I just came from My first transatlantic cruisethis is an unforgettable experience. This unique voyage begins with five days at sea, followed by more sea sailings and port calls in beautiful locations. Throughout the voyage I accumulated knowledge of how to Transatlantic Cruise Ship Jobswhat I did right, and what I would do differently next time. With that in mind, I’ve put together this list of transatlantic cruise tips to help you plan a fun and memorable trip across the ocean.
1. Bring clothing suitable for changing weather conditions
One of the most important things I learned on my first trip across the Atlantic was that you Need to pack Suitable for all weather conditions. My voyage left New York City in April and arrived in Barcelona in May, and I was not prepared for how cold it would be most days during the crossing. Of course, your mileage will vary based on the time of year you sail and where your ship departs/arrives. But conditions on my cruise ranged from cold and rainy to very warm and sunny, and everything in between.
For most of the thru-hike, I wore pants and a sweatshirt whenever I was outside. I'm glad I brought both warm weather and cool weather clothing, but I wish I had brought more long sleeve shirts and maybe an extra pair of pants. Also, wear a hat or knitted headband to keep your ears warm. I saw people wearing full hats with pom poms, and I wore a thick knit headband, and I'm glad I did during those windy, cold moments on deck.
2. Get ready for ocean sports
The water on a transatlantic cruise may be rougher than you're used to Caribbean Sea Or the Mediterranean. Even if you don't normally need any seasickness medications or aids during your cruise, you may want to consider bringing some for your transatlantic voyage. Whether you wear an acupressure wristband just in case or apply a patch before setting sail, you’ll be fine Better be prepared Rather than being unprepared and hoping you think it through in advance.
If you're prone to motion sickness or are worried about it affecting your cruise, you should also take this into consideration when choosing your cabin. To minimize movement, choose a cabin located on the lower deck near midships. Cabins aft and forward, as well as those on higher decks, are more likely to feel the effects of the sea.
3. Pay attention to the gradual changes in time
Just like when you drive cross-country, your time zone gradually changes as you cross the Atlantic Ocean. If you go east, you'll waste time crossing. If you head west, you gain time. On my transatlantic voyage, we lost an hour each night on most (but not all) days of the initial crossing. We lost another hour when we started visiting the ports, specifically between the ports on the west side of the Strait of Gibraltar and the ports on the east side of the Mediterranean Sea.
The good news is that you'll only lose (or gain) an hour at a time, so your days won't be wasted too much. On my cruise, the time on board officially changed at 2am every night, and we were scheduled to lose an hour. I will say that despite only losing an hour at a time, I definitely felt it and there were a few mornings when the time changed that I felt quite tired. It was also a weird feeling because we were losing an hour almost every night for the first half of the cruise, so it took a while to feel “caught up” with the sleep we'd lost. Still, it was great to arrive in Europe without jet lag.
4. Enjoy pre- and post-cruise accommodation
If your cruise starts on the other side of the ocean Depart from where you live and arrive at the home port city at least 1-2 days before the cruise begins. If your transatlantic flight is delayed or canceled, you don't have as many timely options to rebook your flight and get to your cruise ship in time. It's best to have enough leeway in case things don't go exactly as planned. Plus, it gives you a chance to start acclimating to the time zone change before even boarding the ship.
Additionally, it can be fun to explore new cities if your cruise starts and/or ends in a place you've never visited before. Rather than heading straight to the airport, stay a few days longer and enjoy the best sights, food, and experiences there before heading home. Bonus: You won't feel it quite It’s equally sad to leave the ship because your vacation isn’t over yet!
5. Engage in rest activities
On a transatlantic cruise, you'll have more free time than on other cruises. While there's plenty to do on board, from planned activities to onboard facilities, you'll still likely have a fair amount of down time, many days at sea. Most ships will have board games, puzzles, and maybe even a small library of books for you to read. But it’s a good idea to also bring some of your own stuff to keep busy. You can bring items such as books/e-readers, card games, crossword puzzle books or journals. The list of small and easy-to-pack items you can carry is long. Think about how you want to spend your downtime on the boat and pack accordingly.
You may also be wondering how the ship's WiFi handles crossing the Atlantic. I sailed on Virgin Voyages' Valiant Lady using the ship's premium Wi-Fi connection, so I can only speak to my specific internet situation and the quality of the ship. That being said, I'm happy to report that it's awesome. While there are always some hiccups with cruise ship internet (a mobile ship connected to satellite internet won't have the same internet you have at home!), overall the connection is fast and reliable. We can easily browse and upload to social media, send emails, browse the web, and even stream content like YouTube.
6. Check to see if your cruise line offers status matching
If you have status with one cruise line but want to choose a transatlantic cruise with another, check to see if the status of the cruise line you are sailing on matches. For example, MSC Cruises offers identity matching service Not only working with other cruise lines, but also with many hotel brands. Other cruise lines match status within their own company, such as Royal Caribbean Group; if you have Celebrity status, you can match Royal Caribbean's equivalent status.
If you are able to reach higher levels, you may receive very useful perks, such as Free laundry bag or Free alcoholic beverages. Other common loyalty benefits include discounts and more WiFi packagefree specialty dining, priority boarding and reservations.
Of course, if you’re traveling on a route that already qualifies, be sure to take advantage of these benefits. They become even more useful when undertaking long-distance voyages such as transatlantic voyages.
7. Equip your cabin with magnetic hooks
Unless you're on the Queen Mary 2, a transatlantic voyage is long…usually 13-15+ nights. Unless your ship has a self-service laundry or you get free laundry service, you may want to minimize your use of the ship's laundry service (if you use one). Therefore, you may be carrying more clothes than you normally would on a cruise. If you're sailing with at least one other person, you may run out of storage space quickly. This also applies to other items such as backpacks, purses, hats and belts, not to mention wet swimsuits, cover-ups and robes.
To help create more storage space, Bring magnetic hook. Your cabin walls are most likely metal, which means bringing extra hooks can create more space for hanging items to keep them away from other surfaces.
Bonus tip: Metal walls also mean that if you collect magnets from the different ports you visit, you can display them in your cabin throughout the voyage. This is a great way to add some personal touches to your cabin and start enjoying your keepsakes right away.
8. Find deals on cruise fares
Transatlantic cruises – and most repositioning cruises – tend to be cheaper per night than regular sailings from one home port and back. If you're on a tighter budget, a transatlantic cruise might be a good option, allowing you to enjoy a longer cruise at a discounted price. You'll find quite a few flights starting at well under $100 per person per night. It's easy to find transatlantic cruises for 2 weeks or more, starting at $2,000 or less for two people. Keep in mind that if you don’t live near either homeport, you will need to purchase a ticket for at least one leg, if not both.
You should also consider working with a travel advisor, like our friends American Travelwho can help you get the best deal.
9. Research your cruise
Since you'll be spending a lot of time on board during your transatlantic cruise, you'll want to make sure Choose the cruise line and ship that's right for you. do you want more for adultslaid back atmosphere? Do you want a lot of fancy stuff? for your family? yes Food is your focus? How important is quality entertainment? Although ships usually do not consider As much When planning your cruise, you'll want to put more emphasis on your transatlantic voyage.
if you are Cruise on a budgetyou may also want to consider how many on-board dining options are included in your cruise fare. Some lines include little to no options beyond the buffet and main restaurant, while others include all restaurant fares. The choice of included dining options may not be that important on a short weekend cruise or a standard seven-night sailing in Alaska or the Caribbean, but when crossing the Atlantic and spending consecutive days at sea, you'll probably want more options.
10. Choose your itinerary thoughtfully
Just like you choose your ship carefully, you should also choose the itinerary that best suits your preferences and needs. Do you live in the Northeast (or Southeast) and want to stay closer to home? Do you want to Start with Europe So you can be closer to home after the cruise? What are your must-visit ports? If you are considering sailing in the winter (mainly on Cunard), can you accept rough seas during the crossing?
I sailed from New York City on a transatlantic cruise in April and it was cold for most of the cruise. If my cruise had departed from Florida or the Caribbean, the weather would have been warmer – especially at the beginning of the cruise. We chose this itinerary because we preferred the port to the equivalent crossing taking the more southerly route, but it's something to consider.
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Have you ever sailed across the Atlantic? Do you have any other transatlantic cruise suggestions to add to this list? Leave us a comment below to share your reimagined cruise experience.
Post Transatlantic Cruise Tips: What I Learned on My First Atlantic Crossing first appeared in EatSleepCruise.com.
