Although Summer Cruises are all the rage, Spring and Autumn cruises are becoming more popular every year. One reason is that the price is much lower while the weather is still OK, but the biggest reason is that this is the time of year for repositional cruises.
What is a Repositional Cruise?
They are the unsung heroes of the cruise industry. Most cruise ships tend to follow the same return route, for instance, starting in Barcelona and then ending there for your flight back home. This is a convenient way to book flights, but it also means that you will see some places twice. Repositioning cruises are different in that they relocate to follow the sun, which means you will be able to cover a much bigger distance.
When is the Best Time to Book One?
When the weather turns, whether its in Spring or Autumn.
Autumn: UK cruise enthusiasts can look out for the huge amount of ships that crosses from the UK to the Caribbean, US and South America, calling at exciting destinations like Iceland and the Canadian Maritimes along the way.
Spring: In Spring time you will find the reverse as all these ships that over wintered in the Caribbean and South America, return to Britain on their way to the Med. This is a fantastic time of year to book one as these ships stop at exotic locations like the Azores, Canaries as well as the Iberian Peninsula.
Why Should You Book One?
As these cruises are not part of the regular sailing itineraries, they are sold at a discount price. And as already mentioned, they are ideal for people looking to only do a one-way cruise. Although a one-way flight to your destination will be a lot quicker, why not do it in style and for much cheaper, while being able to stretch your legs along the way? You will also be able to see some iconic crossings, which is usually a once in a lifetime experience!
That’s not all though, cruise lines tend to add extras to these cruises to make them more appealing to the general public. They add enrichment programmes to make these trips more interesting or create a theme for them, which can be anything to do with music, theatre or food and wine.
Another good reason for booking one is that you may find yourself as one of the first few passengers on a brand-new cruise ship, with all the new state of the art mod cons. Many American cruise lines have their ships built in a European shipyard, which means they have to cross from Europe (often France) to America before their regular itinerates begin. Be quick though, as these cruises tend to sell out fast.
Where can You Find One?
One great example is Mediterranean cruises. Few people want to cruise the Med in Winter, which means that these ships tend to relocate to sunnier spots.
Cruise Nation has some fantastic repositional cruises available, like this Royal Caribbean International cruise that departs on 5th November 2018 and take you from Southampton to Las Vegas. This Navigator of the Seas trip last for 17 nights with a flight back to the UK. You will spend several days at sea to simply relax in the lap of luxury and have some fantastic stops in Boston, New York, Port Canaveral as well as a long stay over in Las Vegas at the end of your trip. This is a full board cruise with lots of perks.