A Repositioning Cruise – Is It Your Best Travel Dollar Value?
December 16th, 2008 by Dorothy Yamich, under Vacations. No Comments
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 for the winter months and then sail back for the summer months. Other cruise ships sail across the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans to “reposition” themselves in warmer weather. Just like most vacationers, these large fleets of ships are seeking seasons in the sun.
These special one-way cruises are offered at incredible savings to attract new and seasoned cruise lovers alike. No cruise line ever wants to have the expense of moving a huge ship over hundreds or thousands of miles of ocean without having any paying cruise passengers onboard. This is an opportunity for vacationers to book a great luxury dream cruise for a bargain basement price.
A repositioning cruise is not just 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 spent at sea and a less hectic itinerary. And on some repositioning cruises certain ships will drop anchor in very unique ports of call that are usually reserved for very expensive world cruise itineraries.
Usually these repositioning cruises happen in the months of September and October, and also in March and April. Some of the main destinations in the Winter are Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico, the Panama Canal, South America as well as Asia. The destinations in the Summer are Europe, Canada, Alaska, New England, 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 ports in Mexico; the northern United States and the Eastern coast of Canada, and a number of southern U.S. as well Caribbean destinations. Some repositioning cruises sail to and from Asia, Africa, as well as 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 airline flight back to your departure port and then drive back home.
When booking your flight it may be advisable to arrive at your departure port a day before you sail and stay at a hotel overnight. This will avoid the problem of any unforeseen flight delays that can sometimes happen and leave you standing on the pier waving goodbye to a cruise ship that has left without you.
If you think that you would enjoy a long, relaxing, luxury cruise then you’ll love a repositioning cruise which is not usually filled to capacity with passengers and spends more time at sea.
P.S. Don’t forget your camera and a wardrobe that reflects the possible weather conditions that you may encounter on your cruise.
