JDiver

I thought I'd give a read, as we will doa transat repositioning cruise in two weeks.

We depart Danta Cruz de Tenerife Sunday 5 Nov and arrive Bridgetown Saturday the 18th (with a few days each in Tenerife and Barbados) on Windstar's Wind Surf, a motor sailing ship built more like a sailing vessel and a capacity of just over 300 passengers.

Mostly, this is a sailing holiday, and usually sails do get used. The ship is definitely under-canvassed, but nonetheless they're useful, can render significant fuel savings and a more "at sea" experience. There's not the breadth of activities one has on the big ships, but there are various lectures and activities, as well as the opportunity to visit on the bridge.

This will be our second on the 'Surf, but we have done others - mostly as April or November repositioning cruises, but my early transats were many years ago: eastbound New York to Southampton on the Ile de France (French Line) and a return Cherbourg to New York on the RMS Queen Elizabeth (Cunard, no number, just QE).

We have made some very good friends on these cruises over the years, including some staff (we abd a couple of Captains keep in regular touch), a benefit of the smaller ships. But I suspect there are significant differences among those of us who prefer shorter, more formal trips and those of us who prefer more informal and lengthier cruises for repositioning / transatlantic.

YVR Cockroach

I just complete a TPAC last month with pretty much no stops inbetween (there was a Dutch Harbour but that was cancelled and a stop in Sitka instead, and stops in Hokkaido).

Time change was gaining an hour overnight every day on the TPAC crossing for pretty much for ~7-8 straight days. By contrast, I heard that the eastbound on the same ship loses an hour overnight (presumably so pax are awake to spend more money on a non all-inclusive) which was bad for pax and more importantly, the crew.

Antonio8069

I am currently on a TPAC + bumping this thread.............
Royal Caribbean seems to be a recent entrant to this market. Their Oasis class Symphony of the Seas is currently on a re-positioning cruise from Barcelona to Miami - its new home port.
I am quite impressed with Royal Caribbean.............until reaching Malaga. Its in the heart of the Costa del Sol. So why is there nothing to see & do here?

Randyk47

YVR Cockroach

I tried reading this book years ago but all I associate with it is the Spanish Civil War. I think you're supposed to take an excursion to Granada. BTW, stopped here on a HAL TATL 6 years ago.

RCI has sold TATLs in the past. I remember one for as cheap as ~USD 350 in 2010-11 (from New Orleans). RCI used to periodically move the Oasis class ships to Europe for dry dock, and sold repo cruises for such. They may, in fact, be a way to cross the Atlantic out of season (i.e., other than westbound in the autumn and eastbound in the spring) if one doesn't want to sail on Cunard. The first such cruise was apparently quite a hit as the cruisers could spend time o enjoy the ship rather than visit a port nearly everyday as is the usual 7 day out of Fort Lauderdale(?).

Looks like now that there are at least 3 if not 4 or more Oasis class ships, they rotate them. e.g. stay in Florida until time for drydock where they go to Europe and spend time there until the next ship int he class need to be replaced.

Calliopeflyer

Maybe it just depends on what you want to see and do. It's the birthplace of Picasso, so surely there are galleries of museums (not just of Picasso, of course....have you seen the beautiful Centre Pompidou?) And of course beaches, markets, churches, and public squares.

747FC

The bull-fighting ring was quite interesting.

Hoyaheel

Are you in fact on a TPAC, or TATL? A little confused by your post.....

Calliopeflyer

I did wonder about visiting Spain on a transpacific, but I figured maybe it was a 'round the world trip.

wrp96

If he's on Symphony of the Seas, he's on a transatlantic (TATL). It's the ship's first transatlantic.

gretchendz

There's a TATL crossing Miami to Spain on Princess this May. Rather than return by air, we are making our way up through Spain and France to Southhampton--and taking QM2 back on Cunard. This leg was cheaper than flying back Business class. Of course, it helps to be retired and have the time But seriously, a TATL crossing is often less expensive than flying Business class. Go figure

So there is always Cunard but I see more lines adding TATL crossings! I see Viking, Costa, MSC, Regent, Holland,Oceana..plenty of choices for a relaxed trip

YVR Cockroach

Still very seasonal and somewhat limited directionally, however.

Hoyaheel

Yeah, I don't actually see other lines doing "crossings" like Cunard -those who sail the Caribbean in the winter will reposition to Europe for the summer etc but I can't think of any of those you've mentioned that "cross" more than one way each direction in any given year....

YVR Cockroach

The only out-of-season TATLs (with exception of the Cunard ones) are the sub-polar cruises (summers in general) but these are generally very expensive. There are also the luxury lines where the ships may not follow the seasonal migrations of the man stream lines.

Hoyaheel

Hmm, I actually track some of the luxury lines (we like small boats, would do luxury all the time if we could afford ;-) and I haven't really noticed out of season crossings or migrations. They might go to "nontraditional' (or, non-mainstream) locations, but they're still crossing the Pacific in the fall (after Alaska to Asia) or Panama Canal fall (to Caribbean) or Spring (carib to Alaska). For the Atlantic, they might do a southerly route (to South America, or maybe San Juan) but they're still going Caribbean to Europe in the spring and back in the fall. True exceptions would be those doing world cruises.....

I fantasize about a world cruise, I fantasize about a trip to Europe that is cruise ship both ways etc. So am always interested to see where it might be possible. One thing we have noticed is that certain seasons are getting longer. For instance - Alaska never used to have September cruises, and now some lines don't leave until the beginning of October (I haven't really seen any starting earlier than May, but who knows, that could be coming....) So that might explain some "off season" migrations as well.....