Repositioning Cruise, Worth the Cost? Everything You Need to Know

[@BrianandCarrie]

Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to get weekly TRAVEL TIPS and stay up to date: mailchi.mp/b5946ff455b2/weekly-newsletter-sign-up. Thanks so much for watching! Cheers 🍻

[@jameskelly9243]

It's not available

[@jeanettesutherland863]

Brian and Carrie, you both are so realistic. You give the pros and cons, and do not sugar coat your likes or dislikes. You say it like it is for you. I eagerly look forward to your videos. I know you put a lot of work into the production. Know that it is appreciated by your subscribers.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Jeanette! We very much appreciate the kind words and support. ❤

[@debmakela2862]

Hi Brian and Carrie. Another great video. I've done a transatlantic repositioning cruise with a friend of mine a few years ago and loved it. I do want to point out for your solo traveler viewers out there that this might not be an economical option if you're traveling by yourself. Unfortunately, most of the cruise lines charge a 100% single supplement for solo travelers so you end up paying for two people anyways. A few will offer a discount (maybe 75%), but it still makes it very expensive ... at least too expensive for me personally. Hopefully, the cruise lines will wake up to the fact that more and more people are choosing to travel the world solo.

[@BrianandCarrie]

That is a very good point! Thank you for adding this. We may start pointing things like this out in our cost videos. Thank you. Cheers!!🍻

[@doreenfrenier1174]

NCL Epic is one of the few ships that have "studio" staterooms specifically for solo travelers (a couple cannot book them) and the price is often half the price (or a little more) of the typical per person rate in the double occupancy staterooms. I stayed in one a few years back when traveling with a group and it was a wonderful experience!

[@andreablack4573]

@@BrianandCarriealthough to be fair this is the case for all accommodation if you are travelling alone. As you can’t split it - it is effectively double the cost of 2 people travelling.

[@bw5911]

thx u @@doreenfrenier1174

[@bw5911]

@@andreablack4573 true

[@staciebrooks1328]

Hi Brian & Carrie. We have been on 4 TA’s (Epic, Wonder, Prima, Resilient Lady). We have 2 TA’s booked for this year (both on Virgin Voyages). While Virgin seems way more expensive at first glance, so much is included in the rate (WiFi, gratuities, sodas, all of the more than 20 restaurants, carafes of water in your cabin, specialty exercise classes, and more). Also, after a couple of cruises, the loyalty program gives you free laundry (in a big bag, not like the tiny and flimsy NCL bags). Also, they run many promos at booking that give you bar tabs (often over $600) and free Loot (which can be used for drinks or anything else like gift shops, excursions, or whatever). You can even use loot for getting a tattoo onboard. Regarding loot, for example, we have an upcoming 10 day Australia cruise with $1400 bar tab and loot. Perfect for beer thirty. No Kids! Best food I have ever had at sea. Hammocks on the balconies. Diverse and happy crew who are allowed to show their personality (visible tattoos, comfortable uniforms, and staff in all ages, shapes, colors, sizes, and sexual orientations). We are 64 years old so don’t believe the rumors that it is just a sexy party ship. There are fun parties to be found, for sure, but also relaxation and easy going fun as well. Shows are unique and energetic and they think outside the box. Please don’t listen to people who have never tried it (there are many rumors out there). My advice would be to arrive with an open mind and an open heart and the staff and the fellow Sailors will welcome you with open arms. Thank you for all the work that you put into your channel. Looking forward to seeing all of your 2024 videos!

[@BrianandCarrie]

This is all great information, Stacie. We are new to the cruise scene so we will be looking closer at the costs and what is included. Thank you for your insights and for following our travels!! Cheers!!🍻

[@bobbear4437]

$1400 bar tab for 10 days, too many drunks on that ship for us!-))) The rest sounds great!

[@staciebrooks1328]

lol. You don’t have to spend the loot on drinks. Can do spa treatments, gift shop, excursions, and more. One type of promo is for drinks only (bar tab), but in our experience people don’t get carried away. You can sure make a lot of new friends buying drinks for folks from your bar tab!

[@MW-qt6sx]

How much did it cost you per person for the 10 day cruise to Australia, Stacie?

[@staciebrooks1328]

It is an 11 Day/10 Night trip. We paid $1837 per person for Sea Terrace cabin (balcony cabin). Includes all taxes and fees, all crew gratuities, WiFi, all restaurants (20+ eateries), sodas, specialty exercise classes, and still or sparkling water in carafes in cabin. We were also given $800 in bar tab and $600 in Sailor Loot. Bar tab can be used for alcoholic drinks and also for smoothies and specialty coffees and mocktails and afternoon tea and wine tastings and so forth. Loot can be used for drinks, but also for other things like gift store, excursions, tattoos, and more.

[@SusanP-d4h]

I just returned from a transpacific repositioning cruise on Holland America’s Noordam. It began in Sydney and had 2 ports in New Caledonia, 2 in Fiji, 1 in American Samoa, 4 in Hawaii and ended in Vancouver, Canada. By booking early I had the “Have it All”package included. I actually started on the cruise in Auckland and had 7 port stops in New Zealand then 3 in Australia- Hobart Tasmania, Melbourne and Sydney. The HAL package included WiFi, drinks package, $300 for shore excursions and 3 nights dinner in their specialty restaurant. I upgraded my WiFi for only $100 for the entire back to back cruise. Holland America had guest speakers, lectures and port talks , and many special and free extra opportunities such as ukulele and hula lessons. Leaving the Southern Hemisphere at the beginning of their autumn meant lovely warm weather every day. Arriving in Vancouver was the only chilly day of the 39 night cruise. Repositioning cruises are the best especially on Holland America.

[@jerrygarcia4390]

Wow, 39 days!!! 😮

[@johnkean6852]

Australians get all the best deals - not fair : ( Or better: where did you book?

[@krissapl]

You've become my favorite travel KZbinrs, started following since you came to visit my country (Romania). Haven't seen all of the actual travel vlogs where you show us around but these kinds of videos, the pros and cons and q&a ones are super interesting to me. Keep them coming!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much!! We are never sure about this style. We plan on doing plenty of each this year. We will be starting a podcast in the coming weeks as well. Cheers!!🍻

[@hjdreams1429]

I guess another thing to add to the cost/benefit analysis is the Repositioning cruise ports you got to visit vs just staying in Turkey. Even with the bad weather that's pretty cool that you got to visit all those ports.

[@BrianandCarrie]

That is a good point! Thank you for adding. Cheers!!🍻

[@nursynikki]

Add the time to cook, clean, do groceries, pay transportation to get places--taxis to and from on long trips. Labor has a price, and when you do groceries, cook, throw trash out, sweep, mop, wash dishes, clean the bathroom, buy the detergent and cleansers you like to clean with. It adds up. I'm in Antalya right now, for a month, and scrounging for good tomatoes and cucumbers. As the peak tourist season wears down , so does the quality of small or med size stores. Though we both like to cook, we can't find things like grits, and I cook Cuban food, not much pork to be found. We take the bus to further grocery stores to see if we can find our staples. The scavenger hunt can be fun. Thank you again for a great video. BTW-We will be on a TA, repositioning cruise, we are purchasing a travel router, so we can use multiple devices, our cruise line has a package that's not so expensive, let's see how we do with that.

[@JeffRhinoBannister]

We have done two from Civitavecchia to Florida. This year was 22 days on MSC SeaShore. We had 16 stops. It was $80 per day for both of us. So much better than flying.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi, Jeff. We are hoping that we can find another one that will work for us this year. It is a nice way to travel. Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@lindasobin7007]

We flew to Rome, spent five days there and took the cruise back home. We got a deal on the cruise ($600 pp for a balcony, plus all the "free at sea" perks) . We also found tickets to Rome for $300 each from Orlando. We live in Melbourne, Florida, so it was a trip we will definitely consider again!

[@cebamy]

How many days was the cruise back home, May I ask?

[@ohdiverdoc]

We love repositioning cruises. Have done three Trans-Atlantics, with more to come, and just did one from Galveston to Miami, and have another booked from Tampa to Boston. So nice to really relax on vacation and enjoy the ship on the sea days. Wemeet so many interesting people aboard on these longer trips.. They are a good deal financially as well.

[@leapintothewild]

What an amazing rundown, thanks for all the work to pull these numbers together! Hope you had amazing holidays ❤ and happy 2024!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much for watching and happy 2024!! ❤

[@starlitesoapstudio6642]

Hi Brian and Carrie! We did the eastbound transatlantic on the NCL Epic earlier in 2023, and found the perfect way to get our daily "2-thirsty" fix. We took advantage of NCL's shareholder benefit, found in their website. We bought 100 shares on NCL prior to departure, they gave us a USD25 cabin credit which bought us an alcoholic beverage pretty much every day. We sold the shares ar a small profit later in the year. Looking forward to your adventures in 2024!

[@BrianandCarrie]

That's a great idea!! Thank you for the tip!! 😀 Cheers!!🍻

[@starlitesoapstudio6642]

​​@@BrianandCarrieExcuse my typo! It was a USD250 cabin credit, so about $20/day.

[@BrianandCarrie]

HA! We knew what you meant to say!! 😄

[@vagabondqueen9626]

For laundry, I have purposely collected clothing that are good for handwashing and drip drying. I wash the day’s clothes before I go to bed and they are dry by morning. For our Antarctica cruise, we wore undershirts to extend the time between washing sweaters, and wore long underwear under pants. Even insulated underwear is easier to hand wash than jeans, etc.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We did have to hand wash as well. It wasn't that big of a deal, but Princess has laundry rooms with washer and dryers.

[@wsgriffi]

We love repositioning cruises. We took 1 from FL to Spain last October and returned back to FL from Lisbon in December. We have already booked our next cruises to UK and back in 2025. Only way for us to see the world.

[@BrianandCarrie]

That is very cool!! We may do something like this again from Japan to Vancouver, BC. We still need to figure out the timing, but it sounds amazing! Thank you for watching and safe travels! Cheers!!🍻

[@user-cj9zx1me7b]

Hi! This is a very unique and well thought out video. You covered anything I and many others could think of and did it with a practical yet not spartan overview. Appreciate you and your insight! Many thanks and stay well! -M

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching!! Happy and healthy 2024!

[@roxie0648]

Going on our first Norwegian Transatlantic in October 2024 and cannot wait…new to retirement life 1.5yrs..life is great!

[@JeffMelsonVlogs]

I see a lot of full time travel vloggers use these repositioning cruises. Glad you 2 enjoyed it!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@pambriand757]

Hi Brian and Carrie. Great info. We are doing our first transatlantic on the Epic in November. We chose to have a balcony as we love to have our patio door open at night. We also have some Cruise next certificates to use up and can only use them on balcony pricing. The other plus is you then qualify for the free at sea package which gives you free internet, a couple of extra restaurant meals and some credit for excursions. And the booze package if you want it. Like you we plan to ‘detoxify’ so no booze package for this one. We have always cruised with NCL. We love the relaxed dining and no formal wear required. Think we might also be eligible for laundry on this cruise. Great tip in comments re buying the Ncl shares.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, the relaxed dining was a real plus for us! Especially being minimalist packers, we don't have much room for anything fancy. We would love a balcony next time, especially if we're doing one where the view is part of the cruise, like Alaska. Thanks so much for watching - Cheers!!

[@bettyli6635]

Very informative video. I did my first Transpacific cruise in April 2023 to get home from a 2 month trip in Taiwan. It was amazing. 14 days on a cruise for less money than a 15 hr flight. And that was even adding in the cost of a flight from Taipei to Tokyo, 4 nights in Yokohama and then a flight home from Seattle. I travel solo so I had to pay the 79% single supplement so it cost more. I usually fly Business Class and I'm retired so 14 days vs 15 hrs was a no brainer. I am headed to Vietnam next month and have not booked any return flight as I'm keeping this same cruise as an option and am hoping the cost drops even lower for last minute. BTW I also met about a dozen KZbinrs on the cruise and we had a blast.

[@BrianandCarrie]

If you have the time, it is a really good option. We loved our time in Vietnam. We only had 30 days, but we do plan on going back, a beautiful country! We are interested in the cruise from Japan to Vancouver, BC. We may be doing that in 2025. Thank you for watching and commenting!! Cheers!!🍻

[@flutingaround]

Which cruise exactly are you talking about?

[@lisab8277]

We're doing the Tokyo to Vancouver reposition on Royal Princess this spring -- lots of cruise ports in Japan, but on the North American side it basically becomes an Alaska cruise. And by the time we get to Vancouver, we will qualify for Princess Platinum, so on our next Princess cruise we will have the option for $10/day MedallionNet internet that we can buy as we need it. Love those Princess self-service laundry rooms, too! And the pampering! We're older and don't do economy flights over 6 hours, so repositioning cruises are a good strategy for us to get from continent to continent. @@BrianandCarrie

[@LoisF-yv3sz]

La TV

[@Andy-hg8dv]

Nice to hear your perspective. We took a reposition cruise from FrLauderdale to Barcelona on Princess Cruise line. We throughly enjoyed it. They had music somewhere on the ship almost all the time from a jazz band to guitarist and piano players. The top was two nights in the main theatre with an Elton John cover act. Was he good…a women who sat next to me asked how they got Elton John to do a cruise show.

[@leapintothewild]

😂 That’s impressive!

[@BrianandCarrie]

HA!! We had the Beatles on our cruise!! 😂

[@Every_State_Park]

Very helpful. We just booked a flight to Rome with 5 free hotel stays from our credit card bonus and a 16 day cruise back. We're full time vanlife in the US right now, but want to incorporate more international travel in our year. So we're using this trip to try out longer cruises and travel around a city outside the US. We plan to try southeast asia next spring if this goes well.

[@BrianandCarrie]

You will have an amazing time! The cruise is a good way to experience international travel for the first time. We look forward to hearing how it went.

[@TexasDoug393]

I've always felt like cruises got a bum wrap; they are what they are and can be great. When Madeira was higher on my potential retirement spot list, I considered seeing if a repositioning cruise might stop there and making that my way of getting there for a scoping trip (just leaving the cruise early and not having to see if those cross winds flying into Madeira were as scary as they sound). You've sparked a renewed interest at looking at what's going out of Galveston these days on regular cruises. (Old joke for Brian, who is apparently rarely right: I was wrong once. Thought I was wrong . . . turned out I was right).

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching, Doug! When I am right, I am quick to point it out! 😂 Thank you for the continued support!! Cheers!!🍻

[@todb1180]

Hearing Brian say "I don't need beer everyday," my jaw is still on the floor! 😂 But great info - thanks for all you share with us!

[@BrianandCarrie]

I made up for it the best I could when I got off the ship!! 😂 Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@robindeleone8267]

Thanks for the video. I am just loving your videos and it feels like you are always a step or two ahead of my travel plans. My husband and I are taking a transpacific repositioning cruise in April to round out our trip to Vietnam and Thailand, which we have relied heavily on your videos for so this one was very timely, as usual. Not sure if all cruise lines do this but Celebrity was offering really good discounts during Black Friday and right after Christmas on amenities and shore excursions. We got the premium Wifi package for 2 devices during the after Christmas sale and saved 40%. The total for all 17 days was $335. I realize that still might sound high but he owns his own digital marketing company and needs that Wifi for work so we can also write it off as a business expense as well. Celebrity also heavily discounted their drink pages during this time so we are not giving up our two thirsty times. I applaud you on your detox though. :)

[@BrianandCarrie]

This is great information, Robin. We are going to start itemizing and we need Wi-Fi for work too! Now if we can figure out how to write off the drink package. 🤔 Thank you for watching our channel and safe travels!! Cheers!!🍻

[@pamcurtisdavey712]

Did you add in the cost of your flight TO Turkey? We did a transatlantic from NJ to Southampton. We drove up to NJ from VA. Our one way trip home in economy was over $1,400. The crossing itself was not too bad, just over $2,000.

[@roadtofreecollege6337]

Loved this video. Looking at your costs per person only works because you are a couple. I’ve taken many cruises as a solo traveler. There’s a cost you did not encounter. It’s called a “single supplement”. Often it means a solo traveler pays double for the cruise package. They give you “credit” for having paid double, but there are no real benefits, except a free cocktail party. 🙄 -Elizabeth

[@BrianandCarrie]

We have had a few comments about the solo traveler. It seems like the industry could figure out a way to cut the cost for a solo traveler. Especially since solo traveling is becoming more of a thing. As always, Elizabeth, thank you!! ❤

[@roadtofreecollege6337]

@@BrianandCarrie A few cruise lines came up with an option that is a no-go for me. They lower the single supplement by reducing the already small inside cabins by about 2/3. The old joke is true, you’d have to go outside to change your mind. -Elizabeth

[@leapintothewild]

@@roadtofreecollege6337And they’re always inside, which is a no-go for me … claustrophobic! 😬 😞

[@endashproductions]

@@leapintothewild not necessarily. NCL (the cruise line that originated the studio concept) recently introduced solo balconies (and oceanview and inside) throughout the fleet. I just traveled in one on the Getaway (it's just a reclassed balcony sold for a different price point - no functional difference to any other balcony)

[@megankasten8710]

NCL is widely considered the best line for solo travelers, and after doing my first cruise in a solo suite, I agree! Even though the cabin is tiny (mine was 99 sf), you're not sharing it with anyone, so the per person space is at least as good as many other cabins. Plus you have access to the solo lounge, a private space just for solo travelers that has snacks and a cappuccino machine. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

[@ChristianLehrer]

Lots of us take them as partly vacation, partly transportation, to or from Europe. I did two last year, as one had cancelled the year before. I was able to take fall and spring transatlantic cruises with just one round trip airfare. I spent less for two longer vacations than I did for one land based tour vacation. Repositioning cruises are a great value!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, they absolutely are! Thanks for watching 😊

[@pgtobey]

My wife and I have taken several Trans-Atlantic (TA) repositioning cruises and enjoyed them all. When crossing Westward to the US in the Fall/Winter, I suggest (if possible) to find a ship that takes a Southern route on it's way to a Florida port. On the Northern route (Southhampton to Boston and then South to Port Everglades), we experienced frequent rough seas and cold weather, restricting many outdoor activities. On the Southern route that started the crossing in Tenerife, an island off the African coast, we found it to be be warm and comfortable all the way. All outside activities were available for the entire crossing. Of course, this is one example, but if you find a southern crossing as a choice, I would take it. We are doing our first Trans-Pacific (TP) in April from Sydney to Seattle. We shall see?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Those all sound great - it's such a affordable way to not only travel but also to get from place to place with out the ridiculously long flights. Cheers!!

[@MikeS29]

I was actually thinking about arranging a trans-atlantic cruise for when we do emigrate from the U.S. to Europe, doing a reversal of our ancestors' journeys. This opens up the possibilities even further! Thanks B&C, looking forward to the next segment!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching and commenting on the channel, Mike!! We appreciate all the support. Cheers!!🍻

[@ConanNYC]

Are pets allowed?

[@rubbertoad3681]

Great video. In the world of full time slow travel, "repositioning" is a great word to describe the move from one area of the world where you stay for at least a few months to another area where you will have an extended stay. The greatest 'extra' costs (unless you have a large stash of points which are hard to build up in this lifestyle without getting 2 or 3 new card bonuses a year) are these repositioning costs. Your thoughts are exactly aligned with mine. Everything looks good until you figure in the Wi-Fi, which we need for work. I do think that trading all that goes with a long overseas flight for a slow, relaxed transport across the sea could be worth the Wi-Fi costs. Especially in this lifestyle where you can always make up for it down the road by staying in SE Asia or Mexico an extra month.

[@bethb5915]

Someone here mentioned that Virgin Voyages cruises include Wi-Fi, so they might look a bit more at first glance, but that they include a lot of "extras" for the price.

[@mrbbkk]

A short cruise. like 5 days. is an option to a visa run.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Great idea!! Thank you!

[@Keep-on-ok]

We did our second transatlantic cruise on The Beyond back in November. We loved it. Rome to Ft. Lauderdale and the weather for the entire trip was great.

[@BrianandCarrie]

That's so great and you were very lucky on the weather. Cheers!!

[@markcrites7060]

I am on Epics reposition back to rome in April qnd glad i came across this. Lots of good information here. I was planning to visit Rome anyway, and I saw this cruise as a leisurely way to get there. The prices were very reasonable and not all that much more than a one-way plane ticket.

[@BrianandCarrie]

It is a much more relaxing way to get back and forth from the US and Europe for sure. If you have the time, why not? You will have a fantastic time!! Thank you for watching and commenting!! Cheers!! 🍻

[@Gen_X_Jenn]

I had no idea there was such a thing as a repositioning cruise. How cool! We'll definitely have to look into that for our next family vacation.

[@BrianandCarrie]

It would be a great option for that and quite affordable. Thanks for watching - Cheers!!

[@MikeS29]

Came back to rewatch this, we leave on a repositioning cruise on Nov 8, 2024, from Miami to move to our new home in Spain! Arriving Alicante on November 26, then 5 hour drive to our home in Torremolinos, Malaga. Thanks for test driving it for us 🙂

[@BrianandCarrie]

That is awesome, Mike!! How excited you two must be!! We want to return to Spain by 2026 so we will look up Torremolinos! Thank you so much for watching and supporting the channel. We appreciate all the comments. Safe travels. 😊

[@suecampbell4811]

We just booked our first reposition cruise - leaving from FL - for April. You may want to mention that reposition cruises travel beyond in December. Also, if people get an upgraded room (we had to because we had to wait to speak with the vet to make sure she could board our animals), wifi may come with the room, as it did for us.

[@patborecky2166]

I also recently heard about these cruises - Great information Txs

[@BrianandCarrie]

Happy you found it helpful - thanks for watching. Cheers!!

[@kylakailuatravel]

I also learned about repositioning cruises about a year ago and would LOVE to do one across the Pacific! It’s on my bucket list within the next 5 years

[@vtdl88]

I love the video. You guys are such down-to-earth and lovely couple. I love how you guys are being so realistic and economical the whole way. I really enjoyed watching it.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much for the kind words!! ❤

[@lauriezyskind6765]

Been on a Trans-Atlantic & Trans-Pacific this past year. First was with Norwegian and second Princess. Came to the same conclusion about internet and drink packages. Just not worth it. I liked Princess better for food, do it yourself laundry and gratuity not being mandatory. I liked the ability to tip staff myself vs the auto deduction. Naps were the same on both. Depending on time of year they go the weather at the ports may be better. A much easier way to travel vs the really long flights if you have the time. Great video!

[@BrianandCarrie]

It's great to go on many different lines and find which you prefer, as they do differ so much. Not sure if gratuity changed for princess since you went though. All the cruises I checked were still mandatory, including the one we went on in July with Princess. I agree though, nice to have the option who you're tipping, but I also understand this spreads it fairly through the staff. Cheers!!

[@mpat146]

Very interesting. I'd never heard of a repositioning cruise before. Now I'm having fun looking at all the places I could go.

[@cherylw445]

I did a 23 night transpacific repositioning cruise Seattle to Sydney Australia with 11 ports of call. All in flights were under 1400. We got our balcony stateroom for 2500 each, totalling 5000. I have to say a repositioning cruise ABSOLUTELY IS a great opportunity for solo cruisers because they are so cheap. A solo cruiser pays double regardless of repositioning or not, the best deals are on a repositioning. I will be doing my first solo cruise in a couple months, it is a 10 day Greece Adriatic cruise. Im paying 5000 for the cruise in total, and 1700 all in for flights. Sooooo same price as the reposition but less days/nights then the reposition. Solo cruisers, repositioning cruise IS for you too!!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Great to hear! Enjoy 😊

[@julieolson9832]

We love repositioning cruises. We've done several. Our last had 6 sea days and I loved it. It was on the Viking Sea. They had added lecturers and other entertainment opportunities for days. I often look for repositioning when we're figuring out where we want to go next.

[@BrianandCarrie]

They are a great way to travel around at a nice leisurely pace 😊

[@robertcoulter7592]

You're both so insightful, intelligent and charming I could listen all day. Super interesting topic, breakdown and idea. Happy new year to you both, excited to follow again for a other year of your adventures and insights ✨❤️

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for the kind words, Robert! Cheers!!🍻

[@delawaregold]

Thank you so much for this video. I just came across your channel, and I'm now going to "Binge" watch your videos. We are booked on a New York to London, 14 day Repositioning Cruise in April / May 2024 on the NCL Pearl, to celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary. (Our first cruise) We will fly back. Not knowing anything about cruising, I was taken aback by the Laundry, or I should say lack of. The plan was to travel light, and launder often, but now we have to rethink those plans. If possible, could you address how much you pack, and if hand washing in a stateroom with only a shower (No tub) is even realistic. Thanks again! I just subscribed, and I'll catch up on the past, and look forward to more videos in the future.

[@BrianandCarrie]

50 years, how wonderful - Congrats 🎉. The laundry thing is a bit though but manageable. We really only hand washed undergarments and a few really light items. I'd say it may just be best to work it into the budget to take advantage of the couple bargain laundry days they do offer. Thanks so much for subscribing and commenting 😊

[@fostercats1115]

Really like your videos. Thanks for sharing your travels with us. Both styles of your videos are great. I enjoy those videos with on the ground imagery to get a feel of the cities you are visiting. I also like the sit down type where you recap focused topics. The amount of information is tremendous. You are either a natural in delivering information in very structured way, or you have put in great efforts to organize the content. Either way, they worked out great. Those humorous moments and joking around made all the videos so fun to watch. Looking forward to all your upcoming travels and adventures. Thanks.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much ❤️. We are so happy you enjoy our content, both styles. It's a nice combo of a lot of prep with just getting better at our delivery 😉. Thanks so much for watching and following along! Cheers

[@itdadof3]

Thank you for the video. I'm going on a transatlantic in April, leaving Florida and heading toward Tenerife, Portugal and Spain, terminating in Southhampton for 15 nights. Looking forward to it

[@BrianandCarrie]

That sounds amazing!! 😊

[@patrickmay7249]

As usual your video guides are precise, accurate, easy to follow and helpful. Thank you

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Patrick!

[@johncarter8539]

You had me at NAP TIME! :). Nice video. Thanks!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Glad you liked it! 😁 Thank you for watching!! 😊

[@CruiseDude1]

Outstanding and calm cruise video.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Glad you enjoyed it! Cheers!!🍻

[@teamwhiztravels]

What a timely video, as we were just sitting here discussing a repositioning (for us, not necessarily the ship!) cruise as a way to return to the US later this year! As always, you guys are fun and informative. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. We are strongly considering booking a Transatlantic cruise later this week. Cheers to another great year of travel experiences! 💙🙏🏻

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hey guys!! You should really consider it. It really is a great way to travel and for those of us that can be flexible, you'll find something that fits what you need. Safe travels!! Cheers!!🍻

[@elizaC3024]

Thank you for your video. I have gotten a chance to see that the repositioning cruises greatly depend upon the age of the ship. Our ship was older, smaller and lacked a lot of the things that yours had. We will definitely look into repositioning again on a larger ship.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We can see that being a factor for sure. We picked this one because of its size. We didn't want to be on a small boat crossing the Atlantic. 😂

[@michaelseibold9977]

We love transatlantic repositioning cruises. You get there rested and over most of the time lag. We've done the QM2 in seven nights and an HAL of 14. The latter gets a bit long in the tooth. We're doing Lisbon to the US next month. Was cheaper than flying by a lot. If you are concerned about seasickness just have your doc prescribe a patch.

[@mikewalker161]

What a brilliant description of repositioning cruises. I was in the cruise business in the late eighties and I learned a lot then much has changed. I agree with you in the fact that you can compare your living expenses but not all the extras the cruise gives you... free movies to watch in their theater,,. the evening entertainment... I did the math and if you lived your life like that on a daily level it would cost you over $300 per day. Think about it? On a cruise you get to go for breakfast, lunch or dinner and a great assorment of choices with no price tag ... In real life that would cost a fortune going out for dinner everyday. So yeah... if you don't want jet lag .... go for the cruise

[@BrianandCarrie]

So many wonderful positives to the repositioning cruise. We are so happy we tried it and now know we would do it again in the future...probably a transpacific next. Cheers!

[@SandyCleary-fn5ku]

Thanks for all of the great information

[@BrianandCarrie]

You're welcome! 😊

[@rostaylor7723]

Super helpful video! Currently considering a TA cruise on NCL and this is making me have a rethink!

[@beththomas6514]

Thanks for another very informative video. Regarding weather, a lot of repositioning cruises are during the shoulder season which could result in better weather. But I didn't know that there was a repositioning cruise back from Rome in December. Good to know for future holiday travel. Thanks to you I now know to look for this 🙂

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching, Beth!! ❤

[@megankasten8710]

We did a 21 day transpacific in October 2022 from LA to Auckland, NZ on the Grand Princess. We used it as a way to get to New Zealand to visit friends we had met on a river cruise in Europe, and it was a wonderful way to arrive well rested with zero jetlag. On a westbound itinerary, you gain an hour every few days, so you even have extra napping time 😉. Another added bonus is that we got to visit ports along the way that we otherwise wouldn't have seen, including Hilo, HI, Honolulu, Tahiti and Fiji. It was perfect for what we wanted, and we have an Athens to Singapore itinerary booked for this fall in order to get to southeast Asia. 😍

[@BrianandCarrie]

That sounds wonderful! We've looked at doing one from Tokyo to Vancouver as well, such a great way to travel such a long distance. Cheers!!

[@megankasten8710]

@@BrianandCarrie Tokyo to Vancouver is on my radar, too, if I can convince my husband to brave the Spring weather in Alaska! 😂

[@suzieesqueda4180]

We've been on several TA's on several lines. I wouldn't say you've selected the best line although they are all amazing in our opinion, our favorite part after traveling several weeks or months in Europe, on our own, is taking a relaxing cruise home if you can afford it. We love them all but our favorite so far has been Odyssey of the Seas on Royal Caribbean. We've found a couple that travels very similar to us!! Following...Ty

[@papi8659]

In Brazil for the winter, taking a repositioning ship back to Euriope in April $500 for 16 nights , Will be 40% full maximum . So much better than flying ...

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thats awesome!! Something that we will be looking into!! Safe travels! Cheers!!🍻

[@NicoleT-d7k]

Love how realistic and honest you are in all your videos. The seasickness has been a big concern for me.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much for the kind words!! ❤

[@jlawrence0181]

Great video. Comments: 1) We were planning to do a transpacific repositioning cruise on Carnival Splendor from LA to Singapore. However, a family event forced us to cancel. 2) A repositioning cruise would probably NOT be the best option for a first time cruiser. 3) Make sure that the “on board” entertainment is adequate as there are a lot of sea days. 4) We really disliked the Norwegian Epic when we cruised with them in February 2023. The entertainment facilities were tiny for the size of the ship and the employees were very unhappy which led to poor service.

[@lesliesnowdon1360]

Your trip was just after ours and I agree with what you posted. We had an absolutely terrible time on that particular cruise. Including horrible food. Extremely long line ups and unable to do any specialty restaurants because they had nothing available ( which were included in our package. Couldn’t even find a regular restaurant that didn’t have a 1 hour plus wait. I have never been on a TA cruise. But if I do It will be with Celebrity. Great time with them!

[@jlawrence0181]

​@@lesliesnowdon1360 if you are looking for a TA, you might want to look at some of the Princess transatlantic repositioning cruises. I have seen at least two of the Princess ships with deals under $70 pppd. The Regal Princess is one of them; Majestic and Sky Princess are the others.

[@glauciod2444]

I love the details. Thank you and safe travels!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching and commenting!! Cheers!!🍻

[@lesanelms7939]

Had planned a NCL repositioning from Athens to Lisbon. The cruise itself was going to be a bit over $7000 for two of us. Add in excursions, lodging before and after, flights, etc. it was going to cost $13000 bare minimum. Flew into Athens. Stayed 4 days. Flew to Rome. Stayed 5 days. Train to Florence for 5 days, over to Pisa for a day trip. Then on to Venice 4 days. Train through the Italian and Swiss Alps to Paris for 12 days. We went through every cathedral, museum, ruin, watched the guys at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Athens, we saw everything we possibly could in every city we went to and ate really well. The steak in Florence is amazing! Total $9500. I am so glad we made that decision. We would have missed so much! I understand you were working and not vacationing, so excursions were not important. We have no idea if we will ever go again. I had to retire to have enough time to go see all of it. I love a good cruise, but you really only see port cities or one, maybe two major points of interest at each stop. Edit: To clarify- it was a Mediterranean repositioning for a transatlantic repositioning to Argentina.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Sounds like an amazing trip!! Yes, agreed, you miss so much of each area on a cruise when you're limited to one short day of exploring. But, for so many it's a great opportunity to see so many areas in a short time and in a relaxing way. Cheers!!

[@m532198]

I enjoyed your point of view. I worked on cruise ships years ago, ran the internet.it’s expensive because the satellite companies charge the cruise lines lots of money for the service. It’s slow because the ship is rocking which means the connection to the satellite may be lost dozens of times per minute. Repositioning cruises are difficult for the crew because there are no days off. As soon as the cruise ends and the guests disembark, new guests arrive and the sip departs on the next cruise the same day.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Good points, thanks so much for sharing 😊

[@OhShunz]

Great video thank you! I’ve been very interested in this type of cruise. 👍🏽☀️👏🏽

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching our channel! Cheers!!🍻

[@gottabtrippin3487]

Great video, thanks. As an Australian I do have a lot of trouble getting my head around that gratuity though. I totally get a gratuity for outstanding service, but gratuity by default is not gratuity it is a fee. So my question is, other than cruises, do you find many examples of expected gratuities in your travels (outside North America)?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Very few places besides North America are there gratuity. If there is, it isn't 20%!! Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@bexinthebox]

I’ve done 2 repositioning cruises and loved them, both with MSC. Ours sailed in October and went from Barcelona via the Canaries islands over to the Caribbean then onto Florida so the weather was much warmer as we crossed much further south and 2 months earlier. Also MSC wifi was about £75 for our entire 16 day cruise. You can also get the basic drinks package that gets you beer, wine, soft drinks and basic cocktails for £28 per day which was well worth it. All in all for our 16 day cruise we paid £1064 per person but we had a balcony cabin. We also got £75 on board credit which we used for 5 speciality restaurants and a little flutter on the slot machines. With WiFi and a basic drinks package it’s £1587pp and you’re not compromising on anything. Drinks, balcony, wifi and warm weather all included 😎 🍹

[@BrianandCarrie]

Sounds wonderful! My Mediterranean cruise was on with MSC... It was great! I also appreciated the costs were less for all the ad ons. Thanks so much for watching 😊

[@pauladuncanadams1750]

Hi B&C, hope you made it back safe and sound. I haven't had the privilege of being on a cruise, however I did buy one for my mom and step-dad. It was something that she always wanted. Maybe someday it will be my turn? I have been doing a bit of research just in case (you never know) and have been watching KZbin about cruising. One thing that I did learn is that cruise lines will often let you bring alcohol onboard. Usually, its a two bottle of wine limit per person. It was suggested that you purchase your wine after your flight but before boarding. You must bring it onboard in your carry-on and declare it while you are going through the boarding process. When you get to speak to your cabin steward they will tell you where you can get ice (and may even handle that for you) and how to get a corkscrew for use in your room. I heard someone say that you may be able to just borrow a corkscrew from the bar when you need one. Maybe a couple of glasses too, if the cabin steward didn't provide. There should be a mini fridge in your cabin to keep your bottles until you are ready. You can also take your bottle to a restaurant for enjoying with your meal. DO NOT TAKE YOUR BOTTLE TO DINNER UNLESS YOU ARE OK WITH A CORKAGE FEE. Maybe this information helps you on your next voyage? I hope so. If you aren't sure about what you are allowed to bring onboard, you can check with the cruise line beforehand. Take care.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi, Paula. On this cruise, they allowed one bottle with a corkage fee. On our cruise last summer on Princess they allowed one bottle each without a fee. You really should try a cruise!!! Cheers!!🍻

[@rosahinson2166]

We did a back to back on NCL this past summer. I ended up buying a bottle of wine at the dining room and had 1 glass of wine with dinner, turned out to be way cheaper since I don’t drink very much.

[@BrianandCarrie]

That's a great way to do it! Cheers

[@danatravis9240]

Great video! We're doing a 36-day repositioning cruise in September from Vancouver to Sydney and didn't find a lot of great info on KZbin about them when we were researching, so this is needed content. We'll be on Princess and decided to get the "Premier" package, which includes gratuities, adult beverages, and internet (along with a few other extras) and we feel like the added expense will be worth it on such a long cruise. Although it does put us a bit over our desired budget, we think it will be a much more pleasant way to reach that part of the world.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Sometimes you need to spend a little extra to get what you want! We are looking at cruises in Central and South America so like you mentioned, a much more pleasant way to see the areas that we wouldn't want to spend a month. Thank you for watching and safe travels!! Cheers!!🍻

[@atomicrancher3745]

The ultimate transatlantic voyage….Transatlantic round trip on the Queen Mary 2. Fourteen nights on the world’s only real ocean liner traveling in style. It’s a different way of traveling by ship. I loved it. Already rebooked!

[@BrianandCarrie]

That sounds amazing!! We weren't very impressed with the ship we were on. We aren't done cruising, we have plans to do a couple more the next two years.

[@dmcamp610]

My only additional advice would be to NEVER book directly through the cruise line. Always use a travel agent. It costs you no more and it gives you a contact and advocate in case anything goes wrong. They also have the best “specials” that cruise lines won’t offer.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Diane!

[@suewalker3603]

Very interesting!! I loved the information. Thank you for sharing.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thanks so much for watching 😊

[@johnatkinson8946]

Very high quality presentation. NCL is a great company. I've taken a repo cruise before (San Juan to Vancouver with NCL). One thing you didn't mention is "cabin fever". It happens to some passengers and can make people a bit short tempered. Anyway, totally enjoyed the video. Keep up the great work guys!!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, John!!

[@AnneFord-bb1ek]

Your hair and makeup look great Carrie. You too Bri, lol.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much ♥

[@robertmcfarlane4151]

Hey guys. Such great content for those considering a repositioning cruise. I don’t think of myself as a cruise person (at least not yet) and like my own itinerary and schedule. But I can understand this. The cost difference which is crucial was $50. So it becomes a no-brainer. With global satellites I would think charging outrageous $35 PP Per Day can’t last much longer one would think. But I agree that I wouldn’t pay it. Nor the crazy drink prices. Back to the travel life as we are well into January. Cheers to both.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We didn't really think of ourselves as cruise people either. But, now after taking this one and seeing others that take you to areas we wouldn't otherwise see, it may make sense. One would really hope that internet pricing would come down eventually, as that is such an outrageous price. Thanks for watching - Cheers!!

[@Evonne-j1i]

Great info as always... really helpful... thank you so much for your honesty... my husband and I really value and trust your opinions. Happy New Year to you and yours ❤

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching and supporting us! ❤

[@MagnificentGermanywithDarion]

I would love to go on a cruise like this. Thanks for the info. If you are ever in the Ocala, FL area feel free to look us up:).

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you! We will be cruising again soon!

[@MagnificentGermanywithDarion]

@@BrianandCarrie :)

[@richardknight8061]

did a cruise where at about 1-2pm they didn't really have anything on, and the cruise director would announce the afternoon and evening activities. & use to say that this was a great time to just chill or have a nanna nap to recharge for tonight's activities.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Love that..always love a good nap and no better place for one. Cheers!!

[@Mikeknz78]

I did a repositioning cruise from Vancouver to Hawaii 2 years on Quantum of the Seas for 13 days this was half way on its 30 day trip to Australia - one stop in Victoria, One in Lahiania pre fire :( the middle at sea and then 2 nights in Honolulu where you could stay on board. In real terms, was super affordable (half what we might normally pay for a cruise half the length on the same ship) and if anything there was more to do than normal. We took our kids as it aligned with the school holidays where we live but the majority of people onboard were older as they were doing the full 30 days, but this was ideal as it meant all the attractions on board aimed at younger people, like laser tag, ifly, flow rider were almost unused so you had no crowds, no queues - was actually a great trip. Definitely would do it again, not sure if it was luck or not but there was no memorable weather and the ship is huge so handled any waves very smoothly. Biggest cost was the flights from Hawaii but overall was well worth it .

[@BrianandCarrie]

Our next one may be from Tokyo to Vancouver, BC. This would be on our way home from SE Asia. Our hometown is only 1.5 hrs. car ride from there!! Thanks for watching and commenting, Mike! Cheers!!🍻

[@pennyhatam5451]

Hi friends, this might be a silly question but couldn’t you use your cellphone to still have internet access? I am with AT&T and I know they have a passport pass package which is $100 a month and you have unlimited of everything.

[@ronv6637]

One idea was instead of a flight to Seattle a rental car with unlimited mileage could be cheaper$30-50/day and gas). But a 3000 mile drive is no big deal for me. UHaul might even be willing to pay to reposition equipment from Fl.

[@desertinutah]

I've never been seasick--not on a 5:00 am boat fishing for salmon off the coast of California, or on a ferry from Calais, France to Dover, England. The last trip was truly memorable: the ferry was fast, and hit those waves, hard, up and down. I sat in a chair next to a bolted-down metal table and drank a bottle of cognac all the way over. One of my best memories! Could it be because I was born in July and am a water baby?😂 My sister and brother-in-law just came back from a Mediterranean cruise on the Norwegian Escape.

[@mariasimonova9045]

Love your videos. We're taking our first repo cruise from England to Texas this October. Hoping for nice weather 😂

I am from Italy and gratuities/tipping is not in our culture. In cruises gratuities feel more like an extra fee to add to your bill. I feel uncomfortable in the US because it is expected to tip for absolutely everything. Wifi on cruises is so crazy expensive. Even for the crew members is very limited.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We have become uncomfortable eating out while home as well. The Wi-Fi is crazy expensive to the point it is simply unaffordable. Thank you for watching our channel!! Cheers!!🍻

[@markeaston7353]

We've done many repositioning cruises all around the world and love them. We tend to build them in to a broader holiday when it makes sense to do so. We were booked on Epic for a repositioning trans Atlantic cruise until someone pointed out the very strange bathroom configuration. Norwegian never repeated the mistake in subsequent ships. The good side is that frequent cruisers avoid the ship so there can be some very good fares on Epic.

[@BrianandCarrie]

The bathrooms were strange for sure and there were a couple of other things that we noticed as well. Thank you for watching and commenting! Cheers!!🍻

[@machellep1]

I almost always do TA s. I love the longer cruises, it really feels like a vacation. Nap time is a thing. I’ll be back on in December for sure, maybe another before and after.

[@BrianandCarrie]

They do feel like a longer relaxing vacation and plenty of nap time 😊

[@elliotthall5543]

Great info. Thanks. You saved me from wasting time investigating further.

[@BrianandCarrie]

That is what we hoped we would do!! Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@ceregirl5852]

Brian, I know this is a back handed compliment. But for what it’s worth, you look so much healthier laying off the sauce.

[@BrianandCarrie]

I'll take any kind of compliment there is!

[@placesonthelist]

We have done 4 Transatlantic cruises. 3 westbound and one eastbound. All on Princess. Their internet $15 and tips $16 are a lot less than Norwegian plus the laundry.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We will be looking closer at pricing moving forward. We needed something that would get us home that time of year and this cruise worked perfectly for that. Next time we will be more flexible and have more options. Thanks for the insights and commenting!! Cheers!!🍻

[@8brewing]

Hi Brian and Carrie. We were on the Norwegian Gem sailing from Rome to New York City starting December 4th and disembarking on December 19th. Amazing weather except for one day and night of splash and crash. Skipped Bermuda due to a storm coming up from Florida and got to New York early. My brother joined us, as did many single travelors on this cruise, because the single suppliment was not applied. Visited same ports you did and had a great time. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Happy adventuring in 2024!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching and commenting!!

[@d.y.e3803]

Really great to hear about long cruises and repositioning ones, not that I take cruises. But, I can pass the information on to others. I get seasick just looking at the water. LOL! But, friends and family love cruises and for decades have cruised to various places around the world. I'll stick with planes. One of my closest friends is at present on a 7-week cruise to South America and Antarctica with a day trip to the Atacama Desert. He loves cruises and has been cruising for probably three decades as he started in his 30s. I've lost track of how many times he has cruised to Europe. I think he takes the Queen Mary 2. Sometimes he has to fly to the ship departure point unless he's cruising to Mexico or other West Coast starting points. Then, he can leave from L.A. I don't know if he does repositioning cruises. I'll ask him as he'll be home in a week. Greetings from Los Angeles

[@BrianandCarrie]

The 7-week cruise to South America sounds amazing! We may do a repositioning cruise to get down there. This could happen this year, we will see how everything works out this fall.

[@d.y.e3803]

A cruise there could work out really well for the two of you. I hope you look into it further. Personally, I flew to South America, a couple of times, and took it from there. But, I prefer flying. 🙂 Greetings from Los Angeles@@BrianandCarrie

[@timothysuhr7903]

One thing to consider for a Wi-Fi package is getting a travel router. Then you assign the package to the travel router for the both of you that does lower cost a little bit

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thanks for the tip ☺

[@Mia_Louiise]

I went on an 11 day cruise once & I couldn’t wait to get off ! I’m 2.29mins into this video & interested in what the outcome is. As for myself I have always said I would never do another cruise, I didn’t enjoy it at all.

[@jiggyjean9081]

We are SOOOO doing this several times when we're retire 🥰😍

[@BrianandCarrie]

You only have two years to go!! 😀❤

[@doreenfrenier1174]

Wonderful video, as always! And great timing - I just booked the NCL epic yesterday for a transatlantic to Rome in April, can't wait!!! Looking forward to seeing your next videos :)

[@BrianandCarrie]

You'll have a great time!! Thank you for watching and safe travels! Cheers!!🍻

[@siouxrose7766]

How did you find the booking? Did you get a good rate? Have fun!

[@lindad6223]

I took the same trip, to just not fly home... If the calendar works out, I'll be on the return to Rome in April. Arriving rested, sans jetlag... priceless!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes agree, so worth arriving without jetlag!

[@gr8bkset-524]

Hearing about the drawbacks, I wonder if passengers find ways to work around them: Can people take the cruise part way, say Turkey to Portugal? Sneak liquor such as vodka on and mix drinks? Starlink direct to cell data becomes available in 2025. Depending on cost and data speeds it'll be interesting to see what capabilities opens up to this kind of travel. Maybe email and texting, and limited surfing the web but not video.

[@BrianandCarrie]

It sure would be great if Starlink becomes an option! As far as alcohol, they scan your bags when you arrive, so it's not a good idea to try to sneak anything on as you'll most likely lose it. I'm unsure on disembarking at a different port, but don't see why you couldn't do that if you make them aware. Cheers!!

[@gisme4648]

We flew to Hawaii in October then did an 18 night repositioning back to Australia. Seas were relatively calm until the final night. Only had 2 ports of call, 2 others were cancelled because of weather. Booked another repositioning cruise for later in the year because we enjoyed it so much.

[@BrianandCarrie]

There is one from Australia to Seattle that is 29 nights. That may be a bit long for us but would be an adventure for sure! Thank you for watching and commenting!! Cheers!!🍻

[@colleenrossomando8221]

First time watching you. Thank you for your down to earth review keeping in mind a budget. I wii consider this

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching, Colleen.

[@suzannegabrielle]

This was very informative and confirmed why we won't be doing this anytime soon.