Answer these questions to find out In a few short weeks I’m headed out to the French Tourism Board's yearly conference in Paris and to explore the Grand Est Region of France, and I can’t wait to share all that region has to offer. Can we say CHAMPAGNE anyone?! I was once again honored to be invited to this prestigious, invitation only, international event. While I'm very excited about my upcoming trip to my beloved France, I want to talk about a trip I'm making in April that will take me there again. I know, I know, I think I will be in France more than home in March and April. In mid-April I will be setting sail on my first Transatlantic cruise. If you are a cruise lover, this type of cruise may be just right for you. Here are a few things to consider when determining if it is a good fit for your upcoming vacation plans. Do you have extended or unlimited free time or vacation days?Transatlantic cruises are LONG. They go, literally, from one continent to another. Across the ocean. Often referred to as repositioning sailings, it is when the cruise lines move their ships to different areas of the world in preparation for the next season’s sailings. Most of these Transatlantic sailings are anywhere from 12-25 days. This is a perfect option for empty nesters, retirees, or anybody with the flexibility in their schedule for an extended trip. Do you enjoy sea days on board a ship?As this is a Transatlantic sailing, there will be several stretches of 2-4 consecutive sea days without any port stops. Do you like participating in on board activities, and are you able to find enough going on to keep yourself entertained? Or, are you looking forward to those sea days to lounge around on the pool deck or in the hot tub, or maybe take in the view from your private balcony cabin? Enjoy a spa treatment or three, or have some quiet time in the library. While there is ALWAYS something going on on board for you active travelers, there is also ample opportunity for those of you who wish to take the time to just chill. What time of year are you available to travel?As I mentioned above, these cruises take place when the cruise lines are moving their ships either into the Caribbean for high season, or across to Europe or other continents for summer or winter sailings. If you are available to travel in fall and in the early spring, then this might be a good fit for you. Do you have limited funds, but unlimited vacation days?Believe it or not, while these cruises are quite long, they are actually very reasonably priced. What you give up in port stops, you more than make up for in price. As some of the lowest price per night sailings on most of the major cruise lines, you can really get a great bang for your buck. Do you want to explore a foreign destination and only pay HALF the airfare?The beauty of a Transatlantic cruise is you only have to fly internationally one way. So, you are cutting your international airfare by at least half. Depending on if you are traveling from the US to a foreign shore, or the other way around, you can extend your stay after disembarkation abroad or arrive early and tour around beforehand. After disembarking in Le Havre, France I will be headed to Paris for a few days. Because, why not?! Whether it’s Spain, Russia, Australia, or the Great Britain, there are plenty of options to extend your vacation. Do you want to visit ports in several countries?The cruise I am taking will be heading out from Florida and stopping in Bermuda as the first stop. OK, twist my arm and make me go the pink sand beaches. But, we will also be making several other stops along the way. I will be in Portugal on 2 separate days at different ports, we will make one stop in Spain, and finish up in France. So, don’t think that just because you're doing a Transatlantic cruise you’ll just be stuck on a ship for weeks with nowhere to go. You will still have the opportunity to make some very memorable stops along the way. So, does a repositioning cruise sound like something you may be interested in? I know I can’t wait to go on mine! If you think this type of special sailing is a good fit for you, I recommend you partner with a professional, such as myself, to help you determine what cruise line and sailing offers the port stops and ship amenities you are looking for. They only happen twice a year and sail from ports all over the US. I would love to help you plan your next vacation. Call or email me.
Because life is short. Stop dreaming. Start going.
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