Yes, definitely take a transatlantic cruise, if ….Cathy and I have chosen to cross the Atlantic Ocean three times by ship. Here is what we did and why, and when we would recommend that you do a crossing.
Southhampton, UK to NYC on the QE II
Our first crossing was from Southhampton, UK to New York City on Cunard’s now retired Queen Elizabeth 2. We had spent the previous 3 weeks in Egypt visiting ancient sites, and in Kenya on safari. We were tired and dusty, and ready for a relaxed and upscale experience. The crossing did not disappoint. Lots of dress up dinners, English afternoon tea, and deck time wrapped in blankets and having hot bouillon.
And drinks and dinner with the Chief Engineer each night. We liked travelling east to west, as we picked up an hour most days (25 hour days). We liked the fact that our fellow passengers were mostly British. Would we have enjoyed this crossing as much if we had not done quite exhaustive travel leading up to the crossing, most certainly not.
One real issue is sea sickness. The QE2 was built to travel fast without stabalizers. We were pounded by heavy waves in the North Atlantic, and so yes, we experienced sea sickness.
Southhampton to NYC on the Queen Mary II
Our second crossing was the same route, however this time on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2. Again this trip followed a couple of weeks of train travel in Central Europe focussed on Budapest, Vienna and Prague. The QM2 is a much larger ship than the QE2, however it continues to uphold the long Cunard tradition of regular crossings of the Atlantic. It is built as an ocean liner, not a cruise ship. However due to the larger size, it did not feel as intimate. On the plus side, it’s larger size mitigated sea sickness, and I particularly enjoyed a scotch tasting from QM2’s acclaimed cellar.
Lisbon Portugal to Miami on the Crystal Serenity
Our third crossing was from Lisbon , Portugal to Miami on Crystal’s Serenity (went into bankrupcy during COVID) , with a stop in the Canary Islands. This ship is upscale, intimate and with superior service. For example, one night a table for 10 was set up for us and our friends on the deck and we dined on ‘chefs choice’. Prior to this crossing, Cathy and I travelled around Morocco, and so again we were ready to kick back and enjoy our days at sea. And since this crossing was much further south, the weather was warm and at least for this crossing, the ocean was calm. However the Crystal Serenity is a cruise ship and travels at a slower paces. There is just not the sense of adventure of being on a liner cutting through high waves on the open ocean.
So , yes, definitely take a transatlantic cruise, if …. we recomment the following.
- Do your crossing as a well deserved treat at the end of your adventure.
- Travel east to west – most days expand to 25 hours as you go through time zones.
- You will have days at sea, so take advantage of all that is offered and take along some good books and some sea sickness medication.
- Try out Cunard for a true ocean liner experience. Relish the formal evenings and other traditions of transatlantic crossings that define the Cunard brand. And do it with a bunch of Brits.