Last spring, I embarked on one of the most epic journeys of my life when I boarded a transatlantic cruise in Florida bound for the European continent.  The days leading up to this adventure were spent musing about the ancient tradition of crossing the ocean.  I was filled with anticipation about the long days spent with only the ocean stretching endlessly on all sides.  I wondered what it would be like to be in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, days of travel from any land at all.  It was a wondrous and dreamy proposition, and the journey absolutely lived up to the hype!

Why Choose a Transatlantic Cruise?

Like many others, you may be nervous about taking a transatlantic cruise for various reasons.  Maybe you don’t want to be stuck on a ship for so many days in a row.  Maybe the overall length of the trip seems too long.  Or maybe you are nervous about not seeing land for potentially 7-8 days in a row.  Maybe you didn’t even know there were mainstream cruises that crossed the ocean.  I am here to tell you that if you are willing to set aside any slight discomforts you may be concerned about, a transatlantic cruise can absolutely be one of the best experiences of your life!

So Many Possibilities

One of the best parts of a transatlantic cruise, in my opinion, is enjoying pure relaxation.  There is absolutely nothing that you have to do, but so many different possibilities if you are interested!  You can sleep in until noon, or welcome the sun in the onboard gym.  You can take dance classes of amazing variety or spend all day laying on a sun lounger.  Is reading your idea of relaxation? You can lose yourself in a book (or many books!) for days on end.  If learning is more your forte, you can attend lectures from experts on a variety of topics.  You can play games, go to the spa, shop, try every food onboard, or go for a dip in the pool.  The sky is truly the limit (being on a ship offers abundant opportunities for stargazing or cloud watching)! 

Cruise lines know that passengers will be spending a very significant amount of time onboard during a transatlantic cruise.  So, they ensure that there are many activity options available throughout the journey.  This means that you have the opportunity to try way more activities than on a regular port-heavy cruise.

Avoid Long Flights

Do you hate plane travel, but still want to travel around Europe? Or maybe you just don’t know if you can handle 7+ hours on a plane without a break?  A transatlantic cruise could be the best possible solution!  Not only can you enjoy yourself on an amazing journey across the waters, but you can also arrive at the other end relaxed and ready to explore!  No pesky time changes to worry about.  No jet lag that takes days to wear off and keeps you from fully experiencing your destination.  Instead, you can be energized and ready for anything.  To make the deal even sweeter, a transatlantic cruise often doesn’t even cost much (if anything) more than a transatlantic flight.

New Friendships!

The length of the cruise and amount of time spent onboard also means that passengers have a good deal more time to meet and get to know each other onboard.  Cruise passengers tend to come from a variety of interesting places and backgrounds.  This can lend itself to many fascinating conversations and lasting friendships.  There are even groups of people who take a transatlantic cruise together on the same ship every year!  Just think, a transatlantic cruise could lead to new lifelong friendships and cruising buddies for the future.

Ports of Call

If you are thinking that this sounds like a lot of “boat stuff” and you also want adventure on your vacation, no worries!  Most transatlantic cruises actually also involve some awesome ports of call.  You generally have two different options – warm and beachy Caribbean islands on the American side, or interesting and cultural cities on the European side.   Perhaps a trip of this nature will even give you the opportunity to explore somewhere you hadn’t considered as a potential destination previously.

Things to Consider Before You Go

Direction of Travel

You have two options for the voyage itself – westward bound and eastward bound.  Generally, most ships tend to travel east in April or May and then back west in October or November. There are pros and cons to each direction, with some important factors to consider.  Depending on the ports you have chosen, all your port days may only be at the beginning or end of the cruise.  For instance, on an eastbound voyage with European ports (like my cruise last April), you end the trip with port day after port day, which can end up being a bit of an exhausting end to the trip. 

Time zone changes are another important factor to consider.  As you cross the ocean, you will encounter a bunch of different time changes.  Ships generally use the opportunity of the long voyage to change the clock one hour per sea day.  If you travel eastbound, the clocks will be set forward every night.  And, of course, the opposite is true for westbound travel.  This can definitely make a difference depending on your preferences!

Type of Ship

There are generally two types of ships that make the long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.  There are cruise ships, which generally only cross the ocean on what is called a repositioning cruise.  They are usually moving to the Caribbean for the winter from their European summer routes or vice versa.  They also usually only sail across the ocean in early spring or late fall.  Often, these types of cruises are very inexpensive.  Most major cruise lines offer transatlantic cruises of this type.  If you have a favorite ship and it offers itineraries in both Europe and the Caribbean, you can most likely book a transatlantic cruise on it as well.

The second option is a cruise liner, which is a ship that is specifically made for crossing the ocean.  Instead of only doing a crossing twice a year, these ships generally travel back and forth continuously.  There are only a few cruise lines that offer this type of voyage, and the trips do tend to be more expensive.  However, if you are dreaming of a voyage just like the Titanic (without the tragic ending, of course), a trip on this type of ship will be the closest match.  Or, if you need to travel at a specific time that doesn’t match with the previously mentioned spring and fall timelines, a ship like this is probably your only option.  The most well-known cruise line offering these types of trips is Cunard.

Cabin Preference

Cabin choice is generally an important consideration for any type of cruise.  However, the decision factors are slightly different for a transatlantic.  For instance, sometimes the seas can be a bit rough during an ocean crossing.  If you have a tendency towards sea sickness or just prefer a smooth ride, you will be more comfortable on a low deck and/or a cabin near the center of the ship.  Also, unless you are aboard a cruise liner, you will most likely be sailing during the shoulder seasons.  This means that the weather may not always be the warmest.  If you book a balcony hoping to spend a great deal of time lounging on it in the sun, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment.  Thankfully, most cruise ships have a variety of lovely indoor areas with huge windows for enjoying the ocean even on cooler days.

Cruises are a wonderful way to relax, enjoy beautiful scenery, and see the world.  A transatlantic cruise is no different – it just happens to involve a lot more scenery of the water than land!  People pay large amounts of money to have endless ocean views during land-based vacations.  From a ship, you get to enjoy 360-degree views of the amazing ocean – what could be better?  Feel free to contact me below if you have any questions about transatlantic cruises or cruising in general.  I would love to hear about your experiences!  If you have never considered a cruise vacation before, check out my post about the reasons you should!