Best time to do a transatlantic cruise?

We'd like to do a transatlantic cruise in 2010 to celebrate our 30th
wedding anniversary. Any thoughts on the best time of year to do this
in terms of weather, etc? Eastbound vs Westbound? We'd like to embark/
disembark in Florida but the rest is up in the air. We're also
wondering how far ahead we need to book. Thanks

Things that immediately come to mind as key points:

There is only 1 ship that does regularly scheduled transatlantic crossings
throughout the year. That's the Queen Mary 2. And she does them between
England (sometimes Germany) and New York (not Florida), and does them
throughout spring, summer, and fall. All the other ships basically do them
as repositioning cruises - twice a year.

If you want to disembark in Florida, you're pretty much stuck with one
that's doing a repositioning. Most ships that do Europe go there in the
summer and winter in the Caribbean. So you will find a ship sailing to
Europe in the early spring. And if you want a return, you're looking at
late fall - which of course is hurricane season, another consideration. Not
a lot of other options.

As to the best weather.... we had days in June for our crossing a month ago
on the Queen Mary 2 that were too windy to spend time up on deck - the ship
does a good 20-25 knots across the ocean. You're not going a leisurely 10
knots like they do in the Caribbean. So for warm, you want summer or early
fall. But don't expect to spend time up on deck. If you want to go to the
pool or hot tubs, you need a ship with an enclosed solarium - which the QM2
has, but which ships like Voyager class don't. They have solariums, but not
enclosed ones.

Another consideration as to weather. On the northward side of the ship you
have wind off the arctic and no sun. On the southward side of the ship,
you'll have the sun. So if you want a balcony, you want the southward
facing side (which changes depending on if you're doing east or westbound).

Another little point (maybe not so little...). The roughest ocean in the
world is the North Atlantic in the Spring. And the QM2 is the only ship
that's really designed to handle everything that the Atlantic Ocean can
throw at you. We had a whole day with 20-25 ft waves and she handled them
without ANY problem. Similar waves on the Celebrity Zenith a few years ago
coming back from Bermuda was horrible.

So... if you're stuck on Florida, you're likely looking at an eastbound
sailing in the early spring, or a westbound in the late fall.

An advantage to westbound is the clock changes. They change the clock 1
hour daily. On a westbound you get 25 hour days. On an eastbound you get
23 hour days. So a westbound has 2 extra hours a day of ship time.

If you want warmer seasons (like summer) then it's most likely got to be the
QM2, but she only does it to and from NYC. However that's a northern route,
so it's a bit cooler up where she goes. We actually sailed about 10 miles
away from where Titanic sank.

If it was my recommendation... I'd say do the QM2 in the late spring or
summer (she's the most beautiful ship I've been on in 40+ cruises) and
figure out how to make New York work, instead of Florida. You'll have to
fly one way (Europe) anyway. Just add another short flight. Plus she's a
ship designed for the ocean, not a Caribbean ship trying to handle the North
Atlantic. And given the long sea days, they have a lot of activities
(lectures, English tea with scones in the afternoon, performing arts shows
and training, a planetarium, ballroom in the evening if dancing is your
thing, etc.). She's an "inside" ship. But then a crossing is an inside
type sailing. She doesn't have the traditional pool deck area, but that
area would have been useless on our crossing - just to windy.

If you do decide on Florida... my recommendation would be as big a ship as
possible. It is after all the North Atlantic. And one with a solarium
pool. But stay away from ships that tend to be a bit "unstable" in rough
seas and wind, like the Grand Princess class ships (Star, Golden, Crown,
etc.). She tended to blow around all over the place in the quiet Caribbean
when we were on her.

--Tom

"Helen" wrote in message
...
We'd like to do a transatlantic cruise in 2010 to celebrate our 30th
wedding anniversary. Any thoughts on the best time of year to do this
in terms of weather, etc? Eastbound vs Westbound? We'd like to embark/
disembark in Florida but the rest is up in the air. We're also
wondering how far ahead we need to book. Thanks

On Aug 3, 8:21*am, Helen wrote:
We'd like to do a transatlantic cruise in 2010 to celebrate our 30th
wedding anniversary. Any thoughts on the best time of year to do this
in terms of weather, etc? Eastbound vs Westbound? We'd like to embark/
disembark in Florida but the rest is up in the air. We're also
wondering how far ahead we need to book. Thanks

The cheapest transatlantic cruises are those that are really
repositioning cruises ... We just did one this past March Florida to
Barcelona ... This is the southern route which except for one day was
quite calm ... I understand the Northern Atlantic otoh can be quite
rough ... Taking the cruise when we did had a zero hurricane
possibility ... The other repo cruises Europe to US (westbound) are in
the fall where hurricanes are quite possible ... and a problem for
both Northern and Southern routes ...
Temperatures when we went were a little cool ... not swimming or
shorts weather ... but comfortable walking around weather ... and
there were those in hot tubs all the time ... and even some in the
pool on occasion ...

There are few other transatlantic cruises outside the repos ... Cunard
for most of them ... that sail throughout the year ... otherwise your
choices are eastbound early spring/late winter or westbound in the
fall ...you can search at a website like vacationstogo or 7blueseas
that allow you to search transatlantic/repo to see what is
available ...

"Helen" wrote in message
...
We'd like to do a transatlantic cruise in 2010 to celebrate our 30th
wedding anniversary. Any thoughts on the best time of year to do this
in terms of weather, etc? Eastbound vs Westbound? We'd like to embark/
disembark in Florida but the rest is up in the air. We're also
wondering how far ahead we need to book. Thanks

Helen,
Both the transatlantics that we took were eastbound..the Constellation in
April and the Jewel of the Seas at the end of March and that is when I got
hooked on transatlantics. Having said that, I recommend that you take a
westbound cruise. On the eastbound you lose an hour practically every
day..westbound ones give you extra hours! We are booked on the Oceania
Regatta on Nov.11th, leaving Barcelona and ending up in Ft Lauderdale 14
days later.
You need to book as soon as possible as they tend to fill up quickly..I was
told ours on the Regatta was filled last year! Since you are going in 2010,
you have plenty of time to research for the ship and itinerary that you
want! You will also have a good chance to get the category cabin that you
want by booking a year ahead.

--Jean

"Jean O'Boyle" wrote in message
...

"Helen" wrote in message
...
We'd like to do a transatlantic cruise in 2010 to celebrate our 30th
wedding anniversary. Any thoughts on the best time of year to do this
in terms of weather, etc? Eastbound vs Westbound? We'd like to embark/
disembark in Florida but the rest is up in the air. We're also
wondering how far ahead we need to book. Thanks

Helen,
Both the transatlantics that we took were eastbound..the Constellation in
April and the Jewel of the Seas at the end of March and that is when I got
hooked on transatlantics. Having said that, I recommend that you take a
westbound cruise. On the eastbound you lose an hour practically every
day..westbound ones give you extra hours! We are booked on the Oceania
Regatta on Nov.11th, leaving Barcelona and ending up in Ft Lauderdale 14
days later.
You need to book as soon as possible as they tend to fill up quickly..I
was told ours on the Regatta was filled last year! Since you are going in
2010, you have plenty of time to research for the ship and itinerary that
you want! You will also have a good chance to get the category cabin that
you want by booking a year ahead.

--Jean

Jean... we've gotta get you to try the Queen Mary 2 one of these years.

--Tom

"Tom K" wrote in message
...

"Jean O'Boyle" wrote in message
...

"Helen" wrote in message
...
We'd like to do a transatlantic cruise in 2010 to celebrate our 30th
wedding anniversary. Any thoughts on the best time of year to do this
in terms of weather, etc? Eastbound vs Westbound? We'd like to embark/
disembark in Florida but the rest is up in the air. We're also
wondering how far ahead we need to book. Thanks

Helen,
Both the transatlantics that we took were eastbound..the Constellation in
April and the Jewel of the Seas at the end of March and that is when I
got hooked on transatlantics. Having said that, I recommend that you take
a westbound cruise. On the eastbound you lose an hour practically every
day..westbound ones give you extra hours! We are booked on the Oceania
Regatta on Nov.11th, leaving Barcelona and ending up in Ft Lauderdale 14
days later.
You need to book as soon as possible as they tend to fill up quickly..I
was told ours on the Regatta was filled last year! Since you are going in
2010, you have plenty of time to research for the ship and itinerary that
you want! You will also have a good chance to get the category cabin that
you want by booking a year ahead.

--Jean

Jean... we've gotta get you to try the Queen Mary 2 one of these years.

--Tom

Ya know Tom, today is the first day that I am feeling well enough to take a
cruise on her! For awhile, I did not think that I would be able to take the
three cruises that we have already booked! So I hope to take a westbound
cruise on the QM2 someday soon! Let me know the next time you go!

--Jean

I'll "second" that motion Jean!

We are also on that westbound T/A on the Regatta. This will be our third
T/A on the Regatta and will be our first time taking the same ship for a
third cruise. Our first crossing on the Regatta was in Novwmber, 2004
(Lisbon to Miami). We did an Eastbound crossing in March, 2007 (Miami to
Marsaille) and we're really looking forward to joining Jean and Ed and Cal
and Patty on the Westbound this fall after a 10 day Med. cruise on the
Navigator of the Seas (Barcelona to Turkey R/T).

Both previous crossings were GREAT, with some mildly rough weather, but
mostly sunny and calm.

Helen. "GOOD LUCK!" choosing your anniversary cruise, no matter which
itinerary and ship you choose!

Tobieon an Island in the Pacific

"Jean O'Boyle" wrote in message
...

"Helen" wrote in message
...
We'd like to do a transatlantic cruise in 2010 to celebrate our 30th
wedding anniversary. Any thoughts on the best time of year to do this
in terms of weather, etc? Eastbound vs Westbound? We'd like to embark/
disembark in Florida but the rest is up in the air. We're also
wondering how far ahead we need to book. Thanks

Helen,
Both the transatlantics that we took were eastbound..the Constellation in
April and the Jewel of the Seas at the end of March and that is when I got
hooked on transatlantics. Having said that, I recommend that you take a
westbound cruise. On the eastbound you lose an hour practically every
day..westbound ones give you extra hours! We are booked on the Oceania
Regatta on Nov.11th, leaving Barcelona and ending up in Ft Lauderdale 14
days later.
You need to book as soon as possible as they tend to fill up quickly..I
was told ours on the Regatta was filled last year! Since you are going in
2010, you have plenty of time to research for the ship and itinerary that
you want! You will also have a good chance to get the category cabin that
you want by booking a year ahead.

--Jean

I agree with Jean and Tobie - I have done about 5 or 6 transatlantic
cruises and enjoyed them immensely. We were always very lucky and had
smooth seas both Eastbound and Westbound. I do prefer ending in Europe.

We have been with some of the RTC people on the Regatta and found it very
exciting. The ship is magnificent and nice and small and the food is
beyond any other ship I have sailed on.

I am going to take the Regatta again in March from Miami to Barcelona
with stops in Casa Blanca and Malaga and am looking forward to that.

Whatever you decide, happy sailing and smooth seas. rosaly

Jean O'Boyle wrote:
"Tom K" wrote in message
...

"Jean O'Boyle" wrote in message
. ..

"Helen" wrote in message
...

We'd like to do a transatlantic cruise in 2010 to celebrate our 30th
wedding anniversary. Any thoughts on the best time of year to do this
in terms of weather, etc? Eastbound vs Westbound? We'd like to embark/
disembark in Florida but the rest is up in the air. We're also
wondering how far ahead we need to book. Thanks

Helen,
Both the transatlantics that we took were eastbound..the Constellation in
April and the Jewel of the Seas at the end of March and that is when I
got hooked on transatlantics. Having said that, I recommend that you take
a westbound cruise. On the eastbound you lose an hour practically every
day..westbound ones give you extra hours! We are booked on the Oceania
Regatta on Nov.11th, leaving Barcelona and ending up in Ft Lauderdale 14
days later.
You need to book as soon as possible as they tend to fill up quickly..I
was told ours on the Regatta was filled last year! Since you are going in
2010, you have plenty of time to research for the ship and itinerary that
you want! You will also have a good chance to get the category cabin that
you want by booking a year ahead.

--Jean

Jean... we've gotta get you to try the Queen Mary 2 one of these years.

--Tom


Ya know Tom, today is the first day that I am feeling well enough to take a
cruise on her! For awhile, I did not think that I would be able to take the
three cruises that we have already booked! So I hope to take a westbound
cruise on the QM2 someday soon! Let me know the next time you go!

--Jean


Me too. I did it once and would love to go on QM2 again. How about a
group cruise? Anyone else?
BTW, Jean. Where have you been? We've missed you on rtc.

Ermalee

Ermalee

Ermalee wrote:

Ya know Tom, today is the first day that I am feeling well enough to
take a cruise on her! For awhile, I did not think that I would be
able to take the three cruises that we have already booked! So I hope
to take a westbound cruise on the QM2 someday soon! Let me know the
next time you go!

--Jean

Me too. I did it once and would love to go on QM2 again. How about a
group cruise? Anyone else?

As much as I would love to do a transatlantic, it would not be on the
QM2. I know there is lots of history, but it is way too formal for us to
enjoy.

sue