Caribbean Cruise from European port AND USA port

[l0is_lane]

Hi all, I'm fairly new cruising, I'm based in the UK and I've just done a couple of P&O cruises in Europe.  My (80 year old) Mum and I would like to take a Caribbean Cruise, however due to age and health we would like to avoid a long haul flight for her.  I however would like to do a Fly-Cruise so I don't have to use as much annual leave allowance from work.

 

What I'm looking for ideally is a Carribean Cruise which is leaving from a UK or European port but which can also be joined later in the journey by flying to the Carribean to join it.  That way my Mum can join the cruise in the UK and I can join the same ship when it reaches the Carribean.  I've tried looking at some cruises to see if they fit this criteria but I can't find any that do, I'm not sure if I'm looking for something that doesn't exist. Can anyone suggest any suitable cruises, we're open to most cruise lines.

 

Many thanks

[mom says]

I believe you are hunting unicorns. Most cruise lines (aside from the frequent Cunard run from Southampton  to New York) only do their transatlantic cruises to reposition in the fall for the winter Caribbean season. You could certainly book your mother on one of those, and then the next sailing in the Caribbean (a back to back booking.) And then book yourself on that second cruise. You will have to research which lines have fly and sail packages. I believe P&O does to and from Barbados. You might find more info that is tailored to UK fly/sail packages on the UK cruising forum:  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/543-uk-cruising/

[Twickenham]

When we took our TA on the QM2 in 2015, there were people on the ship that were cruising round-trip from Southampton - they had done Southampton-New York, then down to the Caribbean and back to NY, then back across. We embarked the ship on January 3rd, so they would have gotten on sometime mid or late December. I believe the QM2 has a similar sailing schedule this year.

[JimmyTheSaint]

Even if you find the cruise you describe, which I very much doubt you will find, you've still got the issue of a long haul flight back to the UK. I think your best solution is a one of the repositioning cruises at the start or end of the Caribbean season when you would only have one flight to contend with. 

[leaveitallbehind]

Also just be aware from a timing point of view, for her the trip would likely be around 21 days on the ship as most trans-Atlantic cruises are about 14 days and the Caribbean portion would be at least 7.  Then she has to get back.

[wcook]

Keep in mind UK -> Caribbean is usually about nine days in a ship. With work, you could find something that works, but I gotta believe you are better off with the long haul flight. 

[Essiesmom]

One option is a November cruise on QM2 from Southampton to NYC, then continuing on a two week cruise to the Caribbean, returning to NYC and then the return crossing to Soton.  The whole things is sold as 27 days, but you can buy the crossings and the Caribbean portion of 14 days separately.  In January P&O has one on Ventura that is 35 nights.  What you are asking for can be quite long.

 P&O has one on Iona in Jan that also is 35 nights; another QM2 in Jan that goes straight to Caribbean,  o NYC but atoll 35 nights.  
 I am only looking at cruises from Soton in cruisedeckplans.com.  Perhaps Fred Olsen or the other Zulu based lines would have cruises from another port in the UK.  EM

Edited April 17 by Essiesmom

[John Bull]

 Hi, and welcome to Cruise Critic,

 

   @mom says  started with "I believe you are hunting unicorns." but then goes on to suggest an answer - an answer which I rate as the best option, altho there are a few caveats.🙂

 

At the end of a summer season in Europe, many ships re-locate to bases in places like the Caribbean or Florida.

And at the end of that winter season they re-locate to places like Europe.

These are called re-positioning cruises. And they are bargain cruises because the ship has to sail in order to re-position.

Many of them including some P & O and Marella, and US ships which spend their summer in Southampton relocate from or to Southampton altho the US ships generally re-locate to Florida or San Juan.

P&O and Marella - and perhaps Fred Olsen and others - include a one-way transfer and flight as a package with the cruise.

That's one caveat - unless Mum stays in the Caribbean for the entire winter (she wishes 😄), it will involve her taking one flight.

 

Because fly-cruise flights to the Caribbean are daytime, and it's best if you fly with Mum, probably Autumn is the best time - you and Mum both book for the last 15-day Caribbean cruise of the season, then you fly back at the end of that cruise while Mum stays on the ship as a back-to-back second cruise for another 5 to 7 days in the Caribbean before returning to Southampton on the ship (second caveat - it will probably include one or more repeat Caribbean islands) . 

That way round also means that by the time you & Mum part company she'll know her way round the ship and the crew and the routines and she'll have made friends with some doing the same b2b cruise.

Your fly-cruise will be 15 days, hers will be about 28 days.

All three flights will be on P&O chartered flights and with the same super-easy transfers that you've done on your previous cruises.

Third caveat is that I don't think there are any single cabins on P&O ships, so Mum's cruise back to Southampton will be subject to a single-person surcharge

 

Marella do much the same thing, one minor inconvenience is that their chartered aircraft includes clients on hotel-based holidays as well as cruisers so you don't get to avoid airport formalities when you arrive.

Marella ships are older, but smaller than ships on P&O's Caribbean cruises and they're very friendly ships. 

 

Ships of other cruise lines do much the same thing, but

- most re-position between mainland Europe and the Caribbean - that brings in a different passenger mix and language problems as well as an extra flight..

- even re-positioning to or from a UK port you'd probably have to arrange your own flights & transfers, and you'll have to be off the ship by about 9.30am on your last day - no fun when you've got an evening flight home.

 

There are 21-day no-fly P&O Caribbean cruises out of Southampton throughout the winter, but most days are sea-days and only half-a-dozen Caribbean ports.

 

I suggest you check the web-sites of UK cruise-specialist travel agents. 

We're not permitted to name them on Cruise Critic, but googling will lead you to half-a-dozen or more well-established UK specialists. 

Then phone them.

They know their stuff and can sort out suitable options.

They can also point out the various pros & cons.

Once you've figured the best bet, don't be afraid to barter. Can they add in airport parking? A cabin up-grade ? A discount on the one-way cruise?

When you've figured the best deal, go back to the agent that you found most helpful and ask them to match that deal. But if they can't quite match it, go with them anyway - a good agent is worth their weight. 

 

I wish you happy huntin'

 

JB 🙂

 

 

[l0is_lane]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions, you've been so helpful. It sounds like it could be a little complicated so using a UK cruise specialist sounds like a good idea, but it's good to know that it's possible. 🙂