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Transatlantic Crossing

Transatlantic Crossing

Old Oct 7, 2015, 7:59 pm
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Transatlantic Crossing

Want to do top notch TA crossing 2016. Is the QM2 the way to go? I'm not a cruiser! J class BA/LH/SQ world wide but TA crossing seems like a bucket deal if I can find a week or 10 days off. Any other options. Could do a Seabourn or Silverseas somewhere but like the idea of crossing the Atlantic but would like it first class (although on the water not the air). Welcome advice! Thanks
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Old Oct 7, 2015, 8:05 pm
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If you only have 7 to 10 days, then QM2 would be the way to go. Most TAs on other lines will be longer and include port stops in Europe, Iceland, the Canaries, Canada, or the Caribbean depending on routing,

I prefer westbound TAs because you gain an hour each day of the crossing.

If you can devote more time, then you'll have more options.
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Old Oct 7, 2015, 8:18 pm
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seabourn crossings are 12 day

queens grill on cunard?
http://www.cunard.com/cruise-deals/t...imate-upgrade/
Queens Grill Suite (category Q6) for the price of a Princess Grill Suite (category P1).

Princess Grill Suite (category P2) for the price of a Club Balcony stateroom (category A1) on Queen Mary 2 or Queen Elizabeth or Balcony stateroom (category BA) on Queen Victoria.

The Free Drinks offer applies to all drinks $12 and under purchased on board during the cruise. The promotion applies to new Grills Suite bookings made by 30 November 2015. Valid only on voyages included in this email.
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Old Oct 8, 2015, 4:50 am
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Cunard has the most regular crossings. The other lines are largely seasonal and run eastbound in March-June typically and westbound August-December. There are some bargains to be had within the 75-90 day window as they're not popular with typical cruisers. The typical southern Florida to Lisbon leg is usually 8 sea days + 1 day in the Azores, Canaries or wherever.

Seabourn has repos too of 9 days (Lisbon to somewhere in the Caribbean or v-v) but I would not fancy rough weather on a small ship.
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Old Oct 8, 2015, 5:21 am
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Originally Posted by bcj1949
Want to do top notch TA crossing 2016. Is the QM2 the way to go? I'm not a cruiser! J class BA/LH/SQ world wide but TA crossing seems like a bucket deal if I can find a week or 10 days off. Any other options. Could do a Seabourn or Silverseas somewhere but like the idea of crossing the Atlantic but would like it first class (although on the water not the air). Welcome advice! Thanks
As others have mentioned Cunard runs the most Transatlantic cruises on the Queen Mary 2 on a fairly regular basis and typically 8 or so days. Other lines have Transatlantic cruises but they are mostly repositioning cruises when they move ships from winter destinations like the Caribbean back to Europe in the spring then in the fall when they move ships out of Europe for the winter. Obviously that means fewer choices, limited dates, and they are typically longer cruises, at least longer than your stated target length. As destination cruisers the thought of more than a couple of days in a row without a port isn't that attractive to us but a shorter Transatlantic on the QM2 is a possibility even if wait down our cruise bucket list.
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Old Oct 9, 2015, 1:14 pm
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Old Oct 10, 2015, 7:38 pm
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I did the QM2 Westbound Transatlantic and I loved it. It isn't at typical cruise, it is an ocean liner, and you really experience it as an ocean liner. It takes 7 days to cross. The ship can do it in five days, if necessary, but they keep it at a steady pace to make it a seven day journey. There are several different classes: Regular, Club, and Grills. We sailed in the regular class, which I personally would prefer because I like dining in the big dining room. The Club class has its own dining room, and each of the Grills have their dining rooms as well. But there is nothing like the big room, at least for me.

Three of the seven days are formal, which means tuxedos and evening gowns for dinner. That was probably my highlight, drinking champagne in the champagne bar surrounded by everyone in formal attire, it was spectacular.

The Club rooms are basically the same as the Regular rooms, but the Grills rooms are much bigger. With the top level, you have your own butler.

QM2 is a fantastic experience.

And once you catch the QM2 bug, you need to watch the lecture from the architect.


It is a bit long, but it is really enjoyable and helps understand the uniqueness of the ship.
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Old Oct 11, 2015, 11:53 am
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I've done 2 transats on QM2, once in Princess Grill (think J class) and once in Queens Grill (F class). Prefer the westbound leg ex SOU, as already stated above, you gain an extra hour each night.
You can also travel Britannia grade (Y) and Britannia Grill (M+). It's a really lovely way to travel. PG and QG guests have an exclusive lounge and outside deck area, butler service in QG suites too. Try it!!
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Old Nov 20, 2015, 6:56 am
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Transatlantic Crossing

We did eastbound TA at the end of a 3 week driving holiday in Ew England. advantage for bus was luggage. Our daughter (14) brought one huge suit case filled with boxes of kraft macc n cheese, lucky charms, peanut butter cups and other things.

It is the best way to criss the Atlantic -there's nothing like watching Manhattan disappear as you sail away. Lots to do or plenty of places to do nothing. We loved the ship so much we are flying to NY on December for a Christmas/ NY cruise to the Caribbean.
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Old Nov 24, 2015, 10:13 am
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It depends

We sailed westbound during the end of hurricane season. Not something I would repeat. It was bouncy. We would go in May or June. Some crossing go the northern route other the Caribbean route. The southern route has fewer ports but may have nicer weather. We really enjoyed Iceland on our northern crossing.

I would go other times of the year. The advantage is you can take as much luggage as you can haul. No over weight fees.

Cruising is a very civilized manner of travel. I recommend Crystal for the best in food entertainment and service. There is nothing like being served food from Nobu in your penthouse watching the sunset. Amazing. Simply the best!

I have heard Cunard has more stability in their ocean liners that are specifically designed for crossings.
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Old Nov 27, 2015, 1:48 pm
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Originally Posted by ijkh
We sailed westbound during the end of hurricane season. Not something I would repeat. It was bouncy. We would go in May or June. Some crossing go the northern route other the Caribbean route. The southern route has fewer ports but may have nicer weather. We really enjoyed Iceland on our northern crossing.

I would go other times of the year. The advantage is you can take as much luggage as you can haul. No over weight fees.

Cruising is a very civilized manner of travel. I recommend Crystal for the best in food entertainment and service. There is nothing like being served food from Nobu in your penthouse watching the sunset. Amazing. Simply the best!

I have heard Cunard has more stability in their ocean liners that are specifically designed for crossings.
Cunard ships (esp QM2) are liners not cruuse ships. QM2 was designed for rough ocean crossings.
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Old Nov 27, 2015, 6:26 pm
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I've done Transatlantics on both Crystal and Holland America. I prefer Crystal, but in the Spring we'll go with Holland America because it gets us to Europe in time for DH's mother's 85th birthday. Then it's just a one way flight back. If you book through United or American's cruise portal, you get extras, plus you earn miles. Just a thought. Also, love going west to east because you gain time. Coming the other way, you set your clocks ahead an hour nearly every day. Ugh!
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Old Nov 27, 2015, 6:35 pm
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Nanook, you have that backward. Going west to east you lose time. It's going Europe to the US you gain time.
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Old Nov 27, 2015, 7:08 pm
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Am I the only one who doesn't care if I gain or lose an hour daily on the ship? I've done two transatlantics (losing time) and one transpacific (gaining time), but neither direction made much of a difference to me.
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Old Nov 29, 2015, 12:53 am
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I'm late to the party but I'm doing the Seabourn Quest spring crossing - 16 nights Fort Lauderdale to Monte Carlo (with port stops in Madeira, Gibraltar, and Malaga). I'm excited for the sleepy pace - for me it will likely be a "working vacation" but for my mom it will be a new fun experience!
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