of advantages. A few of those perks are listed below –

1. Provides a Great Deal: When compared to other types of cruises, repositioning cruise deals excel. Plus, instead of booking long flights to exotic destinations, choosing a cruise can help save money.

2. Provides Relaxation and Peace: Compared to other cruise options that may stop in a port each day, a repositioning cruise is unlikely to make frequent stops. This makes you spend most of the time enjoying the ship and all it has to offer. Additionally, you have more time to disconnect and relax.

3. Start and End Your Journey on Different Ports: One of the differentiators between choosing a repositioning cruise is that you start and end in a different port. Repositioning cruises have unique itineraries that only happen once a year.

4. New Experience at a Discount!: Traveling to new destinations is more enjoyable when coupled with a unique experience. Often you can find excellent pricing on a repositioning cruise. You won’t find these types of sailing all year round. They are usually available in April/May and October/November when the ships are leaving for warmer climates.

Repositioning Cruises - Their Disadvantages

Booking a repositioning cruise may not be easy, and before doing so, you must reckon with certain negatives about it. Some of those negatives:

• Fewer port calls: Such cruises have relatively few stops at ports compared to regular cruises because they are essentially moving from one area to another. Usually, there are about two ports of call between the embarkation and disembarkation.
• Long days at sea: It is rather monotonous when one can visit new destinations only after a longer time interval, say every twenty days. Some travelers claim to feel caged tigers while lying on the ships for far longer periods.
• Timing and Flexibility: A repositioning cruise's timing and flexibility would often depend on the cruise season (spring or fall), which may not coincide with everybody's vacation schedule.
• Weather Variability: The weather is unpredictable on these voyages because they cover huge distances. It can be exceedingly bright in some ports and at the same time, rainy in others.
• One-way trips: If you are on a one-way cruise, you will have to book one-way tickets home on your own, which could make your travel plans more expensive and complicated.
• Less Frequency: Taking a repositioning cruise is much less frequent than taking a standard cruise, so options may be very limited.
• Potential for Rough Seas: Those who are prone to seasickness might find longer ocean crossings a rougher ride.

This may be the wrong time ever to take a repositioning cruise.

Repositioning Cruises: Where to Find

Most cruise companies provide repositioning cruises, but their offers are not as easy to find as regular ones. Here are a few handy tips to get you started on your search for the best repositioning cruises:

• Check on sites like CruiseBooking.com and others, under seasonal or special cruise categories, for repositioning cruise offerings.
• If repositioning cruises are what you are looking for, then go directly to cruise lines' websites and process the search by ports of departure or by specific seasons.
• Be alert for seasonal changes: Ships move to offset seasonal needs. Here are some examples: A typical Alaska position cruise sails through the Panama Canal into Miami or to some other warm location in the autumn. A transatlantic repositioning cruise works on the flip from Europe into North America from the very early spring up to late fall. Transpacific repositioning cruises usually leave Australia in April, while the southern hemisphere is at the height of fall, and head toward North America or Asia.

Bartenders will reposition a few cruise opportunities that stand out and provide tremendous value onto your calendar during these seasonal changes.

Which Cruise Lines offers Repositioning cruises?

When cruise lines move ships to new geographical locations according to seasonal changes, they offer repositioning cruises. Here are some of the best cruise lines for such repositioning cruises, in more detail:

Royal Caribbean

With regard to fabulous ships, Royal Caribbean redeploys its vessels over the Atlantic, Pacific, and through the Panama Canal for repositioning cruises. Onboard activities include tremendous fun and thrilling entertainment, such as rock climbing, surfing simulators, and Broadway-type shows-which can really make sea days much more enjoyable. As with many itineraries, ports that have promising adventure as well as relaxation in their stops are included.

Carnival Cruise Lines

For very cheap repositioning cruises, the name that comes to mind is Carnival. They also frequently reposition ships from the U.S. into the Caribbean, with lively entertainment and casual dining options, cozy family-up activities. Sea days are filled with fun activities such as water slides, comedy acts, and deck parties.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Repositioning travel between Europe, North America, and Asia is offered by Norwegian. With the "Freestyle Cruising" approach, there are no fixed dining times, a variety of specialty restaurants, and first-rate entertainment, such as Broadway productions. Most of their longer repositioning cruises deliver scenic ocean crossings with fewer port stops.

Princess Cruises

Very popular among luxury travel cruise enthusiasts, Princess Cruises has repositioning voyages across the Pacific, Atlantic, and South America, which are quite elegant. Besides that, their MedallionClass Experience gives one seamless seamless service, personalized attention, and high-end dining. Some repositioning voyages feature bucket-list destinations such as Hawaii, French Polynesia, and South America.

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Celebrity Cruises

Luxury redefined, Celebrity Cruises offers some very lavish repositioning cruises in very long itineraries. World-class sophistication, including entertains by means, high-class one-of-a-kind cuisine, and treatments at their spas, plus a nice variety of enriching activities, such as wine tastings and art auctions. Their repositioning routes feature unique cultural destinations spanning Europe, through the Middle East, and into the Caribbean.

Holland America Line

Repositioning cruises from Holland America are perfect for those who like a longer time cruising in an enriching, upscale experience. Off-the-outline ports in the Mediterranean, Asia, and South America will be stopped on longer trips, which can be combined with cultural enrichment programs, live music performances, and culinary workshops. Because of the smaller ship sizes, the atmosphere is more intimate and relaxed.

MSC Cruises

MSC is a well-known name for repositioning cruises between Europe and the Caribbean and also between Europe and South America in a less expensive way. These cruises get attracted to international cruise passengers and offer different options in dining, high-energy entertainment, and stylish European decor. Most repositioning cruises by MSC will stop at exotic destinations like Brazil, Africa, and the Canary Islands.

What is the best time to take a repositioning cruise?

Most repositioning cruises depart between spring and fall because of the seasons. Some cruise lines bring their vessels into the Caribbean in the fall after transiting through the Panama Canal from Alaska. That is the dry season in Central America, and the ships take advantage of that fact to reposition. In the spring, the ships return to the Mediterranean, British Isles, Baltics, and Scandinavia, all before the beginning of hurricane season in early June. Repositioning cruise ships has a year-round requirement because of the piracy scope, time for repairs, the changes in the economy, and political instability. Instead of traveling empty, cruise lines sell great deals on these special voyages to allow people to travel more excitingly and affordably.

Tips for packing for a cruise that is repositioning

Strategic packing can make all the difference between a comfortable sea journey and an uncomfortable one, especially when the cruise covers such far distances across the landscape as the repositioning cruise.

• Keep your clothes layered because you might be very cold during the start of the journey and then very warm by the end (or maybe vice versa). You should have lightweight layers, sweaters, and a waterproof jacket.
• Comfortable shoes are essential for walking tours, lounging on decks, and formal dinners. Best practice calls for one pair of dress shoes, a pair of snug sneakers, and a pair of all-purpose sandals.
• Bring at least one formal outfit for those cruise nights of exquisite dining. On most days, it is understood that comfortable, casual cruise wear is more than adequate.
• Do not forget to include sunscreen, sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat, and a bathing suit for poolside enjoyment when you're cruising through the tropical areas.
• Like so many reposition cruises, this one will probably feature long stretches at sea, so you will want to pack books, a tablet, and hobbies materials for your leisure.
• Also, take a good supply of prescription and seasick medication, plus travel-sized toiletries; some things are just not found on board.
• Some ships do indeed have power outlets with different voltages, so an adapter and a charger may be needed. And do not forget all your devices' chargers!

Final Words

A repositioning cruise has a lot to offer and is a unique vacation option. It’s a great choice for those travelers looking to disconnect and relax. Visit interesting ports of call, enjoy five star cuisine and make memories that will last a lifetime. With cruisebooking.com, you can choose from a myriad of destinations for an experience of a lifetime.