Port or Starboard on a Transpacific from Vancouver

We are looking at a transpacific and wondering whether we should book port or starboard. It’s stopping at Honolulu and Kona where the sail in scenery should be good.

There seems to be a lot of conflicting info on the main board so I thought I would ask here because I reckon quite a few members would have done a Transpacific cruise!

Thanks.

I have done these crossings several times.

My own view is that either side will be fine.

Instead I would place more emphasis in where on the deck you are located. I prefer mid ship for not only convenience but because you feel the motion least. If motion bothers you avoid being very far forward or far back (far forward has the most motion). Again, either side will be fine for this crossing.

Keith

Keith is correct as usual. There really isn't a "sail in" at Kona, as it is a tender port. Honolulu, there is some scenery on both sides, but the stuff you will really want to see (Pearl Harbor and Waikiki) is a ways off. And what you would miss sailing in, you could see sailing out.

So, essentially, you are picking a side of the ship for maybe a total of an hour or two of a pretty long cruise. That is why you perceive conflicting info.

There are very, very few places in the world where side of the ship matters. Venice is one.

Thanks Guys! I figured it was more important where the sun was compared to your balcony for 24 days if there wasn’t a particular view at ports

Me, I'm a night owl, not a morning person. And I like sunsets. So when I do oceanic crossings, whenever possible I choose a cabin that will be facing west-ish. If nothing else, the last thing I want is early morning sun streaming into my cabin through the curtains when I'm on vacation.

If sailing into Honolulu from Vancouver, I would take the starboard side. I would anticipate that you would then be on the side facing Waikiki; Diamond Head; etc when coming in during the morning. (I did the cruise in reverse and was on the port side leaving Honolulu for Seattle and really enjoyed this view).

Which side crossing from Vancouver to Japan to get the sun in a balcony cabin?

Thanks Ontario Cruiser

Generally, I'd have to say port side, Ontario, based on you being in a northern latitude and the sun being generally south, as it travels from east to west. If you want more, book a forward or aft-facing cabin for direct views of sunrise and sunset.

If you have no enroute stops and are purely Vancouver to Japan, my guess is the ship will follow a Great Circle Route, and the heading will be gradually changing, starting northwest and gradually shifting a little bit south.

Thanks I will book port side on the Millennium crossing September 2018

OntarioCruiser

Which side crossing from Vancouver to Japan to get the sun in a balcony cabin?

Thanks Ontario Cruiser

Generally, I'd have to say port side, Ontario, based on you being in a northern latitude and the sun being generally south, as it travels from east to west. If you want more, book a forward or aft-facing cabin for direct views of sunrise and sunset.

 

If you have no enroute stops and are purely Vancouver to Japan, my guess is the ship will follow a Great Circle Route, and the heading will be gradually changing, starting northwest and gradually shifting a little bit south.

I agree Port will give you more sun on that crossing.

On 1/5/2018 at 6:49 PM, GUT2407 said:

 

 

 

I agree Port will give you more sun on that crossing.

On 1/5/2018 at 2:28 PM, Wildblue said:

Generally, I'd have to say port side, Ontario, based on you being in a northern latitude and the sun being generally south, as it travels from east to west. If you want more, book a forward or aft-facing cabin for direct views of sunrise and sunset.

 

If you have no enroute stops and are purely Vancouver to Japan, my guess is the ship will follow a Great Circle Route, and the heading will be gradually changing, starting northwest and gradually shifting a little bit south.

Doing our 1st transpacific cruise from Tokyo to Vancouver and trying to decide if Portside or starboard side of the ship would get more sun. So, it would be essentially the opposite and Starboard side should get more sun in a balcony cabin? TIA

On 12/20/2023 at 7:04 PM, TeamCan said:

Doing our 1st transpacific cruise from Tokyo to Vancouver and trying to decide if Portside or starboard side of the ship would get more sun. So, it would be essentially the opposite and Starboard side should get more sun in a balcony cabin? TIA

Yes.