Transatlantic

[alfie2000]

I am fed up of cancelling cruises so I am not going to book anything until closer to sailing time but I am looking at transatlantic cruises for next year. Can anyone tell me what gets better weather Europe to USA or USA to Europe? Also what side to have a balcony cabin?

[woldridge]

Weather is not predictable.  We have had smooth as glass waters in November as well as rain and wavy waters.  Spring is the same.  These are the reasons why we always do Europe to USA:

• Traveling US to Europe you lose many hours with time changes. Going the other way you gain that time which actually gives you a longer cruise.
• Going US to Europe you have many sea days and then port intensive, so when you get home you are tired and need a vacation.  The other way you are excited to do vacation things at the start of your trip, and then have all those glorious sea days to recoup.
• Going Europe to US, if you go a few days early, by the time you get on the ship you have recovered from jet lag and are ready to cruise. Coming home there is no jet lag as you have adjusted slowly with those gained hours.  This is especially important if you have to return to work. Cruising over and flying home will just add to your fatigue.

FYI, if you want sun on your balcony chose port (left) side, regardless of the direction you are going.

Transatlantic cruises are wonderful!

[hallasm]

1 hour ago, woldridge said:

FYI, if you want sun on your balcony chose port (left) side, regardless of the direction you are going.

Might depend on departure port - I did have a starboard side cabin at a cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona in March - sun every day at my balcony - no sun at port side - I’ll say Port side when going from Europe to US and Starboard when going US to Europe . 
Which direction will depend on your program - you’ll loose some 6 hours when sailing East - however time change a noon do not impact your sleep. I really enjoy TA and the many sea days.

[ldubs]

3 hours ago, woldridge said:

Weather is not predictable.  We have had smooth as glass waters in November as well as rain and wavy waters.  Spring is the same.  These are the reasons why we always do Europe to USA:

• Traveling US to Europe you lose many hours with time changes. Going the other way you gain that time which actually gives you a longer cruise.
• Going US to Europe you have many sea days and then port intensive, so when you get home you are tired and need a vacation.  The other way you are excited to do vacation things at the start of your trip, and then have all those glorious sea days to recoup.
• Going Europe to US, if you go a few days early, by the time you get on the ship you have recovered from jet lag and are ready to cruise. Coming home there is no jet lag as you have adjusted slowly with those gained hours.  This is especially important if you have to return to work. Cruising over and flying home will just add to your fatigue.

FYI, if you want sun on your balcony chose port (left) side, regardless of the direction you are going.

Transatlantic cruises are wonderful!

 

Thanks for sharing very useful info.  I've never done a Transatlantic cruise.  If I ever do, this will be a lot of help.  

[woldridge]

We use our balcony in the afternoon and do now want the sun.  I should have been more clear.  Both sides will get some sun during the day as the sun moves.  We usually get aft cabins now for TA's. 🙂

 

I have done 5 TA's and never on a ship that changed time at noon. Regardless of when you change the time, you will lose an hour sometime.  Helps you acclimate to the destination time, but I would rather have the extra hour.

[hallasm]

2 hours ago, woldridge said:

I have done 5 TA's and never on a ship that changed time at noon.

Time change at noon is only east bound - when sailing from Europe to US as you’re doing time change at night.

 

2 hours ago, woldridge said:

Both sides will get some sun during the day as the sun moves.  We usually get aft cabins now for TA's

Not my experience- however might very well depend on itinerary and time of year.  

[navybankerteacher]

7 hours ago, woldridge said:

We use our balcony in the afternoon and do now want the sun.  I should have been more clear.  Both sides will get some sun during the day as the sun moves.  We usually get aft cabins now for TA's. 🙂

 

I have done 5 TA's and never on a ship that changed time at noon. Regardless of when you change the time, you will lose an hour sometime.  Helps you acclimate to the destination time, but I would rather have the extra hour.

Incorrect on both scores-   if you are talking about US to Europe or vice versa, you will be crossing the North Atlantic -- which means the port side will have sun pretty much all day if westbound while the starboard side will be in the shade --- eastbound the starboard side will get the sun. 

 

You only lose the hour eastbound --  and will  gain an hour westbound most days .  

 

You will probably find the best weather in September or October (barring the actually fairly uncommon hurricane - which can be steered around).  The Atlantic is at its warmest then --- while winter's chill lasts through May. 

 

My favorite is to fly east - getting the miserable flight out of the way first, then sail back - after enjoying the uncrowded and not overly hot September and October time in Europe and come back, likely on a repositioning, between mid-September and mid-November -- enjoying the longer days and easy time adjustment.

Edited September 12, 2021 by navybankerteacher

[Heidi13]

18 hours ago, woldridge said:

We use our balcony in the afternoon and do now want the sun.  I should have been more clear.  Both sides will get some sun during the day as the sun moves.  We usually get aft cabins now for TA's. 🙂

 

I have done 5 TA's and never on a ship that changed time at noon. Regardless of when you change the time, you will lose an hour sometime.  Helps you acclimate to the destination time, but I would rather have the extra hour.

 

The clox traditionally change at 02:00, but a number of Masters do elect to change the clox at 12:00 when Eastbound and the change is a full hour. The primary reason is easier compliance with crew hours of rest.

[TheOldBear]

19 hours ago, woldridge said:

We use our balcony in the afternoon and do now want the sun.  I should have been more clear.  Both sides will get some sun during the day as the sun moves.  We usually get aft cabins now for TA's. 🙂

As other posters have pointed out, the sunny side of the ship changes with the direction of the crossing. This is quite apparent on a great circle crossing.

 

19 hours ago, woldridge said:

I have done 5 TA's and never on a ship that changed time at noon. Regardless of when you change the time, you will lose an hour sometime.  Helps you acclimate to the destination time, but I would rather have the extra hour.

We've done two round trip crossings on the Queen Mary 2 [no flying 🙂  ] with a third booked for next year.

On the eastbound crossings, clocks were adjusted at noon. On the westbound crossings the clocks were adjusted some time after midnight [0200] but we just set our usual wake up call time.

That seems to be the standard for QM2 time zone adjustments, as the clocks were adjusted the same way during the Southampton - Hamburg round trip portion of the cruise.

[hallasm]

1 hour ago, TheOldBear said:

On the eastbound crossings, clocks were adjusted at noon. On the westbound crossings the clocks were adjusted some time after midnight [0200]

This is also my experience with Royal Caribbean.

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, TheOldBear said:

As other posters have pointed out, the sunny side of the ship changes with the direction of the crossing. This is quite apparent on a great circle crossing.

 

We've done two round trip crossings on the Queen Mary 2 [no flying 🙂  ] with a third booked for next year.

On the eastbound crossings, clocks were adjusted at noon. On the westbound crossings the clocks were adjusted some time after midnight [0200] but we just set our usual wake up call time.

That seems to be the standard for QM2 time zone adjustments, as the clocks were adjusted the same way during the Southampton - Hamburg round trip portion of the cruise.

We've done crossings on Cunard, Celebrity, HAL, and Royal Caribbean -- and recall regular eastbound time changes at mid-day (better to shorten the day than steal sleep time), and westbound changes in the middle of the night (extra sleep time beats shortening it).

 

 

[Langoustine]

On 9/11/2021 at 9:19 AM, woldridge said:

Weather is not predictable. 

Transatlantic cruises are wonderful!

Nor is your bodies reaction to it. I was once traveling on a TA with a group of 14. The sea was like glass, yet 1 of the 14 was seasick for most of the voyage.

Edited September 19, 2021 by Langoustine

[TeaBag]

We have had some rough trips sailing northbound ie Southampton to Boston.  Last trip they had to tie the furniture down on the balcony.  We prefer the southern route Europe to Florida, port side.  And yes, we love the extra hours as time gets adjusted when sailing westbound.