Royal Caribbean Repositioning Cruises: Routes, Ships and What to Expect

Royal Caribbean crosses the Atlantic in both directions every spring and autumn as ships move between the Caribbean and Europe, and runs Pacific coast repositioning around the Alaska season. Its ships are among the largest afloat, which on an ocean crossing is a genuine advantage for stability and a genuine liability for entertainment.

The repositioning pattern

Ships scheduled for a European summer cross eastbound in April and May, usually from Fort Lauderdale or Miami to Barcelona, Civitavecchia or Southampton. They return westbound in October and November. Expect 12 to 16 nights with five to eight consecutive sea days.

Separately, ships repositioning for Alaska run up the Pacific coast in spring and back down in autumn, which produces the short, cheap coastal voyages covered in our Vancouver and Seattle guides.

Big ship, big ocean

Size helps in a long Atlantic swell. A 160,000-tonne ship rides ocean weather noticeably better than a 60,000-tonne one, and passengers who worry about motion generally do well on Royal Caribbean’s larger vessels.

The complication is what those ships are designed to do. A great deal of Royal Caribbean’s appeal lives on open decks: the pools, the sports courts, the slides, the outdoor bars. Mid-Atlantic in November, those close. When they do, the ship’s indoor space carries the whole day, and on some of the fleet it is thinner than the passenger count justifies.

Check what a given ship has indoors before booking a crossing on it. A Promenade or Central Park running through the middle of the vessel makes a gray sea day far more comfortable than a ship whose social life is all outside.

Sea day programming

Better than Carnival’s, thinner than Princess or Holland America’s. You will find production shows, ice shows on the ships that have rinks, trivia, and a full activity schedule, but the enrichment and lecture side is light. Royal Caribbean’s strength is spectacle rather than quiet.

What it costs

Mid-range for the mainstream market: above MSC and Carnival, below Celebrity. Fares vary widely by ship and by how many crossings are running that season.

Compare totals rather than headline fares. Royal Caribbean charges for most things beyond the basic dining rooms, and on a fourteen-night voyage the drinks package, specialty restaurants and gratuities add a substantial amount to the advertised price.

Who it suits

Passengers who want a large, stable, busy ship and are not looking for a contemplative crossing. It is a reasonable choice for families doing a transatlantic, which is not true of most crossing lines. If what you want is quiet and a lecture program, Holland America or Viking will suit you better at a similar or slightly higher price.