Information to Repositioning Cruises — and 5 to E-book Now

As I stepped off the pier and onto my ship in Ushuaia, Argentina, it dawned on me that this was the final time I might be on continental land for practically three weeks. Lindblad Expeditions’ Nationwide Geographic Explorer was about to ferry me throughout the South Atlantic, all the way in which to Cape City. Now that is a cruise.

In reality, it was a really particular kind of cruise referred to as a repositioning cruise, or a “repo.” Repositioning cruises do precisely what their title entails — they reposition a ship from one place to a different. Within the case of my crusing, Nationwide Geographic Explorer had simply wrapped up a season in Antarctica and was scheduled for a stint in Africa. So, the ship sailed a repositioning cruise to get from one area to the opposite, bringing alongside a handful of intrepid vacationers.

Learn on to search out out all the pieces you have to find out about repositioning cruises.

What’s a repositioning cruise?

Repositioning cruises reposition cruise ships — it is so simple as that. However to know why cruise ships should be repositioned, you must take a look at how most cruise strains function their vessels.

Typically talking, cruise ships do not simply crisscross the world on a sequence of one-way journeys, crusing from A to B, then B to C, then C to D, and so forth. Most ships spend months at a time “homeported” at a particular cruise port, reminiscent of Miami or New Orleans, or typically in a common area, just like the Mediterranean. Then in the course of a season, they will sail both an similar itinerary or maybe just a few related itineraries. Take, for example, a cruise that is homeported in Miami for the winter. That ship would possibly sail Japanese or Western Caribbean itineraries for just a few months, however not essentially your entire yr.

“Because of climate and seasonality, most cruise ships don’t keep in the identical geographic space for a complete yr. They subsequently should reposition from one area to a different — and people cruises are known as repositioning cruises,” Journey + Leisure A-Listing Advisor Rob Clabbers, president of Q Cruise + Journey, tells T+L. “For instance, a ship that sails summers in Alaska might spend the winter within the Caribbean; and subsequently will reposition within the fall to go from Alaska through the West Coast and the Panama Canal to the Caribbean, then again within the spring.”

Relying on the route, cruise strains would possibly select to reposition ships with out friends onboard. In that case, the crew would possibly spend the time deep cleansing and performing upkeep on the vessel. However repositioning cruises nonetheless use lots of costly gasoline, so many cruise strains choose to open them as much as friends to assist offset that value — and even flip a revenue, in the event that they’re fortunate. From the visitor perspective, you get to sail a non-traditional itinerary, which may take you to less-visited locations. In my case, we ventured to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and the extraordinarily distant Tristan da Cunha, a tiny volcanic island in the course of the Atlantic that is solely accessible by ship.

The place do repositioning cruises go, and the way lengthy are they?

Clabbers shares some frequent repositioning routes under, however repositioning cruises can occur just about wherever on this planet. There’s one rule for all repositioning cruises: They have to be one-way.

• Between Mediterranean and South Asia: Historically through the Suez Canal, however extra lately across the tip of South Africa.
• Between Antarctic and Arctic polar areas: By way of the coasts of the Americas (would possibly embrace an expedition onto the Amazon); or in some circumstances through the coast of Africa and Europe.
• Between Alaska and Japan: By way of the North Pacific.
• Between North America and Australia/South Pacific: By way of Hawaii and French Polynesia to Australia and New Zealand.
• Between Europe and North America: By way of the Atlantic, which can additionally imply from the British Isles through Iceland and Greenland to Canada for the Canada/New England season within the late summer season/fall.
• Between Alaska and the Caribbean: By way of the West Coast and the Panama Canal.

As for a way lengthy repositioning cruises are, that varies. “Repositioning cruises, reminiscent of transatlantic sailings, are usually longer than a ‘normal’ seven-night itinerary and can embrace extra sea days, as they should cross a bigger distance,” says Clabbers.

However some repositioning cruises may be damaged up into shorter segments. Within the occasion of a ship repositioning from Alaska to the Caribbean, there could also be a West Coast crusing adopted by a Central America crusing that transits the Panama Canal. When you may stack the 2 journeys to create one lengthy cruise, you may additionally e book it in shorter segments.

What occurs on a repositioning cruise?

All of it will depend on the place you are crusing. “Relying on the a part of the world, the ships cease at fewer ports of name and/or cease in ports which might be considerably uncommon due to their location,” T+L A-Listing Advisor Olga Placeres, president of Most well-liked Journey & Co, tells T+L. She factors to transatlantic cruises for instance — they’ve quite a few sea days, however in addition they would possibly cease in distant locations just like the Azores.

In case you’re repositioning on a mega ship, you will probably get to completely immerse your self in all of the facilities that the ship has to supply. My transatlantic repositioning cruise was on a tiny expedition ship, which meant that the main target of our programming was schooling and journey, so our sea days have been full of lectures and wildlife recognizing — and loads of time for contemplation.

When do repositioning cruises occur?

Repositioning cruises can occur at any time of yr, however most happen within the spring and fall, that are historically shoulder seasons for cruises. Some cruises use seasonality to their benefit. For instance, when ships are repositioning from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean within the fall, they will benefit from fall foliage within the Northeast U.S. and Canada.

Are repositioning cruises cheaper?

The quick reply: It will depend on demand. And demand will depend on the itinerary and the scale of the ship. “Extra distinctive itineraries — by way of the Panama Canal, or alongside a number of the extra uncommon/off-the-beaten-path islands within the South Pacific — may be very excessive in demand, which is mirrored within the fares,” says Clabbers.

However not all repositioning itineraries attraction to the mass market, and cruise strains might wrestle to fill the ship. “Fewer vacationers get pleasure from a crossing with many sea days. Most friends want to see ports, not solely the ocean,” says Placeres. “Climate is one other issue — crossings may be tough, and you have to be a superb sailor to get pleasure from a bumpy voyage.” In these circumstances, demand may be low, and subsequently costs (when damaged down per day) will also be comparatively low.

Typically talking, nonetheless, many repositioning cruises are, in actual fact, cheaper than extra conventional week-long sailings. “There are numerous ships that sail from the Caribbean to Europe within the spring, together with a number of the bigger up to date cruise ships. Meaning there’s fairly a little bit of capability at a variety of enticing fares every year for people who want to journey between the continents,” says Clabbers. “These cruises may be fairly reasonably priced, particularly when it from a per-day perspective. As well as, with fewer ports of name, the taxes and port fees could also be decrease, too.”

5 Repositioning Cruises to E-book Now

Movie star Cruises

17-night Fiji Transpacific on Movie star Solstice

Departs April 9, 2025

Sail throughout the South Pacific on a grand journey from Sydney to Honolulu. Whereas there are 9 days at sea, there are fairly just a few particular ports of name on this itinerary, together with Loyalty Island in New Caledonia, Thriller Island in Vanuatu, two Fijian islands, Apia in Samoa, Pago Pago in American Samoa, and Kailua-Kona in Hawaii.

Royal Caribbean

16-night Tokyo to Los Angeles on Ovation of the Seas

Departs Could 15, 2025

Get your sea legs prepared. Although this cruise does name at just a few ports in Japan, plus an additional day in Los Angeles, it’s going to spend most of its time at sea. Luckily, the huge ship has a lot onboard to maintain you entertained, from a skydiving simulator to a spa to greater than two dozen eating places.

Holland America

18-day Voyage of the Vikings on Zuiderdam

Departs Aug. 5, 2025

In case you’re seeking to take a repositioning cruise that does not have too many days at sea, this itinerary connecting Rotterdam within the Netherlands and Boston is for you. There are solely six sea days, with the majority of the itinerary together with ports throughout Eire, Iceland, Greenland, and Canada.

Viking

22-day Southern Atlantic Crossing on Viking Jupiter

Departs Nov. 8, 2025

Are you able to courageous three weeks at sea? Viking’s crusing from Barcelona to Buenos Aires features a transient stint within the Mediterranean and a name in Casablanca, Morocco, earlier than taking to the Atlantic. To interrupt up the week-long transatlantic portion of the voyage, Viking Jupiter will go to São Vicente Island (Mindelo), Cape Verde. And it will wrap up with per week crusing the coast of South America.

Virgin Voyages

16-night Panama Canal and Pacific Wonders on Good Girl

Departs March 21, 2026

Sail by way of the enduring Panama Canal on this journey from Miami to Los Angeles on this well-paced voyage. There are by no means greater than three sea days in a row, with ports like Cartagena, Colombia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico breaking apart the journey.