Whether you are a cruise newbie or a cruise columnist, you can get genuinely excited when you see new markets, something unique added to traditional cruises, or new ships that are offering more amenities.
If you go to www.sailwx.info and connect on ship tracker, you will be able to find where most cruise ships in the world are on any given day. You will not find a lot in the Atlantic or the Pacific.
Look at each ship's onboard webcam at www.krooozecams.com and you can see where they are at that very moment. Those locations will change come September through November when they make their way back to North America.
With that comes good news - the traditional transatlantic cruises are undergoing changes.
Most of these dashes across the ocean are still available for those who are on a tight budgets - be it money or time. Many are offering pricing you won't find anywhere else.
The change means the addition of more interesting ports and a new mix of countries from northern to southern Europe. The lack of availability on some ships is heralding the success of these itinerary changes.
One line, Holland America, is using its 1,200-passenger Maasdam to sail both southerly and northerly transatlantic return routes.
The Maasdam sailed on a return trip from Boston earlier this year to Iceland and then onto other European ports (a planned stop in Greenland was cancelled due to heavy seas). In October, it will make a return trip from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with stops in Morocco, Spain, the Canary Islands, Italy, Portugal and Gibraltar - including several overnights - before arriving back in Fort Lauderdale 42 days later.
Norwegian Cruise Lines has also started longer, more interesting crossings with the Norwegian Sun. It's merging two cruises, leaving Copenhagen for Miami on a 28-day trip that takes in Iceland, Norway, Scotland, Greenland, Ireland and Portugal before crossing the ocean to Miami through Funchal and Madeira.
When ships on transatlantic cruises leave from London (Southampton), Rome (Civitavecchia), Venice, Barcelona and other major European centres, it gives the keen cruiser an opportunity to visit some of the world's great cities before crossing the ocean.
Rome is the departure port for the Crown Princess in November, when it will make a 32-day journey that encompasses Mediterranean history. Ports include Naples, where you can visit Capri and Pompeii, five in Greece, including Santorini, plus Florence, Barcelona and Lisbon before crossing the ocean for the final destination, Galveston, Texas.
If price is your deal-maker, here are two transatlantic cruises you'll like:
- Copenhagen to Miami on the Norwegian Sun: 14 days for only $499, or about $35 a day
- Southampton to Miami on the premium ship Celebrity Constellation: 15 days and three ports: Paris (Le Havre), Lisbon and Tenerife (Canary Islands) starting at $599, or about $40 a day
For one cruise line, Holland America, the transatlantic is becoming a destination with return trips that eliminate the high cost of air travel and hotel travel.
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