SPECIAL TO THE MIAMI HERALD
Published in The Miami Herald on September 18, 2011
For years, I had dreamed of crossing the Atlantic in a mighty ocean liner. For me, a transatlantic voyage conjures up visions of women in ballroom gowns gliding across gleaming hardwood promenades on the arms of men in top hats.
Today’s cruises may be more about spa treatments and the rock-climbing wall, but the romantic notion of a journey across the sea persists.
A repositioning cruise can make that dream come true at a bargain price. Twice a year, in spring and fall, cruise ships of the world undertake a great migration, following the sun like snowbirds flying south for the winter. The most popular repositioning cruises take place between Europe and America on ships that ply the Mediterranean in the summer and ferry passengers around the Caribbean during the winter. Anxious to fill cabins on these necessary crossings, cruise lines offer some of their best deals.
To fulfill my fantasy, my husband and I chose a 14-day Celebrity Century cruise last year from Barcelona to Miami for the fire sale price of only $65 a day per person (including port charges and fees). Not bad for an all-inclusive package covering accommodations, food, entertainment, transportation, and some unusual ports of call.
Long considered a drawback of the repositioning cruise, one-way flights are not nearly as elusive or expensive as they once were. Bargain hunters to the core, we flew Virgin Air to London followed by a low-cost Easy Jet flight to Barcelona for less than $400 a person. We also added a few days in London to stroll along the Thames, down warm beer in the pubs, and catch a show in the West End.
Repositioning cruises start or finish in some of Europe’s most intriguing cities including Venice, Athens and Lisbon. Barcelona was high on our travel to-do list, so we spent a leisurely pre-cruise week in this multifaceted city where splendid modernisme architecture, narrow medieval streets, and laidback beaches are all within walking distance.
Of course, I did wonder if the romance might wear off as I spent day after day at sea with no port stops to break the monotony. My typical travel style is more of a high energy, cultural immersion experience, and I told friends this would be a first: a vacation where I’d be forced to relax! But I was secretly looking forward to a peaceful change of pace.
Our cruise got off to an uncertain start. Our ship was just coming out of dry dock after repairs for rudder problems that had interrupted the cruise before ours. We were not the only passengers to wonder whether the ship was seaworthy enough for a trip across the Atlantic.
The lights of Barcelona slipped away as we glided out into the Med, and once we were underway, my worries evaporated like the water droplets on my cabin porthole. I learned that engineers from Lloyds of London had come aboard to verify the safety of their investment. If Lloyds was satisfied, so was I.
Our first port was the Spanish mainland city of Malaga. I had fairly low expectations, but I was thoroughly charmed by this Moorish city with the Med on its doorstep and craggy mountains in its backyard. The Moors occupied the city for 700 years and left behind an 11th century Alcazaba — a fortification — graced with keyhole arches and tranquil Alhambra-like reflecting pools.
Our ship passed through the Strait of Gibraltar where, at its narrowest point, Europe and Africa are separated by a mere eight miles. Like a massive black ghost ship, “The Rock” loomed alongside us as we entered the Atlantic Ocean and navigated towards islands off the African coast.
Our first island stop was Portuguese Madeira where I had arranged a private tour with Daniel’s Taxi, and Daniel himself showed us the sights. Madeira is called the flower island and it’s easy to see why. Hibiscus, hydrangea, belladonna, and bougainvillea bloom everywhere, and huge poinsettia trees grow wild along the roadside.
For lunch, Daniel recommended a local specialty: a fish called espada. “What makes the espada unique,“ Daniel explained, “is that this fish comes from 3,000 feet below the sea and is only caught in two places in the world: here in Madeira and off the coast of Japan.” Our espada, grilled with bananas and followed by a glass of sweet local wine, made a perfect Madeira lunch.
The open sea
Sailing across the Atlantic takes time — seven days, to be exact. My husband dreaded this part of the trip thinking that he would be terribly bored. No danger of that. Our ship provided a nonstop schedule of activities including enrichment courses on art history and the evolution of western music. Plus mental tune-ups at psychology lectures, cooking classes, and dance lessons. It was like taking half a dozen adult education courses in one week!
A behind-the-scenes tour of the galleys revealed how seafaring chefs prepare more than 9,000 meals a day. Quite a feat involving more than 1,700 dozen eggs, 1,400 pounds of chicken, and 45,000 pounds of fresh fruit. Imagine the logistics of managing that grocery shopping list!
“All the imperishable items as well as fish and meat (purchased from the U.S. to meet U.S. standards) were loaded onto the ship in Barcelona,” explained Executive Chef Claudio de Carlo. “Then we topped up with fresh fruit in Tenerife.” With so many tempting food choices, our biggest cruise challenge was avoiding major weight gain.
Sea days were also a chance for some pure relaxation. Life seems simpler surrounded by nothing but blue sea. To work off those extra calories, we braved the wind-whipped walking track and did our duty in the fitness center. Another favorite pastime was watching for flying fish. We were mesmerized by these little guys who shot up out of the water like miniature silver torpedoes and zoomed across the waves flapping their tiny “wings.”
Unfortunately, the glamour of yesteryear was in short supply, especially during the day, when guests adopted an “anything goes” attitude toward apparel, and the sun worshippers around the swimming pool tended toward overexposure. But the crew always looked sharp in their uniforms, and on the three formal nights, I was thrilled to see some couples dressed in gowns and tuxedoes floating down the carpeted stairs into the dining room.
Overall, our sailing was surprisingly smooth, although we did catch the tail end of Hurricane Tomas, who brought with him 10- to 12-foot waves. We never got seasick, but for two days, we lurched around the ship and felt as if we were sleeping on a roller coaster.
We bid farewell to The Century in Miami. It took us several days to get our land legs back. At unexpected moments, my knees would start to wobble, and I would feel as if the earth was moving under my feet. But soaking up the sun and admiring the Art Deco buildings of South Beach was a perfect antidote. Then with a short (and cheap) flight out of Miami, we were home in Pennsylvania again.
Repositioning was a delightful way to end our European vacation. And did I mention no jet lag? Rather than crossing a half dozen time zones in one night, we made the change gradually, one hour at a time. By cruising west, we gained an hour of sleep almost every other night. My idea of heaven!
Repositioning cruises
Most major cruise lines offer repositioning voyages, the bulk of them in October-November and April-May. A good source for schedules and ship choices is www.cruisetransatlantic.com. Also check with individual cruise lines or a travel agent.
