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A cruise

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Citybreak1

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I have been looking at a cruise to New York. I dislike flying so ideally a full return. Not sure if I should visit a travel agent. Not sure when I plan to do it as ideally im visiting Ireland first. Not into the whole dressing up so perhaps I’d relay on room service. From what I can see a return on a Cunard only gives around a day or two in New York. I’m unsure if that’s a good thing or if I want to spend longer there. Not sure how safe a city it is? Or if a tour bus for the day would do. I’m also unsure if I should save my money and wait for the return of supersonic at the end of decade given prices may be similar. I assume any longer stay perhaps I could return with one of the Norwegian cruises? Not sure I’m into cinema or anything the ship offers more a dislike of flying so would it get boring or would an iPad and some movies be fine?

Also I’d probably try a cheap European cruise first. I heard you can get 1 or 2 day ones so if anybody knows about these be happy to hear too.
 
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I wouldn't count on Supersonic anytime soon...

Can get a lot of 1-2 day cruises, although the clientele can be... varied.

NY is not much different really to London. I would think that the Cunard would be a days turn around, so probably very few hours if any to explore. Otherwise might be there two weeks for the next cruise back!
 

peterblue

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I have been looking at a cruise to New York. I dislike flying so ideally a full return. Not sure if I should visit a travel agent. Not sure when I plan to do it as ideally im visiting Ireland first. Not into the whole dressing up so perhaps I’d relay on room service. From what I can see a return on a Cunard only gives around a day or two in New York. I’m unsure if that’s a good thing or if I want to spend longer there. Not sure how safe a city it is? Or if a tour bus for the day would do. I’m also unsure if I should save my money and wait for the return of supersonic at the end of decade given prices may be similar. I assume any longer stay perhaps I could return with one of the Norwegian cruises? Not sure I’m into cinema or anything the ship offers more a dislike of flying so would it get boring or would an iPad and some movies be fine?

Also I’d probably try a cheap European cruise first. I heard you can get 1 or 2 day ones so if anybody knows about these be happy to hear too.

If you're okay with a supersonic flight then presumably you aren't adverse to the idea of flying. I can offer some suggestions that are shorter in distance and time compared to one full direct flight to New York.

1) You can regularly get quite cheap flights via Keflavik Iceland. This will be the cheapest option and you can stop off explore Iceland along the way, such as by seeing the waterfall, the strokkur geyser, the national parks etc. Keflavik to New York is about 5 hours.

2) WestJet offer direct flights from Scotland to north-east Canada Halifax, St Johns Newfoundland, etc. These are the shortest transatlantic crossings available, also around 5 hours.

3) There are some (not many though!) flights from the Azores / Ponte Delgrada to the US and Canada.

If 5 hours is also too long of a journey for a one-stop connecting flight, you can cut that down further with 2 stops e.g. Iceland and Canada.

Alternatively, upgrade to Business Class (first is similar and not worth the money), and watch a movie on board. The flight won't be as bad as it sounds!


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

I have been looking at a cruise to New York. I dislike flying so ideally a full return. Not sure if I should visit a travel agent. Not sure when I plan to do it as ideally im visiting Ireland first. Not into the whole dressing up so perhaps I’d relay on room service. From what I can see a return on a Cunard only gives around a day or two in New York. I’m unsure if that’s a good thing or if I want to spend longer there. Not sure how safe a city it is? Or if a tour bus for the day would do. I’m also unsure if I should save my money and wait for the return of supersonic at the end of decade given prices may be similar. I assume any longer stay perhaps I could return with one of the Norwegian cruises? Not sure I’m into cinema or anything the ship offers more a dislike of flying so would it get boring or would an iPad and some movies be fine?

Also I’d probably try a cheap European cruise first. I heard you can get 1 or 2 day ones so if anybody knows about these be happy to hear too.

If you're going on Cunard you will be expected to dress up and be presentable, at the very least for dinners.

European cruises are best avoided, really.
 
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birchesgreen

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NY will be like any big city really, safe enough if you are sensible and stick to the touristy areas.

Though the Bronx is probably gentrified these days, not much like how it is in films like The Warriors.
 

ainsworth74

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If you're going on Cunard you will be expected to dress up and be presentable, at the very least for dinners.
I haven't done a trans-Atlantic crossing (its on the list though!) but my understanding is that usually there's only one or two dinners where you're expected to dress up in a full on suit. But even if you don't want to do that there's a more informal buffet restaurant you can eat in instead of the dining room.

Though obviously you are expected to be presentable at all times! :lol:
 

Citybreak1

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Thanks that’s interesting according to Google you can get room service not sure if you can do that most nights?
 

thejuggler

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A round trip on Cunard to NY isn't about what you do in NY, its about spending two weeks on board an ocean liner. You don't generally spend two weeks on board to avoid a few hours flying as the trip is a holiday.

No need to dress up. Even on formal nights you can eat in the buffet.

I was in NY three years ago. Never felt unsafe and we went well outside of Manhattan - Brooklyn, Queens, northern end of Central Park, Staten Island including long trips on the subway and just like London having to navigate the system when we were all kicked off a service due to a signal failure!

Downside of NYC, you need plenty of cash - day to day living is expensive.
 

ainsworth74

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Thanks that’s interesting according to Google you can get room service not sure if you can do that most nights?

I think room service is available all day (breakfast, brunch and lunch/dinner) but might get a bit claustrophobic being cooped in your room for all meals for the whole voyage! Might as well eat in the buffet on the formal nights to avoid dressing up and just being cooped up all day.
 

Peter Mugridge

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I think room service is available all day
It is, but like in a hotel you'll have to pay extra for it...

If you want to get an idea of what to expect on Cunard, have a look at the link below - if I've copied the link properly, it should go to reply #128 in the relevant thread, which is where the Cunard bits start. OK, this is 23 years ago but it won'e be hugely different these days.

Link: Can't quote from it as it goes to a long thread with lots of pictures, the thread details a six night stay on the Queen Elizabeth 2 from Southampton to Civitavecchia in September 2002.

 

ainsworth74

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It is, but like in a hotel you'll have to pay extra for it...
I think breakfast before 10am is complimentary but after that there is certainly a charge for room service. Unless you're in one of the premium types of accommodation anyway I believe! All the more reason to venture forth from ones room even if you avoid the main restaurant and go for the buffet options.
 

Snow1964

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Thanks that’s interesting according to Google you can get room service not sure if you can do that most nights?
Recently did a mini break on Queen Mary 2 so can give you more details.

Room service is free for breakfast, but charged at other times (unless you are in top Suites when it is included). Have heard many comments that food is often cold by time it reaches certain cabins. Most of the catering is towards back (aft) of ship, so presumably the forward cabins are worst for hot food. We found it much easier to go to buffet (which changes depending on time of day), as can mix and match and choose how much of each you want, and it's instant.

In the evening part of the buffet seating area isn't available, as it's used for themed dining venue, not that all buffet seats needed in evening as majority prefer the main dining room (Britannia restaurant) where food is brought by waiters, so more an dining experience (which is included in fare, even if choose not to use it everyday). Can also get a served breakfast and lunch in main dining room (but only open for couple of hours for each meal) unlike the buffet which is open all day

The formal nights (which are called gala nights on Cunard), are more an invitation to dress up, not everyone wears ballgowns or dinner jackets, some are more dresses and business suits in the restaurants. Don't need to dress up for the buffet (but after 6pm they expect shirt and trousers, not shorts and T shirts, or poolside swimwear).

The gala nights might be themed, eg white dress night (have to look through your day by day itinerary in the booking to see this).

Swimwear is obviously allowed at poolside snack bar and drinks bar (but on a North Atlantic crossing when weather is cool/cold, the outside bars at top are unlikely to open, but the terrace bar at rear is normally open daytime. (If it is very windy the outside facilities likely to be closed)

There is lots of activities and entertainment, and proper afternoon tea, and massive library, so you are unlikely to want to stay in your cabin all day.

The staff are very good, and I would go on Cunard again, but not the cheapest, and finding an itinerary we want to do at time of year we want to travel, has yet to jump out at us.

There are some minI cruises at New York end too, if one of these is scheduled then return transatlantic might be few days later, so check the sailing schedule.

More generally, What I don't understand is if you are prepared to fly supersonic, then obviously don't have a problem with flying in general. But if prepared to pay for cruise then why not search out good business class flight (use Skyscanner etc) which also gives you lounges in airports. It is completely different experience to flying peasant class (economy). Another option is premium economy which is between the two.
 

stadler

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I think that the shortest direct transatlantic flight is probably the London Gatwick to St Johns flight.

You could do the following which reduces the time you spend on a plane:

Plane - London Gatwick to St Johns
Coach - St Johns to Port Aux Basques
Ferry - Port Aux Basques to North Sydney
Coach - North Sydney to Halifax
Train - Halifax to Montreal
Train - Montreal to New York City

The flight time is approximately five hours which is less than a direct London to New York City flight.

Or if you wanted to reduce the flight lengths even more then you could do this:

Train - London to Brussels
Train - Brussels to Cologne
Train - Cologne to Hamburg
Train - Hamburg to Kolding
Train - Kolding to Aarhus
Train - Aarhus to Aalborg
Train - Aalborg to Hjorring
Train - Hjorring to Hirtshals
Ferry - Hirtshals to Torshavn
Ferry - Torshavn to Seythisfjorthur
Bus - Seythisfjorthur to Egilsstathir (93)
Bus - Egilsstathir to Akureyri (56)
Bus - Akureyri to Reykjavik (57)
Bus - Reykjavik to Keflavik (55)
Plane - Keflavik to Nuuk (3 hours)
Plane - Nuuk to Iqaluit (2 hours)
Plane - Iqaluit to Ottawa (3 hours)
Train - Ottawa to Montreal
Train - Montreal to New York City

The longest of these three flights is only three hours long so that reduces the time on a plane by a lot.

If you want to avoid planes entirely then a cargo ship is also worth looking in to. Some of them will take passengers on transatlantic crossings. They are probably cheaper that the cruise ship.
 

MCR247

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I have been looking at a cruise to New York. I dislike flying so ideally a full return. Not sure if I should visit a travel agent. Not sure when I plan to do it as ideally im visiting Ireland first. Not into the whole dressing up so perhaps I’d relay on room service. From what I can see a return on a Cunard only gives around a day or two in New York. I’m unsure if that’s a good thing or if I want to spend longer there. Not sure how safe a city it is? Or if a tour bus for the day would do. I’m also unsure if I should save my money and wait for the return of supersonic at the end of decade given prices may be similar. I assume any longer stay perhaps I could return with one of the Norwegian cruises? Not sure I’m into cinema or anything the ship offers more a dislike of flying so would it get boring or would an iPad and some movies be fine?

Also I’d probably try a cheap European cruise first. I heard you can get 1 or 2 day ones so if anybody knows about these be happy to hear too.
I’d have thought taking a cruise ship to New York would be a rather expensive way of travelling especially if you aren’t actually wanting to take advantage of the services included in the price. These transatlantic crossings are generally more for the cruising experience than as an actual method of travel. Hence the very short time at the destination. So yeah overall this kind of sounds like a way to get the worst of both worlds - a very expensive trip with most time spent in your cabin and minimal time in NY
 

Zamracene749

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Have you considered a cargo ship crossing? This might be suitable if the social side of a cruise ship doesn't appeal. I'd imagine you would have to be happy in your own company of course.

Edit, reread thread and realised that this has already been suggested. However I've looked into it further and it seems that post covid, freighter passages are almost extinct, quite sad really.
 
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Bald Rick

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Wow. Some ideas there.

Being somewhat experienced in flights to the US East Coast, if the reason for your visit is to see New York, then fly. It’s typically 7hrs westbound, by the time you‘ve had meal service and watched a film, you are normally over Nova Scotia and watching North America unfold before you.

Coming back is usually 6hrs (my record is nearer 5 with a bumpy tailwind), and rather than the overnight ‘red eye’ I am now a fan of the daytime flight back which results in no jet lag.

Returns to NY for less than £500 are readily available - and that includes a checked bag.

New York is amazing. Like London on steroids plus a loud button.


If the reason for wanting to take a cruise is to experience the cruise, then by all means do it, but perhaps one way only. Some of the cruise comlanies do one way trips when their ships reposition across the Atlantic between the Carribean season and Med season (eg Barbados to Malaga or vice versa)
 

Citybreak1

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Thanks I’ve not considered cargo yet I do worry about what I can eat as I’m very fussy. I did look at Iceland and switching to another plane but cooled on that idea. I’ve recently been trying ferries and enjoyed it so that’s why I looked at the boat. I’m sure the 15 day or 21 day cruises have a little more time in New York.
 

DelW

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I did several trans Atlantic crossings with Cunard a few years ago, one on QE2 and the others on QM2. The great majority of the people I met took the ship one way and flew the other, with a (variable) number of days in the USA in between. The ship normally berths in the early morning (around 7am or so) and leaves in late afternoon, so all you'd get if using the ship both ways would be a brief tour of a few city sights. There are sometimes trips where the ship carries on to a Canadian port and back which would offer a longer stay in New York.

There were usually a couple of formal dining nights (black tie) and a couple of semi-formal (lounge suit), but as mentioned above, less formal buffet meals always offered an alternative.

My preference for the ship crossing is westbound - you gain an extra hour's sleep most nights (eastbound you lose an hour a night) and the approach to Manhattan is a much better finale to the voyage than Southampton Water.

I always found plenty to do on board, as well as "entertainments" there are films, talks, concerts, a library, (and gym and exercise options that I avoided). Very little needs to be pre-booked and almost everything is included, so you can join in or not as you feel on the day.
 

185143

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Just be aware if you're on a ship in rough weather, sleeping isn't the easiest thing to do.

Source: being sat on Stena Vision coming round Lands End as I type...
 

AlastairFraser

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Just be aware if you're on a ship in rough weather, sleeping isn't the easiest thing to do.

Source: being sat on Stena Vision coming round Lands End as I type...
I can concur, having been on Ulysses between Holyhead and Dublin during Storm Darragh (!), but it is important to note that it generally gets easier when the ship is bigger (in my humble opinion).
A cruise should be a bit easier than a standard ferry.
 

185143

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I can concur, having been on Ulysses between Holyhead and Dublin during Storm Darragh (!), but it is important to note that it generally gets easier when the ship is bigger (in my humble opinion).
A cruise should be a bit easier than a standard ferry.
We're alongside MSC Virtuosa at Cherbourg. This ship is big for a ferry, but compared to that this is practically a rowing boat.

A lot of glass got smashed in the bar last night, including a few spirit bottles which they ended up having to lock away. Pints and chairs going all over the place and cupboards flung open across the ship. It was quite something!

I did a crossing on Hjaltland back from Shetland during Storm Agnes. I seriously doubt that ship would have sailed on this route last night, it's tiny in comparison and you feel everything. I noticed DFDS' Athena Seaways went via the Devon coast last night causing a three hour delay arriving into Rosslare, due to the weather we sailed through.
 

AlastairFraser

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A lot of glass got smashed in the bar last night, including a few spirit bottles which they ended up having to lock away. Pints and chairs going all over the place and cupboards flung open across the ship. It was quite something!
Christ. That's not great.
I did a crossing on Hjaltland back from Shetland during Storm Agnes. I seriously doubt that ship would have sailed on this route last night, it's tiny in comparison and you feel everything. I noticed DFDS' Athena Seaways went via the Devon coast last night causing a three hour delay arriving into Rosslare, due to the weather we sailed through.
Yeah, that doesn't sound great for a ferry journey in summer.
 

SuspectUsual

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Though the Bronx is probably gentrified these days, not much like how it is in films like The Warriors.

All of the boroughs have their good and less good bits. I went to NYC in 2018 with one of my kids and we stayed in the Bronx and it was absolutely fine
 
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As suggested if you want to go both ways on Queen Mary 2 your options in New York are generally limited to:

One day. If the ship is going directly back to the UK that night.

A few days. If the ship is doing a mini cruise from and returning to New York and then back to the UK. Possibly the best option.

Two weeks or more. If the ship is returning to the UK that night, then back to New York and then back to the UK.

Occasionally there are different options. Other ships do occasional crossings to/from US and European perhaps. Perhaps Queen Mary 2 one way to New York. Then a week later another ship from say Miami to Barcelona. The other ship will often be slower, take a longer southerly route, be more subject to movement, and have less to do during the day. Years back a company called Readers Offers Limited use to package these types of trips. Not sure if they still do.
 

thejuggler

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Just be aware if you're on a ship in rough weather, sleeping isn't the easiest thing to do.

Source: being sat on Stena Vision coming round Lands End as I type...
Cruise ships are now 100,000+ tonnes, far removed from a ferry.

I spent two days this time last year travelling between Greenock and Reykjavik on a 130,000 tonne cruise ship. It cut through 48 hours of 4-7m waves with very little movement.

We passed QM2 somewhere in the Irish Sea on the way to Greenock - QM2 is 150,000 tonnes.
 

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ainsworth74

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Cruise ships are now 100,000+ tonnes, far removed from a ferry.

I spent two days this time last year travelling between Greenock and Reykjavik on a 130,000 tonne cruise ship. It cut through 48 hours of 4-7m waves with very little movement.

We passed QM2 somewhere in the Irish Sea on the way to Greenock - QM2 is 150,000 tonnes.

Plus QM2 is built as an ocean liner so has been specifically designed to deal with the sort of swells that you find in somewhere like the mid-Atlantic when there's a storm about.

That being said I'm sure there's weather out there that will get movement even from QM2 eventually!
 

Iskra

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Agreed, you barely feel the motion and it’s actually quite a nice rocking-you-to-sleep motion. The main thing is if the weather gets rough is to not to eat or consume alcohol to excess.
 

Snow1964

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There are a number of transatlantic moves of other ships.

This time of year (late Sept, and Oct) from Northern Europe (that have been doing Baltic and Fjords in summer season) to Caribbean

Few weeks later (late Oct, and Nov) with ships doing Mediterranean, which go from Spain & Portugal to Caribbean

Many of these are considerably cheaper per night, sometimes as low as £100-150 per night (which for food, entertainment and bed, is good value). Generally these take 10-15 days, with just 2 or 3 stops, at Canaries or Azores, or a Caribbean island. So downside is lots of sea days which on some smaller ships could be really boring. These are one way so need to fly back.

Get the reverse direction in March & April with ships coming back to Europe.

Another option is some round trips from UK (usually in November, January or February when UK is cold), these are usually 25-35 days to the warmer sun, expect about 7 sea days each way, with a number of different places visited when you get there.

Shorter versions of these to Canaries for those that don't like flying exist, usually about 2 weeks long. Common in winter months when UK is colder. From November to March will usually find only 3-5 day mini cruises or these longer 14ish day ones (none only about week long) starting from UK
 

Grumpy

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Also I’d probably try a cheap European cruise first. I heard you can get 1 or 2 day ones so if anybody knows about these be happy to hear too.
I note you are based in Scotland.
Ambassador cruises usually have a ship operating from Newcastle and Dundee for a few weeks in the summer to such as the Baltic, Fjords etc. The routes overlap. So a Newcastle to Dundee overnight leg might be carrying Dundee passengers at the end of one cruise (and have just spent a day in Newcastle), and new passengers from Newcastle starting their cruise and who are to spend a day in Dundee whilst the old Dundee passengers leave and new ones join.
I have noticed that they sometimes they sell any vacant berths on the Newcastle-Dundee leg as a 1 day overnight cruise. Usually with a coach to/from the other port. If you want a cheap trial give them a ring.
 
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