Transatlantic to Caribbean

[Amberlulu]

Hi Everyone, we booked the Caribbean on Arvia this year flying from Cardiff but P&O have cancelled the cruise and are now selling it as a transatlantic cruise - can anyone advise on weather etc please.  We’ve done many cruises but not a transatlantic one.  

[molecrochip]

First two or 3 days can be variable but then gets hotter and better from there.

[david63]

You don't say what time of year you will be doing the TA.

 

The weather will be what the weather will be.

 

We have done TA around October when we have been able to sit out on deck every day and we have done TA in December when it has been cold, wet and windy and unable to go out on deck for around six days.

 

Generally speaking you would expect some decent weather once you get past the Azores - getting to the Azores could be anything.

[Amberlulu]

Sorry, I should have said we are going at end end of October

[sandancer]

39 minutes ago, Amberlulu said:

Hi Everyone, we booked the Caribbean on Arvia this year flying from Cardiff but P&O have cancelled the cruise and are now selling it as a transatlantic cruise - can anyone advise on weather etc please.  We’ve done many cruises but not a transatlantic one.  

Transatlantics are our favourite way to cruise although we do prefer to fly there and cruise back. We did that this year and had great weather until a few days before arrival. If you haven’t done a Transatlantic you need to consider whether you would enjoy maybe 5 or 6 sea days in a row. We do but it’s not for everyone. 

[GOQ]

I have done the TA crossing three times. From East to west, Southampton outbound to Barbados flying back to Gatwick homeward bound. And from West to East flying out from Gatwick to Barbados returning home to Southampton.

 

Fairly easy to do for me from South Wales, National Express coach to Gatwick and train or Intercruises coach back to Porthcawl.

 

The Westbound crossing travels down first to Tenerife then across the Atlantic. The trip across the Bay of Biscay was a bit rough but the TA itself was smooth with the weather becoming progressively warmer.

The Eastbound crossing travels Northwest to the Azores so the weather becomes increasingly colder and more cloudy as you get closer to the UK. But again, the TA was smooth.

 

 

 

[Selbourne]

2 minutes ago, sandancer said:

Transatlantics are our favourite way to cruise although we do prefer to fly there and cruise back. We did that this year and had great weather until a few days before arrival. If you haven’t done a Transatlantic you need to consider whether you would enjoy maybe 5 or 6 sea days in a row. We do but it’s not for everyone. 

That’s very good advice. We did a return transatlantic and wouldn’t do it again. The 6 sea days each way were way too much for us and we wouldn’t repeat it. It was worse on the return journey as we didn’t have the time in the USA and Canada to look forward to and we just wanted to get home. Admittedly it was outward to New York and return from Quebec, so didn’t have the warm weather that you’d get on a Caribbean cruise, but as we don’t sunbathe we still wouldn’t do it. The only Caribbean cruise that would appeal to us would be a fly cruise (flying both ways) but my wife cannot fly now so that’s not an option. However, we are all different and others absolutely love the prolonged run of sea days. I guess you don’t know unless you try it!

[solentsam]

7 minutes ago, sandancer said:

Hi Everyone, we booked the Caribbean on Arvia this year flying from Cardiff but P&O have cancelled the cruise and are now selling it as a transatlantic cruise - can anyone advise on weather etc please.  We’ve done many cruises but not a transatlantic one.

Dont forget to book port cabin for the outbound cruise (POSH) if you want sun most of the day on your balcony, as for weather the above posters are correct, closer to UK weather can be unsettled but once you hit the Azores or Canaries it will be fine.

[Amberlulu]

Thank you everyone, I’ve also booked The Retreat so hopefully we’ll be fine.  

[daiB]

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

That’s very good advice. We did a return transatlantic and wouldn’t do it again. The 6 sea days each way were way too much for us and we wouldn’t repeat it. It was worse on the return journey as we didn’t have the time in the USA and Canada to look forward to and we just wanted to get home. Admittedly it was outward to New York and return from Quebec, so didn’t have the warm weather that you’d get on a Caribbean cruise, but as we don’t sunbathe we still wouldn’t do it. The only Caribbean cruise that would appeal to us would be a fly cruise (flying both ways) but my wife cannot fly now so that’s not an option. However, we are all different and others absolutely love the prolonged run of sea days. I guess you don’t know unless you try it!

On the other hand we love out and backs we have done 5 now with 2 more booked.

 

Dai

[zap99]

2 hours ago, solentsam said:

Dont forget to book port cabin for the outbound cruise (POSH) if you want sun most of the day on your balcony, as for weather the above posters are correct, closer to UK weather can be unsettled but once you hit the Azores or Canaries it will be fine.

I thought " POSH " originated from the India days, so that the cabin gets lots of shade. 🤔

[solentsam]

28 minutes ago, zap99 said:

" POSH " originated from the India days, so that the cabin gets lots of shade. 🤔

Hi zapp I think you are right just looked it up. I always thought it was for trans a Atlantic. Good to know😉  every day is a school day lol.

Edited June 25, 2023 by solentsam

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, zap99 said:

I thought " POSH " originated from the India days, so that the cabin gets lots of shade. 🤔

It did, but of course India is in the opposite direction to the Caribbean, hence port out starboard home, which also works for a sunny cabin out and back to the Caribbean.

[zap99]

23 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

It did, but of course India is in the opposite direction to the Caribbean, hence port out starboard home, which also works for a sunny cabin out and back to the Caribbean.

Port out would get you the sun, but unless you switch cabin on turnaround you will be port home. POPH, doesn't work so well, nor does SOSH.🤣

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, zap99 said:

Port out would get you the sun, but unless you switch cabin on turnaround you will be port home. POPH, doesn't work so well, nor does SOSH.🤣

As a sun worshipper you need to cruise with friends who hate the sun, then you swap cabins for the sail home.

[Bazrat]

9 hours ago, Amberlulu said:

Hi Everyone, we booked the Caribbean on Arvia this year flying from Cardiff but P&O have cancelled the cruise and are now selling it as a transatlantic cruise - can anyone advise on weather etc please.  We’ve done many cruises but not a transatlantic one.  

We have done it twice both times on Britannia since the pandemic and next on Arvia in October, we found the weather can be mixed first time we sat out on the second day, the next time we was in a middle of a storm which made it very interesting, we found the sea days very enjoyable not needing to be entertained we just sat outside and enjoyed the scenic views.

[paulatsea]

18 hours ago, zap99 said:

I thought " POSH " originated from the India days, so that the cabin gets lots of shade. 🤔

It does !
The OP used it in this case to ensure sunny side both ways transatlantic  - so its the reverse of the original meaning.

 

Edited June 26, 2023 by paulatsea

[zap99]

1 hour ago, paulatsea said:

It does !
The OP used it in this case to ensure sunny side both ways transatlantic  - so its the reverse of the original meaning.

 

That's if P&O are ok with booking a cruise ,switching cabins half way through. I guess the rich folk could book 2 cabins on different sides of the ship, a bit like 2 sunbeds.

[paulatsea]

54 minutes ago, zap99 said:

That's if P&O are ok with booking a cruise ,switching cabins half way through. I guess the rich folk could book 2 cabins on different sides of the ship, a bit like 2 sunbeds.

Swap with someone who likes shade

[Mick B]

Hi all,

I have done a few TAs and so far both have been from the UK to the USA with the dreaded night flight home, but only after spending a few days in NYC first.

 

I have now booked a TA next April from Port Everglades to Southampton on the Jewel in order to get the long flight over with first and then to simply sail back home.

As with my other 2 TAs I have booked an Interior. Not just because its the cheaper option, but because the weather can be unpredictable at any point during a TA no matter where you are in the ocean, so we always book a room that is centrally based to avoid bad movement. I always research my room and make sure it is close to the aft lifts but not right close and not near any noisy machinery or under anything like the dinning room where tables may get moved around first thing etc.

I know having a balcony or JS is nice, but you really need the nice weather and calm seas and find these a better option for Caribbean or Med cruises.

Some balconies may face the sun but that can get blocked by things like the deck above sticking out etc, so choose wisely!, Always research your cabin and check the surroundings. Don't forget, you can always enjoy the sun up on the top decks!

 

Another more important thing here before attempting a TA is to check what your ship has to offer as if you hit stormy weather then the top decks with the deck chairs may be closed and if your ship doesn't have a Solarium with a roof, then you may find yourself stuck indoors with limited things to do.

 

Things like the outdoor pool may be roped off or drained for days on end. Even indoor things like Bumper Cars can be off limits and even the shows with dancers can be cancelled along with Ice shows etc for obvious reasons, so you MUST be prepared to find things indoors to do.

 

I enjoy the TAs because they normally offer a chance to unwind and relax as opposed to getting off the ship every day at a port. It is nice not having to get up at 6am to cram breakfast down your throat because you have to be off the ship at 8am because you may only have six hours in that port and don't have the time to visit all you wanted to visit whilst there.

 

Lastly, depending on how many stops the cruise has, means that entertainers may have remain on board for the duration (or most of it), so you may end up with the same acts performing over and over for 14 days. Not too bad if you like the Beatles and one of their good tribute bands are performing around the ship throughout. But, be prepared for slightly less varied entertainment than say a 7 day cruise with lots of ports.

 

Hopefully if you bear all these factors in mind, and are prepared beforehand, then you should enjoy a nice relaxing holiday.

I can tell you this, my wife would not have done a second TA if she did not enjoy the first and she certainly would not be wanting to do a third next year.

 

regards,

Mick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[paulatsea]

50 minutes ago, Mick B said:

Hi all,

I have done a few TAs and so far both have been from the UK to the USA with the dreaded night flight home, but only after spending a few days in NYC first.

 

I have now booked a TA next April from Port Everglades to Southampton on the Jewel in order to get the long flight over with first and then to simply sail back home.

As with my other 2 TAs I have booked an Interior. Not just because its the cheaper option, but because the weather can be unpredictable at any point during a TA no matter where you are in the ocean, so we always book a room that is centrally based to avoid bad movement. I always research my room and make sure it is close to the aft lifts but not right close and not near any noisy machinery or under anything like the dinning room where tables may get moved around first thing etc.

I know having a balcony or JS is nice, but you really need the nice weather and calm seas and find these a better option for Caribbean or Med cruises.

Some balconies may face the sun but that can get blocked by things like the deck above sticking out etc, so choose wisely!, Always research your cabin and check the surroundings. Don't forget, you can always enjoy the sun up on the top decks!

 

Another more important thing here before attempting a TA is to check what your ship has to offer as if you hit stormy weather then the top decks with the deck chairs may be closed and if your ship doesn't have a Solarium with a roof, then you may find yourself stuck indoors with limited things to do.

 

Things like the outdoor pool may be roped off or drained for days on end. Even indoor things like Bumper Cars can be off limits and even the shows with dancers can be cancelled along with Ice shows etc for obvious reasons, so you MUST be prepared to find things indoors to do.

 

I enjoy the TAs because they normally offer a chance to unwind and relax as opposed to getting off the ship every day at a port. It is nice not having to get up at 6am to cram breakfast down your throat because you have to be off the ship at 8am because you may only have six hours in that port and don't have the time to visit all you wanted to visit whilst there.

 

Lastly, depending on how many stops the cruise has, means that entertainers may have remain on board for the duration (or most of it), so you may end up with the same acts performing over and over for 14 days. Not too bad if you like the Beatles and one of their good tribute bands are performing around the ship throughout. But, be prepared for slightly less varied entertainment than say a 7 day cruise with lots of ports.

 

Hopefully if you bear all these factors in mind, and are prepared beforehand, then you should enjoy a nice relaxing holiday.

I can tell you this, my wife would not have done a second TA if she did not enjoy the first and she certainly would not be wanting to do a third next year.

 

regards,

Mick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Totally agree re getting the flight over first then enjoying the journey back.

We hated the flight back.

[Mick B]

Hi,

Back in 2015 when I did the TA it was from the UK to Boston with 2 days in Iceland which is why we did it as the cost of the cruise was cheaper for 15 nights than 5 days in Iceland which is what my wife originally wanted to do until I told her about this cruise. Back then they wanted something like £400pp to fly back one way from Logan airport and I said I don't think so. So for the same price I got off the ship at Black Falcon on the Friday and caught the AmTrak train down to New York and had 4 days there before flying back to the UK on the Monday night. That way I got some time in NY and flew back when I wanted to and not spending a whole day stuck in a airport.

 

Last years was a TA from the UK to Bayonne. Royal cancelled all tranfers to NYC on the morning of arrival, but I had been out of this port before so got a cab to Bayonne and the the NJLR to Hoboken and then the PATH to NYC. We had a 3 night stay booked and a taxi ride to JFK as part of the package. The cab did not turn up at the hotel on time and there was no longer enough time to take the Subway/LIRR but the hotel did track the taxi down eventually and we got to JFK only to find the flight slightly delayed anyway. All adds stress! Flight was OK but we came straight home and felt like ****!

 

So, for our next TA in April 2024 we will fly from LHR to Miami and then I have paid for a cab to our hotel in Fort Lauderdale and then a cab to the Jewel. The cost of the flights/hotel/cabs is offset by the fact that the cruise itself is very cheap and we get 5 free drinks a day.

 

I have already suggested that if the cost of sailing around Europe continues to increase at the rate it is and TAs stay cheap then in 2025 I may consider one from NYC to the UK - would be even nicer if they put the Indy back on that route! Fingers crossed!

 

It always strikes me as odd (for our carbon footprint) that from the UK it works out cheaper to fly and stay in the USA and then sail back to the UK over a 2 week period than it does to sail out of the UK to ports around Europe for the same period or even less.

 

Mick.

 

Edited June 26, 2023 by Mick B

[Cruisemeister2002]

On 6/25/2023 at 11:06 AM, Amberlulu said:

Hi Everyone, we booked the Caribbean on Arvia this year flying from Cardiff but P&O have cancelled the cruise and are now selling it as a transatlantic cruise - can anyone advise on weather etc please.  We’ve done many cruises but not a transatlantic one.  

How long is a piece of string ? Sadly you cannot predict the Atlantic. It can be like a mill pond or be pretty rough. I have been across the Atlantic on Oriana, Aurora and Ventura. One particular cruise the  Captain came on the tannoy one evening and said he expected a force 9, the following day he said it had actually been a force 12. On another cruise we were due to call in at St.John Newfoundland but due to a hurricane coming up the east coast he decided to steam away and come home, we caught the very tail end of it. But I must say that I found both Aurora and Oriana handled the weather very well.  The most recent crossing was on Ventura in March this year and the sea was pretty calm. That was our 7th transatlantic crossing.