046: Transatlantic Crossings

Gary Bembridge author of "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook" provides another 60-Second Cruise Tip. For more visit http://www.60secondcruisetips.com and subscribe free to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher Radio and TuneIn Radio

Transatlantic crossings

A cruise purist calls crossing the Atlantic a crossing and not a cruise. A cruise is when you sail around many ports and is mostly about the destinations, while a crossing is where the journey itself is the whole experience. It is about being at sea for a week on a ship with only two ports: the start and end ports on opposite sides of the Atlantic.

Cunard is the only line that runs a regular scheduled crossing of the Atlantic. Before the age of the jet liner, there were about 40 lines plying the route between New York and Europe. Competition was fierce especially to provide the fastest crossing. The ships were segregated between the plush and luxurious palaces that were First Class, Second Class and the functional and inexpensive Third Class. Today Cunard still has three classes but other than the dining rooms and one lounge and deck, the ship is open to all passengers.

Other lines offer repositioning crossings at the start and end of the European summer when they move their ships from the Mediterranean back to the Caribbean. They are usually competitively priced, as many cruisers are wary of spending seven days at sea.