Transatlantic cruises provide an exciting opportunity for travelers to experience what it’s like to sail across an ocean while visiting many glamorous ports of call along the journey. Aside from spending many uninterrupted days at sea, a transatlantic cruise to Europe from the USA (and vice versa) often includes stops at popular European destinations such as Lisbon, Palma de Mallorca, Rome, and Provence before or after making the long trek at sea.
If you’re thinking of cruising between the USA and Europe but are not sure what to expect during the long journey, here are some of the fun activities you’ll do during those days at sea, all of the exciting destinations you’ll visit, and the best times of the year to take an unforgettable transatlantic journey across the ocean.
What’s a transatlantic cruise?
Transatlantic cruises are cruises that sail anywhere across the Atlantic Ocean from one continent to another. Most cruises that travel across the Atlantic either depart from Europe and end in the United States, or the other way around.
In the cruising industry, transatlantic sailings are also called repositioning cruises. Repositioning cruises are cruises that sail from one region of the world to another after the tourist season in one area has ended and the ship then relocates to another area, most often with a warmer climate.
When’s the best time to cruise from Europe to the USA?
European cruise season starts in April and ends in November. Most transatlantic cruises set sail in the shoulder season months of April, October, and November.
Cruises to Europe from the USA usually set sail in April in order to get to Europe in time for the high summer tourist season, which kicks off in late May. After the high cruise season in the Mediterranean and Europe ends, ships need to relocate once again, therefore cruises from Europe to the USA usually depart in October and November. Some transatlantic cruises to Iceland and Greenland set sail in August.
Read: Europe in April
How much is a cruise from Europe to the USA?
One of the biggest draws of taking a transatlantic cruise is that you can experience a longer vacation on an award-winning cruise ship at an exceptional price. Transatlantic cruises are often more affordable than other cruise vacations because they sail during the shoulder seasons, don’t stop in many ports of call, and include several days at sea.
If you love spending time on the open ocean (after all, there’s plenty of entertainment and things to do while onboard), a transatlantic cruise is the perfect vacation.
How long does it take to cruise between the U.S. and Europe?
Transatlantic cruises to Europe from the USA typically last around two weeks, with travelers spending around 11 to 16 nights onboard.
Which cruise ships sail between Europe and the U.S.?
Several of our award-winning Celebrity Cruise ships travel between Europe and the United States. Our roster of transatlantic cruise ships includes the Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Ascent, Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Reflection, and Celebrity Silhouette.
What are the main departure ports in the USA and Europe?
Most of the cruises to Europe from the United States set sail from Fort Lauderdale or Tampa in Florida.
Cruises from Europe to the U.S. depart from Barcelona, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Rome, Italy; and Southampton, England.
What are the top things to do on sea days?
All Celebrity cruise ships have exciting activities onboard to keep you busy while you’re sailing across the Atlantic Ocean.
During the day, lounge by the pool, get pampered at the spa, or sunbathe in the solarium or Lido Deck while the kids enjoy playing with others at our Camp at Sea programs.
In the afternoon, enhance your skill set by taking some onboard classes through our CelebrityLife programs, where you can learn more about wine, find out how to edit all those videos and photos you’ve been shooting on your cruise, take a glassblowing class, and more.
Evenings will be filled with delicious food in the main dining room or one of our specialty restaurants. After dinner, take in a show at the theater or fill your night with skillfully prepared cocktails and lively conversation at the Martini Bar or one of the other lounges. If you’re feeling lucky, take your chances at the slot machine or roulette table in the casino.
What are typical ports of call when you cruise from Europe to the USA?
A cruise between Europe and the USA doesn’t just consist of days at sea. You’ll also discover several international ports of call along the way, with stops in Mediterranean hot spots like Mallorca and Lisbon, and islands such as Bermuda and the Azores.
Some of the ports of call you could visit on a cruise between Europe and the USA include:
- Bruges, Belgium
- Cartagena, Spain
- Florence, Italy
- Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Ponta Delgada, Azores
- Malaga, Spain
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Nice (Villefranche), France
- Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- Provence (Toulon), France
- Tenerife, Canary Islands
Discover exciting itineraries from Europe to the US or the US to Europe. Search for your next transatlantic cruise along with your airfare, onboard activities, shore excursions, and more. Book now before these once-in-a-lifetime ships sell out!
