Your Crew Should Have Ocean Crossing Experience
It is possible to make an ocean crossing by yourself, but it isnt recommended.
This is especially true if youre making the crossing on a yacht.
The reason being, a yacht is going to be larger and more difficult to manage alone than a small sailing craft would be to manage alone.
For this reason, youll probably want to hire a crew or bring along plenty of friends or family members that can help you make the trip. At least one person on the crew should have some experience making an ocean crossing.
This persons knowledge could prove invaluable both before and during the long trip. You and your other passengers should also have some experience with long passages so that you all know what to expect.
Queen Mary 2 Crossings Hamburg To New York
itinerary variations:
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QM2 Hamburg 2022 schedule |
Most Queen Mary Transatlantic crossings are combined with round-trip cruises from New York to Canada/New England or to the Caribbean. Some of the crossings include ports of call in Europe including Norway or to Belgium and France. Another popular option for this Cunard ship is the fly-cruise deals from the UK and New York, which can considerably lower the overall cost of your Transatlantic travel vacations. RMS QM2 is an exceptional choice for classic and stylish ocean liner cruising experiences at really affordable luxury-ship travel prices.
You can share our QM2 Transatlantic review and the RMS Queen Mary 2 Transatlantic cruise schedule via our social buttons. Enjoy the ever best of the best British cruise ships departing from Southampton and New York, and be always happy on your uniquely special Cunard Transatlantic crossings on Queen Mary 2 the Royal Mail Ship of the 21st century!
What Would Bunny Do Differently
Since this was Bunnys first Transatlantic crossing by ship, she was a bit uncertain about what to expect. Most, if not all, of her fears proved to be unfounded. She loved the cruise and has already reserved another one for a return to the US this autumn.
Now having experienced it firsthand, she knows that the no extras route and its associated low cost is the right choice for her. As long as she has a balcony stateroom, functioning Wi-Fi and vegetarian food, she is a happy camper, with interesting port calls being the icing on the cake. Anything else above and beyond that such as shows, movies, events or other entertainment – she considers a bonus and only if she doesnt have to pay extra for them.
During her Celebrity Silhouette cruise, Bunny sometimes found herself envying people having fun on drink packages and enjoying the cruise, while she was sipping tea and working, but such is life sometimes. Its not like Bunny was suffering either
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Why Arent Ocean Liners Built Anymore
Ocean liners are rarely built anymore because cruise ships provide a higher return on investment than ocean liners. There is also less demand for ocean liners from modern-day vacationers, when compared to cruise ships.
As a result, cruise lines have stopped building ocean liners and instead changed to producing cruise ships.
A political pundit once said its the economy, stupid!, and while that might have been a pithy turn of phrase, its also basically the answer to our question.
The design of cruise ships in modern years has changed dramatically. The average size of cruise ships has increased and demand for cruising has to.
Monohull Vs Multihull For Sailing Across The Atlantic
Sailboats and power boats both come in either monohull or multihull. Multihull boats include catamarans, which have two hulls, and trimarans, which have three hulls. The boat you choose is largely up to personal preference, as long as it is large enough and is seaworthy. Here are a few points to consider to help you decide which is right for you:
| Monohull | |
| Sometimes seaworthy at a smaller size than monohulls | |
| Only one hull to wax, paint, and otherwise maintain | Offers a much smoother ride, especially in rough water |
| May make better time overall | May make better time with less wind or wave resistance |
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Britannia Sheltered Balcony See 360 Image
This is cabin 4101 on 4 Deck. The Man in Seat 61 says, “This is my own preferred cabin for a transatlantic crossing. Even at 20 knots in mid-Atlantic the balcony remains wind-free just as the word sheltered suggests. Some people say you won’t get much use out of a balcony on the Atlantic, but I loved being able to stroll outside at any time and stand at the rail watching the Atlantic drift past. On a sunny summer crossing off Newfoundland we did indeed sit outside, and even when inside, the French windows let in lots of natural light, making it a far nicer room than an inside or outside cabin, so upgrade if you can. I have yet to travel with a more expensive full-balcony cabin, but I expect those are a lot more windswept!”.
QM2 restaurants…
Take The Train To London Waterloo
Cunard no longer organise a special ‘boat train’ in connection with QM2 sailings. However, fast air-conditioned trains link Southampton Central with London Waterloo every 30 minutes taking around 1h17. No reservation is necessary or even possible for Southampton-London trains, you just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on the next train. Southampton-London costs £46.10 adult one-way , children under 16 half price, children under 5 free. First class costs £78.30 . You can check train times & fares from Southampton to London Waterloo or anywhere in Britain usingwww.raileurope.comor www.nationalrail.co.uk. Direct trains run from Southampton to Reading, Oxford, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol & Cardiff, so you won’t have to cross London. Beginner’s guide to UK train travel. Find a hotel in London.
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There Is Less Interest In Ocean Liners
Cruises on cruise ships begin and end at the same point. Its akin to a floating city that tours you around an itinerary and then drops you off where you started from.
An ocean liner is designed to take guests from point A to point B. A voyage on an ocean liner may start in Southampton in the UK, and end in New York City.
To return home, guests need a separate flight or a second votage. From the perspective of the modern vacationer, a cruise is usually simpler and cheaper, than taking a longer trip on an ocean liner.
Repositioning cruises like this are good options if youre wanting to cruise on a budget. Some of the best and cheapest cruises that Ive ever been on have been repositioning cruises.
Qm2 Disembarkation In Southampton
A note explaining QM2 disembarkation procedures appears outside your stateroom a day or two before arrival, and each deck is allocated a disembarkation time. Disembarkation takes place between 08:00 & 11:00. The upper decks with the more expensive cabins disembark first , other decks such as 4, 5 or 6 later.
Labels for your bags appear outside your stateroom the day before arrival. You put a label on each of your bags and place them in the corridor outside your stateroom between 20:00 & midnight before arrival. Your bags will disappear and will be waiting for you in the terminal hall next morning, in an area marked with the same colour as your labels.
It’s then just a matter of going through the UK immigration check. They you walk out of the terminal.
Express disembarkation: If you want to get off sooner and are happy managing all your own bags, you can register for Express disembarkation at the purser’s desk on deck 2 the day before arrival. You are given an express disembarkation card. Express disembarkation passengers gather in the Queens Room from 06:45 onwards with all their luggage, and at around 07:00 when the gangway opens you simply walk off the ship with your bags, straight into the terminal.
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Its Every Adventure Seekers Dream To Sail Across The Atlantic Ocean
And weve helped hundreds of sailors new and experienced to turn that dream into reality.
Find 2021/2022 / 2023 transatlantic voyages here where you can join as hands on guest crew on planned journeys and rallies like the ARC, or if youd like to charter a whole boat then get in touch. We work with a network of many incredible boats from luxury yachts, performance racers to historic traditional tall ships.
In fact, were best known for helping adventure seekers to find a boat or berth they can join to sail across the Atlantic Ocean and were very proud of it.
If you have the ambition to sail across the Atlantic Ocean, whether youre a beginner or pro sailor, there are exciting options for you on board hands-on sailing vessels. Join yachts or tall ships as guest voyage crew and learn incredible new skills, as you pull together as a team to harness the wind and reach a new continent. Its a sustainable long-distance travel option that is all about embracing the journey.
Complete our short form to let us know your Atlantic ambitions and well be in touch with exciting options.
Crossing The Atlantic In A Sailboat
There isnt much more romantic than the idea of crossing the Atlantic by sail. Nothing but you, your boat, and the Atlantic winds to ferry you across the ocean.
However, sailing across the Atlantic comes with significant risks. You are dependent on the wind to carry you across the water.
If the wind fails, you may find yourself stranded out in the ocean much longer than you had intended. Unless you are absolutely dedicated to traveling by sail alone, It is wise to equip your sailboat with a couple of motors. Its true that extra motors will add weight, which is not what you want, but most sailors find that the added comfort in knowing that they can motor when they need to is well worth the extra weight.
Since both your sails and your motor are essential for a safe crossing, its a good idea to bring whatever you need to make basic repairs on both. Sails can be ripped in a storm, and while patching them together by yourself on board is not going to result in the quality of sails as you started with, its better than trying to sail with ripped sails. You should also bring extras of whatever might go wrong with your motor.
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Can You Drive To America From England
Youd have to fly or ship your vehicle accross the Pacific to an Asian Port, or the Atlantic to a European Port, and take a train or ferry across the English Channel to journey from America to England by Road. Currently Prime Minister Boris Johnson has no plans to build a bridge or tunnel between the USA and London.
Flights Are Easily Accessible
With flights becoming cheaper and more accessible, it doesnt make sense to take an ocean liner across the ocean in the same way that it used to in the past. Flights are much cheaper and faster, so taking a cruise across the Atlantic or Pacific is usually reserved for those who do so for fun or dont want to fly.
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Which Companies Starting Building Ocean Liners
Companies like Cunard and White Star emerged as Englands top shipbuilders. Germany, too, who had their own ambitions to surpass England as an ocean power, also began investing money building ocean liners, and each company always wanted to be able to say that theyd built the fastest ship.
Eventually, by the early years of the 20th century, ship speed had hit a plateau. It became obvious that going too fast above a certain point meant vibrations felt on the ship, which passengers found uncomfortable.
If every ship was more or less as fast, where could a company stand out?
Luxury.
This idea led to the creation of the Titanic. She was meant to be not only fast but to be unparalleled in her accommodations. It was said that her steerage rooms were more well-appointed than other lines second classrooms.
When she launched, she was designed to redefine what an ocean liner was and to put White Star Lines on the top of the shipbuilding world. But, as they sadly learned, even a massive steel ship with numerous safety features can suffer catastrophic damage when met with a massive block of ice, and the dream of Titanic was smashed to the bottom of the icy North Atlantic.
Best Time For A Transatlantic Cruise
If you are wondering which is the best time to board a Transatlantic cruise, you will be surprised to learn that it depends on you. Since cruise lines offer eastbound and westbound Transatlantic cruises, you should decide which direction you want to sail to. This will enable you to choose a port that is closer to home at the start or end of the cruise.
It is essential to remember that the hurricane season in the Atlantic is from June through November. Hence, during this season the sea condition and weather may not be what you expect.
Another point to note is that during spring and fall, night temperatures will be cool. So, you will need a cardigan or sweater if you are opting for a southern crossing. On the other hand, if you choose a northern crossing, you will need a warm coat.
Regardless of which time you choose to go on a Transatlantic cruise, you can rest assured that you will enjoy an affordable, relaxing, and entertaining cruise. This is because most cruises have minimal ports of call and this make Transatlantic cruises quite economical.
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Do I Need Prior Sailing Experience To Sail Across The Atlantic Ocean
You do not always need prior sailing experience to take on the challenge of a transatlantic sail. For many of the boats we work with, especially the tall ships, sailing experience is not compulsory. Instead, the vessel crew will give you hands-on experience and training along the way both on expedition sail yachts and tall ships.
If youre looking for an experience on a smaller vessel, you might need to get some sailing experience or qualifications beforehand. For example, some of the race boats or smaller yachts require RYA Day Skipper or equivalent, so speak to us if youd like more information. A few of the passages are even qualifiers for Yachtmaster Ocean mile makers, so if you have bigger ambitions for your sailing, please reach out to ask about that and about Watch Leader roles, too.
North Atlantic Destinations To Think About
One of the reasons so many people ask how long it takes to cross the Atlantic is that there are fabulous cruising destinations everywhere a sailor looks. Unlike some other parts of the world, like the South Pacific, the destinations are more or less located around the loop course that a boat would have to take to sail across the Atlantic anyway. The result is that the concept of sailing a Northern Atlantic circuit makes the journey worth the extra effort.
Here are just a few of the destinations that lay around the Northern Atlantic Circuit. Of course, you could skip some or do them all. But there are an immense amount of places one can check out by sailboat in the Atlantic waters.
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The Play Zone & Child Care
The Zone is aft on deck 6, staffed by a team of friendly young British-trained nannies. It has a toddler zone for ages 1-3, a Play Zone for ages 4-6 and The Zone with various computer games and other activities for older kids up to 17. There’s plenty to do, and activities such as treasure hunts or ship tours are organised by the Play Zone team.
Santa Cruz De Tenerife Canary Islands
Tenerife, a volcanic island that’s the largest of the Canaries, is dominated by the gigantic 12,402-foot-high Mount Teide. A day in port isn’t enough time to sample all that Tenerife has to offer, whether it’s picturesque beaches or banana plantations. You can scale a snow-capped mountain, stroll aimlessly through charming villages, hike through a pine forest or play a round of golf.
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Whats The Right Boat To Sail Across The Atlantic
A good place to start might be with the question: can I sail across the Atlantic and back in the yacht I have now?
In most cases, the answer is yes.
Almost any well-prepared yacht of 30ft and upwards can tackle the downwind crossing, and indeed there is no reason why an even smaller boat cant do it successfully.
People have crossed in Folkboats the legendary American sailor Webb Chiles sailed across the Pacific in a converted 24ft dayboat, and some masochistic adventurers have crossed oceans in micro yachts not even long enough for them to stretch out in.
Two sailors I have repeatedly met over the years are Swedes Pekka and Barbro Karlsson.
They first crossed the Atlantic in 1986 in their 32ft Arvid Lauren-designed double-ender, Corona AQ.
Pekka and Barbo Karisson have sailed their 32ft double ender across the Atlantic multiple times over 30 years. Credit: World Cruising Club
Over the last 30 years, they have made multiple crossings back and forth, observing boats getting ever larger, even of the same LOA as theirs.
So, really, it is a matter of cost, preference and expectation.
The big question is whether your current yacht is the best tool for the job given your budget.
Is it large enough for the crew you intend for longer passages, for the provisions, fuel and water?
A 35-footer might take 25-28 days to sail across the Atlantic from the Canaries to the West Indies.
You might also ask yourself which parts of the adventure are the most valuable to you.