Repositioning cruises are not a new phenomenon, they‘re just the best kept secret in the cruising industry. Just like migrating birds, many cruise ships leave for warmer climates in the Autumn and return in the Spring. Some sail south to the Southern Hemisphere for the winter months and then sail back to the Northern Hemisphere for the summer months, while other cruise ships sail cross the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans to “reposition” themselves in warmer weather. Just like most vacationers, these fleets of ships are seeking seasons in the sun.
These specific one-way cruise holidays are offered at incredible discounts to attract new and seasoned cruise lovers alike. No cruise line wants to ever have the expense of moving a huge ship across hundreds or thousands of miles of ocean without having any paying cruise passengers onboard. This is an opportunity for vacationers to get a luxury dream cruise for a bargain basement price.
A repositioning cruise is not a stripped down version of a luxury cruise. It is a luxury cruise! All passengers enjoy the same meals, the same entertainment, and have the same onboard privileges. And your deeply discounted ticket, sometimes costing as low as fifty dollars per day, entitles you to everything that is usually included in a luxury cruise.
The main difference between a standard cruise and a repositioning cruise is that the latter is longer, usually lasting from two to four weeks, with more time spent at sea and fewer, or possibly no ports of call. This means more relaxing days at sea and a less hectic itinerary.
And on certain repositioning cruises some ships will drop anchor in very unique ports of call that are usually reserved for very expensive world cruise itineraries.
Usually these repositioning cruises take place in the months of September and October, and in March and April. Some of the destinations in the Winter are Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico, South America including the Panama Canal, and Asia. The destinations in the Summer are Alaska, Canada and New England, and Europe and the Mediterranean.
Depending on the season, vacationers can sail to or from Europe and North America; Alaska and British Columbia, and the United States southwest coast including destinations in Mexico; the East coast of Canada and northern United States, and a number of southern U.S. as well Caribbean destinations. Some repositioning cruises sail to and from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
There are a few important things that you should consider if you want to go on a repositioning cruise. First is booking an “open jaw” flight where you fly to the departure port of call and then fly home from the cruise ship’s destination port. These air flights can be pricey compared to the usual return airfares that most travelers are familiar with. Sometimes it is possible to book your flight through the cruise line, but not always. Even with the usual extra cost for an open jaw ticket over a regular airline return ticket, a repositioning cruise is still an incredible value for your travel dollar. However, if you are fortunate to live close by, or within driving distance of your departure port, then you would only have to book a one-way air flight back to your departure port and then drive back home.
If you think you would enjoy a long, relaxing, luxury cruise then you‘ll love a repositioning cruise which usually is not filled to capacity with passengers and spends more time at sea.
P.S. Don’t forget your camera and a wardrobe to reflect the possible weather conditions on your cruise.
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