Transatlantic weather

[shipgeeks]

We will be sailing Fort Lauderdale to Med in April. I love being out on deck on a moving ship, regardless of how windy or rough it is. Any thoughts on whether I would regret not packing more than a fleece pullover? If so, what else might I want?

[april47]

I went on TA from Galveston to England in April 2007. There was no problem at all. The water was not choppy at any time. I guess it would be the luck of the draw but evidently April is a pretty good time for a TA.

[RoofingPrincess]

My personal experience (for life in general, not just transatlantics) has been that fleece jackets let wind through, and I get cold. I'd take a windbreaker along, so you can either wear it alone, or over the fleece. A windbreaker doesn't take up much space, and it's definitely a case of better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, especially if you love being out on deck.

[Quasar1011]

Bring a windbreaker. Most likely you would need it near Florida or Spain. Once you get into mid-Atlantic, you'll be in the doldrums: in the middle of the Bermuda High, or as it is called in Europe, the Azores High. Less wind under that high pressure system, and the tail (south) ends of cold fronts less likely to penetrate that far south.

 

The chart I post below, is for March 1st. I drew a line from Ft. Lauderdale towards Gibraltar. As you can see, the storm path would be well to the north of you at that time. The closer the lines (isobars) on this chart, the windier it tends to be.

 

So while you probably won't need it for much of the trip, you'll be glad you took a windbreaker just in case you run into bad weather.

[Essiesmom]

Take a light windbreaker to layer. If you don't have one, you can buy one in the shops on the ship. EM

[shipgeeks]

Thanks, everyone. I will go shopping for a windbreaker this weekend. (As if I mind having another reason to shop...)

[Hlitner]

We have done TA cruises from Florida 5 out of the past 6 years (will be on our way again in less then 3 weeks) and had every kind of weather from sunny and warm to days of 30+ foot seas and cold rainy conditions. You need to be prepared for just about anything so bring layers. One consideration would be your route. If you were cruising across to North Africa or the Canary Islands you would have a pretty southern route and a better chance of warm weather. If you are headed to England or Amsterdam your route will be over a more northerly course and generally somewhat cooler.

 

Hank

[gerryl12]

I would pack a windbreaker as well as the fleece. The weather mid Atlantic can get cold and rough or be warm and smooth in April, it's just the luck of the draw.

Hopefully you'll be lucky and have it nice and warn all the way but don't bet on it.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I'd bring a windbreaker or something similar as well and layer with fleece, a sweater, or other jacket as needed.

 

We've done 3 TA's and we've always had fairly smooth rides, (light chop, some swells in the Mid-Atlantic) but temps have ranged from 70's (first day or two out of Florida) to 40's. Wind can be pretty bad as the ship's are going faster than they normally do in the Caribbean, as well as whatever wind is blowing.

 

You might just need that windebreaker/raincoat in Europe too. It was cool and windy in Florence, with light rain, one year, for instance, and I really was glad I had on a longer rain coat with a sweater underneath. Two days later in Rome it was 85-90 degrees and muggy. All in April.

 

Of course, weather and seas vary so much it's hard to predict.

[loubetti]

You're basically going the southern Atlantic route, not Northern. I can assure you that the northern Atlantic in April can certainly throw up some weather surprises, as I experienced on QM2's maiden trans-Atlantic voyage from Southampton to New York in 2004. Rock 'n Roll baby! Then again, "Titanic" had calm seas in the north during April, but... :rolleyes:

 

Otherwise, going south, a light jacket or wind breaker should be fine.

[CrusinCyndi]

In reading the above info, I have the same sort of question.

 

We will be doing a TA from Copenhagen Denmark to the Azores to Miami Florida at the beginning of October...am I safe to assume that a windbreaker would suffice? I am thinking that the weather would be cooler leaving from Denmark and get warmer as we cruise south. Anybody cruised at that time of year ?