By Sharon Whitley Larsen
"I've been on 20 trans-Atlantic cruises!" a charming older man exclaimed as he and I exited an elevator on our Celebrity Constellation cruise headed from Spain to Florida.
"Then you can steer the ship if we get lost!" I joked.
Just the evening before, as we were ready to set sail from Tenerife, Canary Islands — our last stop on terra firma — to Fort Lauderdale, with seven days at sea, our young Greek captain had announced over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, we are all ready to leave for Fort Lauderdale. Rest assured, I've been there many times. By air!"
We passengers laughed, enjoying another of his entertaining comments. Such as the time, he explained, when he was walking from the bridge to his cabin and a woman opened the door to her suite and handed him an ice bucket, mistaking him for a room attendant. He dutifully got the ice for her and she handed him a $2 tip.
Long-gone are the days when trans-Atlantic cruises were available mostly for the very wealthy. Today there are many cruise lines that offer some great deals for fun and relaxation on the high seas. Eastbound cruises generally are scheduled in April and May, westbound in September, October and November.
My husband, Carl, and I have been on 15 cruises — mostly Celebrity and Royal Caribbean International, several nearly a month long. They have included three trans-Atlantic voyages that averaged $100 to $150 per person per day; some deals are even less with various perks. Our first was from Harwich, England, to Boston. Then we did two back-to-back cruises from San Diego through the Panama Canal to Florida — ending in Southampton, England. Our last was another back-to-back from Istanbul to Rome, then 16 nights from Rome to Fort Lauderdale.
"Don't you get bored?" some friends have asked us. "Don't you have cabin fever being at sea for so long?"
In fact, the opposite is true. I love nothing more than sitting on the balcony reading a good book. Sleeping in. Relaxing. Sunbathing. Swimming. Attending lectures. Sipping wine while watching a gorgeous orange sunset. Chatting with fellow passengers. Doing whatever I feel like doing.
Our friends Roger and Carolyn Scaife from South Yorkshire, England (whom we met on our first trans-Atlantic cruise in 2003), agree.
"Trans-Atlantic cruising can actually be restful, especially if you are on a return journey after cruising around the Caribbean or the East Coast of the United States," Roger said. He has been on two dozen cruises around the world with Carolyn, including three trans-Atlantic crossings.
"I have experienced the Atlantic like a mill pond and also with 40- or 50-foot waves. But not to be put off, these 144,000-ton ships of today take it all in their stride.
"On the Atlantic crossing passengers also have the chance to either chill out, get involved in lectures, cooking demonstrations, crafts, painting, quizzes — or try deck games, which are not only fun but also a chance to meet your fellow passengers, who sometimes make lifelong friendships," he added. "Passengers who travel alone will never feel isolated or lonely and — as I have experienced while sitting by myself having a specialized coffee, waiting for Carolyn to arrive from a Zumba or tai chi class or one of the lectures — I have met the most interesting people."
Linda and Kenny Carter from Crawfordville, Florida, have been on 55 cruises, including two trans-Atlantic crossings — "one of our favorite sailings," said Linda, who is the owner of Luxury Cruise and Travel. "People are often afraid they will be bored, but just the opposite is true. It is the perfect time to order room service and enjoy a leisurely breakfast on the balcony. Choose your cabin on the sunny side of the ship for the best experience. It's also nice to sleep late because on port days you typically will be starting early.
"Cruise lines all bring in guest lecturers and add extra activities," she continued, "so that many times it is still hard to fit in everything you want to do. One of our favorite lecturers was an antiques appraiser with a format similar to 'Antiques Roadshow.' Others included lectures on handwriting analysis, a rocket scientist, a psychologist and a naval historian."
In fact, our cruise had several hourlong lectures on the Titanic that had standing room only in the theater.
Carter also pointed out that "either before or after a European itinerary, it is a great way to transition to the new time zone or to ease back in to your home time. Plus there is one less flight to take." (It's possible to fly over and cruise back.)
"Cruise lines usually offer reasonably priced one-way tickets for guests who wish to travel only one way," she added. (Via Choice Air, we have booked $650 one-way flights from London to San Diego, or from San Diego to Istanbul.)
Carl and I usually pack several books — as well as borrowing some from the ship's library — to read and then leave behind for other passengers to enjoy. Lots of other passengers take advantage of this reading time, too, with the split being about 50-50 between Kindles and books.
One perk that I especially enjoyed on our last trans-Atlantic cruise was attending matinee performances to hear amazing musicians — some from the Royal College of Music in London. Hosted by British concert pianist Brooks Aehron, the standing-room-only concerts featured various artists, including flutist Andrea Amat from Spain and the Gran Volta female string trio from Russia. On another voyage we loved hearing pianist Antonio Salci.
We have been on two trans-Atlantic cruises with our cruise buddies, Ron and Mary James of Escondido, California, publishers and editors of Wine, Dine & Travel as well as contributors to Fodor's and Cruise Critic. They take several cruises a year.
"It's a totally different experience," Ron said about trans-Atlantic crossings (they have been on four). "It gives you the ability to totally relax and to really get to know fellow passengers and staff, to create true friendships."
Mary enjoys "getting to know the ship more, soaking in the pool, finding a quiet spot to read. We love nothing but the blue water and the blue sky — and the same the next day. A lot of people avoid trans-Atlantic crossings because of rough seas and being sick. I've never gotten sick — don't let that be a worry. TA cruises are a favorite-and you can't deny their deals. It so beats the airplane for jet lag — and there's no luggage fee or limit."
Added Ron: "The stabilizers make a huge difference. The captain does the best job he can do to avoid rough water. The entertainment is a must and you get to be involved with the rhythm of the ship, not exhausted from shore excursions."
There are many cruise deals today, so the first step is to check with the various cruise lines, travel agents, or websites such as Crucon or Travelzoo.
As veteran cruiser Roger Scaife said, "Cruising is not only a safe environment, it is one of the most adventurous, friendliest and civilized ways to see the world."
Carl and I have just booked another TA cruise. Time to start packing!
WHEN YOU GO
Celebrity Cruises: www.celebritycruises.com
Royal Caribbean International: www.royalcaribbean.com
Cruise Critic: www.cruisecritic.com
Travelzoo: www.travelzoo.com
Luxury Cruise & Travel: www.luxurycruise-travel.com
Wine, Dine & Travel: www.winedineandtravel.com
Sharon Whitley Larsen is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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