What do you love about Transpacific/Transatlantic cruises?

[Travelexpert35]

Last year on Sept 5, my husband & I were flying to Vancouver to catch our first Transpacific cruise -15 nt Bering Sea & Japan on Sept 6 on the Millennium. What a trip we had. We both loved those sea days, just relaxing. There was lots to do on-board, seminars, painting classes and even learning Japanese phrases. I really got to know the ship on those sea days as I walked for 2 hrs every day getting in my steps.

Oh, I wish we were going again. 

[gerelmx]

Yes I loved the 5 continuous sea days from Vancouver to Hawaii,  time to disconnect

Edited September 5, 2020 by gerelmx

[portofrome]

I love sea days as well. Being on a ship on the ocean for 5/6/7 days is amazing!

[travlr21]

We love the sea days to relax, and enjoy the amenities on the ship. No rushing - though the days seem to fill with one thing or another. Celebrity TA roll calls are very busy, and typically a lot of events planned for the typical 7 sea days.  Our first TA was on the Wind Surf - 13 sea days. 

[Travelexpert35]

34 minutes ago, travlr21 said:

We love the sea days to relax, and enjoy the amenities on the ship. No rushing - though the days seem to fill with one thing or another. Celebrity TA roll calls are very busy, and typically a lot of events planned for the typical 7 sea days.  Our first TA was on the Wind Surf - 13 sea days. 

We had a total of 11 sea days. The Celebrity roll call was busy on ours as well. I loved doing the cabin crawl as we saw every type of cabin newly renovated. We will definitely do this itinerary again. Loved Japan.

[BP99]

1 hour ago, Travelexpert35 said:

Last year on Sept 5, my husband & I were flying to Vancouver to catch our first Transpacific cruise -15 nt Bering Sea & Japan on Sept 6 on the Millennium. What a trip we had. We both loved those sea days, just relaxing. There was lots to do on-board, seminars, painting classes and even learning Japanese phrases. I really got to know the ship on those sea days as I walked for 2 hrs every day getting in my steps.

Oh, I wish we were going again. 

We did the same cruise. Loved it!

Beats flying anytime!! No jet lag when you arrive!

[Wine-O]

We did our first Eastbound TA, and my wife didn't like it at all.  In addition to all the 23 hour days, we had 7 days of  relaxation, then boom, boom, boom, 4-5 port visits then hop on a plane and fly back to the U.S.   She likes the Westbounds.  Take care of the ports first then then 6-7 days of relaxation prior to arriving back to the U.S.  The six 25 hour days also helped.  On one sailing we arrived back in port the day daylight savings went off, giving us a 7th 25 hour day.  🍷

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Sea days!  Great way to go to or from Europe.  Preferably combined with another cruise or two!

[Travelexpert35]

7 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Sea days!  Great way to go to or from Europe.  Preferably combined with another cruise or two!

Wish we had combined ours with another cruise around Japan. Another time we will. It was a great way to get to Japan though. The flight back from Tokyo via Montreal didn’t seem that long compared to other flights I’ve taken.

[C-Dragons]

We really love the WB TA's but have done many EB ones as well.

When the Solstice class came out, the ships became our destination. Lots of sea days to just relax and enjoy life while crossing the Ocean.
Agree with Happy Camper, the best way to travel is combining a TA with another cruise. 😊

[chemmo]

Yet to do a TA but a couple of years ago we flew from the U.K. to Hawaii for just over a week before the TP cruise to Sydney.

 

It was the diversity of the experience we loved...Fantastic pre and post cruise hotel and sightseeing, then on the ship an amazing balance of sea days and once in a lifetime stops at Bora Bora, Tahiti, Bay of Islands....You were on the ship long enough to develop real relationships with fellow passengers and crew but never without enough stops for boredom to set in....

 

We are world wide cruisers, this remains our favourite itinerary....

[TeaBag]

We have loved all our TP,s and TA,s.  It's so restful not having to get up early and get ready for a tour.  We like the westbounds better also.  Love those 25 hour days.  Our very last cruise turned out to be many sea days, 17 in a row, because of COVID.  We might have been a little nervous about how it was going to end but I cannot say we were bored.  We always found something to do.  We miss cruising so much.

[DUTRAVEL]

Another vote for the relaxing sea days. No where to be and do what you want when you want. There is always plenty to do and we have never been bored. We also love the 25 hour days on the westbounds and doing the ports in the beginning of the cruise. Its so much nicer to cruise across the Atlantic than to have a long 11 hour flight back from Europe. 

[4774Papa]

We have done 3 TransAtlantic and 1 TransPacific cruises and have one TA booked.

 

One TA was east bound and two TA cruises were westbound.  Our TP was from Sydney to Seattle.

 

Why are these cruises great:

1) They are cheaper than regular cruises.   One TA for 14 days cost us less than $700 pp for a balcony.

2) You don't have to fly.  The older we get the more we hate these long flights.  Also, you save $$, since you only have to fly one way.  We usually use miles or book with the cruise line for our one-way flights.

3) More and more, TA cruises usually include more ports.  The one we have booked for October 2021 from Rome to Tampa visits five ports.    Our Transpacific cruise we stopped at places like New Caledonia, Fiji and Hawaii on our way to Seattle.  

4) Sea days are a nice respite after a land trip overseas and some ports.  We have cruise friends that usually book TA cruises with us.  We usually do a land trip and take the cruise home, which is better than taking the cruise then the land trip, because  you have the relaxing sea days after the land trip and some ports.

[ipeeinthepool]

All of the sea days make it seem like every day is a pool day.

[taylortime05]

On the Westbound TA's do you typically get nice enough weather for pool time?

[KeepCalmBearOn]

I love sea days, but 7 in a row (Vancouver to Tokyo) is a bit much. I like the Honolulu to Sydney where you get 5 in a row sea days (HNL to Tahiti), 3 days on the hard and then 5 more sea days in a row Moorea to Auckland.

[ipeeinthepool]

6 hours ago, taylortime05 said:

On the Westbound TA's do you typically get nice enough weather for pool time?

 

The Solarium pool is always an option as well as the hot tubs.

[DominicAUS]

Love the sea days too! I now only book cruises that have multiple sea days. I enjoy the ports but like a mix of both. Have done 2 TA and have my first TP Sydney to Hawaii in 2022 booked, 18 days with many sea days and a drinks package lol

[jg51]

Here's something that no one else has mentioned:

 

On the many sea days, we like being able to have lunch in the Main Dining Room (or even in a specialty restaurant), as a change-of-pace from the crowded buffet restaurant.  In recent years, there have been five different MDR lunch menus, although sometimes only four of the five are used (twice, when necessary) on trans-oceanic cruises.   [There is a sixth menu for a special situation, as explained below.]

 

Of course, there is no guarantee that "X" will use these menus after cruising returns.  They may be completely revised, or perhaps lunch will no longer be available in the MDR (?).

 

We copied these, by hand, so we hope that we haven't introduced too many mistakes ...

 

             Menu #1

Ap.  Crisp Fried Mushrooms (creamy spinach-artichoke dip)

So.  Chilled Potato and Fennel Soup (chives)

Sa.  Key West Salad (greens, avocado, orange, cucumber)

-----

E1.  Nagasaki Sara Udon (prawns and pork with wok-fried noodles)

E2.  Barbecued Pork Ribs (cole slaw and french fries)

E3.  Slow-Braised Lamb Shank (mashed potatoes, five-bean stew)

E4.  Whole-Wheat Spagh. Pomodoro (squash)

E5.  Salad Nicoise (grilled tuna, green beans, lettuce, olives, tomatoes, dressing)

E6.  Croissant Panini (Scrambled Eggs, Herbs, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion ... w. cole slaw, french fries, dill pickle)

Everyday Es:  Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Hot Dog

-----

D1.  Orange Panna Cotta (with mandarin slices)

D2.  Brownie Sundae (caramel sauce)

D3.  Rhubarb Meringue Tart  

-----

IC.  Ice Cream [Vanilla / Chocolate / and at least one more flavor], one Sorbet, and one Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt ...
         w. toppings: Choc. Fudge / Butterscotch / Raspb'y

 

            Menu #2  

Ap.  Cured Atlantic Salmon (dill, red onions)

So.  Blueberry "Soup" (red wine, whipped cream)

Sa.  Vine-Ripe Tomato Salad (red onions, blue cheese)

-----

E1.  Grilled Veal Liver (apples, bacon, onions)

E2.  Southern Fried Chicken (johnny cake, cole slaw)

E3.  Grilled Salmon (crushed potatoes, spinach, tomato)

E4.  Pad Thai Noodles (shrimp, veg's, peanuts)

E5.  Grilled _?__ Panini (Tuna, Muenster cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion ... w. cole slaw, french fries, dill pickle)

E6.  Wild Mushroom Polenta (poached egg)

Everyday Es:  Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Hot Dog

-----

D1.  Pear Yogurt Clafoutis

D2.  Key Lime pie

D3.  Assorted Fruit Tarts [request whipped cream]

-----

IC.  Ice Cream [Vanilla / Chocolate / and at least one more flavor], one Sorbet, and one Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt ...
    w. toppings: Choc. Fudge / Butterscotch / Raspb'y

 

              Menu #3

Ap.  Crisp-Fried Mozzarella Sticks (marinara dip, pesto)

So.  Carrot-Cumin Gazpacho

Sa.  Ensalada Andaluz (lettuce, beans, etc.)

-----

E1.  Sauteed Turkey Medallions (fennel risotto)

E2.  Whole-Wheat Orecchiette (walnut pesto, artichoke, asparagus, tomato confit, parmesan)

E3.  Grilled New York Steak

E4.  Teriyaki Duck Breast (jasmine rice, bok choy, shiitake)

E5.  Baguette Panini (Pork Knuckle, Fontina Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion ... w. cole slaw, french fries, dill pickle)

E6.  Cobb Salad (diced turkey, iceberg lettuce, avocado,  tomato, etc.)

Everyday Es:  Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Hot Dog

-----

D1.  Maple Pecan [or walnut] Pie

D2.  Peach Rasberry Cobbler

D3.  Strawberry Shortcake

-----

IC.  Ice Cream [Vanilla / Chocolate / and at least one more flavor], one Sorbet, and one Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt ...
         w. toppings: Choc. Fudge / Butterscotch / Raspb'y

 

               Menu #4

Ap.  Balinese Satay Beef & Chicken Skewers

So.  Creamy Mushroom Soup (chives)

Sa.  Mesclun Greens

-----

E1.  Spaghetti Bolognesi (garlic pesto crostini)

E2.  Brik: Tunisian Crisp Fried Turnover (seafood, egg)

E3.  Smoked Pork Loin (sauerkraut, mashed peas)

E4.  Barbecued Chicken [boneless] (grits)

E5.  Seafood Brochette (saffron rice, roasted tomato)

E6.  Focaccia Panini (Smoked Turkey, Pesto, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion ... w. cole slaw, french fries, dill pickle)

Everyday Es:  Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Hot Dog

-----

D1.  Chocolate Mousse

D2.  Banana Crème Brulee

D3.  Pear Tart (with Vanilla Ice Cream)

-----

IC.  Ice Cream [Vanilla / Chocolate / and at least one more flavor], one Sorbet, and one Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt ...
         w. toppings: Choc. Fudge / Butterscotch / Raspb'y

 

                    Menu #5

 

Ap.: Jumbo Shrimp (with cocktail sauce)  

So.: Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup

Sa.: Wedge Salad

-----

E1.  Grilled Filet of Mahi Mahi

E2.  Barbecued Meat Loaf

E3.  Smoked Turkey and Avocado Fritatta

E4.  Green-Lip Mussels and Chorizo Pasta "Costa Brava"

E5.  Cream Corn Farrotto  

E6.  Grilled Cuban Panini (Ham, Pork, etc.)

Everyday Es:  Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Hot Dog

-----

D1.  Lychee and Passionfruit Mousse

D2.  Bavarian Apple Strudel

D3.  Marble Cheese Cake

-----

IC.  Ice Cream [Vanilla / Chocolate / and at least one more flavor], one Sorbet, and one Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt ...
         w. toppings: Choc. Fudge / Butterscotch / Raspb'y

 

             Special lunch menu, used on Embarkation Day, for concierge-class guests and (continuing) back-to-back guests only:

Ap.  (none)

So.  Butternut Squash Soup  

Sa.  Caesar Salad (w. optional Chicken Slices)  

-----

E1.  Whole-Wheat Penne Pasta

E2.  Moroccan Braised Short Ribs

E3.  Roast Salmon

E4.  Grilled Chicken Paillard

Everyday Es:  Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Hot Dog  

-----

D1.  Warm Apple Pie (w. Vanilla Bean Gelato)  

D2.  Chocolate Cake 

-----

IC.  Ice Cream [Vanilla / Chocolate / and at least one more flavor], one Sorbet, and one Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt ...
         w. toppings: Choc. Fudge / Butterscotch / Raspb'y

.

 

Edited September 6, 2020 by jg51

[Travelexpert35]

Thanks for posting all of those menus jg51. We did have a few lunches in the main dining room as well as Breakfast on our sea days. I do remember having the Pad Thai Noodles and Key Lime pie on Menu #2. Everything was delicious. 
 

We had Anytime dining and the biggest mistake we made was not making our reservations for that 15nt cruise. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Price ! 😁

April TA 2021 , on Reflection, 16 days , $1500 CAD a person with taxes , drink package , tips and $900 CAD OBC , inside cabin 

with 5 stops 

With about 20 friends on the cruise what more can one asked for 

[Texed]

9 hours ago, scottca075 said:

I love sea days, but 7 in a row  is a bit much. 

 

Too many sea days?  To me, that's like saying you have too much money or too much horsepower.  😁

 

But, I would love the itinerary you posted.  😊

Edited September 6, 2020 by Texed

[C-Dragons]

13 minutes ago, Texed said:

 

Too many sea days?  To me, that's like saying you have too much money or too much horsepower.  😁

 

But, I would love the itinerary you posted.  😊

😁

[Travelexpert35]

24 minutes ago, Airbalancer said:

Price ! 😁

April TA 2021 , on Reflection, 16 days , $1500 CAD a person with taxes , drink package , tips and $900 CAD OBC , inside cabin 

with 5 stops 

With about 20 friends on the cruise what more can one asked for 

Yes...we love the price as well. Last year we booked a month prior to our cruise and paid $2155 CAD including taxes and all 4 perks for a balcony guarantee for 15nts TP. We got a 2A category and loved the location.