Transatlantic, Repositioning & World Cruises
For travelers who love days at sea — from a classic ocean-liner crossing to months around the world.
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Transatlantic crossings come in two kinds. Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 makes scheduled crossings between New York and Southampton, usually in 7 nights, in the tradition of the great ocean liners. Most other crossings are repositioning cruises: in spring, ships move from the Caribbean to Europe for the summer, and in fall they return. These voyages, usually 12–16 nights, have lots of sea days, a few ports such as the Azores, Madeira or the Canary Islands, and often very good value per night.
World cruises usually leave in January and last 100 to 180 days or more, circling the globe or a hemisphere. If you can’t take the whole voyage, most lines sell segments of 2–6 weeks.
At a Glance
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Season | Repositioning: March to May (to Europe) and October to November (to the Caribbean and Florida). World cruises: usually depart in January. |
| Typical length | Crossings: 7–16 nights. World cruises: 100+ days; segments of 14–45 nights. |
| Main homeports | Fort Lauderdale, Miami, New York, Southampton, Barcelona, Lisbon, Rome (Civitavecchia) |
| Good for | Sea-day lovers, retirees, remote workers, anyone who would rather not fly long-haul both ways |
Smart Traveler tips
- Repositioning cruises are one-way: price the flight home first.
- Check the onboard enrichment program — lectures and classes make the sea days.
- World-cruise suites and popular segments sell out a year or more ahead.
Plan Your Transatlantic & World Cruises Cruise
Flights
Flights to the UK (Southampton via London) · Flights to Europe. Plan to arrive at least a day before the ship sails.Shore excursions
ShoreActivities.comBrowse Transatlantic & World Cruises cruise lines, deals and specialists on the Official Cruise Directory: Transatlantic · Repositioning · World cruises.
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Transatlantic & World Cruises Cruise FAQ
Why are repositioning cruises so cheap?
They are one-way, have many sea days and sail at the edges of the season, so lines price them to fill the ship. The per-night fare is often lower than the same ship’s regular cruises — but remember the one-way flight.
Can I take part of a world cruise?
Yes. Most world cruises are sold in segments of a few weeks between major ports, as well as for the full voyage.