Budgeting For A Long Cruise
Average price-per-day of long cruises is actually pretty reasonable, but transportation costs back to your departure point as well as those of sightseeing and exploring once you reach the final destination can add up quickly. Fortunately, March and April are among the least expensive months to book a transatlantic airline ticket, which is during the same time frame that many repositioning cruises leave Florida ports to sail to Europe. Its also considered the shoulder season in many European locations, which means you should be able to find some good deals on lodging and other travel-related expenses. However, if youre going to be flying into Florida, avoid traveling during Spring Break if you dont want to pay inflated airline and lodging prices.
Odyssey Of The Seas Transatlantic
- 2022 October 31 13-day Transatlantic from Civitavecchia to Fort Lauderdale, visiting La Spezia , Valencia , Malaga , Funchal from $910 pp.
- 2023 April 22 14-day Transatlantic from Fort Lauderdale to Civitavecchia , visiting Malaga , Alicante , Palma De Mallorca , Marseille , La Spezia from $700 pp.
How To Go To Puerto Rico By Flight
The following are seven ways to travel from Florida to Puerto Rico by plane:
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Add San Juanto Your Bucket List
Centuries of history. Rich culture. Stunning landscapes, and famously friendly people. There are so many things to see and do in San Juan, Puerto Rico, youd never guess it had to bounce back from a hurricane. Not only is it a must-visit destination all on its own, its central location also makes it the best jumping off point for you to explore the exotic shores of the Southern Caribbean. From Arubas pastel colonial promenades and Curaçaos ancient rugged caves, to Antiguas colorful reefs and Barbadoss golden-sand beaches Cruises from San Juan unlock the most beautiful shores on the south side.
Lowest Repositioning Cruise Rates Often Emerge 2
A pricing trend that has remained consistent over the years is being able to find some of the best repositioning cruise deals by booking fairly last-minute. Weve noticed low prices appearing two-three months before the repositioning cruise is scheduled to embark.
This comes contrary to common advice for booking cruises. Often with cruises, its recommended to book as early as possible to score the best deal. And there are indeed some great repositioning cruise deals that can be scored far in advance. But for particularly common routes, like transatlantic repositioning cruises, rates are sometimes slashed in the few months leading up to embarkation.
This last-minute repositioning cruise booking strategy has been a tried-and-true method weve used to uncover some of the best repositioning cruise deals out there. Prices tend to drop when each cruises cancelation period ends, which is about 45-90 days out, depending on the cruise line.
Understand the economics at play. Those who book a cruise in advance have an option to cancel and receive a full or partial refund up until about 2-3 months before the cruise departs. This is known as the cancelation period and it varies by cruise line, ship, and itinerary. Once the cancelation period ends, anyone who booked the cruise are locked into it. Therefor, the cruise lines dont really know their true occupancy count until that time frame.
A general rule of thumb is the following:
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Tips For Visiting Puerto Rico
When you plan to visit Puerto Rico, keep in mind the following tips.
So Whats The Catch Of A Cheap Repositioning Cruise Deal
These cheap repositioning cruise deals may seem like theyre too good to be true. But theyre totally legit. There are no major catches, really.
Its a common misnomer that repositioning cruise deals are so cheap because theyre boring and stripped-down cruises. That is simply not true!
Its actually quite the opposite. Cruise lines tend to ramp up activities, lectures, and entertainment during all those extra days at sea. It can be a lot of fun. We always keep busy and never get bored.
The nightly four-course dinners include the same filet mignons and lobster tails passengers indulge in on regular weeklong cruise itineraries. The first-class staterooms are, of course, the same rooms. They dont suddenly strip out all the luxuries of the staterooms since you bought a cheap repositioning cruises. The high level of service remains the same too.
Meanwhile, the many exotic ports that are visited along the routes are arguably the greatest appeal of repositioning cruises. Reaching some of these distant locations would cost a fortune to fly to. Thousands of dollars! Yet a repositioning cruise deal can provide a seamless and inexpensive way to reach many far-flung destinations, all while voyaging across the ocean in luxury.
Despite our love and praise of cheap repositioning cruise deals, they certainly arent for everyone. We strongly advise anyone to fully understand some potential downsides before booking your first repositioning cruise across the ocean:
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Traveling To The San Juan Cruise Terminal
San Juan Luis Muñoz MarÃn International Airport services the island of Puerto Rico. It is the islands main international gateway, and its main connection to the mainland United States. The Airport is located approximately 10 miles from the Pan American Pier and 11 miles from the OSJ Piers . It usually takes about 15-25 minutes in a taxi for the trip, dependent upon traffic.
The Tourism Taxi Program, recently instituted by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, has simplified the fare structure between the airport and several major tourism zones, including the piers. When coming out of the airport, go to the taxi stand and theyll give you a slip with your set rate on it. The rates are per taxi and many are vans or minivans, which can accommodate up to 6 or 7 people. There are additional charges for baggage.
Outlook On Booking A 2021 Repositioning Cruise Deal
With cruise lines greatly relaxing their cancelation policies. It can make sense to book a good deal if you see one. Particularly if you really like a certain repositioning cruise deal you see now, its probably best to strike while you can. Otherwise you may become disappointed if prices go up or if the cruise sells out.
Repositioning cruise pricing trends can be somewhat predictable for those in the know. Yet with all the uncertainty going on in 2020 and into 2021, all bets are off. There will be many changes implemented as repositioning cruises start back up again. Some of those occurrences could affect how good of a deal may be available on a repositioning cruise.
For example, many cruise lines are currently not filling their ships to capacity, so guests can more easily keep distanced. Also, weve noticed some repositioning cruises have been cut from the 2021 calendar. Certain ships have gotten sold or scrapped, while other itineraries have been altered to accommodate shorter and closer cruises that people may be more attracted to in 2021. All of these actions will lead to reduced inventory of cabins on repositioning cruises in 2021. This could potentially lead to cruises selling out and/or higher prices.
There is pent-up demand for cruising and many cruisers are in need of using their future cruise credits they have accumulated from canceled 2020 cruises. This could further make getting a cabin on a repositioning cruise potentially more competitive.
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Serenade Of The Seas Panama Canal Transatlantic
Starting May 1, 2022, Serenade OTS offers roundtrip departures from homeport Vancouver.
- 2022 September 25 7-day from Vancouver to Los Angeles, visiting Victoria , Astoria , San Francisco from $450 pp.
- 2022 October 2 13-day Panama Canal from Los Angeles to Tampa FL, visiting Cabo San Lucas , Puerto Vallarta , Huatulco , Puntarenas , Panama Canal , Cartagena from $1570 pp.
- 2023 May 6 14-day Transatlantic from Tampa to Barcelona, visiting Nassau , Funchal , Palma De Mallorca from $590 pp.
Carnival Adds New One Way Cruises From New York To Puerto Rico
A round trip cruise from New York to San Juan, Puerto Rico would take much longer than the eight-night cruise that Carnival is now offering. Thats why the cruise line is now offering a one way cruise from New York to Puerto Rico that will have several stops along the way.
This itinerary on the Carnival Splendor will allow for stops at great ports like St Kitts, St Maarten, St Thomas, and the islands of Antigua. For those that want to cruise back to New York instead of flying they can also book cruises from Puerto Rico to New York and make it a 2 week vacation.
The first New York-to-San Juan cruise will take place on Oct. 24, 2014 and there will be two more on Jan. 12 and Feb. 13, 2015. Three San Juan-to-New York voyages will depart on Nov. 1, 2014 and on Jan. 20 and Feb. 21, 2015.
Currently Carnivals 7 or 8-night round trip cruises that sail out of New York are only able to go as far south as Florida and the Bahamas because of the distance, so these one-way cruises will give New Yorkers grater variety in exploring the southern Caribbean.
The cruise line also announced that it would offer new 4, 5 and 7-day cruises on the Carnival Splendor to Canada and New England. The dates for these cruises will take place from June to October 2014.
What do you think about one-way cruises? Would you take one and fly back or would you just book another one-way cruise to get back home? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Where And When Do Repositioning Cruises Take Place
The good news is you can book a repositioning cruise nearly six months out of the year, spanning mid-spring and mid-fall months, which are the cruise lines shoulder seasons.
Because repositioning cruises are not all tied to the same destination, this only widens your options in terms of geography. To envision where these will sail and when, you need to know a destinations cruise season.
Take Europe as an example. The majority of Mediterranean and Baltic sailings take place in the spring through the early fall. The Europe-based ships flee the region during the winter, spending November through March in the warm Caribbean. Therefore, a ship will need to travel from the Caribbean to Europe in spring and return to the Caribbean by fall. Look for transatlantic repositioning cruises during those changeover months.
Related: TPGs favorite fall cruise itineraries
Some ships stay in the Caribbean year-round and only reposition when the cruise line chooses to move them to a different home port. However, ships sailing short seasons in Alaska, South America, Canada/New England and Europe will always be repositioning at least twice a year.
Ovation Of The Seas Alaska
- 2022 September 23 7-day from Seattle to Vancouver, visiting Juneau , Skagway , Tracy Arm/Endicott Arm , Victoria prices from $720 pp.
- 2022 September 30 9-day from Vancouver to Honolulu , visiting Seattle , Lahaina from $980 pp.
- 2022 October 9 19-day Transpacific from Honolulu to Sydney, visiting Bora Bora , Papeete , Moorea , Napier , Wellington , Picton $1980 pp.
- 2023 April 15 18-day Transpacific from Sydney to Honolulu , visiting Bay of Islands , Auckland , Papeete , Moorea , Bora Bora from $1980 pp.
- 2023 May 2 9-day from Honolulu to Vancouver, visiting Lahaina , Kailua Kona from $940 pp.
- 2023 May 11 8-day from Vancouver to Seattle, visiting Sitka , Juneau , Skagway , Tracy Arm/Endicott Arm , Ketchikan prices from $660 pp.
- 2023 September 29 7-day from Seattle to Vancouver, visiting Juneau , Skagway , Tracy Arm/Endicott Arm , Victoria from $510 pp.
- 2023 October 6 9-day from Vancouver to Honolulu , visiting Lahaina from $910 pp.
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Cruise Ships In Ponce
In a recent move to expand cruise options to the island, the southern city of Ponce now receives the Serenade of the Seas and Celebrity Cruise four times per year. If you choose to make this town your port of call, you can enjoy historical sites such as El Parque de Bombas an iconic fire station-turned museum and other landmarks. Or, enjoy a day at La Guancha boardwalk, where there are plenty of seafood restaurants, fritter carts, live music, and other activities.
Booking A Repositioning Cruise For 2022
Below are some of the best repositioning cruise deals weve found that you may be able to book.
Weve linked to them through our affiliate at CruiseDirect. Weve chosen to recommend CruiseDirect because of their easy online booking, a low price guarantee, no booking fees, and they maintain an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. But more than any other reason, we recommend CruiseDirect because we regularly find they have the lowest prices and the best deals. Hence, CruiseDirect is what weve been using ourselves to book the last several repositioning cruise deals.
Remember, repositioning cruise prices do regularly fluctuate, sometimes even daily. So be sure to follow the links weve left below to confirm the most up-to-date price quote, which may be even lower than what weve listed here. With the disruption of cruising this year, prices and even itineraries may change overnight, or may even get canceled. So be sure to click through the links to verify the sailing.
Below are the handful of Fall 2020 repositioning cruise deals that may still be available, in addition to the best 2021 repositioning cruise deals.
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Cruising To Puerto Rico
If you ever considered a cruise vacation you will not be disappointed by choosing one that has San Juan, Puerto Rico as one of the ports of call. San Juan is a fascinating mixture of the old and the new. Puerto Rico offers white sandy beaches, cobblestone streets, colonial forts and buildings, museums, vibrant hotels, casinos, restaurants and shops. The island is rich in history, blessed by nature, and alive with its own unique culture.
The Port of San Juan is the busiest in the Caribbean and is ranked among the top 25 of the world’s ports in terms of passengers and container movement. San Juan’s two cruise terminals are located a stone’s throw away from one another, one in the San Juan Bay and the other at the Pan American terminal just across the bay, a10-minute ride, close to the airport, up to 6 cruise ships can dock at these terminals. The San Juan Bay Terminal has 3 piers located a short walk from Old San Juan.
Although U.S. territories does not require a passport for U.S. citizens, you’ll still need your passport for cruises that stop at ports in South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Antarctica. Additionally, U.S. citizens who travel by air to the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico and Bermuda to catch their ship must have a passport. However, if you are cruising to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Mexico, and Canada from a U.S. port you do not need a passport – this is deemed a “closed loop” voyage.
Where Repositioning Cruises Go In The Fall
During Autumn, cruises are repositioned away from Europe and Alaska. Most commonly ships are move to Florida and US East Coast ports to do Caribbean cruises during winter months. But cruises are also repositioned to Asia and locations throughout the southern hemisphere.
This is where cruise lines tend to reposition their cruise ships in the Fall:
- Northern Transatlantic: Europe Florida
- Southern Transatlantic: Europe Argentina & Brazil
- Panama Canal: US Pacific Coast Florida
- TransAmerica Panama Canal: Florida Chile
- Southern Transpacific: Hawaii, California, & Pacific Northwest Sydney & Auckland
- TransAmerica Pacific: California & Pacific Northwest Chile
- TransAsia: Europe Asia
- MiddleEastern: Europe UAE
- TransAfrica: Europe South Africa
- Canadian Maritimes: US East Coast Quebec, Canada
Note: The above route maps provide a general idea of the timing of repositioning cruises. Exact routes are constantly changing each year. Later is this article, some of the best repositioning cruise routes for 2022 are detailed.
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