Repositioning Cruises: How To Take A One-Way Adventure

Twice The Journey, Half The Hassle: Repositioning Cruise Benefits

With unique ports, stretched sea days and an exciting new destination on the other side, repositioning cruises are for both the adventurous and the leisure-chasers. Those with a serious case of wanderlust will revel in the way that taking, say, a transatlantic cruise one-way can allow you to see more and visit untraditional destinations. Meanwhile, those who want chilled-out vibes will absolutely love the ample sea days that allow for plenty of time to enjoy the amenities that come with their cruise. 

If you’re asking yourself, “What is a repositioning cruise and how is it different from traditional cruises?” here’s the thing: They’re both great. They both come with a magical, sea-based vacation. But a Royal Caribbean repositioning cruise comes with quite a few unique benefits compared to your run-of-the-mill voyage, including:

● More affordable per-day cruise fares.

● More days at sea.

● Fewer crowds.

● More untraditional ports.

● Potential second vacation on the other side, rather than getting dropped back off at the starting point.

● More leisurely pace.

● Longer journey.

● Potential to cross entire oceans versus smaller seas.

For me, repo cruises are no-brainers. You get all of the perks of traditional cruises, such as amenities, sea views and entertainment, but you get more consecutive and overall time to enjoy them, along with added bonuses like more unique ports and a fresh destination on the other side. So, my advice is to keep your eye out for cruise ship repositioning deals and book as soon as you can.

Plus, with Royal Caribbean cruises, you know that you’re in for all things thrill and chill, making for a really balanced trip that won’t exhaust you on the other side. So spend the water journey going to every show, taking advantage of the spa, sampling everything at your favorite eateries slowly over the course of the trip, racing your friends down the waterslides and having little outdoor movie date nights under the stars. Then, in every port, including the last one, you won’t come off feeling drained and running on empty. This is especially key for one-way cruises, since you’ll likely want to spend at least a few days seeing the destination port region. 

However, there are certain brands of travelers who I believe would benefit most from repositioning cruises:

● The Globe Trotter: Ending your journey somewhere different than where you began ensures that you see more destinations, and can often mean a longer journey.

● The Leisure Lover: Since the repositioning cruise doesn’t have to circle back, the ship can be at sea for longer, making for a more laid-back pace.

● The Cruise Fanatic: With more days at sea, you can soak up your time onboard and enjoy all of the amenities.

● The Introvert: These repositioning cruise ships themselves are often less crowded and visit less crowded ports, so you can have more space.

● The Penny Pincher: One-way cruises are typically more budget-friendly thanks to the lower fares per day – if you find added cruise ship repositioning deals, even better.

● The Been-There-Done-That Traveler: Even if you’ve cruised all over, repo cruises include lesser-known ports and exotic destinations that even the most well-traveled might not have visited.

● The Love Birds: The slower pace, fewer crowds, romantic destinations and lengthier trip length of repositioning cruises mean lots of quality time together in beautiful places.

● The Retirees and PTO-Savers: Longer journeys are great for those with lots of time off who are looking for something fun to do.

Smooth Sailing Starts Here: Repositioning Cruise Prep

Repositioning cruises are a whole different game than traditional cruises, but if you’re seeking something non-traditional, exciting and ultra-leisurely, that’s a good thing. You just need to be prepared. So, here are six things to plan for:

1. Transportation Logistics

The major benefit of repositioning cruises is that they land you somewhere new, which could be the start of part two of your vacation, rather than the end of it. You can take a one-way flight home from that port, or fly to a departure port, explore that region as a pre-vacation vacation and take your repo cruise back to your local port. Regardless of how you want to do it, just remember that traditional cruises are circular in nature, and one-way cruises are not — it’s up to you to complete the journey home. 

2. Travel Documents

Research visa requirements, flagging any destinations that require special documents, and ensure you have all of them. I like to have a little organized pouch with me so they’re all in one place, and organize the documents in order of when you’ll need them. 

3. Voyage Length

Repositioning cruises are typically longer, so make sure to keep that in mind when you’re planning your PTO or holiday. This also might mean that you’ll want upgrades that you otherwise wouldn’t mind going without during a shorter period, such as Wi-Fi. 

4. Packing Prep

Since one-way cruises visit a wider variety of destinations, that means a wider variety of supplies will be needed, typically. For example, if you’re sailing from a tropical climate to a freezing one, you’ll need both sandals and boots, layers and swimsuits. My rule of thumb is to pack interchangeable and layered outfits no matter what — lightweight layers for hot temperatures, and thicker layers for colder climates. Also, look up if there are themed nights you’ll want to participate in onboard, and pack appropriate outfits. 

5. Room Type

Since you’ll be on the cruise for longer, it’s important to seriously consider your comfort and ask yourself what kind of room you want to be in for that long. If you can’t imagine being at sea without a balcony, for example, book a balcony room. Keep a lookout for cruise ship repositioning deals!

6. Your Priorities

Unless I’m on assignment, I generally consider my priorities before booking any trip, rather than basing everything around where I want to go. For example, if it’s important to you to go somewhere warm and you want lots of sea days, pick a repositioning cruise that focuses on warm climates and has lots of days at sea. If you want a variety of destinations and want to check off more countries, a longer pick like a transatlantic cruise one-way is perfect for you.

Discover Differently With Royal Caribbean Repositioning Cruises

From the leisure lovers to the destination hoppers, a repositioning cruise is truly a crowd-pleaser if you’re even somewhat a fan of travel. And, between the peaceful sea days, off-the-beaten-trail ports and optional post-vacation vacation, I consider repo cruises to be among the most underrated ways to holiday.