The Complete Guide to Transatlantic Cruises

The Great Ocean Crossing There is something irreplaceable about crossing an ocean by ship. The North Atlantic is vast — 3,000 miles of open water between New York and Southampton. Spending five or six consecutive days at sea with no land in sight is an experience that has no substitute in modern travel. Transatlantic cruises have never been more popular, and for good reason: they offer extraordinary value, genuine romance, and a different tempo of travel that most people have never experienced. What Is a Transatlantic Cruise? A transatlantic (or repositioning) cruise is any sailing that crosses the Atlantic between North America (typically New York, Fort Lauderdale, or Boston) and Europe (typically Southampton, Barcelona, Lisbon, or Amsterdam). These sailings happen twice a year: eastbound in spring (April–June) as cruise lines reposition their fleets to Europe for the Mediterranean season, and westbound in autumn (October–November) as the ships return to the Caribbean. The crossing t…