repositioning cruise vancouver september 2023

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5 best Princess repositioning cruises in 2024 from Vancouver (September, October, fall months)

The Princess cruise ships that are in Vancouver in the summer are doing Alaska cruises. So they will be repositioning away from Vancouver at the end of the Alaska cruise season, which is September. Depending on the cruise you choose, it may last through October.

This means that the cruise before every one of these repositioning cruises listed below is an Alaska cruise, so look into booking a back-to-back cruise! You can go to Alaska before you start the repositioning cruise from Vancouver! (Exception: Hawaii! Explained below.)

On a cost per day basis, repositioning cruises are some of the cheapest cruises you’ll find. Longer one-way cruises with lots of sea days tend to be cheaper (that is the typical description of a repositioning cruise!) than a 7-day round trip cruise with a lot of port stops.

I have done a repositioning cruise from Vancouver on a Princess cruise ship, and of course it’s always fun to look for more! 😁 Here are the Princess repositioning cruises from Vancouver in fall 2024!

1. 30-day Vancouver to New Zealand cruise (one-way)

September 21, 2024 | Royal Princess

📍 Where does this cruise go? After leaving Vancouver, this cruise has 1 port in Canada, 1 port in Oregon, 3 ports in California, 2 ports in Hawaii, 2 ports in French Polynesia, 1 port in American Samoa, 1 port in New Zealand (before Auckland)… and then arrives in Auckland! ⚓ What cruise ports are on this itinerary? Vancouver Canada, Victoria Canada, Astoria Oregon, San Francisco California, San Diego California, Los Angeles California, Honolulu Hawaii, Maui Hawaii, Tahiti French Polynesia (overnight), Moorea French Polynesia, Pago Pago American Samoa, Tauranga New Zealand, Auckland New Zealand 🌊 How many sea days are on this cruise? There are 18 sea days! You will be crossing the international date line on one of those sea days! 📆 When does the cruise start and end? This cruise starts in Vancouver on September 21, and it arrives in Auckland on October 22. ⛰ What is the cruise before Vancouver? The last Alaska cruise for the Royal Princess can be booked as a 7-day one-way cruise from Anchorage to Vancouver that starts on September 14, or a 14-day round trip cruise from Vancouver that starts on September 7. ⚓ What is the next cruise after Auckland? After the cruise ship leaves Auckland, it heads to Sydney, stopping by the New Zealand cruise port of Picton first. 👪 How many passengers can be on this cruise ship? The Royal Princess has a passenger capacity of 3,560 at double occupancy.

🤓 Be informed : Here is the New Zealand bucket list to help you decide if you should stay a week or more in New Zealand before flying back! On my bucket list that will require time on land are Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park and the Tasman Glacier ! Some of the tours remind me of Alaska! (I’m a Viator partner.)

Or use Auckland as a jumping off point to go to more South Pacific islands like the Cook Islands ! Then, to go to the US, Hawaiian Airlines has a direct flight from the Cook Islands to Hawaii. 😁

• Travel-friendly rain gear in case it rains (much of your cruise is in Southeast Alaska where it rains a lot)
• for women: hiking pants | for men: hiking pants
• A popular travel essential nowadays if you have an iphone: An airtag tracker for your luggage so you can keep track of it! Buy just one , or buy a pack of 4 . (Buy one for yourself, and as a travel gift!) Read the reviews!
• Lightweight waterproof binoculars (so you can see wildlife better on those scenic cruising days!)
• Merrell is one of the best outdoor shoe brands
• Women's Merrell Moab 3 shoes
• Men's Merrell Moab 3 shoes
• Packing cubes travel set (better organize your suitcase and with clothing cubes, a shoe bag, and toiletry bag! This also makes it easier to unpack and organize your cruise cabin quicker.)

Princess repositioning cruise to New Zealand in 2024:

• September 21 on the Royal Princess: 30 day cruise from Vancouver to Auckland

2. 36-day Vancouver to Australia cruise (one-way)

📍 Where does this cruise go? After leaving Vancouver, this cruise has 1 port in Canada, 1 port in Oregon, 3 ports in California, 2 ports in Hawaii, 2 ports in French Polynesia, 1 port in American Samoa, 3 ports in New Zealand… and then arrives in Sydney Australia! ⚓ What cruise ports are on this itinerary? Vancouver Canada, Victoria Canada, Astoria Oregon, San Francisco California, San Diego California, Los Angeles California, Honolulu Hawaii, Maui Hawaii, Tahiti French Polynesia (overnight), Moorea French Polynesia, Pago Pago American Samoa, Tauranga New Zealand, Auckland New Zealand, Picton New Zealand, Sydney Australia 🌊 How many sea days are on this cruise? There are 22 sea days! You will be crossing the international date line on one of those sea days! 📆 When does the cruise start and end? This cruise starts in Vancouver on September 21, and it arrives in Sydney on October 28. ⛰ What is the cruise before Vancouver? The last Alaska cruise for the Royal Princess can be booked as a 7-day one-way cruise from Anchorage to Vancouver that starts on September 14, or a 14-day round trip cruise from Vancouver that starts on September 7. ⚓ What is the next cruise after Sydney? On October 28, the Royal Princess starts a 13-day cruise to South Pacific islands, including 1 port in New Caledonia, 1 port in Vanuatu, and 3 ports in Fiji! 👪 How many passengers can be on this cruise ship? The Royal Princess has a passenger capacity of 3,560 at double occupancy.

🤓 Be informed : Here is the Australia bucket list to help you decide if you should stay a week or more in Australia before flying back! Generally speaking, May to October is the best time to visit the Great Barrier Reef .

Princess repositioning cruise from Vancouver to Australia in 2024:

• September 21 on the Royal Princess: 36 day cruise from Vancouver to Sydney Australia

3. 13-day Vancouver to Hawaii cruise (one-way)

📍 Where does this cruise go? After leaving Vancouver, this cruise has 1 port in Canada, 1 port in Oregon, 3 ports in California, and then arrives in Honolulu. ⚓ What cruise ports are on this itinerary? Vancouver Canada, Victoria Canada, Astoria Oregon, San Francisco California, San Diego California, Los Angeles California, Honolulu Hawaii 🌊 How many sea days are on this cruise? There are 7 sea days. 📆 When does the cruise start and end? This cruise starts in Vancouver on September 21, and it arrives in Honolulu on October 4. ⛰ What is the cruise before Vancouver? There is a 14-day round trip Alaska cruise from Vancouver that starts on September 7. ⚓ What is the next cruise after Honolulu? After the cruise ship leaves Honolulu, it heads to New Zealand and Australia, stopping by South Pacific islands in French Polynesia and American Samoa. 👪 How many passengers can be on this cruise ship? The Royal Princess has a passenger capacity of 3,560 at double occupancy.

• Easy-going day with a must-see: Mendenhall Glacier trolley tour
• The epic dog sledding is a visit to a sled dog camp on a glacier , and the cheaper version can be a fun remote yukon sled dog camp
• You'll spend most of your time during your cruise in Southeast Alaska, and this is the location of the "largest intact temperate rainforest in the world," according to the US Forest Service. And so... you need to consider a e-bike and rainforest hike ecotour that includes a visit to Tongass National Forest!
• More fun e-biking in Alaska: e-biking and gold panning tour
• Classic must-do in Alaska: Premier whale watching
• A better way to see the most popular glacier to see during an Alaska cruise: glacier ice adventure (the glacier is getting further and further back - see it while you still can!)
• Post cruise: Downtown Vancouver luggage storage (near the cruise port)

🤓 Be informed #1 : Honolulu is on the island of Oahu, and it’s where you can go to Pearl Harbor National Memorial . To check some national parks off your bucket list, you’ll need to go to the island of Maui for Haleakala National Park and the Big Island for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park . You can do Pearl Harbor on your own without a car or through a tour. To go to the national parks, you’ll need to rent a car or book a tour.

If you end up doing a one-way cruise to Hawaii, see more about things to do in Hawaii after your cruise !

🤓 Be informed #2 : It is possible to book a one-way cruise from Anchorage to Vancouver that is the cruise right before the repositioning cruise, but personally I would not feel comfortable booking that if your final destination is Hawaii.

That would mean you would be embarking in one US cruise port (in Alaska) and disembarking in a different US cruise port (in Hawaii), and the laws about embarking and disembarking in 2 different US cruise ports seems ambiguous.

I read a story in a cruise facebook group about someone who had booked back-to-back cruises individually in a similar way (it was another cruise line), and just a few weeks before the cruise, they were contacted by the cruise line and told they can’t do that.

Maybe there’s something about this specific itinerary that would actually make it okay (I have no idea), but the uncertainty of it makes me feel uneasy about booking it myself! Research before you book!

If the cruise line is selling it as a cruise from one US cruise port to another (like a Panama Canal cruise from California to Florida ), then it’s not a problem, but when you would be booking 2 individual cruises, know before you book!

Princess repositioning cruise from Vancouver to Hawaii in 2024:

• September 21 on the Royal Princess: 13 day cruise from Vancouver to Honolulu

Also see my post about Hawaii vs Alaska by cruise ship

4. 20-day Panama Canal cruise from Vancouver (one-way cruise to Florida)

September 24, 2024 | Sapphire Princess

📍 Where does this cruise go? After leaving Vancouver, this cruise has 1 port in Canada, 1 port in California, 1 port in Mexico, 1 port in Guatemala, 1 port in Panama, Panama Canal Full Transit New Locks scenic cruising day, 1 port in Colombia, and then arrives in Fort Lauderdale Florida. ⚓ What cruise ports are on this itinerary? Vancouver Canada, Victoria Canada, San Francisco California, Puerto Vallarta Mexico, Puerto Quetzal Guatemala, Fuerte Amador (Panama City) Panama, Cartagena Colombia, Fort Lauderdale Florida. 🌊 How many sea days are on this cruise? There are 11 sea days, plus 1 scenic cruising day (Panama Canal). 📆 When does the cruise start and end? This cruise starts in Vancouver on September 24, and it arrives in Fort Lauderdale on October 14. ⛰ What is the cruise before Vancouver? The last Alaska cruise for the Sapphire Princess is a 10-day round trip cruise from Vancouver that starts on September 14. ⚓ What is the next cruise after Fort Lauderdale? The next cruise is a 10-day Caribbean cruise that goes to 6 islands that starts on October 14. The following cruise that starts on October 24 is another 10-day Caribbean cruise that goes to 6 islands, but goes to several islands that the first cruise doesn’t go to. 👪 How many passengers can be on this cruise ship? The Sapphire Princess has a passenger capacity of 2,670 at double occupancy.

🤓 Be informed #1 : There are the new locks and the old locks of the Panama Canal. This cruise goes through the new locks.

🤓 Be informed #2 : You can also start this Panama Canal cruise on the Sapphire Princess from San Francisco as a 16-day Panama Canal cruise from San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale .

Princess repositioning cruise from Vancouver to Florida in 2024:

• September 24 on Sapphire Princess: 20 day cruise from Vancouver to Fort Lauderdale FL

5. 7-day Vancouver to Los Angeles cruise (one-way)

September 21 | Royal Princess September 28 | Discovery Princess

Even a 7-day repositioning cruise you can turn into a long cruise by doing the last Alaska cruise of the season before you start the repositioning part of the cruise from Vancouver!

📍 Where does this cruise go? After leaving Vancouver, this cruise has 1 port in Canada, 1 port in Oregon, 2 ports in California (before LA), and then arrives in Los Angeles. ⚓ What cruise ports are on this itinerary? Vancouver Canada, Victoria Canada, Astoria Oregon, San Francisco California, San Diego California, Los Angeles California, Honolulu Hawaii 🌊 How many sea days are on this cruise? There are 2 sea days. 📆 When does the cruise start and end? The Royal Princess cruise starts in Vancouver on September 21, and it arrives in Los Angeles on September 28. The Discovery Princess cruise starts in Vancouver on September 28, and it arrives in Los Angeles on October 5. ⛰ What is the cruise before Vancouver? The Royal Princess does a 14-day round trip Alaska cruise from Vancouver that starts on September 7. ⚓ What is the next cruise after Los Angeles? The Royal Princess continues on to Hawaii, the South Pacific, New Zealand, and Australia. The Discovery Princess will be based in Los Angeles to do a 7-day round trip California coast cruise starting on October 5, and after that does a 7-day round trip Mexico cruise starting on October 12. 👪 How many passengers can be on this cruise ship? The Royal Princess has a passenger capacity of 3,560 at double occupancy. The Discovery Princess has a passenger capacity of 3,660.

🤓 Be informed #1 : This is basically a California coast cruise! It can be a perfect cruise if you want to get a taste for coastal California cities.

🤓 Be informed #2 : To check a national park off your bucket list after a cruise to Los Angeles, you’ll want to rent a car and go to Joshua Tree National Park (3 hours from LA) or Death Valley National Park (5 hours from LA). You can also take a ferry to Channel Islands National Park from a harbor that is 1.5 hours from LA.

🤓 Be informed #3 : To check a national park off your bucket list after a cruise to San Francisco, you’ll want to rent a car and go to Yosemite National Park that is 4 hours away from San Francisco. If you’re ambitious, do the Majestic Mountain Loop to go to Yosemite National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, and Sequoia National Park in 3 days! Redwoods National Park is 5.5 hours from San Francisco up the California coast.

🤓 Be informed #4 : See “be informed #2” under the Vancouver to Hawaii cruise section if you are consider doing an Alaska cruise and want to make your final destination Los Angeles.

Princess repositioning cruises from Vancouver to California in 2024:

• September 21 on Royal Princess: 7 day cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles
• September 28 on Discovery Princess: 7 day cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles
• September 24 on Sapphire Princess: 4 day cruise from Vancouver to San Francisco
• September 25 on Grand Princess: 4 day cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles
• September 26 on Ruby Princess: 3 day cruise from Vancouver to San Francisco

More cruise searches for fun: Best Alaska cruises from San Francisco (back-to-back cruises that go to Alaska and Hawaii or Mexico!)

What Princess cruise ships are in Vancouver?

In 2024, the Princess cruise ships with Alaska cruises from Vancouver are the Discovery Princess, Grand Princess, Royal Princess, Ruby Princess, and Sapphire Princess.

The other Princess cruise ships in Alaska are the Crown Princess (from San Francisco) and Majestic Princess (from Seattle).

In 2025, the Princess cruise ships with Alaska cruises from Vancouver are the Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Grand Princess, and Sapphire Princess.

The other Princess cruise ships going to Alaska are the Discovery Princess (Seattle), Royal Princess (Seattle), and Ruby Princess (San Francisco).

HAPPY CRUISING FROM VANCOUVER!

• Review from cruise ship passenger: "Absolutely loved having these for our Alaska excursions from the cruise ship! Nice, lightweight, easily packable... easy to put on over our backpacks... Also, highly breathable vs the disposable plastic ones. Ours held up to the windy conditions too!..."
• Read the full review .
• Or... cheap ponchos just in case
• merrell waterproof shoes for women (one of the best shoe brands for the outdoors)
• merrell shoes for men
• for higher quality ones, as recommended in cruise facebook groups by people in-the-know, look at vortex diamondback binoculars
• For women: puffer jacket | for men: puffer jacket

• SOUTH DAKOTA

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!

• What is embarkation day like? Sample: Vancouver embarkation day
• What is disembarkation like? Sample: Vancouver disembarkation and Whittier disembarkation
• Dinner food menu on my Alaska cruise
• 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

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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!

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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 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)
• Brilliance of the Seas 7 NIGHT BOSTON TO SAN JUAN CRUISE Departing From Boston, Massachusetts (Nov 2025)
• Riviera 22 NIGHT Repositioning CRUISE Departing From Singapore, Singapore (Nov 2025)
• Vista 16 NIGHT Repositioning CRUISE Departing From Singapore, Singapore (Apr 2026)

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.

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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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.

Vancouver, BC, Canada

Cruises from Vancouver depart from spring through fall. Located on the southwestern coast of British Columbia, Vancouver is Canada's third most populous city. The bustling metropolis is known for its cultural diversity, which is on display in areas like Chinatown, brimming with authentic eateries and apothecaries. Gastown, Vancouver's oldest neighborhood, exudes historic charm thanks to cobblestone streets and Victorian architecture harmoniously interspersed with trendy boutiques and galleries. Outdoor activities abound in the urban Stanley Park, home to gardens, beaches, trails, totem poles and the seawall amid a lush forested setting totaling about 1,000 acres. The city is a jumping-off point for whale-watching tours, which reward keen eyes with glimpses of orcas and humpback whales as well as pelicans, puffins and bald eagles. A short hop northward across the harbor into North Vancouver is Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, where seven bridges and a cliff walk delight thrill-seekers.

Driving Directions and Parking Information Canada Place Ship Terminal 999 Canada Place Vancouver, BC, CANADA The Port of Vancouver is 25 minutes from Vancouver's International Airport (YVR). Parking is available at the Canada Place Ship Terminal for C$26.00 per day (for 3 days or more). Rates are subject to change by the Port Authority. Traveling North from I-5 - Take I-5 which will become Provincial Route 99 N. Take the Marine Drive West ramp. Stay straight to go onto SW Marine Drive. SW Marine Drive becomes Granville Street. Granville Street becomes Granville Street/ Granville Bridge. Take the HWY-99N/Seymour Street ramp towards BC ferries/Horseshoe Bay/Whistler. Stay straight to go onto Seymour Street. Turn left onto W Georgia Street. Turn right onto Burrard Street. Burrard Street becomes Burrard Place which becomes Waterfront Road W. The Ship Terminal should be visible from Waterfront Road.

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Repositioning Cruises

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Exciting Repositioning Cruises

Cross an ocean from one continent to another on one of our exciting repositioning cruises. You’ll have time to enjoy spectacular ports of call at either end of your voyage, with blissfully relaxing days in between to commune with the ocean and enjoy the many activities on board. Top up your tan by the sparkling pool, or unwind in the beautiful spa. Try all the different restaurants and bars on board, and spend your evenings enjoying the glittering entertainment.

Celebrity offers a world of choice. You could sail from Europe to sunny Florida. Or soak up the warmth of the tropics on a voyage between the Hawaiian islands and dynamic Sydney, Australia, stopping off to explore the dreamy islands of French Polynesia. Whichever repositioning cruise you choose, you’ll arrive renewed and refreshed.

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 one of our spectacular repositioning cruises. Sail from one continent to another on an award-winning ship and experience unrivaled cuisine, service, and entertainment as you leave one culture behind and prepare to embrace the next.

Repositioning cruises take place as a ship moves with the changing seasons from one sailing area, such as Europe, to a different location, for example, Florida.

Fall repositioning cruises leave Europe for the tropics. You might sail from Barcelona around the coasts of Spain and Portugal with visits to Valencia, Cadiz, and Lisbon before crossing the Atlantic to Tampa, Florida. Or choose an itinerary that breaks the crossing in Ponta Delgada, in the mid-Atlantic Azores, and atmospheric Bermuda. You could sail from Rome to Fort Lauderdale, or Southampton, England to Port Canaveral.

In spring, cruises depart ports in Florida, including Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Port Canaveral, bound for Europe. Pick a voyage that stops at Cartagena, Spain, and the island of Mallorca. Or choose an itinerary that visits Gibraltar, Cartagena, and La Spezia, close to Florence and Pisa.

There’s also the option of a fall voyage from Lisbon to South America, stopping at Tenerife in the Canary Islands and then tracing the coastlines of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina en route to Buenos Aires.

Or why not cross the Pacific Ocean? You could board one of our repositioning cruises between Hawaii and Australia, which operate in October and April. Depart from either Honolulu or Sydney and visit lush islands in the South Pacific, including New Zealand’s idyllic Bay of Islands, dreamy destinations in French Polynesia like Moorea and Tahiti, and the islands of Hawaii.

On all of our repositioning cruises, you’ll have access to unlimited entertainment and an impressive choice of dining venues. Spend days at sea lounging by the outdoor pool or relaxing at the indoor solarium. Head to the Fitness Center for a class, and then indulge in a treatment at the spa. Dance under the stars at one of our rooftop lounges, or on Edge-Series ships, gaze at the vastness of the ocean from the Magic Carpet. 

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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

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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?

When it happens that you have to choose what is the best, there’s this rule number one stating “expect the best from the best”. When you book on major cruise line ships, expect cheap rates, best value for money indices, lots of vessels in the fleet to choose from, great destinations, and service. The biggest companies and operators with regularly offered reposition voyages are Celebrity, Princess, Holland America, NCL-Norwegian, Costa, MSC, RCI-Royal Caribbean. Carnival and Disney also do ship transitions moving ships between Alaska and Australia (Caribbean).

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?

It depends on the itinerary as destination and length, but a one-way Transatlantic could cost as little as USD 60 Per Person per day (double occupancy, fares inclusive of taxes and fees). You might pay 50% or even less for a one-way reposition cruise than the normal price for a round-trip with multiple ports of call. What adds to these low prices is your one-way return flight fare. Still, you may purchase a cheap fly-cruise package with the flight fare included in the total price and a convenient departure from major US ports to the UK or the Mediterranean’s biggest port cities – Civitavecchia-Rome, Barcelona, and Venice being among the cheapest end-points. The same goes for Hawaii and Alaska. Never forget that almost all relocation cruises are operated in low season, so buying a discount cheap cruise and stay packages is always a quite reasonable option. You’ll be able to enjoy a budget-friendly off-season vacation to not-so-crowded places in some of the most charming and colorful seasons – the always new lush-luxuriant Spring and the melancholic-romantic Fall.

Repositioning Cruises 2024-2025-2026

Our website provides information on discounted one-way cruise itineraries and indicative cruise prices Per Person by line. In the table below you will find all ship relocation cruises 2024-25 voyages on all major cruise lines.

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 2024-2025-2026 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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Cruises from Vancouver

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On a cruise from Vancouver, experience cosmopolitan flair, natural splendor and diverse atmospheres without ever leaving the city. Relive history during a visit to Gastown, and shop the markets at Granville Island — known as one of the world’s greatest places. Then set sail to storied cities in Alaska, Hawaii or the California Coast, and indulge your every wanderlust. With Princess®, there’s no shortage of adventure.

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Glaciers, wildlife and mountains await you on a cruise from Vancouver to Alaska. Our roundtrip voyages bring you up close to untouched landmarks, and our one-way Voyage of the Glaciers offers two glacier-viewing opportunities, including Glacier Bay National Park. Fish for salmon in Ketchikan, meet sled dogs in Juneau and pan for gold in Skagway. Experience it all with the #1 cruise line in Alaska.

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Visit major landmarks and cities along the West Coast on a cruise from Vancouver. Our Pacific Wine Country itineraries bring you to the vineyards of Napa Valley and to world-famous ports like Santa Barbara and Astoria. Revel in even more of the Golden State on our Classic California sailings that take you from San Francisco to San Diego.

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On a cruise from Vancouver, unpack once and visit multiple Hawaiian Islands on a 15-day roundtrip adventure or a one-way itinerary ending in Honolulu. Drive through Waimea Canyon, also known as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” Or attend a sunset luau in Honolulu with More Ashore late-night departures and overnight stays included on every itinerary. Island hop with ease in a way that only Princess can offer.

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With one- to five-day cruises from Vancouver, there’s always time for adventure. On a three-day itinerary to San Francisco, spend time in Victoria, B.C. before heading to the Golden Gate City. Enjoy two relaxing days at sea on a four-day itinerary to Los Angeles, or get a taste of the Great Land on a four-day Alaska Sampler to Juneau and Ketchikan. Savor the sweet taste of travel with Getaway cruises from Vancouver.

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Tahiti and the islands of the South Pacific are the epitome of paradise. Think crystalline waters, thatch-lined bungalows and emerald mountains. On our 29-day cruise from Vancouver, cross from the islands of Hawaii to the South Pacific before sailing to New Zealand and Australia. Savor a combination of relaxing sea days and thrilling adventures ashore as you swim in freshwater cave pools or sip from hand-picked coconuts.

What to Know About Cruises from Vancouver

Between the lush rainforest and urban architecture, discover the perfect balance of city and nature. Here’s everything to know about your cruise from Vancouver.

Vancouver at a glance

• Language: English and French
• Currency: Canadian Dollar (CAD)
• Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST)
• Docking: Your cruise from Vancouver docks at Canada Place located in downtown Vancouver.
• Attire: We suggest dressing in layers as temperatures fluctuate throughout the year and even throughout the day. This includes a light shirt, sweater and jacket.
• Transportation: While taxis are available throughout the city, you can also get around by bus, ferry or light rail.

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On a cruise from Vancouver, explore Stanley Park’s aquarium, totem poles and captivating gardens. Ascend the 430-foot Vancouver Lookout to see the city from above, or cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge for a fresh perspective on nature. Savor ramen and dim sum in North America’s second-largest Chinatown. Or spend the day browsing Robson Street’s designer boutiques, department stores and everything in between.

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Repositioning Cruises: The Secret to the Best Cruise Deals

Looking for a unique way to travel between continents and seasons? Consider these one-way itineraries.

Published 11 May 2021

Daniel Nikulin

If you've got a bit of extra leave up your sleeve, are looking for alternatives to air travel or are a seafarer through and through, look no further than repositioning cruises (also known as turnaround cruises and relocation cruises). These one-way itineraries attract passengers looking for a unique way to travel between continents and seasons, and are surprisingly affordable. 

Never heard of them before? Read on to find out what repositioning cruises are, how repositioning cruises work and more!

What are repositioning cruises?

How do repositioning cruises work.

• Are repositioning cruises cheaper than other cruises?

Is it cheaper to book repositioning cruises with a travel consultant?

Do repositioning cruises have more days at sea.

• How does the return airfare work with repositioning cruises?

What about odd-duration sailings?

• A quick note on weather

Repositioning cruises are cruise itineraries that start and end at different ports. You might also hear people call repositioning cruises “one-way cruises”.

Every year, generally spring and fall, cruise lines need to move their floating resorts from one part of the world to another. Seasoned cruisers know that this is prime time to find a deal of a lifetime, as repositioning cruises are often the  best-value cruises  around.

To chase the sun and to meet high-season demands, most ships must relocate. During the spring, ships will sail from the Caribbean or Mexico to the Mediterranean for the summer months, then sail back to Mexico and the Caribbean in the fall for the winter season. This means the itineraries are incredibly diverse: you can board repositioning cruises from Vancouver, Fort Lauderdale, Honolulu, Barcelona, Rome, Sydney and so many other places around the world.

Are repositioning cruises cheaper?

Repositioning with the seasons is a must for cruise companies, meaning the ships will complete the journey regardless of how many passengers are booked. This is excellent news for those keen to cruise on a budget, as many ships offer discounted rates for Transpacific cruises and Transatlantic cruises. Don't be fooled by the prices though! You'll get to enjoy affordable luxury, with full-service onboard amenities, fine dining and onboard activities daily.

Long story short, you can snag all the benefits of a standard cruise for a fraction of the cost when you embark on repositioning cruises.

It depends on the consultant! 😉

If you're booking a repositioning cruise with Flight Centre, you can get access to exclusive pricing that you won't be able to find anywhere else online. That's because we've negotiated lower rates on a group of sailings with your favourite cruise lines. Talk to one of our travel consultants today to see how much you could be saving on Princess , Holland America , Royal Caribbean and NCL ships, among others.

Unless you are looking to completely sit back and relax with a fat book by the pool, do your research and choose a ship that has the facilities and amenities that suit you best. Whether it's a gym or workout facility, a type of restaurant or a well-stocked library, be sure your home away from home has what you need — chances are, you'll be seeing a lot of it.

That said, while most of your time will be spent surrounded by the beauty of the deep blue, many repositioning cruises pull out all the stops to ensure there's plenty for you to see, learn and do on board.

How does the return airfare work with a repositioning cruise?

Keep in mind that the ship that's taking you to Barcelona is not bringing you back.

As you aren't buying a flight and cruise deal, it is important to plan and budget for a one-way flight home at the end of it all. While an additional cost, this can open up great options as well, offering you the flexibility to return whenever and from wherever you like. As most countries require you to have proof of a flight (or a train, boat, etc.) out of their country to get in, it is imperative you buy your one-way flight home before embarking on your repositioning cruise.

While many of us are used to a typical one or two week holiday, some repositioning cruises are anything but. I've seen a West Coast repositioning cruise from Vancouver to San Francisco that lasted a whole two days, with no ports of call.

Although not a great sightseeing opportunity, it is the perfect chance for a first-time cruiser wondering what it's like to cruise, if not a fun weekend getaway. And if you've still got a few days to fill, rent a car and drive into wine country, Los Angeles or San Diego, before flying back home. Odd-duration sailings can be interesting if you're creative.

A quick note on weather:

As the reason for a ship's repositioning is essentially seasonality, trips take place at either the very start or at the tail end of a season. Spring and fall can bring unsettled weather worldwide and it's something to keep in mind when packing.

Another tip in finding a great repositioning cruise deal is looking at the first or last sailing in a cruise line's program. As the weather on these sailings can still be suspect, they are usually the least expensive departures, even in advance. For an even bigger bang for your buck, combine a repositioning cruise with either the first or last regular sailing.

So, now that you know what cruise junkies have known for years, jump in. Cruise lines may market these as “trans-Atlantic” sailings or a Panama Canal cruise, and they may be sometimes hard to find, but with a little research and creativity (or a  good travel consultant ), repositioning cruises can be the deal you've always hoped to find.

Flight Centre offers the lowest prices on repositioning cruises, cruise & stay packages and cruise-only vacations with the world's top cruise lines.

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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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Is A Repositioning Cruise From Vancouver The Right Choice For You?

Repositioning cruises have historically been a great option for folks that love sea days and saving money. While some repositioning cruises are historically unpredictable in terms of when they will happen, repoisitioning cruises from Vancouver (as well as Seattle ) are pretty easy to predict since they happen each year at the end of the Alaska cruise season.

Why Do Cruise Ships Relocate From Vancouver?

Simply put, it's too cold to sail to Alaska during the winter and it's too far to sail to Hawaii the way many cruises do from Southern California ports where there are already 4 or sometimes 5 sea days between ports. Since Vancouver is farther north, this journey would be even longer. Though there have been Hawaii cruises from Vancouver on occasion, this is not a regular occurance. One notable cruise that does this is Holland America Line with a 16-day circle cruise to Hawaii from Vancouver and back.

So, without attractive winter cruise itineraries, cruise ships must head to other home ports for the winter season. These ports can include Southern California, Asia, Australia, and Panama Canal cruises on the way to spend the summer sailing the warm Caribbean waters.

Example Vancouver Relocation Cruise Itineraries

One of the biggest thing that is common to nearly all repositioning cruises is that you will have a large number of sea days proportional to the overal length of your cruise. For instance, you may have a 5 day cruise from Vancover to San Diego with only a stop in San Francisco . At the time of writing, that itinerary is priced starting at only $199 on Holland America Line's Koningsdam at the end of October. However, Holland America Line offers other similar options such as their 6-day Wine Country cruise on Noordam that stops in Victoria and Astoria as well as San Francisco before ending up in San Diego.

Norwegian Cruise line offers an alternative though. Instead of simply running their ships south as quickly as possible from Vancouver, they have NCL Jewel doing an Alaska cruise that visits Juneau and Ketchikan before heading to San Francisco and Los Angeles .

What To Expect On A Repositioning Cruise From Vancouver?

As we mentioned above, each cruise line that sails from Vancouver during the summer Alaska season has a different response to what to do next. However, the consistent thing between all of them is that you will likely have new crew as well as some crew that are at the end of their contracts and looking froward to heading home. Additionally, even the seasoned crew will not nessisarily be experts in the area of the world where they are headed and routines that may have worked in Alaska - entertainment and food for instance, might not be fully "in gear" for repositioning cruise.

Weather also is not going to be ideal. While summer can be quite warm and enjoyable in the waters of the Pacific Northwest, spring and fall can be chilly, overcast, and sometimes rough waters.

Not all is bad though, these cruises are a fantastic opportunity to get very cheap cruises and they will also be less full too.

Additionally, you will usually find that the guests are a bit older and there are no kids on board. This is because it is quite expensive to fly a full family to / from Vancouver for a relatively short cruise. 

Finally, while you usually sail point-to-point in a circle, these cruises start and end in two diferent cities. This means that you will need to plan to do two one-way flights or if you live in an area you can't park a the cruise port since you aren't returning there. This isn't a big deal with some careful planning but it is something that you need to take into consideration before choosing a repositioning cruise like this from Vancouver.

So, is this the right cruise for you? Only you can answer that. I personally enjoy the experience since I live in San Diego and it's a cheap way to spend some time at sea and just relax. I'm not really concerned abuot the ports as much as I'd look forward to enjoying some good music, food, drinks, and those cool sea breezes from my balcony.

Thanks for reading. We hope this was helpful!

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author bio info

James is an avid fan of all types of cruising but especially enjoys exploring the Pacific coastal regions since it perfectly captures the elements that he is passionate about, including natural beauty, conservation, opportunities to explore new cultures, and meeting some fantastic new people too.