Pro's and Con's North vs South Westbound Transatlantic?

[scubacruiserx2]

We have done an Eastbound Transatlantic in the Spring, but are considering a Westbound Transatlantic cruise in the Fall.

What are your thoughts/opinions on the Northern route - Shetland Islands, Iceland , Greenland, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New York, vs the Southern route - Rome, Florence, France, Spain, Canary Islands, Ft. Lauderdale?

[Essiesmom]

The southern route will be much warmer, and you will have perhaps a couple more hours of daylight in your ports. Depending on time of year, how late in the fall, your weather will be much colder on the northern route, less daylight, and the seas not so happy. I think you run the risk of missing ports in the northern route, Greenland being iffy in any season. I believe you have a longer stretch of sea days on the southern route. I would choose the northern route, because I have done the southern several times, and would jump at the chance for a third visit to Iceland. EM

[paul929207]

We did the northern route for a b2b TA a few years ago, We love the ports in Iceland, Greenland and others.

[scubacruiserx2]

Thank you. We prefer cooler weather (from FL) and would love to see Iceland and the other ports too.

[Hlitner]

Well, if you do the North route and the weather is awful you will wish you had done the southern route. And if you do the southern route and have awful weather you will wish you had taken the Northern route. The truth is that weather is a major factor on any cruise and there is no way to predict weather months in advance (or even days in advance). So we think you should just choose whichever cruise has the most interesting itinerary (for your taste) and hope for the best :).

 

Hank

[dsrdsrdsr]

... you will have perhaps a couple more hours of daylight in your ports. ...

That depends when you're going. If it's before September 21st, you get longer daylight hours on the northern route; after that date, longer on the southern route. The difference for a few weeks either side is pretty small, though.

[navybankerteacher]

Sailing from Rome is a favorite - because having a few days in Italy pre-cruise is great. The northern ports are interesting, but not more so than French and Spanish ports. The sea days on the southern route are so much better.

Having had my fill of North Atlantic cold water "cruising" with the Navy, it's southern route every time.

[Taxguy77]

We have done both and had good weather every time. Both are interesting with interesting ports.

If you have done one way before, choose the other next time.

[bar_20]

Sailing from Rome is a favorite - because having a few days in Italy pre-cruise is great. The northern ports are interesting, but not more so than French and Spanish ports. The sea days on the southern route are so much better.

Having had my fill of North Atlantic cold water "cruising" with the Navy, it's southern route every time.

 

How did the stabilizers on those Navy ships work out for you? :D

[navybankerteacher]

How did the stabilizers on those Navy ships work out for you? :D

 

Indirectly (by their utter non-existence), very well.

 

A 306 foot destroyer escort, 37 foot beam, in 25 foot seas in the North Atlantic, provides a certain immunity to motion sickness when sailing on today's behemoths.