Cheap Repositioning Cruises: How to Find the Lowest Fares
3 min read Updated September 2026
Updated: Rewritten for the 2026-27 seasons with current pricing and routes.
Worth knowing
- Search April, May, October and November by date range, not by destination
- Filter for voyages of 10+ nights that start and end in different countries
- Unsold cabins drop sharply in the final eight to twelve weeks before sailing
- MSC and Costa are usually the cheapest per night on Atlantic crossings
- Always add the one-way flight before comparing two sailings
Ports of call
Repositioning cruises are already the cheapest way to spend two weeks at sea. Getting them cheaper still comes down to three things: searching the way the voyages are actually structured, choosing the right lines, and knowing which of the two booking windows suits your tolerance for risk.
Search by date, not by destination
This is the single biggest practical tip, and it is unintuitive. Booking sites are built around destinations, which is exactly the wrong frame for a voyage whose defining feature is that it goes one way and ends somewhere else.
Instead:
- Set the date range to April and May for eastbound, or October and November for westbound.
- Filter for voyages of 10 nights or more.
- Look for sailings that start and end in different countries.
That combination surfaces almost every repositioning sailing in the market, regardless of how the line has labelled it.
The cheapest lines
MSC and Costa consistently post the lowest per-night fares on Atlantic crossings, frequently under $60 for an inside cabin. Carnival and Norwegian sit slightly above. The premium lines cost more but include more, so the ranking changes once drinks and gratuities are added.
For Pacific coast repositioning, almost everything is cheap and the differences between lines matter less than the dates.
The two booking windows
At release, 18 to 24 months out. Best cabin choice, fair price, and crucially the chance to book the flight home cheaply at the same time. This is the lower-risk option and usually the better total.
The last eight to twelve weeks. Unsold cabins on a voyage that is sailing regardless get discounted hard, and the reductions can be dramatic. The catch is that the one-way flight will also cost more by then, sometimes enough to cancel the gain. This window works if you live near the departure port, or if you are flexible about which voyage you take.
The middle of the booking period, roughly six to twelve months out, is generally the worst time to book: the early pricing has gone and the late discounting has not started.
Cabin choices that actually save money
Guarantee cabins are the cheapest way aboard, but you surrender control of location. On a fourteen-night crossing that matters: a cabin under the pool deck or over a nightclub is a long two weeks. Worth it if the saving is large, not worth it for a small discount.
Inside cabins save substantially and are fine on a port-heavy cruise. On a crossing, where you are aboard continuously and the weather may keep you in, many passengers find the lack of daylight harder than expected. If the upgrade to an ocean view is modest, take it.
Older ships are cheaper and, on a crossing specifically, often better: proper sheltered promenades and more indoor space, which matters more mid-Atlantic than a water park.
The cost that is not optional
Whatever you save on the fare, the flight home is the number that decides whether the trip was cheap. Book it with the cruise. Every other tip on this page is worth less than that one.
For the underlying numbers, see how much cheaper these voyages really are.
Questions before booking
When is the best time to book a cheap repositioning cruise?
There are two windows. Book at release, 18 to 24 months out, for the best cabin choice at a fair price. Or wait until the final two months and gamble on an unsold cabin at a steep discount, accepting that the flight home will cost more by then.
Which cruise line has the cheapest repositioning cruises?
On transatlantic routes, MSC and Costa generally post the lowest per-night fares, followed by Carnival and Norwegian. The premium lines cost more per night but include more, so compare what the fare actually covers before deciding.
Are guarantee cabins worth it on a crossing?
They are the cheapest way aboard, but you give up control over location. On a fourteen-night crossing that matters more than on a short cruise: a cabin over a nightclub or under the pool deck is a long two weeks.
Further voyages
Planning & Costs
What to Do on Sea Days: How Long Runs at Sea Actually Feel
On sea days, ships run a full daily program: lectures, trivia, classes, cooking demonstrations, tastings, fitness sessions, pool time, shows and late-night music, plus the spa, casino and shops, which open at sea. Repositioning cruises add extra talks and events because they have five to nine sea days in a row. Most people do best with a loose routine: exercise, one or two scheduled activities, reading and an early dinner.
Planning & Costs
Flights Home After a Repositioning Cruise: When to Book and How Late to Fly
Book the flight home soon after the cruise is confirmed, as a one-way ticket or as an open-jaw (multi-city) itinerary that combines the outbound and return. On the last day, don't book a flight earlier than 4 to 7 hours after the ship's scheduled arrival, depending on the port and airport; Southampton to Heathrow and New York to JFK need the most time. Many passengers add a hotel night instead.
Planning & Costs
Transatlantic Cruise Packing List: Two Weeks, Two Climates, One Way
For a 12 to 16 night transatlantic cruise, pack for about eight days and plan to do laundry once. Bring layers for three climates: warm at the Florida end, cool and windy mid-ocean, and spring or autumn weather in Europe. Add one or two outfits for formal nights, a passport valid well beyond the trip, any travel authorization such as the UK ETA, medications in original containers, and seasickness remedies you have tried.