Norwegian Star Transatlantic Cruise: Now Cool With The Backpacking Crowd

What’s this? Our third Transatlantic Repositioning cruise in a row? Right now, with the Caribbean cruise high season well underway, repositioning cruises are the best deals in the business. Besides, this one’s really inexpensive and a bit unique in that it originates in Copenhagen and not Barcelona or ports in the U.K.

With prices as low as $399 per person (based on double occupancy) for an inside stateroom onboard the Norwegian Star on October 6, 2014 for its 14 night Transatlantic journey, it’s no wonder the vagabonding crowd have started to wake up to the idea of travel via cruise ship. After all, that price rivals some big city Europe hostels and is certainly cheaper than most hotels in the civilized world.

The Cruise

 

Norwegian Star embarks from Copenhagen, Denmark at 5pm on Monday, October 6, 2014. Before arriving at Miami, Florida on Monday, October 20 at 7am, Star makes just two port calls. There is lots of time at sea to enjoy everything the ship has to offer. Or, you could write a book. I recently read an article by an author who takes these cruises across the ocean for just that reason.

On Saturday, October 11, Norwegian Star docks at Ponta Delgada in the Azores Islands of Portugal. She is in port from 8am until 5pm. Ponta Delgada is the capital of the Azores and is located on the island of Sao Miguel. The city is home to around 65,000 residents. This stop will not be a hot, sweaty tropical experience but the average October daytime high of 21.9 Celcius is more than comfortable.

Next stop for Star is in the Caribbean. She docks at Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas Harbor on Friday, October 17 from 8am until 6pm. This, of course, is the island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Be sure to hitch a ride to the other side of the island and relax at Magens BayBeach.

The Price

October 6, 2014 is still a long way away. However, the price will most likely not get any better than this. For an inside stateroom on the Norwegian Star, prices start as low as $399 per person in Canadian dollars, based on double occupancy. There is an additional $110.35 per person in government taxes and fees. This means that an inside stateroom for two can be had for as low as $1,018.70, taxes included.

Pricing on higher levels of staterooms is reasonable. An Ocean View stateroom can be had for as low as $549 per person. A Balcony stateroom is priced from $899 per person. Suites start at $1,349 per person. If you book before April 4, 2014, Norwegian Cruise Lines throws in one coupon book per stateroom valued at over $300 in onboard savings.

The Ship

Norwegian Star is barely within Panamax sized limits when it comes to width. Meaning, it just squeaks into the locks of the Panama Canal. Back in 2000, this ship was intended to be dubbed SuperStar Libra in the Star Cruises fleet. Instead, she made her maiden voyage on November 19, 2001 as Norwegian Star.

She is a NCL Dawn Classship with just one younger sister. Norwegian Dawn came into service in 2002. Star has a gross tonnage of 91,740 and is 294 metres or 965 feet in length. There are 15 decks on board, eleven accessible to passengers. Guest capacity is 2,348 with a staff of 1,083 crew members.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

Celebrity Infinity 13 Night Transatlantic Repositioning Cruise From $617 Per Person

Let’s take another look at the Transatlantic Repositioning Cruise. This time, we’re looking at a premium brand that is priced much lower than its value. Along with the price, Celebrity Infinity offers a unique itinerary that differs from the rest of the crowd. On April 29, 2014, you can be on this 13 night journey across the Atlantic Ocean from just $617 per person.

The Cruise

 

Celebrity Infinity embarks from Miami, Florida on Tuesday, April 29, 2014 at 4:30 for a 13 night Transatlantic Repositioning cruise. Infinity arrives at Harwich, England at 4am on Monday, May 12. Along the way, she makes three unique port calls.

On Friday, May 2, Infinity docks at New York City from 8am until 6pm. She then takes a full day at sea before reaching Halifax, Nova Scotia on Sunday, May 4. Infinity remains docked at Halifax from 7am until 3pm before heading out for nearly a week at sea.

The south coast of Ireland is the next time this ship will see land. Infinity docks at Cobh, Ireland on Saturday, May 10 from 12pm until 8pm. Cobh was known as Queenstown from 1850 until 1920. It was in Queenstown on April 11, 1912 that RMS Titanic last touched land.

As far as the final destination, Harwich is located not far north from the mouth of the Thames River. Celebrity Infinity docks at the Harwich International Port. London Stansted is the closest international airport, just 50 km away. The city of London is just 70 minutes away via rail.

The Price

Right now, an inside stateroom on Celebrity Infinity for this 13 night journey can be had for as low as $617 per person, based on double occupancy. There is an additional $139 per person in government fees and taxes, regardless of level of stateroom. A room for two can be had from $1,512, taxes included.

Other levels of stateroom are decently priced. An Ocean View room starts from $722 per person. A Balcony is not far off at $931 per person. A suite is a bit pricier, starting from $2,429 per person.

The Ship 

Celebrity Infinity of Celebrity Cruises was built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France. The company is now known as STX France. Infinity went into service in 2001 and is the second oldest of the four Celebrity Cruises Millennium Class of ships. The oldest is the Celebrity Millennium while Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Constellation came along in 2002.

Infinity is a fairly large ship with a gross tonnage of 91,000. She is 294 metres or 965 feet in length and has eleven decks accessible to passengers. Capacity onboard is for 2,170 guest and 999 crew members.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

Classic Holland America Transatlantic Dream Cruise From Just $699.80 Per Person

With last minute deals a little thin as we get knee deep in the high season, let’s take another look ahead at a season with some of the lowest priced cruising. Every spring and fall, cruise ships reposition across the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean to Mediterranean or vice versa.

Holland America Line has one of the deepest histories among the present day high seas passenger cruise lines. MS Eurodam is HAL’s second newest ship and the largest in the fleet until 2016. Eurodam makes her Transatlantic Repositioning cruise from Caribbean to Mediterranean on Sunday, March 30, 2014 and a stateroom can be had onboard for as low as $699.80 per person, based on double occupancy.

The Cruise

 

MS Eurodam embarks from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at 4pm on Sunday, March 30, 2014 for a 14 night journey across the Atlantic. She arrives at Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy on Sunday, April 13, 2014 at 7am. Along the way, she makes four port calls, all on the eastern side of the Atlantic.

After six full days at sea, Eurodam makes a stop in Portugal’s Azores Islands at Ponta Delgada on Sunday, April 6. She remains docked from 10am until 6pm.

The next three ports of call are on the European mainland and all three are in Spain. First up is Cadiz on Wednesday, April 9 from 7am until 5pm. The following day, Eurodam stops at Almeria, Spain from 8am until 6pm. The ship’s final stop is at Cartegena, Spain on Friday, April 11 from 8am until 4pm.

The Price

An inside stateroom onboard the MS Eurodam can be had for as low as $699.80 per person, in Canadian dollars. There is an additional $100.27 per person in government fees and taxes. The total for two in an inside stateroom, including taxes, can be as low as $1,600.14 for this 14 night romantic adventure across the Atlantic Ocean.

Upgraded staterooms are still reasonably priced. An Ocean View stateroom goes for as low as $820.24 per person and a Balcony stateroom goes from $1,000.20 per person. These prices are also based on double occupancy and are subject to the same $100.27 in government fees and taxes.

The Ship 

MS Eurodam was built by Fincantieri in Italy and made her maiden voyage on July 5, 2008. Eurodam is one of two Signature Class ships in the Holland America Line fleet. MS Nieuw Amsterdam came into service in 2010.

Although certainly not the largest cruise ship on the high seas, MS Eurodam is currently the largest in the Holland America fleet. In 2016, an as of now unnamed ship will be put in service that is larger than Eurodam by 14,000 gross tons.

Eurodam has a gross tonnage of 86,273, and is 285 metres or 935 feet in length. There are eleven decks accessible to the capacity 2,104 passengers. Running the ship and providing first class service are 929 crew members.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.