Transatlantic cruises the luxury way

For many people, transatlantic cruises will always be the classic ocean voyage. Harking back to the romance of days gone by when cruise ships were simpler, classier and more refined. Of course, the luxury cruise lines know only too well the appeal of classic ship feel and their features, amenities and facilities generally reflect this. So, bearing that in mind, I thought I’d take a look at some of the transatlantic cruises operated by the leading six star lines.

The classic

A journey from London to New York is certainly the most timeless of transatlantic cruises and withOceania Cruises, you can follow in the footsteps of countless historic cruisers on a truly classic voyage. Departing from Southampton it calls at the Irish ports of Belfast, Dublin and Cork, giving this journey a genuinely historic feel as Ireland was traditionally the last stop for many before heading off on the long trekacross the Atlantic. Before arriving in New York, on this sailing, you’ll get to experience the best of Canada and New England in the autumn, which is considered by pretty much every north American as the best time to see it.

An icy twist

Of course, there’s more than one way to enjoy transatlantic cruises and you don’t have to include both New York and London in the journey, or indeed, end your journey in the Big Apple. You could choose to cruise from there instead and with that in mind, Crystal Cruises offer a voyage which departs from New York, then explores some of the New England and Canadian highlights. Instead of heading for the UK though, it stays firmly in the North Atlantic, making its way to Iceland’s capital Reykjavik. As far as transatlantic cruises go, this is certainly an interesting twist on the journey.

From Miami to Canada

OK, so you want to arrive back in the UK on your transatlantic cruise but fancy an altogether different part of the US in which to begin your journey. Enter, Silversea with its Fort Lauderdale to Southampton crossing.  With this cruise, you’ll enjoy some of Florida’s classic sunshine before travelling up the east coast to New York, then taking in two of Canada’s most popular ports, Halifax, Nova Scotia and St John’s Newfoundland. In an interesting twist, you’ll also call at lesser-visited ports of call Foynes in Ireland and Fowey in Cornwall, before arriving in Southampton.

Fun in the sun

So, let’s stick with the ideal of setting sail from Florida, but this time keep the emphasis firmly on sunnier climes. On this most sun-kissed of transatlantic cruises with Seabourn, you’ll depart Fort Lauderdale and call at a number of classic Mediterranean destinations such as Funchal, Valencia, Barcelona and Rome, before heading south to the Greek Isles, and such ports as Iraklion, Rhodes before ending your journey in Greece’s glorious capital Athens. Or perhaps you’d like to embark on a Miami to Mediterranean voyage with Azamara? This time, you’ll set sail from Miami and call at such favourite ports as Malaga, Gibraltar and Cartagena before arriving in French waters, with plenty of time to explore two of its classiest destinations – Nice and Cannes.

South American style

Of course, it’s possible to cross the Atlantic without going anywhere near the USA, so if South America has always been on your list of places to visit, then Regent Seven Seas’ Rio to Barcelona crossing would be just perfect. Beginning in Brazil’s legendary party capital, this voyage explores some of the country’s coastal highlights before crossing the Atlantic via Africa’s Dakar. After visiting the home of the famous rally, things take a distinctly Mediterranean turn as you visit Las Palmas, Lanzarote, Tangier and Malaga, before ending your cruise in true style, with plenty of time to explore the lively streets of Barcelona.

By Simon Brotherton
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