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Repositioning Cruises

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Luxury Repositioning Cruises

Sail from one incredible destination to another on one of our luxury repositioning cruises. Explore Europe’s dynamic cities. Lounge on Fort Lauderdale’s stunning beaches. Spend relaxed days on board one of our luxury cruise ships in the award-winning spa, dipping in the sparkling pool, and tasting world-class culinary creations inspired by global destinations. With plenty of days at sea and stops in some of the most coveted ports in the world, these repositioning cruises promise adventure both on and off the ship.

Browse Repositioning Cruise Itineraries

Itineraries, view all repositioning cruises, explore two continents on an unforgettable repositioning cruise.

Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey across the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean aboard our spectacular repositioning cruises. Sail from one continent to another on an award-winning ship , and experience unrivaled luxury, service, and entertainment as it relocates from one region of the world to another.

In the late fall, our repositioning cruises sail from Europe, where you’ll depart from fascinating cities like Lisbon, Southampton, and Rome, to North America. Stop in stunning destinations such as Nice, Provence, the Azores, and the Canary Islands, and luxuriate in consecutive days at sea before arriving at your debarkation port in Florida or the Northeast. Or cruise between Europe and South America on a cruise from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro and explore ports in the Canary Islands and Brazil. 

In the early spring, our transatlantic cruises depart from the United States and head back across the Atlantic, stopping in beautiful European destinations along the way, such as the islands of Palma de Mallorca and Corsica, before arriving in Rome, Southampton, and Lisbon.

Whether you choose to board a relocation cruise in the spring or fall, you’ll find a wealth of options to choose from. Depending on your itinerary, you’ll explore the sun-soaked Mediterranean, visit popular ports across Western Europe, or stop in Iceland and Greenland along the way. 

Sail across the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean on a transpacific cruise that travels from Asia to North America—and vice versa. Depart from the exciting city of Tokyo and stop in destinations in Russia and Japan along the way. A highlight of a transpacific cruise is traversing the International Dateline.

You can also board one of our repositioning cruises between Hawaii and Australia. Depart from either Honolulu or Sydney and visit breathtaking islands in the South Pacific, including New Zealand’s idyllic Bay of Islands, dreamy destinations in French Polynesia like Bora Bora and Tahiti, and the tropical islands of Hawaii.

Aside from these remarkable journeys across continents, we also have exciting repositioning cruises that travel from one destination to another within the Western Hemisphere. Sail between San Diego or Los Angeles and Vancouver and cruise along the Pacific Coast, stopping in destinations throughout California, Oregon, Washington, and Canada along the way. Or combine a tropical vacation in the Caribbean with sightseeing in the Northeast by embarking on an open-jaw itinerary between Miami and Cape Liberty or Boston; San Juan and Cape Liberty; or a Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale to San Juan.

On all of our repositioning cruises, you’ll have access to exciting venues and unlimited entertainment. Spend days at sea lounging by the outdoor pool or relaxing at the indoor solarium. Schedule a day at the spa and choose from a number of reinvigorating and revitalizing treatments. Dine on delicious dishes designed by a Michelin-starred chef. Dance under the stars at one of our rooftop lounges. There’s no shortage of magic and adventure awaiting on a Celebrity cruise.

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Repositioning Cruises from Los Angeles

Several cruise lines offer repositioning cruises from LA. The destinations of these one-way cruise are Florida, New York, Canada, Japan, Australia, Peru and Chile.

A repositioning cruise is one that shifts a ship from one departure port to another. Out of Los Angeles, the cruises often go through the Panama Canal to the East Coast. Repositioning cruises are usually good bargains because one-way cruises are not as popular as round-trips.

January 12, 2024: 15-night cruise to Florida on Norwegian . One-way from Los Angeles to Miami (Florida). Visit Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Puerto Vallarta (Mexico), Acapulco (Mexico), Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala), Panama City (Panama), the Panama Canal and Cartagena (Colombia).

March 31, 2024: 5-night cruise to Canada on Norwegian . One-way from Los Angeles to Vancouver (Canada). Visit San Francisco (California) and Victoria (Canada).

April 22, 2024: 4-night cruise to Canada on Royal Caribbean . One-way from Los Angeles to Vancouver (Canada). Visit Monterey (California) and Victoria (Canada).

May 1, 2024: 12-day cruise to Canada on Oceania . One-way from Los Angeles to Vancouver (Canada). Visit San Francisco (California), Astoria (Oregon), Sitka (Alaska), Icy Strait Point (Alaska), Juneau (Alaska) and Ketchikan (Alaska).

May 4, 2024: 6-night cruise to Canada on Celebrity . One-way from Los Angeles to Vancouver (Canada). Visit Santa Barbara (California), San Francisco (California), Astoria (Oregon) and Victoria (Canada).

May 9, 2024: 15-day cruise to Florida on Princess . One-way from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale (Florida). Visit Puerto Vallarta (Mexico), Huatulco (Mexico), San Juan del Sur (Nicargua), Puntarenas (Costa Rica), Fuerte Amador (Panama), the Panama Canal and Cartagena (Colombia).

August 22, 2024: 18-night cruise to Japan on Carnival . One-way from Long Beach to Tokyo (Japan). Visit Ketchikan (Alaska), Sitka (Alaska), Icy Strait Point (Alaska), Kushiro (Japan) and Aomori (Japan).

September 19, 2024: 15-night cruise to Florida on Celebrity . One-way from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale (Florida). Visit Puerto Vallarta (Mexico), Huatulco (Mexico), Puntarenas (Costa Rica), the Panama Canal, Cartagena (Colombia) and Grand Cayman (Cayman Islands).

September 28, 2024: 14-night cruise to Louisiana on Royal Caribbean . One-way from Los Angeles to New Orleans (Louisiana). Visit Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Huatulco (Mexico), Puntarenas (Costa Rica), the Panama Canal and Cartagena (Colombia).

October 5, 2024: 16-night cruise to Florida on Royal Caribbean . One-way from Los Angeles to Tampa (Florida). Visit Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Mazatlan (Mexico), Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala), Puntarenas (Costa Rica), the Panama Canal, Colon (Panama), Cartagena (Colombia) and Grand Cayman (Cayman Islands).

October 8, 2024: 21-day cruise to New Zealand on Princess . One-way from Los Angeles to Auckland (New Zealand). Visit Honolulu (Hawaii), Maui (Hawaii), Tahiti (French Polynesia) and Pago Pago (American Samoa).

December 6, 2024: 15-night cruise to Florida on Norwegian . One-way from Los Angeles to Miami (Florida). Visit Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Puerto Vallarta (Mexico), Acapulco (Mexico), Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala), Panama City (Panama), the Panama Canal and Cartagena (Colombia).

Repositioning cruises 2024 and 2025: Save money with these unusual itineraries

Looking for a cruise where you can truly kick back and take advantage of onboard amenities without getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of a different port of call every day? Consider a repositioning cruise.

Repositioning cruises are the name for one-way sailings that bring the ship to a new home port or a different part of the world to kick-start a new cruise season. Because these sailings often cross oceans, you'll likely experience ports in more than one cruise region — and have ample sea days to take advantage of the spa, dining and entertainment options on board.

All the major cruise lines offer the occasional repositioning cruises, typically on ships that usually sail in destinations with shorter seasons, such as Alaska or the Mediterranean . Here, we answer all your questions about repositioning cruises.

Note: Listed fares were accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change without notice.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

What is a repositioning cruise?

Cruise ships chase warm and sunny climates, so they often move, or "reposition," from one part of the world to another when chilly weather sets in. Cruise lines don't want to sail a ghost ship, one carrying only crew and no passengers, across the ocean because it's wasting an opportunity to earn money. They have figured out that by discounting rates, they can fill the cabins on these oddball itineraries.

Repositioning cruises are never round-trip sailings. Your origin and destination cities — or, in cruise-speak , embarkation and disembarkation ports — will not be the same. You might sail out of Florida and arrive in Barcelona or Southampton, England, allowing you to explore two continents on one vacation. Or, you might simply sail from Boston to Florida or from San Diego to Vancouver, British Columbia.

Repositioning cruises are known for having a greater-than-average number of days spent at sea, but it's not as if you never get off the ship. On a transatlantic sailing , port stops could be in Spain's Canary Islands or Portugal's Azores islands. A repositioning cruise from Southern California to Vancouver before the Alaska cruise season might sail up the Pacific Coast and visit cities like San Francisco and Astoria, Oregon.

Related: How to avoid seasickness on your next cruise

Another aspect that makes a repositioning cruise different from a typical sailing is that many of these itineraries are longer than a week. (This is by design. It takes longer to sail from Florida to Europe than it does to sail to and from the Caribbean .) Still, there is a lot of flexibility, just as with booking any cruise. The shortest you'll find is four or five days (for example, Southern California to Vancouver) and the longest is around 28 nights (yes, almost an entire month, usually between continents).

Are repositioning cruises one-way?

Yes, repositioning cruises are one-way voyages that start in one region and end in another. Because they happen when a cruise ship switches destinations based on seasonality, these sailings often involve travel to a different part of the world, which can result in many consecutive days at sea.

Where and what time of year do cruise ships reposition?

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 destination's cruise season.

Take Europe as an example. The majority of Mediterranean and Baltic sailings take place in the spring through the early fall. 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: From Alaska to the Panama Canal: Here are 9 of TPG's 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 repositioned at least twice a year.

Due to increased cruise itineraries in the Middle East and Asia over the last decade, you might also find a repositioning cruise departing or returning to either of those regions. For example, MSC Cruises offers cruises from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to Genoa, Italy, in April prior to sailing European itineraries in the spring and summer. Just be prepared to be away from home for a long time. The aforementioned sailing lasts about three weeks — a long trek through the Suez Canal, connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, by way of Egypt.

Note: Many cruise lines have canceled or altered their 2024 Middle East itineraries due to unrest in the region.

What happens on a repositioning cruise?

On many repositioning cruises, you will not get off the ship as often as you might on a typical sailing because there are no ports in the middle of the ocean you're crossing. These itineraries often feature a string of sea days, so be prepared to spend more time and money on board.

Some people love port-intensive cruises so they can quickly check off a list of countries and only unpack once. But if you prefer leisurely, lazy days, then a transoceanic repositioning cruise might be your ticket to utopia. This huge stretch of time is a great opportunity to crack open books you've been meaning to read, launch into a knitting project or finally have time for daily workouts.

Related: 16 mistakes cruisers make on cruise ship sea days

Programming — such as comedy nights, fitness classes, boutique shopping, art auctions, wine tastings and evening shows — are as much a part of a repositioning cruise as any other sailing, only you might be able to take in a whole lot more than you normally would. Some cruise lines organize themed sailings or invite guest lecturers on board for extra sea day activities.

You also might want to consider springing for a cruise line's all-inclusive beverage package on a repositioning cruise. You'll get better value than usual from the price because you'll be ordering most of your drinks on board due to fewer port stops.

Another worthwhile splurge is a balcony cabin . You'll have easy access to fresh air without the top-deck crowds and can enjoy the romance of gazing out at the seemingly endless ocean. Just be sure to pack a sweater or sweatshirt because shoulder seasons in these climates are not necessarily sunbathing weather.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a repositioning cruise?

When you book a repositioning cruise, you'll likely be on board for at least two weeks, allowing enough time for the ship to sail between where it's currently based and its new home port. Sometimes the voyage can be even longer, and it's likely you won't have more than five or six port stops during that time.

That means lots of days on board, many of them consecutive. It's an advantage for anyone who enjoys relaxing at sea and doesn't mind exploring the ship for days at a time without touching land; it's a disadvantage for anyone who sees cruises as merely transportation to explore new places.

An advantage of repositionings is the price, which is often cheaper than what you'd pay for a round-trip sailing of the same length or which has more port days built into the schedule. However, the cost of the potentially expensive one-way or open-jaw flights needed before and after a repositioning cruise could eat up most of the money you'd save by booking that type of voyage.

Do you need a passport for a repositioning cruise?

Yes. The only time you don't need a passport to cruise is if you're booked on a closed-loop sailing — a voyage that departs from and returns to the same port within the U.S. Since repositioning cruises don't leave from and return to the same port, the exception won't apply, and you'll need a passport in order to board the ship.

Are repositioning cruises cheaper than other cruises?

It depends on the sailings to which you're comparing them, but repositioning cruises are often relatively affordable. Even though repositioning sailings can often be two to three weeks in length, you might find that they're less expensive than a regular weeklong voyage that begins and ends in the same port of call. That's because repositioning cruises offer mostly sea days, during which you'll be enjoying the ship instead of lounging on the beach or exploring museums.

How to score repositioning cruise deals

More often than not, a repositioning cruise is a good deal because it costs much less per night than a typical sailing. This is because the one-way, sea day-heavy itineraries are less desirable to the majority of cruisers, and they take place during slower travel seasons.

Related: 6 ways to get a deal on a cruise

Travelers who live near the embarkation or debarkation ports can save even more by only having to buy a one-way plane ticket rather than a full round trip.

Repositioning cruises can be tricky to find on booking sites. They often are referred to as repositioning cruises or transatlantic or transpacific cruises. When ships reposition between ports in the U.S. and Canada, the one-off one-way itineraries might not be labeled anything special beyond Caribbean or Pacific Coast cruises.

Not all of the cruise line or online travel agency booking pages have an option to check a box and search for repositioning cruises. If you can't find what you're looking for, do an online search for the term and the cruise line you wish to sail. Even better, call a travel agent or the cruise line's booking staff directly, and they can help you find the repositioning cruise that's best for you.

What are the best 2024 repositioning cruises?

14-night transatlantic on carnival glory.

This two-week repositioning voyage on Carnival Cruise Line 's Carnival Glory departs Barcelona on April 18 and offers just four port calls. The sailing will visit Valencia, Malaga and Las Palmas in Spain, as well as Bermuda, before reaching Port Canaveral, near Orlando, which is the ship's seasonal home base in Florida.

Prices start from $649 per person for an inside cabin.

15-night transatlantic on Rotterdam

On Oct. 12, Holland America 's newest ship, Rotterdam , sets sail on a transatlantic repositioning from Rotterdam in the Netherlands to Florida's Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. Those ports bookend calls on Bruges, Belgium; Le Havre and Brest, France; England's Isle of Portland; Bermuda; and Half Moon Cay, the line's private island in the Bahamas.

Prices begin at $2,074 per person for an inside cabin.

14-night transatlantic on Norwegian Escape

Norwegian Cruise Line 's Norwegian Escape will relocate from the Mediterranean to Miami on Nov. 26, offering a repositioning cruise that begins in Barcelona. It calls on Cartagena and Malaga, Spain; Madeira, Portugal; Antigua; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and NCL's private island , Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas along the way.

Fares start at $829 per person for an inside cabin.

16-night Panama Canal transit on Seven Seas Grandeur

For a repositioning sailing that transits one of the world's most impressive modern engineering marvels and offers lots of port stops, check out Regent Seven Seas ' 16-night Panama Canal crossing on Seven Seas Grandeur . Departing from Miami on Dec. 13, passengers can check out Grand Cayman before enjoying calls on Cartagena, Colombia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Antigua; and Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico, before reaching Los Angeles.

Prices for this voyage on Seven Seas Grandeur, which is an all-inclusive, all-suite vessel, start at $10,499 per person.

What are the best 2025 repositioning cruises?

15-night transatlantic on wind spirit.

Windstar Cruises ' Wind Spirit, a masted sailing ship, is repositioning from Barbados to Lisbon, Portugal, on Feb. 22, 2025. However, you'll only want to book this voyage if you're interested in sailing vessels or you're not easily bored. The ship is small, and there are no port calls on the schedule.

Prices start from $2,399 per person for a room with a window.

23-night Panama Canal on Coral Princess

For a lengthy voyage that will allow you to sail from Fort Lauderdale through the Panama Canal to Mexico and then up the California coast before arriving in Canada, check out Princess Cruises ' Coral Princess. Beginning April 10, 2025, the ship is featuring a cruise that's longer than three weeks as it repositions to Vancouver for a season of Alaska sailings .

Fares begin at $1,593 per person for an inside cabin. If you're short on time, you can opt instead for a shorter voyage of 16 nights that also begins on April 10 and ends in Los Angeles before the ship moves on to Canada. Fares for the shorter cruise start from $1,048 per person for inside accommodations.

17-night French Polynesia and Hawaii on Celebrity Edge

Celebrity Cruises ' Celebrity Edge will relocate from its base in Sydney on April 14, 2025. Its ultimate destination is Vancouver, where it will be stationed for a series of Alaska voyages. On its way, it will take passengers on a 17-night trip to experience the beauty of French Polynesia before concluding the sailing in Honolulu. Port calls include Paihia and Auckland in New Zealand and Raiatea, Papeete and Moorea in French Polynesia.

Rates start at $1,574 per person for an inside cabin.

14-night transatlantic on Odyssey of the Seas

On April 27, 2025, Royal Caribbean 's Odyssey of the Seas is repositioning from Bayonne's Cape Liberty port in New Jersey to Rome. There are only five port stops — Ponta Delgada, Portugal; Malaga, Cartagena and Valencia, Spain; and La Spezia, the port for Cinque Terre in Italy — mixed in among the sea days. However, this Quantum Class vessel has plenty to keep cruisers busy on board. Amenities include surfing and skydiving simulators, bumper cars and a robotic arm that holds a glass-enclosed observation sphere for excellent ocean views.

Fares begin at $829 per person for an inside cabin.

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Repositioning Cruises from Seattle

There are repositioning cruises from Seattle in the fall each year. These cruises are one-way trips to other homeports, usually to warmer climates for the winter. See the full schedule below.

Repositioning cruises are often good bargains. The one-way trips aren't as popular as round-trips, so the prices are lower to attract passengers. They are a very good way to see far-flung places in the world.

7-night repositioning cruise on Celebrity . One-way from Seattle to Vancouver (Canada). Visit Ketchikan (Alaska), Juneau (Alaska) and Skagway (Alaska). • 2024 departure: September 13.

22-night repositioning cruise on Carnival . One-way from Seattle to Sydney (Australia). Visit Honolulu (Hawaii), Moorea, Tahiti and Fiji. • 2024 departure: September 19.

4-night repositioning cruise on Princess . One-way from Seattle to Vancouver (Canada). Visit Ketchikan (Alaska). • 2024 departure: September 22.

7-night repositioning cruise on Royal Caribbean . One-way from Seattle to Vancouver (Canada). Visit Juneau (Alaska), Skagway (Alaska), Sitka (Alaska) and Victoria (Canada). • 2024 departure: September 27.

14-night repositioning cruise on Royal Caribbean . One-way from Seattle to Tokyo (Japan). Visit Sapporo (Japan), Hakodate (Japan), Akita (Japan) and Shimizu (Japan). • 2024 departure: September 30.

21-night repositioning cruise on Holland America . One-way from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale (Florida). Visit Santa Barbara (California), San Diego (California), Puerto Vallarta (Mexico), Huatulco (Mexico), Puerto Chiapas (Mexico), Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala), Puntarenas (Costa Rica), the Panama Canal and Oranjestad (Aruba). • 2024 departure: October 5.

16-night repositioning cruise on Norwegian . One-way from Seattle to Tokyo (Japan). Visit Ketchikan (Alaska), Icy Strait Point (Alaska), Seward (Alaska), Hakodate (Japan) and Sendai (Japan). • 2024 departure: October 7.

16-night repositioning cruise on Carnival . One-way from Seattle to New Orleans (Louisiana). Visit Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Puntarenas (Costa Rica), the Panama Canal and Cartagena (Colombia). • 2024 departure: October 9.

21-night repositioning cruise on Norwegian . One-way from Seattle to Miami (Florida). Visit San Francisco (California), Los Angeles (California), Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Mazatlan (Mexico), Puerto Vallarta (Mexico), Acapulco (Mexico), Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala), Panama City (Panama), Cartagena (Colombia) and Grand Cayman (Cayman Islands). • 2024 departure: October 13.

23-night repositioning cruise on Holland America . One-way from Seattle to Sydney (Australia). Visit Honolulu (Hawaii), Kona (Hawaii), Apia (Samoa), Suva (Fiji), Lautoka (Fiji), Lifou and Noumea. • 2024 departure: October 24.

7-night repositioning cruise on Celebrity . One-way from Seattle to Vancouver (Canada). Visit Ketchikan (Alaska), Juneau (Alaska) and Skagway (Alaska). • 2025 departure: September 12.

22-night repositioning cruise on Carnival . One-way from Seattle to Sydney (Australia). Visit Honolulu (Hawaii), Tahiti, Moorea and Noumea. • 2025 departure: September 18.

13-night repositioning cruise on Holland America . One-way from Seattle to Yokohama (Japan). Visit Juneau (Alaska), Kushiro (Japan) and Aomori (Japan). • 2025 departure: September 28.

15-night repositioning cruise on Princess . One-way from Seattle to Tokyo (Japan). Visit Ketchikan (Alaska), Juneau (Alaska), Hubbard Glacier and Anchorage (Alaska). • 2025 departure: September 28.

16-night repositioning cruise on Carnival . One-way from Seattle to New Orleans (Louisiana). Visit Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Puntarenas (Costa Rica), the Panama Canal and Cartagena (Colombia). • 2025 departure: October 11.

27-night repositioning cruise on Holland America . One-way from Seattle to Sydney (Australia). Visit Honolulu (Hawaii), Maui (Hawaii), Kauai (Hawaii), Pago Pago (American Samoa), Savusavu (Fiji), Dravuni Island (Fiji), Lautoka (Fiji), Suva (Fiji) and Mystery Island (Vanuatu). • 2025 departure: October 12.

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Repositioning Cruises

Repositioning cruises are the perfect way to bask in the wonder of cruising.

Stand aboard a luxurious cruise ship as the ocean breeze flows through your hair and soothes your senses. Experience the sights and sounds of the water and the marine life as you cross some of the world’s largest bodies of water. Stop along the way, and discover new cultures, peoples and attractions you never dreamed of. Expect a memorable cruise!

Things to Do on a Repositioning Cruise

In order to make sure cruisers have the best possible weather conditions for both their pleasure and their safety, cruise ships institute time limits for cruises to certain regions. For instance, most cruises to Alaska take place from May until September when the weather is warm. When the last Alaska cruise comes to completion, cruise lines don’t just keep their ships empty till May, they sail to a new region of the world. These trips from one destination to another, for instance Alaska to the Caribbean or Europe to the Caribbean, are called repositioning cruises. The most popular of these are transatlantic cruises, featuring plenty of days at sea to enjoy the amenities of your ship. But don't sleep on transpacific cruises, as they explore some of the most secluded, beautiful islands in the world. Featured below are highlights from possible repositioning cruises:

• A stop in Bangkok is sure to leave you with plenty of options for adventure. Spend the day visiting several stunning and intricately designed temples, or go to one of the many tailors in the city who will custom tailor an outfit at an affordable price.  
• Enjoy a fruit market, beautiful colonial era architecture and a museum with traditional African masks in Dakar, Senegal. Make sure to have your camera ready as your tour this fascinating city on Africa’s west coast.  

• Spend an afternoon walking along Las Ramblas in Barcelona where you can try some of Spain’s most tasty treats, like tapas, paella and pintxos. While strolling along this scenic tree-lined pedestrian mall, you'll pass some of Barcelona's most historic buildings and get a better understanding for the city's culture.  
• Visit a Pineapple Greenhouse. Pineapples are a major crop in the Azores, an island chain off the coast of Portugal.  

• Snorkel through a shipwreck off the coast of the petite island of Bermuda on your way to the Caribbean or a cruise port in Florida. The sunken ships beneath the surface of the turquoise waters are home to several bright species of fish.  
• Get your hips moving as you learn to hula during a sunset luau when you visit Honolulu on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.  

Top 10 Repositioning Cruises

• Nautica 28 NIGHT Repositioning CRUISE Departing From Singapore, Singapore (Apr 2024)
• Rhapsody of the Seas 7 NIGHT PANAMA TO FORT LAUDERDALE CRUISE Departing From Colon, Panama (Apr 2024)
• Riviera 16 NIGHT Repositioning CRUISE Departing From Singapore, Singapore (Apr 2024)
• Celebrity Eclipse 12 NIGHT GREENLAND & ICELAND CRUISE Departing From Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey (Aug 2024)
• Celebrity Eclipse 12 NIGHT GREENLAND & ICELAND CRUISE Departing From Reykjavik, Iceland (Aug 2024)
• Nautica 35 NIGHT Repositioning CRUISE Departing From Singapore, Singapore (Apr 2025)
• Celebrity Silhouette 10 NT FORT LAUDERDALE TO CAPE LIBERTY Departing From Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida (Apr 2025)
• Celebrity Silhouette 12 NIGHT GREENLAND & ICELAND CRUISE Departing From Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey (Jul 2025)
• Celebrity Silhouette 13 NIGHT GREENLAND & ICELAND CRUISE Departing From Reykjavik, Iceland (Aug 2025)
• Symphony of the Seas 3 NIGHT DEADHEAD REPOSITIONING CRUISE Departing From Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey (Oct 2025)

Repositioning: Cruise Lines

Looking for an adventure? Try a repositioning cruise which, in some instances, will take you on a journey across the globe. These cruises where ships relocate from one location to another are available on both popular and luxury cruises. Explore what cruise line you can take repositioning cruises with:

With innovative spaces like the Lawn and the AquaSpa Celebrity Cruises gives their customers a taste of modern luxury.

Epicureans are delighted by the Oceania Cruises experience where Jacques Pepin is Executive Culinary Director and the Culinary Tours introduce you to a world of flavors.

Royal Caribbean International is known for ships with a wow factor. From ice skating rinks to zip lines, if you can think of it, you can find it on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Repositioning: Departure Ports

A repositioning cruise is when a ship moves from doing a lot of sailings in one region to another region. For instance ships that sail in Alaska usually move to a warmer weather spot in the fall. Repositioning cruises offer an extended itinerary with a lot of sea days for relaxing. You can find repositioning cruises year round. You can embark from cities like Sydney, Barcelona, Fort Lauderdale and Buenos Aires among other domestic and exotic ports. 

Boston is home to great sports, great food and loads of history with the Freedom Trail and Harvard.

Cape Liberty, which is just miles from New York City, offers incredible views of the city skyline and easy access to many cruise destinations, along with everything NYC has to offer.

Colon, Panama

Colon, this historically important city is a gateway to the Panama Canal and full of Latin charm and New World history. 

With incredible weather, delicious fare and some stupendous attractions, you will find that Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades is one of the most attractive ports in the entire US.

Reykjavik was just a small village until seeing a major expansion after World War II, but this popular cruise destination still offers a small town feel different than any other European capital.

Singapore, Singapore

Southeast Asia’s most modern city, Singapore, also contains a lot of history and treasures from the past, along with a perfect tropical climate – all making Singapore a wonderful destination year round.

Photo Gallery for Repositioning Cruises

Repositioning cruises travel all over the world, and our repositioning photo gallery does the same – albeit virtually. Your virtual tour includes highlights from Asia, Africa, the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Pacific – each of which could be included in your repositioning cruise destinations.

Bermuda Coastline

Girl Hula Dancing

Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain

Grand Palace in Bangkok

Azores in Portugal

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The Ultimate Guide to Transatlantic and Repositioning Cruises for 2022/2023

Whether you’re a perpetual cruiser with RCI Pinnacle Club Loyalty benefits (700 cruise days in the bag and counting!) or a newbie, tentatively dipping your toe into the world of cruising, we have something that should be of interest to you – Transatlantic and Repositioning Cruises.

OK, before you click to exit the page or throw out the usual reasons why you would never, ever consider a Transatlantic cruise (limited ports of call, limited dates and the image of it being a floating nursing home), let me tell you a little about the unparalleled benefits of Repositioning Cruises.

Transatlantic/Repositioning cruise bargains

The first thing you’ll notice is that Transatlantic and Repositioning Cruises are all very attractively priced.

You can get an inside cabin for $50 per day or less – about half the price of a normal cruise.

There’s a reason for this, and it’s all about supply and demand.

In April, the majority of cruise ships based in Miami, Port Canaveral and Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale (three of the top four busiest cruise ports in the world) move most of their ships away from Florida and the Caribbean.

They head to Alaska, Europe/the Mediterranean, Norway, the Baltic, South America (via the amazing Panama Canal transit), Asia, Sydney and Australasia.

This is to take advantage of the summer cruising opportunities in these more seasonal temperate zones.

Co-incidentally, it also moves most of the cruise ships out of the Caribbean during hurricane season, which runs from 1 June to 30 November each year.

En masse, in a period of about six weeks, you may have a whole flotilla of cruise ships crossing the Atlantic or heading up to Seattle for the summer Alaska cruise season.

Suddenly they need to find tens of thousands of cruisers willing to take a one-way cruise in that narrow window of time.

How do they boost demand?

By offering this glut of luxury cruises at rock bottom prices.

The ships and crew are re-locating anyway so every cabin that is occupied with a paying passenger is a plus.

At the end of the summer cruise season, the whole saga is reversed.

No-one wants to be cruising the Mediterranean, Norwegian Fjords and frozen tundra of St Petersburg in winter, so back the ships sail to warmer winter climes.

These Transatlantic or Repositioning cruises take place mainly in October.

In both repositioning seasons, most cruises remain only partly full, especially on less desirable routes or less popular ports such as Tampa and Galveston, TX.

It’s worth hanging on and picking up a last minute bargain or negotiating a cheeky upgrade if you have already booked an inside cabin and prices have since dropped drastically.

All-inclusive food and drink

While many 7-day cruises call in at a different port every day, Repositioning Cruises may go for 5 days or longer without any land in sight.

Consequently, you will be having all your meals and drinks onboard.

It makes sense to opt for an all-inclusive package to avoid racking up a hefty bar bill.

Often cruise lines offer free all-inclusive drinks packages as a perk for early booking.

Do the math and make provision for eating and drinking more on a Repositioning Cruise than on other types of cruise.

Complete rest and relaxation

Travelers often complain that they need a vacation after enjoying a 14-day trip packed with new places, attractions and must-do experiences.

It can be exhausting!

Not so a Transatlantic or Repositioning Cruise.

You have 11-14 days (depending on your itinerary) to chill out with 3 or 4 ports of call at the beginning and end of your cruise.

That gives you lots of time to sunbathe, read a whole library of books (load up your e-reader with free library books before you leave!), visit the spa and do as much or as little as you choose.

It’s hard to beat a Relocation Cruise when it comes to enjoying a complete rest in luxurious surroundings.

Quality family time

Cruising as a family is a fantastic experience.

Every cruise ship caters for youngsters with supervised activities, special play areas and even accompanied dining in some cases.

Parents can look forward to some adult time together without their young charges.

At other times you can play in the pool, play games or make use of the onboard amenities as a family.

Teenagers often have their own club and activities for hanging out together, but you need to check this is the case on any specific Repositioning cruise you are considering.

Less crowded amenities

Following on from the fact that most Transatlantic and Repositioning Cruises are not fully booked, you’ll find that sailing on a cruise ship that is only 80% full has its benefits.

Theater seats are available, buffet dining is more civilized, fitness equipment is readily available and you can easily book an appointment in the spa.

Unlimited luggage

Many people with winter homes in Florida or summer homes in Europe actually use Transatlantic and Repositioning Cruises to go to and fro between homes.

The main reason for this is that on a cruise you have virtually unlimited luggage.

I did a Transatlantic cruise once and had a Balcony Stateroom next to a family who were relocating from Tampa to Malaga, Spain.

When we peeked over the railing into their balcony we saw 24 suitcases of all sizes neatly jammed in.

While excess baggage costs a fortune by air, cruise ships are unlikely to turn you away if you arrive with multiple suitcases and bags.

Check the list of what is not acceptable on cruises, including some electrical items or anything with a heater element such as an iron or tea kettle.

I believe bicycles need to be pre-approved and specially packed, but apart from that it seems you can cruise with as much luggage as you can get to the port, as long as you are prepared to stow it in your cabin (or on your balcony!).

The other thing to note is that you do not have to go to the final destination port if you don’t want to.

In the above case, the cruise terminated in Barcelona, but the family got off two days earlier in Malaga, Spain.

There is no refund for the lost days and you must notify the ship of your intention to disembark early.

However, there is no waiting time – just get off after breakfast, hop in a taxi and you’re home and free!

Avoid jet-lag

Another benefit of a Transatlantic Cruise is the fact that you will gradually adapt your natural time clock or Circadian rhythm to the time difference between ports as your cruise.

For example, if you sail from Miami to Rome, there is a 6 hour time difference as Europe is 6 hours ahead of Florida.

If you travel by air, your body has to adapt to this sudden change and your sleep pattern, energy levels, hunger and eating habits can be out of kilter for a week or more.

With Transatlantic Cruises, the ship announces a one hour time change every couple days.

By the time you reach your destination, your body will be fully adjusted to the new time zone.

One-way cruises

Inevitably, Repositioning Cruises are one-way cruises, not out-and-back as in the Caribbean and Mediterranean.

Some travelers see this as an advantage; others see it as a negative point. You will need to add the cost of a return flight to get you home.

However, having spent almost two weeks reaching your international destination, it is only sensible to stay a few days and do some sightseeing before flying home.

Many Transatlantic cruises terminate in Barcelona, Rome, Southampton (80 miles from London), Copenhagen (Denmark), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Cork or Dublin (Ireland), Bremerhaven (Germany), Brest (France), Lisbon (Portugal), Mykonos and Athens (Greece).

What better way to arrive in style, fully relaxed and ready to enjoy some walking, shopping and sightseeing before returning home.

What to expect on sea days

Transatlantic and Repositioning Cruises do a wonderful job of adding new experiences and enrichment lectures to keep everyone busy on sea days.

You may find a renowned sports personality, naturalist, celebrity chef, travel writer or lecturer who will give a series of talks or presentations on sea days.

Topics can range from travel to nature, stargazing, Reiki, art appreciation, learning to write a novel, beauty and wellness and more.

Activities following popular games shows are also organized, often using the ship’s staff.

Programs such as Masterchef are replicated with daily cookery sessions by volunteer cruisers and staff all competing for the coveted “Masterchef at Sea Apron” or whatever.

They are given a set of surprise ingredients and 30 minutes to make something edible for the judges to sample.

The audience votes on who will be eliminated from the following day’s round.

You’ll find dance classes, bridge classes, cookery demos, casino classes, crafts, art auctions, informative jewelry and watch lectures, wine tasting, quizzes, book reviews, team games, stargazing and other entertainment to keep you hopping from one event to the next every day.

Being part of a daily program makes it easy to meet fellow cruisers with similar interests and make new friends.

Top entertainment

Entertainers often get onboard Repositioning Cruises and spend a few days performing a number of shows before disembarking at the next port.

It ensures a good variety of entertainment and shows that is unrivaled outside Las Vegas, New York or London.

Sit back and enjoy – it’s all included in your cruise price.

Unusual ports of call

Most ports of call on Transatlantic and Repositioning Cruises are on the first and last days of the cruise.

You may stop at Key West or the Bahamas before sailing east across the Atlantic.

On the return journey, many Transatlantic cruises stop at ports along the coast of France and Spain (Marseilles, Barcelona, Majorca, Ibiza, Alicante, Almeria, Cartagena, Malaga and Cadiz before hitting the open sea.

Midway ports of call allow water, fuel and fresh supplies of seafood, fruit and vegetables will be loaded.

These ports include the Canary Islands, Madeira, the Azores, Bermuda and some of the Caribbean or Bahamian islands.

It’s a great opportunity to visit some of the less visited cruise ports and remote islands and enjoy a bracing walk, sports activities, shopping, sightseeing and island tours to break the cruise.

No calls from the office

The great thing about a Transatlantic or Repositioning cruise is that if you choose not to pay the exorbitant fee for onboard Wi-Fi you can be completely off-grid.

No annoying updates from the office; no urgent recalls to work due to a crisis, and no social media.

It can be very liberating.

Of course, if these are things you cannot live without between ports, it’s all available onboard – for a price.

Otherwise you just have to wait for the next port of call and enjoy coffee in a cafe with free internet and do a quick catch-up.

Plan your route weather-wise!

Repositioning Cruises tend to be at the beginning or end of the summer season which can make the weather a little more uncertain.

Oceans can be more choppy in stormy conditions although larger modern-day cruise ships have excellent stabilizers and barely move.

However, you can choose a route that is likely to be sunnier and calmer than other options.

For example, I prefer to sail out of Spain rather than the UK, and then take a cruise that heads south to the Azores and the Southern Caribbean rather than north to Bermuda and then to the Bahamas.

It ensures warmer temperatures for sunbathing and deck walking and calmer seas for your Transatlantic cruise.

How to book a Repositioning Cruise

Enter the search term “Repositioning cruises” into any online search and you’ll find a huge choice of Transatlantic and Repositioning cruises.

Alternatively, if you have a preferred cruise line or belong to a cruise loyalty program with benefits, go directly onto your cruise line website.

When prompted to enter a destination in your cruise search, you will find a section dedicated to Transatlantic/Repositioning Cruises.

Follow our guidelines regarding the route and take your pick of the bargains!

What are your thoughts about Transatlantic cruises? Do you have any questions or anything cool still to add on? We love to discuss travel so go ahead and fire away, there are no wrong comments!

If you are new to cruising you might also want to take a look at these tips on making your first cruise awesome.

Related read: The 30+ Best Things to Do in Barcelona

Also, please let us know how your trip went and what was the most exciting part about it.

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Repositioning Cruises

Ships, Itineraries, Sailng Dates, Prices

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RepositionCruises.com has all Repositioning Cruises 2024-2025-2026 schedule as dates and itineraries officially announced by the world’s major cruise lines. here you’ll get your answers to questions like “What is a Repositioning Cruise”, what are the best destinations, how cheap are the prices, which are the best lines and ships, how to find them, why and when to take them, what are the benefits and disadvantages, what are the best or cheapest routes.

Some of our relocation cruise itineraries are the first transition voyages of the companies’ newest vessels (inaugurated in 2024-25). Another very useful information we provide is about the company’s itinerary changes in destinations/ports, operational regions/deployment, homeports (turnaround / departure ports). Whatever the reposition voyages might be as types, be sure that you’ll get the best-price ship travel deals to some of the world’s best-known vacation destinations!

Note: RepositionCruises.com selects the relocation itineraries from the ship schedules available at CruiseMapper.com .

What is a “Repositioning Cruise” (definition)

“Repositioning Cruise” is a one-off sea/ocean voyage that cruise passenger ships make when transferring from one operational region to another. Usually, this is done in Spring and Fall, often each year. But there are some exceptions to these “usual times”. Your off-season vacations will be marked by discounted cheap rates, big (yet not crowded) cruise ships, lots of “lazy leisure days” to enjoy the tranquillity of the sea.

Ship relocation deals are the preferable option for “highly addicted” travelers to enjoy a truly special and most affordable sea cruising vacation. The special ship relocation voyages always feature a one-way itinerary (connecting different embarkation and disembarkation ports) since cruise ships relatively often change their sailing areas due to economic reasons.

Another prominent feature of all these “ship transition cruises” deals is the bargain price – they all are really really cheap in comparison to the ship’s regular cruise rates. Repositioning deals are rarely called that way by travel agents or in companies’ brochures. One of the most popular substitute names officially used by the industry’s representatives is “Discovery Voyage”.

The list of synonyms for repositioning voyages includes: “Relocation Cruises”, “Transit-” or “Transition Cruises”, “Crossings” (also with “Eastbound” and “Westbound”). Of course, the most traditional (by definition) is “One-Way”, and also by destination – “Panama Canal”, “Suez Canal”, “Transpacific” and “Transatlantic”.

The reasons to book a relocation voyage are so many. These special offers are “different” voyages that offer unique opportunities like Atlantic Ocean crossings, visiting and sailing Alaska, Hawaii, and transiting Suez Canal and Panama Canal’s new locks (a true engineering miracle).

When considering this unique type of travel vacation-themed as “Repositioning Cruises”, know that it’s all about long and exciting voyages, transiting famous canals, crossing the world’s biggest oceans. You’ll be most probably sailing coast to coast, often from one sea to another. It’s about comfort and impeccable service on some of the world’s best cruise liners. It’s about all the fun you can get on up to 3-week transitions visiting different continents, changing cold with warm climates. It’s about a resort-type swimming pool and Jacuzzi experiences, gourmet cuisine, bingo and casino thrills, onboard duty-free shopping. Some ships even offer rock climbing, surfing, Zip-lining, hovering, and ice-skating at sea.

Why take reposition cruises?

• It’s a longer (often Transoceanic) voyage
• The itinerary has only a few ports of call. Destinations are from the “special and exotic” category, featuring Africa, South America, Transatlantic and Transpacific, US East Coast and the Caribbean, often Asia and Australia.
• Top-option for “best fun” experiences on bigger passenger ships, with a lot more sea days than on a normal voyage.
• Irresistibly cheap rates – most affordable to cheap cruise rates on both mainstream and top luxury ships when they relocate in Spring and Fall each year.
• These are all low-season discounted deals on alluringly low-priced cruises.

Still, whoever is blessed with enough free time and an adventurous spirit may enjoy each year at least one of the not-so-many repositioning cruise ships.

Repositioning cruise – examples, benefits, disadvantages

• Passenger ships sailing during the hot summer in Alaska relocate in the Fall to the Caribbean Sea region through Panama Canal, or to Hawaii and then to Australia or Asia for their winter seasons.
• Ships from Northern Europe sail to the Mediterranean Sea or across the Atlantic Ocean to operate roundtrip itineraries leaving from USA ports (Florida and New York mostly) or to the Caribbean for round-trips from Barbados or Puerto Rico.
• Ships move from South America to Florida (for the Caribbean) or Transatlantic to Europe (Baltic or Mediterranean) in early Spring.
• Search for ships sailing along Africa’s east coast. In the Fall they will be departing from UK (Southampton, mainly) to South Africa (Cape Town or Durban). In spring they will return (usually departing from Cape Town) to the UK or the Mediterranean. Such sailings are offered mainly by MSC and luxury ships.
• They are cheap! The lower to absolutely cheapest price is the most important factor for the popularity of these special deals. The average cost of a repositioning cruise is up to 50% less compared to a typical round-trip sailing from the same port. And the best index is the “Price Per Person Per Day” – it could be as low as USD 40!
• All relocation cruises offer a full set of entertainment and dining options onboard – they are just like the regular ones. This is the perfect chance to sample all the stuff on board since you are going to spend so much time at sea. There are even more onboard activities while ships reposition! The list of the “bonuses” includes guest lecturers, top comedians, and numerous themed activities and games to entertain guests.
• And yes – the repositioning cruise ships are almost always not crowded.

Disadvantages

• Too much time aboard the ship instead of visiting different ports of call (sea intensive as opposed to port intensive). Some find it pretty boring.
• Embarkation and disembarkation not in the same port increase the expenses as to additional flight fares added to the cruise ticket price.
• Spending a lot of time aboard the ship might tempt you to enjoy more “money spending fun” by splurging on bar drinks and gambling in the casino.
• The duration of relocation cruises – some last up to 18 days, and most people cannot afford so much time off work.
• You may experience an occasional “bumpy ride” due to rough waters (especially on smaller ships), and often “choppy weather” as your ship transits from one part of the globe to another. The “changing weather” issue will also have an impact on your packing list.

What time of year are the cheapest Repositioning Cruises?

Most of them are operated in Spring and Fall. Some exceptions are a few ship relocation itineraries in late-August, and some very rare very late re-position sailings in December, January, or February. The best and most busy months with readily available and cheap relocation cruise deals are April-May and September-October.

What are the best Repositioning Cruises?

All these company decisions are made with economic considerations in mind. Companies do cruise ship repositioning to improve profits by departing from different homeports or to more attractive destinations.

Some of the companies relocate vessels each year crossing the Atlantic Ocean between Europe and the USA (Florida, New York, Boston) or South America (Brazil, Argentina).

Some ships reposition between Alaska and Australia (Transpacific) or between Alaska and Florida (with Panama Canal transits). Some lines offer to transit through Suez Canal on repositioning between Europe and Asia (the Red Sea or East Asia).

So what you gotta do is choose a destination and departure port. If you are a big fan of a particular company – just search its page here – it is that simple. If you ask “the best of the best” not as best prices, but rather as experiences, the simple answer to this question is “luxury cruises”. Generally, luxury cruise deals offer smaller ship cruise travel marked by sophisticated, all-inclusive, superb service experiences.

The list of top luxury lines includes Crystal, Seabourn, Azamara, Oceania. The more “affordable luxury” brands are Cunard, Celebrity, Princess, Holland America. If you love budget travel, save money and book deals on Carnival, RCI-Royal Caribbean, Costa, MSC – the cheapest of them all. Of course, the savings you can always spend on “ship drinks”, onboard gambling, Spa-beauty treatments and whatnot – the choice is always yours to make!

How much do repositioning cruises cost?

Repositioning cruises 2024-2025-2026.

You can see detailed itinerary information and prices by following our lines-links (positioned on page right). To see relocation cruises by line, season, destination, or departure port (future project) – follow the respective links on the top page right.

For satellite AIS data-based tracking of cruise ships, passenger ferries, and riverboats see CruiseMapper’s tracker . For the latest incidents and accidents on passenger ships, you can visit CruiseMapper’s accidents section .

Visit us again soon for the latest Reposition Cruises 2024-2025 updates on itineraries and prices. Since RepositionCruises.com doesn’t offer bookings, we can only wish you the best of luck with the real deals – good cabin availability, and good luck finding and booking them with the cheapest rates possible!

Repositioning cruise ships will surprise- will charm you, really, with their deals prices. And if you are a first-timer – don’t miss this rare opportunity to sample what the ship cruising is like – for a totally cheap price! Enjoy your “happily cheap” vacations, and best of luck with the damn prices out there!

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Reposition Cruises

Taking a Distinctive Voyage on Norwegian Cruise Line means just that. Whether it's a Pacific Coastal or East Coast, Panama Canal or Transatlantic Cruise, you'll see more of the world by departing and arriving in two different cities. Enjoy long and relaxing days at sea on a Transatlantic voyage and discover limitless ways to escape on board. Or experience the grandeur of crossing the Panama Canal - a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you'll never forget. Along the way, travel to exotic, out-of-the-way places you've only dreamed of. Postcards don't do these journeys justice.

Every spring and fall our ships relocate to new and exotic places with the opportunity for once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Since these cruises are usually longer, they offer more time to make the kind of memories you won't stop talking about.

Discover the world's greatest shortcut, the Panama Canal. Explore the majesty that unfolds up the Pacific Coastline. Or escape to the Caribbean for a little snorkeling and sightseeing. Only Norwegian gives you the freedom of Freestyle Cruising®. Don't let these special cruises pass you by.

Slip off your watch and slip into holiday mode. A cruise along the East Coast will take you to historic ports on the Atlantic Ocean in Bermuda, Canada & New England, or the Caribbean. Your wonderful adventure begins here.

Transatlantic

People have been cruising across the Atlantic Ocean for centuries, and now is your chance to share this amazing perspective. Enjoy relaxing days on board and take advantage of the flexibility that only Freestyle Cruising can offer.

Panama Canal

Traversing the 40-mile Panama Canal is a rite of passage and something you'll remember for a lifetime. Add in compelling ports like Cartagena, Huatulco and Puerto Chiapas, and you're in for a unique adventure.

Pacific Coastal

Mix the big city cool of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver with quaint towns like Astoria or Victoria, and you've got a fantastic cruise holiday on the Pacific Coast.

There's no better way to experience the history, the landmarks and the culture of Europe than with the freedom and flexibility of our exclusive Freestyle Cruising. Unpack once and wake up to a new city every day all across Europe and around the Mediterranean.

Repositioning

Rock-bottom prices, varied itineraries and a large number of relaxing days at sea are all unique characteristics of a Repositioning cruise. Usually offered in the fall and spring months, this interesting cruise option allows you to journey to uncommon and even exotic ports of call as a cruise ship relocates to a new region.

Whether you're a seasoned traveler looking to visit new ports of call or a cruise novice interested in an unbelievable deal, a Repositioning cruise will give you a unique opportunity to embark on an out-of-the-ordinary journey to see multiple destinations and sometimes different continents of the world. The most common itineraries feature sailings from Alaska to Hawaii or Transatlantic voyages from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean in the fall, or the reverse in the spring, although there is an endless combination of itineraries periodically offered throughout the year as ships move from region to region around the globe. Spend days relaxing onboard resort-style ships as you cruise to or from seasonal cruise regions like Bermuda, Alaska, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Panama Canal, Hawaii and Asia, stopping to explore ports of call along the way.

• Repositioning cruises primarily operate during the spring and fall months when ships are relocating to and from major cruise regions, although these cruises are offered periodically throughout the year.
• Repositioning cruises vary greatly in length. Most are longer than a week, lasting at least 10 nights.
• Repositioning cruises leave from major departure ports all over the world, among them are Miami, London, Rome, Buenos Aires and Anchorage. You will have to arrange one-way air to the port of embarkation and from the port of disembarkation. If you must fly a very long distance to reach your port of departure, we suggest that you arrive at the port city at least one or two days in advance of your Repositioning cruise. This will give you time to rest and get oriented before boarding the ship. Most cruise lines offer pre-cruise hotel packages.

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Luxury Repositioning Cruises

Sail from one incredible destination to another on one of our luxury repositioning cruises. Explore Europe’s dynamic cities. Lounge on Fort Lauderdale’s stunning beaches. Spend relaxed days on board one of our luxury cruise ships in the award-winning spa, dipping in the sparkling pool, and tasting world-class culinary creations inspired by global destinations. With plenty of days at sea and stops in some of the most coveted ports in the world, these repositioning cruises promise adventure both on and off the ship.

Browse Repositioning Cruise Itineraries

Itineraries, view all repositioning cruises, explore two continents on an unforgettable repositioning cruise.

Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey across the Atlantic or the Pacific Ocean aboard our spectacular repositioning cruises. Sail from one continent to another on an award-winning ship , and experience unrivaled luxury, service, and entertainment as it relocates from one region of the world to another.

In the late fall, our repositioning cruises sail from Europe, where you’ll depart from fascinating cities like Lisbon, Southampton, and Rome, to North America. Stop in stunning destinations such as Nice, Provence, the Azores, and the Canary Islands, and luxuriate in consecutive days at sea before arriving at your debarkation port in Florida or the Northeast. Or cruise between Europe and South America on a cruise from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro and explore ports in the Canary Islands and Brazil. 

In the early spring, our transatlantic cruises depart from the United States and head back across the Atlantic, stopping in beautiful European destinations along the way, such as the islands of Palma de Mallorca and Corsica, before arriving in Rome, Southampton, and Lisbon.

Whether you choose to board a relocation cruise in the spring or fall, you’ll find a wealth of options to choose from. Depending on your itinerary, you’ll explore the sun-soaked Mediterranean, visit popular ports across Western Europe, or stop in Iceland and Greenland along the way. 

Sail across the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean on a transpacific cruise that travels from Asia to North America—and vice versa. Depart from the exciting city of Tokyo and stop in destinations in Russia and Japan along the way. A highlight of a transpacific cruise is traversing the International Dateline.

You can also board one of our repositioning cruises between Hawaii and Australia. Depart from either Honolulu or Sydney and visit breathtaking islands in the South Pacific, including New Zealand’s idyllic Bay of Islands, dreamy destinations in French Polynesia like Bora Bora and Tahiti, and the tropical islands of Hawaii.

Aside from these remarkable journeys across continents, we also have exciting repositioning cruises that travel from one destination to another within the Western Hemisphere. Sail between San Diego or Los Angeles and Vancouver and cruise along the Pacific Coast, stopping in destinations throughout California, Oregon, Washington, and Canada along the way. Or combine a tropical vacation in the Caribbean with sightseeing in the Northeast by embarking on an open-jaw itinerary between Miami and Cape Liberty or Boston; San Juan and Cape Liberty; or a Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale to San Juan.

On all of our repositioning cruises, you’ll have access to exciting venues and unlimited entertainment. Spend days at sea lounging by the outdoor pool or relaxing at the indoor solarium. Schedule a day at the spa and choose from a number of reinvigorating and revitalizing treatments. Dine on delicious dishes designed by a Michelin-starred chef. Dance under the stars at one of our rooftop lounges. There’s no shortage of magic and adventure awaiting on a Celebrity cruise.

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Repositioning cruise from Alaska in the fall, September 2023, October 2023 🏔 Alaska to Hawaii, to Australia, to New Zealand, to Japan 🏔 Alaska cruise travel blog

Repositioning cruises are cruises that “reposition” cruise ships for the upcoming cruise season.

You will mostly see “repositioning” cruises from Alaska on Princess cruise ships below.

For the Princess cruise ships, you will string together 2 or more cruises together to go from Alaska to the “final destination” that the cruise ship is going to.

There are some repositioning cruises to Alaska on other cruise lines that actually do start in Alaska.

These are repositioning cruises with NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line) and Holland America.

To get an idea for when the repositioning cruises are, you can think about when the Alaska cruise season is.

The Alaska cruise season is from spring to fall.

So if you want to do a repositioning cruise starting in Alaska, then that will be at the end of the Alaska cruise season.

So repositioning cruises from Alaska will be in the fall, mostly September or October.

If you want to take a cruise in the spring, then take a look at repositioning cruises to Alaska from Japan .

Repositioning cruise from Alaska to Japan (NCL and Holland America)

NCL and Holland America have repositioning cruises from Alaska to Japan.

NCL: Norwegian Jewel

• October 3: 16-day cruise from Seattle to Japan one-way (ports: Ketchikan AK, Icy Strait Point AK, Hubbard Glacier sea day, Seward AK, cross the international date line sea day , Hakodate Japan, Sendai Japan, Tokyo Japan)

Holland America: Westerdam

• October 1: 13-day cruise from Seattle to Japan one-way (ports: Juneau AK, cross the international date line sea day, Kushiro Japan, Tokyo Japan)

Princess repositioning cruises from Alaska

Princess has 7 cruise ships in Alaska during the 2023 Alaska cruise season.

This means that come fall 2023, these 7 cruise ships will be repositioning to other locations during Alaska’s off-season.

Where will these ships be following the 2023 Alaska cruise season?

• Discovery Princess: Los Angeles, California coast, Mexico
• Royal Princess: Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand
• Majestic Princess: Australia, New Zealand
• Crown Princess: San Francisco, California coast, Mexico, Hawaii
• Ruby Princess: Fort Lauderdale, Panama Canal, Caribbean
• Sapphire Princess: California, Hawaii, South Pacific, South America
• Grand Princess: Australia, New Zealand

The order of cruise ships is mostly from biggest to smallest in terms of passenger capacity. I like to google something like “discovery princess passenger capacity” to know if it’s a bigger ship or smaller ship.

These are the cruises on the Princess cruise ships immediately following the Alaska cruise season, including the last cruises in Alaska.

Of course, cruise itineraries can change!

See princess.com for the most up-to-date itineraries… and of course prices!

What is the Discovery Princess itinerary after Alaska?

After the Alaska season, the Discovery Princess will go to Los Angeles to do California cruises and Mexico cruises

Back-to-back cruises on the Discovery Princess! The Discovery Princess repositioning cruise(s) from Alaska in fall 2023:

• September 17: 7-day Alaska cruise from Seattle round trip (ports: Ketchikan, Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier sea day, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria Canada)
• September 24: 7-day Alaska cruise from Seattle to Vancouver one-way (ports: Ketchikan, Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier sea day, Juneau, Skagway)
• October 1: 6-day cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles one-way (ports: Victoria, overnight in San Francisco)
• October 7: 7-day California cruise from Los Angeles round trip (ports: overnight in San Francisco, San Diego, Ensenada)
• October 14: 7-day Mexico cruise from Los Angeles round trip (ports: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta)

What is the Royal Princess itinerary after Alaska?

After the Alaska season, the Royal Princess will go to Australia and New Zealand.

So, book the last Alaska cruise of the season on the Royal Princess, and you can make it a cruise from Alaska to Australia, a cruise from Alaska to New Zealand, or even a cruise from Alaska to Hawaii!

Not all cruises that go from North America to Australia allow you to book a cruise that start or ends in Hawaii, but the Royal Princess does.

Back-to-back cruises on the Royal Princess! The Royal Princess repositioning cruise(s) from Alaska in fall 2023:

• September 16: 7-day Alaska cruise from Seattle round trip (ports: Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park sea day, Ketchikan, Victoria)
• September 23: 2-day cruise from Seattle to Vancouver one-way (0 ports)
• September 25: 23-day cruise from Vancouver to Auckland New Zealand one-way
• September 25: 7-day cruise from Vancouver to Honolulu Hawaii one-way
• September 26: 22-day cruise from Seattle to Auckland New Zealand one-way
• September 26: 26-day cruise from Seattle to Sydney Australia one-way
• October 2: 20-day cruise from Honolulu Hawaii to Sydney Australia one-way
• October 19: 4-day cruise from Auckland to Sydney one-way

What is the Majestic Princess itinerary after Alaska?

After the Alaska season, the Majestic Princess will go to Australia and New Zealand.

So, book the last Alaska cruise of the season on the Majestic Princess, and you can make it a cruise from Alaska to Australia or a cruise from Alaska to New Zealand.

Back-to-back cruises on the Majestic Princess! The Majestic Princess repositioning cruise(s) from Alaska in fall 2023:

• September 16: 10-day Alaska cruise from Vancouver round trip (ports: Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier sea day)
• September 26: 7-day cruise from Vancouver round trip (ports: Victoria, Astoria Oregon, Ketchikan, Seattle)
• October 3: 5-day cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles one-way
• October 3: 26-day cruise from Vancouver to Auckland New Zealand one-way
• October 8: 26-day cruise from Los Angeles to Sydney Australia one-way
• October 8: 21-day cruise from Los Angeles to Auckland NZ one-way
• October 30: 5-day cruise from Auckland to Sydney one-way

What is the Crown Princess itinerary after Alaska?

After the Alaska season, the Crown Princess will go to Seattle to do a Hawaii cruise, and then to San Francisco to do California cruises, Mexico cruises, and Hawaii cruises. 

Back-to-back cruises on the Crown Princess! The Crown Princess repositioning cruise(s) from Alaska in fall 2023:

• September 15: 11-day Alaska cruise from Vancouver round trip (ports: Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Hubbard Glacier sea day, Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Victoria)
• September 26: 4-day cruise from Vancouver to Seattle one-way (1 port: Ketchikan)
• September 30: 16-day Hawaii cruise from Seattle round trip (ports: Kona, Kauai, Honolulu, Maui)
• October 16: 3-day cruise from Seattle to Vancouver one-way (1 port: Victoria)
• October 19: 3-day cruise from Vancouver to San Francisco one-way (0 ports)

And finally on October 22, the Crown Princess reaches its home port for the winter!

From San Francisco, it will be doing round trip cruises along the California coast, to Mexico, and to Hawaii.

What is the Ruby Princess itinerary after Alaska?

After the Alaska season, the Ruby Princess will do Panama Canal cruises and Caribbean cruises.

But, there’s a break in the schedule, so you won’t be able to do it as a back-to-back from Alaska to the Panama Canal or from Alaska to the Caribbean.

I don’t know what’s going on with the Ruby Princess (dry dock?) but in case you want to cruise from San Francisco, here are the cruises showing up in the princess search results:

• September 14: 10-day Alaska cruise from San Francisco (ports: Juneau, Skagway, Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier sea day, Ketchikan, Prince Rupert Canada)
• what’s going on with the Ruby Princess from September 24 to October 22? 🤔
• October 22: 15-day Panama Canal cruise from San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale one-way (ports: Cabo San Lucas Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Panama Canal full transit new locks, Colombia)
• November 6: 14-day Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale round trip (ports: St Kitts, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad, Curacao, Aruba)

What is the Sapphire Princess itinerary after Alaska?

After the Alaska season, the Sapphire Princess will do round trip cruises from North America to California, Hawaii, and the South Pacific Islands. Then, it will do a one-way cruise to South America and Antarctica.

Back-to-back cruises on the Sapphire Princess! The Sapphire Princess repositioning cruise(s) from Alaska in fall 2023:

• September 6: 7-day Alaska cruise from Vancouver to Anchorage one-way
• September 13: 7-day Alaska cruise from Anchorage to Alaska one-way
• September 20: 7-day Alaska cruise from Vancouver round trip (ports: Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park sea day, Ketchikan)
• September 27: 11-day California coast cruise from Vancouver round trip (ports: Los Angeles, Catalina Island, San Diego, San Francisco)
• October 8: 7-day cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles one-way (ports: Victoria, Astoria Oregon, San Francisco, San Diego)
• October 15: 15-day Hawaii cruise from Los Angeles round trip (ports: Hilo, Honolulu, Kauai, Maui, Ensenada)
• October 30: 32-day South Pacific cruise from Los Angeles round trip (ports: Hilo, Honolulu, American Samoa, cross the international date line sea day, Western Samoa, Suva Fiji, Dravuni Island Fiji, cross the international date line sea day, Tahiti overnight, Moorea)
• December 1: 18-day cruise from Los Angeles to Santiago Chile
• December 19: 16-day cruise from Santiago Chile to Buenos Aires Argentina

What is the Grand Princess itinerary after Alaska?

After the Alaska season, the Grand Princess will go to Australia and New Zealand.

So, book the last Alaska cruise of the season on the Grand Princess, and you can make it a cruise from Alaska to Australia or a cruise from Alaska to New Zealand!

Back-to-back cruises on the Grand Princess! The Grand Princess repositioning cruise(s) from Alaska in fall 2023:

• September 9: 7-day Alaska cruise from Vancouver to Anchorage one-way
• September 16: 7-day Alaska cruise from Anchorage to Vancouver one-way
• September 23: 3-day cruise from Vancouver to San Francisco one-way
• September 23: 23-day cruise from Vancouver to Auckland New Zealand one-way
• September 26: 24-day cruise from San Francisco to Sydney Australia one-way
• September 26: 20-day cruise from San Francisco to Auckland New Zealand one-way
• October 17: 4-day cruise from Auckland to Sydney one-way

How can you quickly figure out what cruise ships are in Alaska?

In this order: Go to princess.com > filters > destination > alaska > ship: there’s your list!

Then, “reset filters” and then you can filter to the individual ship.

If you have already searched with some filters to see “results” and go back to change the filters, sometimes it still continues to use the previous filters so I find it in some cases best to start the search from new.

Although not the case for repositioning cruises, if you are looking at the cruises before or after, some of the itineraries have multiple departure dates. In this case, it will only show up on the list once in the results. So you will want to use the drop-down to see more available dates.

To order by date, you can go to: options > select a sort order > date. Again, it might not be in the exact order because if there are multiple departure dates, it will only show up on the list once, for the lowest price date.

And finally, before you make your booking, search for the cruise on both desktop AND mobile.

Although it’s usually the same, I have seen cruise prices that do vary, including the repositioning cruise that I did !

It was a difference of over $1,000!

I tried to get the price to show up on desktop (because I like to book on desktop), but I just could not get it to do so.

So I booked on mobile.

I checked the price in the coming days and I never saw the low price again.

I had also been checking the price in the days leading up to it, so the major price drop was a little crazy that I saw it ONLY that time that I went to make the booking!

HAPPY DOING A REPOSITIONING CRUISE FROM ALASKA!

• Best whale watching in Alaska
• Best dog sledding in Alaska (on a glacier, on snow, in summer!)
• Snorkeling in Alaska 😂
• Deadliest Catch tour (as seen on TV!)
• Juneau icefield seaplane + Taku Glacier Lodge salmon bake
• Nugget Falls in Tongass National Forest (Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area)
• Helicopter + glacier walk to see blue ice
• Klondike Highway to Fraser BC + White Pass summit train
• What I did on another Skagway cruise ship arrival: Dog sledding and Yakutania Point
• Totem Bight State Historical Park
• Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness seaplane + wilderness landing
• Creek Street
• Icy Strait Point to Hoonah
• Sitka National Historical Park totem poles
• Things to do in Sitka
• What is it like: Glacier Bay National Park from a cruise ship
• This was not available on my early season cruise: Hubbard Glacier excursion (yes, you can get off the ship on a sea day! available until early September... if it's not already sold out!)
• Tips for first Princess cruise (getting familiar with Princess food + more!)
• Ideas for your first Alaska cruise

Seattle, WA

Cruises from Seattle depart from spring through fall. The bustling Washington port known as the "The Emerald City" is both a culturally rich metropolis and a gateway to beautiful natural attractions. In the shadows of the widely recognized Space Needle, the Seattle Center is home to the city's sports arena and many museums and theaters. The lively Pike Place Market and the mammoth "Hammering Man" sculpture are downtown must-sees. Visitors also flock to the waterfront for fresh seafood, the Harbor Steps park or to board a ferry bound for Puget Sound. Seattle is served by both the Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal and Terminal 91.

Repositioning Cruises

Learn more about our repositioning and long cruises.

A repositioning cruise is a great way to enjoy everything a cruise ship has to offer and do it at an amazing price.

Whether you want to relax or make the most of the constant fun, a repositioning cruise is the perfect choice.

Sail from one home port to another, one continent to another, and watch the world go by. Enjoy world-class itineraries, stop at places you’ve never been before, and have a lot of fun doing it. On a Carnival cruise, you'll also:

• Have 45+ activities to choose from.
• Experience world-class cuisine and entertainment.
• Embrace leisurely stops at paradise destinations.
• Enjoy endless opportunities to love living in every moment.

Funtastic Repositioning Cruises with Carnival Cruise Line

Ready for across-the-world cruise travel while enjoying the comfort of your oceanside pod in the adults-only Serenity Retreat?

Or as many dips in the pool as you want?

Experience the amazing entertainment and dining on board our cruise ship from the moment of embarkation to the minute of disembarkation. Enjoy your sea days and departure ports in style.

BOOK YOU REPOSITIONING CRUISE TODAY

Commonly Asked Questions

What is a repositioning cruise.

A repositioning cruise gives holiday makers a chance to have an experience of a lifetime. They’re a one-way cruise where we move our ships from cruise destinations on one continent to another for the holiday season. Come along for the fun and enjoy:

• Exotic ports of call
• More days at sea
• Great deals
• Extra time to relax
• Lots of fun activities

Are repositioning cruises cheaper?

There are always great repositioning cruise deals, whether you’re after a transpacific cruise, transatlantic cruise, or something else entirely. A repositioning cruise can be cheaper than our regular cruise deals, and we have deals everyone will enjoy. Just remember to organise the airfare home!

Do repositioning cruises have entertainment?

Of course they do. We are Carnival after all. In fact, a repositioning cruise may have even more world-class entertainment options for the whole family to love!

• Enjoy the activities and entertainment for all ages.
• Create amazing memories for your kids .
• Relax away from it all, and do it in style.
• Whether you love fine dining, family feasts, special treats or exotic fare, a repositioning cruise caters for it all.

How long is a repositioning cruise?

A repositioning cruise from one continent to another can take up to a month, with amazing stops along the way. Tap on the red button to find the best repositioning cruise for you.

What time of year do cruise ships reposition?

A repositioning cruise will go from one cruise season to another. Search our deals or contact our personal holiday planners for details.

WHAT ARE THE BEST REPOSITIONING CRUISES?

Carnival has repositioning cruises from Australia, Asia, and America ready for booking now. Check out:

• Brisbane to Seattle via Honolulu, Hawaii and the South Pacific
• Singapore to Los Angeles
• Los Angeles to Tokyo
• Brisbane to Seattle via Alaska
• Seattle to Brisbane via Japan

5 Options For Repositioning Cruises From Vancouver

During the summer, Vancouver serves as a hub for cruise ships embarking on voyages to Alaska. Situated on the western coast of Canada, this vibrant city offers a convenient starting point to explore Alaska’s glaciers, fjords, and wildlife. But did you know you can take repositioning cruises from Vancouver?

Repositioning itineraries are best suited to those who have time, like extended sailings, and enjoy multiple sea days. Since Alaska cruises begin in May , ships must arrive in Vancouver, BC, from another destination.

In late September or early October, those vessels leave for the winter season, providing a one-way itinerary to another location. Since most cruise passengers prefer to return to the same port, these one-way sailings sell at bargain prices.

Keep in mind; cruise lines sell their packages based on double occupancy. However, you can find solo cabins on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum-class and Norwegian’s Encore-class vessels.

Cruises from Vancouver sail from the Canada Place cruise terminal downtown. Here, you’ll have plenty of choices for a pre-cruise stay. As you depart the port, you’ll enjoy an iconic sail away, passing Stanley Park and cruising under the Lionsgate Bridge.

Length Of Repositioning Cruises From Vancouver

You can take a one-day itinerary from Vancouver or repositioning cruises of over 50 days. One-day itineraries sail between Vancouver and Seattle and are best suited to those who live in either city. Holland America usually offers this overnight cruise.

If you’re new to cruising, this overnight cruise isn’t a good way to test the waters. Often the cruise lines limit the entertainment and onboard events, and food is often substandard.

Since most longer cruises from British Columbia travel along the coast or cross the ocean, you’ll have many sea days. Sometimes, you may even encounter rough seas.

So, if you suffer from seasickness, consider considering an itinerary that includes an ocean crossing.

Much longer cruises travel across the Pacific to Oceania or Asia. Obviously, the lengthier the journey, the more unique ports you’ll enjoy. These longer itineraries suit retired guests who like the diversity of other cultures.

Since vessels leave Vancouver in September to chase the sun, you’ll need a flight to return to your embarkation point. Since ships don’t return until April or May, you can’t make your way back on a cruise ship.

Here are five cruise types you can enjoy from the port of Vancouver.

Transpacific Cruises

Transpacific Cruises offer an unforgettable voyage from Vancouver. A complete transit to Australia typically lasts 27 days or more, with the majority of days at sea. 

Guests crossing the Pacific Ocean have the option to disembark in Sydney, Australia, or Auckland, New Zealand. The best transpacific cruise from Vancouver spans approximately 35 days and has a diversity of stops and cultural experiences. 

Vessels leave Vancouver in September or early October and arrive in Oceania as their spring begins.

After departing Vancouver, some ships head south and  dock in Los Angeles  or San Francisco for the day before crossing the Pacific. Others make the 5-day direct journey to Oahu.

Here, you can visit the historic Pearl Harbor, hike the Diamond Head crater, or relax on the world-famous Waikiki Beach.

Your cruise may include a day in Maui before heading to the South Pacific. If you choose to end your journey here, Hawaii cruises from Vancouver typically last 9 to 12 days.

If you continue the voyage, you’ll have five sea days to enjoy the onboard amenities before arriving in Papeete, Tahiti. Like the Hawaiian Islands, the temperatures are warm with welcoming sea breezes.

In the Polynesian islands, you can  swim with giant manta rays , take a diving excursion, or see migrating humpbacks. 

If your itinerary includes Moorea, Belvedere Lookout, Opunohu Bay, and Cook’s Bay are the island’s must-see places. For a cultural experience, visit the Tiki Village Cultural Center. Alternatively, you can go snorkeling, diving, or relax on a beach.

Before crossing the international date line, ships stop in Pago Pago or Apia in Samoa. In Pago Pago, the National Park of American Samoa provides a tropical paradise for bird watchers. 

Outdoor enthusiasts might prefer a hike to Mount Alava or the Lower Sauma Ridge Trail. 

If you’re ending your journey in Sydney, you’ll savor the views of the Sydney Opera House as you enter the harbor.

Pacific Coastal Cruise

Cruises that sail the Pacific Coast are notoriously rough. If you are okay with the wave action, you can find some cheap cruises from Vancouver. If you’re looking to explore a different part of the world without traveling far, these cruises fit the bill.

Three days sailings offer the best deals at under USD 200 and end in either San Francisco or the port of Los Angeles. By cruising a day longer, you could end your cruise in San Diego and have a port day in between.

Seven-day cruises have more port days if you don’t like multiple sea days. You could have three to four stops in any of the following: Seattle, Astoria, San Francisco, Monterey, San Diego, Catalina Island, or a day in Santa Barbara.

Some also stop in a Canadian city, Victoria, on Vancouver Island. Butchart Gardens provides the top excursion in Victoria. You can enjoy a complimentary tour of the Parliament Building or visit Craigdarroch Castle, a beautifully restored Canadian castle.

Across the border, Seattle’s attractions include the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and Pike Place Market. You’ll find Astoria quainter with its many historic houses.

Like Astoria, Monterey, Catalina Island, and Santa Barbara weren’t designed to handle large cruise ships. In fact, they have no ports, so you’ll need to tender to downtown.

However, you’ll have plenty of things to do in San Francisco and San Diego. After cruising under the Golden Gate Bridge, you’ll dock at the San Francisco terminal , walking distance of most attractions.

Whether you visit Alcatraz prison , explore Fisherman’s Wharf, or head to Chinatown for cheap eats, you’ll enjoy a memorable day in the northern Californian city.

Further south, expect warmer weather in San Diego. Its activities are diverse, but you’ll find something for everyone. Families might prefer a day at the zoo, while a USS Midway Aircraft Carrier tour might appeal to others.

Panama Canal Cruises

Panama Canal cruises from Vancouver are an extension of a Pacific Northwest cruise. It typically takes 19 days to go from British Columbia to Florida, transitioning through the Panama Canal.

While you can find extended itineraries of 27 to 28 days, these include a back-to-back with a Caribbean cruise. Like most one-way cruises, expect to score low prices on these three-week journeys.

Since Panama Canal itineraries include sailing along the Pacific Coast, be prepared for rougher seas. The sailings going down in September and October offer a calmer time. However, the reverse cruise from Florida to Vancouver brings larger waves in the spring.

From California, vessels head south to the Panama Canal. Along the way, they may stop in the  Mexican Riviera ports  of Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, Huatulco, and Puerto Chiapas. 

In Mexico, excursions are plentiful and inexpensive. Parasailing, deep fish fishing, and diving are all tours you can do for less than half the price in other destinations.

For nature enthusiasts, an  excursion to Marietas Islands  provides excellent bird watching and a chance to see Blue-footed Boobies. 

Further south, the landscapes of Puerto Quetzal, Corinto, Puerto Caldera, and Puntarenas offer tropical coastlines and wild interiors. Whether you want a day at a black sand beach or a jungle excursion to see howler monkeys, you can find it all in these ports.

The highlight of this journey is undoubtedly the transit through the Panama Canal, regarded as one of the most incredible engineering feats of the modern era. 

The canal connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean, cutting through the massive Gatun Lake and the awe-inspiring Gaillard Cut, which was carved out of solid rock. 

As you navigate the 50-mile waterway, you’ll pass through a series of locks. The locks raise and lower the vessel with only inches to spare on either side. 

It’s an unforgettable experience that showcases both human ingenuity and the region’s natural beauty. Once through the canal, ships usually stop on one of the Caribbean Islands before completing their journeys.

Some vessels like Cunard Queen Elizabeth offer an extended itinerary that crosses the transatlantic. This 42-night transatlantic voyage ends in Barcelona, Spain.

Cruises To Seattle

Cruises that begin in Vancouver and end in Seattle tend to be a few days. One-day cruises go for under USD 70, far less than you’d pay in a hotel, and includes food. 

However, you will need to get transportation one way if you live in either Vancouver or Seattle. Quick Shuttle and Amtrak run services to get you home, and their prices are very competitive.

Three-day itineraries usually stop in Victoria for a day before ending in Seattle. You can often book one of these with Princess Cruises. Unlike Alaskan cruises, which only stop for 4-5 hours to appease the Jones Act, you’ll enjoy up to twelve hours in this British Columbia capital.

If you want to enjoy all the sights, the Hop-on, Hop-off bus lets you explore at your own pace. The  west coast provides whale-watching tours , and you’ll see orcas in Victoria.

Fishermen’s Wharf, near  Ogden Point, the cruise port ,  provides a great place to enjoy seafood or fish and chips.

These shortened trips are the result of vessels moving to their home ports for the start or end of the Alaska season. 

Again, three-day itineraries cost less than a night in a hotel. These mini cruise getaways are ideal for those who want to try a cruise vacation.

If you’re a seasoned cruiser, it’s an opportunity to try a different cruise line or splurge on a suite, which may be unaffordable on a longer journey.

Cruises To Asia

Repositioning cruises from Vancouver to Asia travel northwards through the Gulf of Alaska to reach Japan or Hong Kong. While more cruise lines offered this pre-pandemic, some companies have been slow to re-introduce them post-COVID.

Part of that has to do with some Asian countries have not opened their ports to ships again. Currently, you can book this type of cruise with Silversea, Viking, Celebrity, Regent, and Holland America. 

These September cruises usually include ports in Alaska. Depending on your cruise length, you may have one day or three to four days.

While it may not be the  best month to see Alaska  (due to rain), you’ll have a chance to see a glacier. Some itineraries include Kodiak Island; if you’re lucky, you may see its famed bears. 

From Alaska, reaching your first port in Japan can take up to seven days. You’ll also cross the international date line. Picking a vessel with lots of amenities and entertainment is vital to making the most of a week at sea.

The shortest journey takes 13 days and is offered on the Holland America Noordam. However, it only provides three port days in Sitka and Kodiak Island in Alaska and Kushiro in Japan.

Alternatively, the 30-day Regent Seven Seas Explorer itinerary includes Hubbard Glacier and five Alaskan ports. Once it reaches Japan, it spends 13 days in Japanese ports and one day in Busan, South Korea.

A Japanese itinerary offers a unique cultural journey to immerse yourself in the country’s history. On a port day, you can enjoy a Japanese tea ceremony, see an ornate temple, or tour a beautiful garden.

Mount Fuji, the star of the itinerary, may be viewable in the port of Shimizu if the skies are clear. If you pick the reverse itinerary from Japan to Vancouver, you may catch the end of Sakura or cherry blossom season.

Who Should Take These Vancouver Repositioning Cruises?

One-way cruises from Vancouver suit those living in or near Vancouver or the destination city. While you can cruise from the west coast city in September, you can do the reverse itinerary in April or May.

If you’re traveling to the embarkation port from another area, by starting or ending your journey in Vancouver, you’ll have a chance to explore Canada’s largest city on the west coast.

During your stay, you’ll enjoy its multiculturalism, superb cuisine, and fantastic attractions like the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Granville Island, and Stanley Park.

If you don’t like flying, taking an extended cruise from Vancouver reduces your time in the air by only needing a one-way flight.

One-way cruises allow you to travel further from the home port than taking a roundtrip cruise.

Whether you prefer larger ships or more intimate vessels, short cruises, or extended itineraries, you can find one to suit your needs.

Wednesday 25th of October 2023

Great article, but do you have some tips on booking these without having to check each individual cruise's website?

Karen Hosier

Sunday 29th of October 2023

I use Vacations To Go to price out cruises. It features a great 90 day ticker to find great deals

Wednesday 11th of October 2023

Thanks Karen, this is a good piece of descriptive work.I personally enjoyed the write up. Take care both of you.

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