Trans-Pacific West Bound

[Bill Miller]

Hoping we can catch a possible Trans-Pacific from the West Coast. I know from reading your posts on Trans-Atlantic, POSH,  or port side cabin out, starboard side cabin East bound return. I'm guessing this is true as well on the Pacific trips. Your fabulous insider knowledge will be appreciated.

Not many Trans-Pacific posts lately, tell us about your fabulous experience.

 

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, Bill Miller said:

Hoping we can catch a possible Trans-Pacific from the West Coast. I know from reading your posts on Trans-Atlantic, POSH,  or port side cabin out, starboard side cabin East bound return. I'm guessing this is true as well on the Pacific trips. Your fabulous insider knowledge will be appreciated.

Not many Trans-Pacific posts lately, tell us about your fabulous experience.

 

 

My preference for a stateroom regardless of the itinerary has always been on the port side of the ship.  I have no logical reason for this other than what I first booked in 1970 and have continued to do so when I was able to do so.  Have I had staterooms on the ship's starboard side?  Yes.  Was I satisfied?  Yes.  

 

Looking at a trans-Oceanic crossing, your concern ought to be on the location of your stateroom and not the side of the ship the stateroom is located.  The lowest possible guest deck and as close to the middle of that deck that is possible is the best location for a stateroom when King Neptune is upset.  During a long voyage with many days at sea, it is quite likely that His Majesty will have some bad days.  

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Hey RK,

 

You have heard of Bonine!  I’ve sailed on 12 deck with a 130 mile an hour head wind.  Bonine saved the day...and my dinner...lol.  

Edited May 18, 2020 by CGTNORMANDIE

[Heidi13]

17 hours ago, Bill Miller said:

Hoping we can catch a possible Trans-Pacific from the West Coast. I know from reading your posts on Trans-Atlantic, POSH,  or port side cabin out, starboard side cabin East bound return. I'm guessing this is true as well on the Pacific trips. Your fabulous insider knowledge will be appreciated.

Not many Trans-Pacific posts lately, tell us about your fabulous experience.

 

 

POSH originated on the P&O and BI ships trading between UK and India, in the days before air conditioning. As they headed South through Suez and Red Sea, or W Coast of Africa before Suez, the Port side cabin received AM sun, so had longer to cool by bedtime. The Stbd side cabins had afternoon sun and were hotter at bed time. On the return voyage, the reverse applied.

 

With modern air conditioned ships, the temperatures remain fairly consistent.

 

My wife doesn't like ship motion, so we select cabins as per RKA.

 

The other consideration is the route - Great Circle or Rumb Line and North or South Transit

[rkacruiser]

18 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Hey RK,

 

You have heard of Bonine!  I’ve sailed on 12 deck with a 130 mile an hour head wind.  Bonine saved the day...and my dinner...lol.  

 

Oh, yes.  I always have a supply with me....just in case.  On MSC Meraviglia, my stateroom was on Deck 15 not too far aft of the Bridge.  That location was on the highest deck that I have ever had a stateroom.  We had two days of windy conditions.  I surely noticed the difference between having a lowest passenger deck stateroom and my Deck 15 stateroom.  I must be a good sailor; didn't have the need to touch my Bonine supply.  But, it was comforting to know that I had some if it was needed.

Edited May 18, 2020 by rkacruiser

[moonlit]

We sailed out of Seattle on HAL Oosterdam in late September 2013 to Australia and New Zealand. We were remained an extra night in Seattle because of a very severe storm but when we did set sail South the next day, the weather was glorious and continued to be perfect all 42 days. The fascinating Islands in the Pacific  that I had never really heard of after Hawaii were amazing. I highly recommend this Transpacific Voyage.

[Traveling Mike]

I did a Celebrity Trans-Pacific last September and got hooked.  It a great time of year and very cost effective.  I did learn the cabin does not mean much unless you like to watch the high waves.  The September weather in the bearing sea does not allow much time outside.  It puts everyone inside and active with the activities.  The Cruise Critic group was very active.  I am already waiting to book in September next year and April 2022.

[canadjineh]

Is there any real reason to book a balcony if the TA/TP is mainly sea days especially if it's a northern crossing?  Just wondering, because we've only done a bit of cruising, and the only time we used our balconies was when we were coming into or leaving ports, or on HAL we had our room service breakfasts and coffee in our robes.  Haven't done a crossing yet though, mainly Mexican Riviera and Caribbean itineraries.  Give me your opinions and why. Thx.

Edited February 22, 2021 by canadjineh

[kochleffel]

9 hours ago, canadjineh said:

Is there any real reason to book a balcony if the TA/TP is mainly sea days especially if it's a northern crossing?  Just wondering, because we've only done a bit of cruising, and the only time we used our balconies was when we were coming into or leaving ports, or on HAL we had our room service breakfasts and coffee in our robes.  Haven't done a crossing yet though, mainly Mexican Riviera and Caribbean itineraries.  Give me your opinions and why. Thx.

 

I've read posts by others saying that they use their balconies constantly in all itineraries and all weathers, but for a 2022 TPAC on a northern route (via Petropavslosk in Kamchatka) I booked an OV, after seeing pictures from other cruises on similar itineraries with snow on the balconies. I couldn't imagine using a balcony on that route enough to justify the expense.

 

However, I don't ordinarily book balcony staterooms. I did have one on a Baltic cruise where it was well worthwhile in the Stockholm archipelago in nice weather. I haven't booked a balcony cabin in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean, where the climate would make it pleasant, because those itineraries have many port calls and few sea days.

 

I would also be influenced by the layout of the ship. For my 2022 booking, the only non-balcony OV cabins on the ship are either on the lowest passenger deck, directly under the casino and the shops, or forward-facing on higher decks. Since the cruise is eastbound and I will want to try to get to sleep early most nights, but I'm not prone to motion sickness, I chose one of the handful of forward-facing cabins. A location all the way forward would not be good for anyone with motion sickness.

[rkacruiser]

14 hours ago, canadjineh said:

Is there any real reason to book a balcony if the TA/TP is mainly sea days especially if it's a northern crossing?  Just wondering, because we've only done a bit of cruising, and the only time we used our balconies was when we were coming into or leaving ports, or on HAL we had our room service breakfasts and coffee in our robes.  Haven't done a crossing yet though, mainly Mexican Riviera and Caribbean itineraries.  Give me your opinions and why. Thx.

 

A true trans-Atlantic crossing such as on Queen Mary 2, I would not book a balcony stateroom because of the likelihood of being able to have little use of the balcony.  Even her in-hull balconies:  No.  I had one of those.  You sit in a deck chair on your balcony and all one can see is sky because of the solid steel hull.  On QM2, a deck steward will set-up a deck chair, cushion, and blanket on one of the aft open decks if one wants fresh air and a view of the sea.  There are also deck chairs along the deck outside of King's Court.  

 

On the other hand, if the trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific crossing is a true cruise with ports to be visited en route, yes, I would consider booking a balcony stateroom.  Having quick access to see whatever there is to see as one enters or leaves a port would be an advantage.  

 

Noting in your post that you have sailed on HAL, the Vista Class ships (and maybe the other newer classes as well) have staterooms on Deck 4 that are either fully or partially obstructed.  Those are good value staterooms.  Floor to ceiling windows and because of no balcony are larger than the living area in the balcony staterooms just above them.  Fully obstructed means that as far as a view straight ahead.  But, both types have views of Deck 3 and, if one chooses carefully, one can snag a partially obstructed with a view straight ahead between the davits of two lifeboats/tenders.  

 

 

[generichandle]

I generally want an inside on trans Atlantic or trans Pacific, because I will spend little time in room anyway. OTOH, during our trans Pacific Vancouver - Sydney I spent so much time looking at the dolphins, whales, and more flying fish than I suspected even existed that I wished I had a balcony. 

 

I agree with the 'lower middle' thesis too. We had a cabin in the extreme front on a high deck during a 80mph storm with 45ft seas, and I could hardly stand, or even stay in my bed. Finally half walked, half crawled to center low deck and slept on a couch.  Luckily, I have never had motion sickness [knock on wood] but certainly have a hard time sleeping on a roller coaster. 

 

BTW, I love sea days, and trans ocean repositioning cruises are my preference. 

[4774Papa]

On 5/17/2020 at 10:43 PM, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Hey RK,

 

You have heard of Bonine!  I’ve sailed on 12 deck with a 130 mile an hour head wind.  Bonine saved the day...and my dinner...lol.  

Ginger helps with seasickness.   We were on a cruise in the North Sea in 2014 with a hurricane and 40ft waves.   One-third of the passengers and crew were done with seasickness.   We were just fine.

[BAYA]

I'm following this topic. I've done two transatlantics and am hoping to plan a transpacific for 2023. My goal is to go from North America to Australia or New Zealand. I really want to visit both of them but it looks (so far) as though I might end up flying to one country or the other and doing a local circumnavigation cruise since the transpacifics are booking up so early. 

If anyone has advice on the best way to approach this research I'd appreciate it. I am disappointed with the search engines on a couple of sites I've tried so far.

Ultimately I will book with a travel agent most likely, but I want to have done my own research and chosen the sailing I want to book.

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, BAYA said:

Ultimately I will book with a travel agent most likely, but I want to have done my own research and chosen the sailing I want to book.

 

That is what I have done for many years.  Sometimes, I may need some help from my TA during my research, but, when I am ready to make a booking when I call my TA, I know what I want including the stateroom category and location; probably even the stateroom number as well.

 

4 hours ago, BAYA said:

I really want to visit both of them but it looks (so far) as though I might end up flying to one country or the other and doing a local circumnavigation cruise since the transpacifics are booking up so early. 

If anyone has advice on the best way to approach this research I'd appreciate it.

 

If you can link a local circumnavigation cruise  that ends and the repositioning cruise to the U.S. begins has provided an excellent itinerary for me.  I flew to Auckland for a 14 day New Zealand/Australia cruise that ended in Sydney.  When we sailed from Sydney, we were headed to Vancouver with many South Pacific and Hawaiian ports.  This was aboard the Volendam.  I think the Noordam has done such an itinerary as well.  

[BAYA]

17 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

If you can link a local circumnavigation cruise  that ends and the repositioning cruise to the U.S. begins has provided an excellent itinerary for me.  I flew to Auckland for a 14 day New Zealand/Australia cruise that ended in Sydney.  When we sailed from Sydney, we were headed to Vancouver with many South Pacific and Hawaiian ports.  This was aboard the Volendam.  I think the Noordam has done such an itinerary as well.  

Thanks for the excellent suggestion.😊